AC-12 Session Termination
Access Control
Description
Automatically terminate a user session after [Assignment: organization-defined conditions or trigger events requiring session disconnect].
Supplemental Guidance
Session termination addresses the termination of user-initiated logical sessions (in contrast to SC-10, which addresses the termination of network connections associated with communications sessions (i.e., network disconnect)). A logical session (for local, network, and remote access) is initiated whenever a user (or process acting on behalf of a user) accesses an organizational system. Such user sessions can be terminated without terminating network sessions. Session termination ends all processes associated with a user’s logical session except for those processes that are specifically created by the user (i.e., session owner) to continue after the session is terminated. Conditions or trigger events that require automatic termination of the session include organization-defined periods of user inactivity, targeted responses to certain types of incidents, or time-of-day restrictions on system use.
Enhancements (3)
What NIST adds to this control. Select one to read its statement.
AC-12(01) User-initiated Logouts
Provide a logout capability for user-initiated communications sessions whenever authentication is used to gain access to [Assignment: organization-defined information resources].
AC-12(02) Termination Message
Display an explicit logout message to users indicating the termination of authenticated communications sessions.
AC-12(03) Timeout Warning Message
Display an explicit message to users indicating that the session will end in [Assignment: organization-defined time until end of session].
Patterns that use this control (10)
Grouped by the emphasis each pattern gives it.
Critical (1)
Important (7)
MITRE ATT&CK Techniques (6)
ATT&CK v16.1Techniques mitigated by this control, mapped via CTID.