What this requirement asks
Use multifactor authentication for local and network access to privileged accounts and for network access to non-privileged accounts.
This is a CMMC Level 2 requirement in the Identification & Authentication 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 (4)
- 3.5.3[a] — privileged accounts are identified
- 3.5.3[b] — multifactor authentication is implemented for local access to privileged accounts
- 3.5.3[c] — multifactor authentication is implemented for network access to privileged accounts
- 3.5.3[d] — multifactor authentication is implemented for network access to non-privileged accounts
What an assessor examines
Examine:
- Identification and authentication policy
- procedures addressing user identification and authentication
- system security plan
- system design documentation
- system configuration settings and associated documentation
- system audit logs and records
- list of system accounts
- other relevant documents or records
Interview:
- Personnel with authenticator management responsibilities
- personnel with information security responsibilities
- system or network administrators
Test:
- Mechanisms supporting or implementing authenticator management capability
Evidence that defends it
Show MFA policy assignments
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.