CPCSC Level 2 Control

Last updated June 25, 2026

03.01.01Access control

CPCSC Level 2 03.01.01: Account Management

Apply account management to control who can access in-scope systems, how information flows, and which access paths are allowed for CPCSC Level 2 readiness. This guide separates the official ITSP.10.171 control language from practical implementation, evidence, auditor questions, and related controls.

Open Level 2 Guide Browse Level 2 Controls

Formal Control Language

Official ITSP.10.171 wording for 03.01.01. Use the Cyber Centre publication and contract requirements as the source of truth for certification, assessment, or procurement submissions.

  • Define the types of system accounts allowed and prohibited.
  • Create, enable, modify, disable, and remove system accounts in accordance with organizational policy, procedures, prerequisites, and criteria.
  • Specify: authorized users of the system
  • group and role membership
  • access authorizations (i.e., privileges) for each account
  • Authorize access to the system based on: a valid access authorization
  • intended system usage
  • Monitor the use of system accounts
  • Disable system accounts when: the accounts have expired
  • the accounts have been inactive for [Assignment: organization-defined time period]
  • the accounts are no longer associated with a user or individual
  • the accounts are in violation of organizational policy
  • significant risks associated with individuals are discovered
  • Notify account managers and designated personnel or roles within: [Assignment: organization-defined time period] when accounts are no longer required
  • [Assignment: organization-defined time period] when users are terminated or transferred
  • [Assignment: organization-defined time period] when system usage or the need-to-know changes for an individual
  • Require that users log out of the system after [Assignment: organization-defined time period] of expected inactivity or when [Assignment: organization-defined circumstances].

Contains information sourced from Government of Canada material used under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

What This Means In Plain English

Account Management is part of the CPCSC Level 2 Access control family. This is about making access decisions enforceable. The organization needs to know who can reach specified information, which systems can exchange it, and which access paths are approved.

For a founder, CISO, engineer, or compliance owner, the practical question is whether account management is visible in real operating evidence: a setting, workflow, ticket, log, approval, review, or exception record that can survive an external assessment.

Level 2 is different from Level 1 because the evidence has to survive an external assessment. A policy statement helps, but the stronger answer is a record that shows who did the work, when it ran, what system setting or workflow enforced it, and how exceptions were handled.

How To Implement It

1

Define the in-scope systems, owners, users, vendors, and data flows affected by account management.

2

Use identity groups, network rules, conditional access, remote-access approvals, data-flow boundaries, and exception records to make the access rule real in systems.

3

Translate the formal requirement into one or two operating procedures: who performs it, how often, where it is recorded, and who approves exceptions.

4

Configure the relevant systems so the control is enforced by identity, endpoint, cloud, network, ticketing, monitoring, vendor, or documentation workflows rather than memory.

5

Keep evidence in a consistent folder, GRC system, ticket queue, or audit workspace so an assessor can trace the control from requirement to implementation to review.

Evidence Normally Gathered

Account Management: access policy and role matrix.

Account Management: identity provider groups.

Account Management: access review records.

Account Management: remote access configuration.

Account Management: data-flow or boundary diagram.

Account Management: exception approvals.

Account Management: owner assignment and review cadence.

Account Management: exception, remediation, or POA&M records when the control is not fully implemented.

Common Auditor Questions

Where is account management implemented in the in-scope environment?

Who owns account management, and how do they know it is operating?

Show the evidence that proves account management ran during the assessment period.

What happens when account management fails, is bypassed, or has an exception?

How does this control connect to the system security plan, risk register, POA&M, and related CPCSC controls?

Sources

Source and attribution.

Formal control language is sourced from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security ITSP.10.171 publication. CPCSC Level 2 assessment context references the Government of Canada CPCSC program overview and ITSP.10.171-01 assessment guidance.

CPCSC Program OverviewITSP.10.171ITSP.10.171-01Open Government Licence - Canada