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§ I · Domain IAM · Control 5 of 8
Control
IAM-05
Edition
v.1.3
Status
Public review

IAM · Identity, Access & Authorization

IAM-05Delegated authority model

A delegated authority model is defined for any agent that acts on behalf of a user: per-action scope, time-limited tokens, and revocability requirements are specified.

For any agent that acts on behalf of a user, the delegated authority model specifies per-action scope, time-limited tokens, and revocability requirements. Where authority is sub-delegated to another agent, MAS-03 and MAS-04 apply. The model prevents agents from accumulating broader authority than any individual user or upstream agent intended to grant.

Table IAM-05.1 · Maturity criteria · v.1.3

L1 to L5 · the lowest level in scope caps the agent
L1Ad hoc

Controls exist informally; documentation is incomplete; no consistent review.

L2Documented

Controls are written down; ownership is assigned; review cadence is defined.

L3Operated

Controls are followed in practice; evidence is collected; deviations are tracked.

Delegated authority model is documented for all user-facing agents; tokens are time-limited and scope-constrained; revocation has been tested; sub-delegation rules are enforced where MAS controls apply.

L4Measured

Control effectiveness is measured against documented thresholds; trends are reported.

L5Continuously Improved

Controls evolve based on incident learning; maturity gains are evidenced over time.

The v1.3 edition publishes a control-specific criterion at L3 (Operated). The other levels apply the general ladder to this control; see the maturity ladder.

Evidence an assessor asks for

  1. E.1

    Delegated authority model is documented for all user-facing agents.

  2. E.2

    Tokens are time-limited and scope-constrained.

  3. E.3

    Revocation has been tested.

  4. E.4

    Sub-delegation rules are enforced where MAS controls apply.

Table IAM-05.2 · Framework mappings

5 of 7 frameworks carry a control-level reference
NIST AI RMFGOVERN 2.2NIST AI Risk Management Framework 1.0
ISO/IEC 42001A.8.3ISO/IEC 42001:2023 · Artificial intelligence management system
OWASP LLM Top 10·OWASP Top 10 for Large Language Model Applications
SOC 2 (TSC)CC6.3AICPA Trust Services Criteria for SOC 2 Type II
EU AI ActArt. 15(2)EU AI Act · Regulation (EU) 2024/1689
MITRE ATLAS·MITRE ATLAS · Adversarial Threat Landscape for AI Systems
SingaporePDPA s.24, AI Verify SecuritySingapore Model AI Governance Framework / AI Verify / PDPA

Mappings are directional: meeting this control evidences but does not by itself satisfy the external requirement. A middle dot means no control-level reference is published at this edition; see the crosswalk.

Related controls and terms

Cite this control

Human Intelligence. HI-AAF v1.3, IAM-05 Delegated authority model. Public review edition, July 2026. https://humanintel.net/standard/iam/iam-05

Edition v.1.3 · July 2026 · Public review · Markdown · PDF

https://humanintel.net/standard/iam/iam-05

Notice

HI-AAF v1.3 is an independent framework published by Human Intelligence. It is not affiliated with NIST, ISO, AICPA, or any government or accreditation body. The framework is offered openly for review during the current draft cycle.