NIST 800-53 REV 5 • SYSTEM AND INFORMATION INTEGRITY
SI-7(16) — Time Limit on Process Execution Without Supervision
Prohibit processes from executing without supervision for more than {{ insert: param, si-07.16_odp }}.
CMMC Practice Mapping
No direct CMMC mapping
NIST 800-171 Mapping
No direct NIST 800-171 mapping
Related Controls
No related controls listed
Supplemental Guidance
Placing a time limit on process execution without supervision is intended to apply to processes for which typical or normal execution periods can be determined and situations in which organizations exceed such periods. Supervision includes timers on operating systems, automated responses, and manual oversight and response when system process anomalies occur.
Practitioner Notes
Set time limits on processes that execute without human supervision — long-running unsupervised processes may be hijacked or behave unexpectedly.
Example 1: Configure timeout limits on batch jobs and scheduled tasks. If a backup job normally takes 2 hours but has been running for 8 hours, terminate it and alert the operations team. The unusual runtime could indicate a problem or compromise.
Example 2: Set session timeout policies for automated service accounts. If a service account's session has been active for longer than the expected maximum (like a 24-hour limit for a daily processing account), force reauthentication or terminate the session.