accountability

The principle that an individual is entrusted to safeguard and control equipment, keying material, and information and is answerable to proper authority for the loss or misuse of that equipment or information.

The property of a system or system resource that ensures that the actions of a system entity may be traced uniquely to that entity, which can then be held responsible for its actions. [Huff] (See: audit service.)

Tutorial: Accountability (a.k.a. individual accountability) typically requires a system ability to positively associate the identity of a user with the time, method, and mode of the user's access to the system. This ability supports detection and subsequent investigation of security breaches. Individual persons who are system users are held accountable for their actions after being notified of the rules of behavior for using the system and the penalties associated with violating those rules.