Best Practices for Privileged User PIV Authentication

Published

April 21, 2016

Author(s)

Hildegard Ferraiolo, David Cooper, Andrew R. Regenscheid, Karen Scarfone, Murugiah P. Souppaya

Abstract

The Cybersecurity Strategy and Implementation Plan (CSIP), published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on October 30, 2015, requires that federal agencies use Personal Identity Verification (PIV) credentials for authenticating privileged users. This will greatly reduce unauthorized access to privileged accounts by attackers impersonating system, network, security, and database administrators, as well as other information technology (IT) personnel with administrative privileges. This white paper further explains the need for multi-factor PIV-based user authentication to take the place of password-based single-factor authentication for privileged users. It also provides best practices for agencies implementing PIV authentication for privileged users.

Citation

OTHER -

NIST Pub Series

Other

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.CSWP.04212016

Local Download

Keywords

authentication, Cybersecurity Strategy and Implementation Plan (CSIP), Derived PIV Credential, identification, multi-factor authentication, Personal Identity Verification (PIV), PIV Card, privileged access, privileged user

Citation

Ferraiolo, H. , Cooper, D. , Regenscheid, A. , Scarfone, K. and Souppaya, M. (2016), Best Practices for Privileged User PIV Authentication, Other, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.CSWP.04212016 (Accessed October 9, 2025)