PE 6 Monitoring Physical Access

---
name: "PE-6_monitoring-physical-access"
description: "Monitor physical access to the facility where the system resides to detect and respond to physical security incidents;"
category: "configuration"
version: "5.2.0"
author: "cyberstrike-official"
tags:
  - nist
  - sp800-53
  - rev5
  - pe-6
  - pe
tech_stack:
  - any
cwe_ids: []
chains_with:
  - AU-2
  - AU-6
  - AU-9
  - AU-12
  - CA-7
  - CP-10
  - IR-4
  - IR-8
prerequisites: []
severity_boost:
  AU-2: "Chain with AU-2 for comprehensive security coverage"
  AU-6: "Chain with AU-6 for comprehensive security coverage"
  AU-9: "Chain with AU-9 for comprehensive security coverage"
---

# PE-6 Monitoring Physical Access

## High-Level Description

**Family:** Physical and Environmental Protection (PE)
**Framework:** NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

Physical access monitoring includes publicly accessible areas within organizational facilities. Examples of physical access monitoring include the employment of guards, video surveillance equipment (i.e., cameras), and sensor devices. Reviewing physical access logs can help identify suspicious activity, anomalous events, or potential threats. The reviews can be supported by audit logging controls, such as [AU-2](#au-2) , if the access logs are part of an automated system. Organizational incident response capabilities include investigations of physical security incidents and responses to the incidents. Incidents include security violations or suspicious physical access activities. Suspicious physical access activities include accesses outside of normal work hours, repeated accesses to areas not normally accessed, accesses for unusual lengths of time, and out-of-sequence accesses.

## What to Check

- [ ] Verify PE-6 Monitoring Physical Access is documented in SSP
- [ ] Validate all 3 control requirements are implemented
- [ ] Confirm control is operating effectively
- [ ] Review evidence of continuous monitoring for PE-6

## How to Test

### Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for PE-6 implementation details. Verify the organization has documented how this control is satisfied.

### Step 2: Validate Implementation

```
# For cloud environments, use cloud-audit-mcp tools
# For on-premises, review system configurations directly

# Example: Check if account management policies exist
grep -r "account.management\|access.control" /etc/security/ 2>/dev/null
```

### Step 3: Test Operating Effectiveness

Verify the control is actively functioning, not just documented. Check logs, configurations, and operational evidence.

## Tools

| Tool          | Purpose                           | Usage |
| ------------- | --------------------------------- | ----- |
| Manual Review | Documentation and interview-based | N/A   |

## Remediation Guide

### Control Statement

Monitor physical access to the facility where the system resides to detect and respond to physical security incidents;
Review physical access logs [organization-defined] and upon occurrence of [organization-defined] ; and
Coordinate results of reviews and investigations with the organizational incident response capability.

### Implementation Guidance

Physical access monitoring includes publicly accessible areas within organizational facilities. Examples of physical access monitoring include the employment of guards, video surveillance equipment (i.e., cameras), and sensor devices. Reviewing physical access logs can help identify suspicious activity, anomalous events, or potential threats. The reviews can be supported by audit logging controls, such as [AU-2](#au-2) , if the access logs are part of an automated system. Organizational incident response capabilities include investigations of physical security incidents and responses to the incidents. Incidents include security violations or suspicious physical access activities. Suspicious physical access activities include accesses outside of normal work hours, repeated accesses to areas not normally accessed, accesses for unusual lengths of time, and out-of-sequence accesses.

## Risk Assessment

| Finding                                         | Severity | Impact                                           |
| ----------------------------------------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| PE-6 Monitoring Physical Access not implemented | Medium   | Physical and Environmental Protection            |
| PE-6 partially implemented                      | Low      | Incomplete Physical and Environmental Protection |

## CWE Categories

| CWE ID | Title                 |
| ------ | --------------------- |
| N/A    | No direct CWE mapping |

## References

- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - PE-6](https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/cprt/catalog#/cprt/framework/version/SP_800_53_5_1_1/home?element=pe-6)
- [NIST SP 800-53A Rev 5 (Assessment Procedures)](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/53/a/r5/final)
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 Full Catalog](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/53/r5/upd1/final)

## Checklist

- [ ] Control documented in SSP
- [ ] Implementation evidence collected
- [ ] Operating effectiveness validated
- [ ] Continuous monitoring in place
- [ ] Related controls (AU-2, AU-6, AU-9, AU-12, CA-7) reviewed