LLMResponse AC.L2-3.1.4.a

Ranking Evidence Types for Assessment Objective [a]

For the assessment objective "[a] the duties of individuals requiring separation are defined," I'll rank the evidence types supported by assessment objects from most to least valuable:

Evidence Type Ranking

1. **Documents (highest value)**

  - Access control policy documents
  - Written procedures addressing divisions of responsibility and separation of duties
  - System security plan with defined separation requirements
  - List of divisions of responsibility and separation of duties
  - Job descriptions that specify segregated duties

2. **Artifacts**

  - System configuration settings showing role separations
  - Role matrices showing incompatible functions
  - Access control lists demonstrating separation implementation
  - Organizational charts showing functional separation

3. **Physical Review**

  - On-site verification of physical access controls supporting separation
  - Observation of work areas arranged to support separation

4. **Screen Share (lowest value)**

  - Demonstration of access control systems showing separation enforcement
  - Viewing system configurations that implement separation

Assessment Approach Prioritization

I recommend prioritizing the three assessment approaches as follows:

1. **Examine (highest priority)**

  - Start by examining documentation that explicitly defines which duties require separation
  - This provides the foundation for understanding how separation of duties is conceptualized in your organization
  - Focus on formal policies, procedures, and system security plans

2. **Interview**

  - After examining documents, interview personnel with responsibilities for defining divisions of responsibility
  - Interview security personnel and system administrators to verify understanding
  - These interviews validate that the documented definitions are understood and followed

3. **Test (supplementary)**

  - Finally, test mechanisms implementing separation of duties
  - This confirms that technical controls enforce the defined separations
  - Testing serves as verification of actual implementation rather than primary evidence

This prioritization follows a logical progression: first understand what's defined, then verify understanding through interviews, and finally confirm implementation through testing.