What this requirement asks
Provide a system capability that compares and synchronizes internal system clocks with an authoritative source to generate time stamps for audit records.
This is a CMMC Level 2 requirement in the Audit & Accountability family, drawn from NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2. An assessor evaluates it objective by objective — every objective below must be supported by evidence, not just described in a policy.
Assessment objectives (3)
- 3.3.7[a] — internal system clocks are used to generate time stamps for audit records
- 3.3.7[b] — an authoritative source with which to compare and synchronize internal system clocks is specified
- 3.3.7[c] — internal system clocks used to generate time stamps for audit records are compared to and synchronized with the specified authoritative time source
What an assessor examines
Examine:
- Audit and accountability policy
- procedures addressing time stamp generation
- system design documentation
- system security plan
- system configuration settings and associated documentation
- system audit logs and records
- other relevant documents or records
Interview:
- Personnel with information security responsibilities
- system or network administrators
- system developers
Test:
- Mechanisms implementing time stamp generation
- mechanisms implementing internal information system clock synchronization
Evidence that defends it
Show NTP config + status
Check your readiness
Score this requirement against your own environment with the Level 2 self-assessment checklist, or estimate your SPRS score with the free CMMC compliance tool. Self-reported answers are planning signals only — they do not establish a verified or assessor-accepted result.