diff --git a/features/fedramp_extensions.feature b/features/fedramp_extensions.feature
index cf7407a31..9bafdff57 100644
--- a/features/fedramp_extensions.feature
+++ b/features/fedramp_extensions.feature
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ Examples:
   | cia-impact-has-adjustment-justification |
   | cia-impact-has-selected |
   | cloud-service-model |
+  | component-has-authentication-method |
   | component-type |
   | control-implementation-status |
   | data-center-alternate |
@@ -165,6 +166,8 @@ Examples:
   | cia-impact-has-selected-PASS.yaml |
   | cloud-service-model-FAIL.yaml |
   | cloud-service-model-PASS.yaml |
+  | component-has-authentication-method-FAIL.yaml |
+  | component-has-authentication-method-PASS.yaml |
   | component-type-FAIL.yaml |
   | component-type-PASS.yaml |
   | control-implementation-status-FAIL.yaml |
diff --git a/features/steps/fedramp_extensions_steps.ts b/features/steps/fedramp_extensions_steps.ts
index 424d1b1a6..84338650c 100644
--- a/features/steps/fedramp_extensions_steps.ts
+++ b/features/steps/fedramp_extensions_steps.ts
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ async function checkConstraints(
               `The content may need adjustment to properly test this constraint.`
           );
         }
+        !quiet && console.error(formatSarifOutput(sarifOutput))
         errors.push(""); // Add a blank line for readability
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/validations/constraints/content/ssp-all-VALID.xml b/src/validations/constraints/content/ssp-all-VALID.xml
index 65bfbc915..d52ca4e20 100644
--- a/src/validations/constraints/content/ssp-all-VALID.xml
+++ b/src/validations/constraints/content/ssp-all-VALID.xml
@@ -309,8 +309,9 @@
       </description>
       <prop name="leveraged-authorization-uuid" value="233e0f09-fe5e-47e2-bca3-5f32df75e57a"/>
       <prop name="nature-of-agreement" ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal" value="sla"/>
-      <status state="operational"/>
-    </component>
+      <prop ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal" name="authentication-method" value="yes"/>
+     <status state="operational"/>
+     </component>
 
     <component uuid="66666666-0000-4000-9000-000000000006" type="interconnection">
       <title>External API Connection</title>
@@ -319,6 +320,11 @@
       </description>
       <prop name="interconnection-security" value="vpn" ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal"/>
       <prop name="interconnection-direction" value="in/out" ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal"/>
+      <prop ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal" name="authentication-method" value="yes">
+        <remarks>
+          <p>Some description of the authentication method.</p>
+        </remarks>
+      </prop>
       <status state="operational"/>
       <responsible-role role-id="system-admin">
         <party-uuid>11111111-0000-4000-9000-000000000001</party-uuid>
diff --git a/src/validations/constraints/content/ssp-component-has-authentication-method-INVALID.xml b/src/validations/constraints/content/ssp-component-has-authentication-method-INVALID.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..41bba60e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/validations/constraints/content/ssp-component-has-authentication-method-INVALID.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<system-security-plan xmlns="http://csrc.nist.gov/ns/oscal/1.0"
+                      xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+                      xsi:schemaLocation="http://csrc.nist.gov/ns/oscal/1.0 https://github.com/usnistgov/OSCAL/releases/download/v1.1.2/oscal_ssp_schema.xsd"
+                      uuid="12345678-1234-4321-8765-123456789012">
+  <system-implementation>
+    <component uuid="11111111-2222-4000-8000-009000100001" type="system">
+      <prop name="leveraged-authorization-uuid" value="11111111-2222-4000-8000-019000000001"/>
+      <prop name="implementation-point" value="external"/>
+      <prop ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal" name="nature-of-agreement" value="sla"/>
+      <!-- <prop ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal" name="authentication-method" value="INVALID"> Missing authentication-method
+        <remarks>
+          <p>If 'yes', describe the authentication method.</p>
+          <p>If 'no', explain why no authentication is used.</p>
+          <p>If 'not-applicable', explain why authentication is not applicable in the remarks.</p>
+        </remarks>
+      </prop> -->
+    </component>
+    <component uuid="11111111-2222-4000-8000-009000500002" type="service">
+      <prop name="implementation-point" value="external"/>
+      <prop name="direction" value="outgoing"/>
+      <prop ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal" name="still-supported" value="yes"/>
+      <!-- <prop ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal" name="authentication-method" value="INVALID"> Missing authentication-method
+        <remarks>
+          <p>If 'yes', describe the authentication method.</p>
+          <p>If 'no', explain why no authentication is used.</p>
+          <p>If 'not-applicable', explain why authentication is not applicable in the remarks.</p>
+        </remarks>
+      </prop> -->
+    </component>
+    <component uuid="11111111-2222-4000-8000-009000200001" type="interconnection">
+      <prop name="direction" value="incoming"/>
+      <prop name="direction" value="outgoing"/>
+      <prop ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal" name="nature-of-agreement" value="contract"/>
+      <prop ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal" name="still-supported" value="yes"/>
+      <!-- <prop ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal" name="authentication-method" value="INVALID"> Missing authentication-method
+        <remarks>
+          <p>If 'yes', describe the authentication method in the remarks.</p>
+          <p>If 'no', explain why no authentication is used in the remarks.</p>
+          <p>If 'not-applicable', explain why authentication is not applicable in the remarks.</p>
+        </remarks>
+      </prop> -->
+    </component>
+    <component uuid="11111111-2222-4000-8000-009000500004" type="service">
+        <prop name="implementation-point" value="internal"/>
+        <prop name="direction" value="outgoing"/>
+        <!-- <prop ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal" name="authentication-method" value="INVALID"> Missing authentication-method
+          <remarks>
+            <p>If 'yes', describe the authentication method in the remarks.</p>
+            <p>If 'no', explain why no authentication is used in the remarks.</p>
+            <p>If 'not-applicable', explain why authentication is not applicable in the remarks.</p>
+          </remarks>
+        </prop> -->
+    </component>
+    <component uuid="11111111-2222-4000-8000-009000300001" type="software">
+      <prop name="asset-type" value="cli"/>
+      <prop name="implementation-point" value="internal"/>
+      <prop name="direction" value="outgoing"/>
+      <!-- <prop ns="https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal" name="authentication-method" value="INVALID"> Missing authentication-method
+        <remarks>
+          <p>If 'yes', describe the authentication method in the remarks.</p>
+          <p>If 'no', explain why no authentication is used in the remarks.</p>
+          <p>If 'not-applicable', explain why authentication is not applicable in the remarks.</p>
+        </remarks>
+      </prop> -->
+    </component>
+  </system-implementation>
+</system-security-plan>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/validations/constraints/fedramp-external-constraints.xml b/src/validations/constraints/fedramp-external-constraints.xml
index ad58b98e4..29238ea01 100644
--- a/src/validations/constraints/fedramp-external-constraints.xml
+++ b/src/validations/constraints/fedramp-external-constraints.xml
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@
             <let var="network-architecture-link" expression="system-characteristics/network-architecture/diagram/link/@href"/>
             <let var="import-profile-href" expression="import-profile/@href"/>
             <let var="resolved-import-profile-href" expression="if (starts-with($import-profile-href, '#')) then back-matter/resource[@uuid = substring($import-profile-href, 2)]/rlink/@href else $import-profile-href"/>
+            <expect id="component-has-authentication-method" target="//component[(@type='system' and ./prop[@name='leveraged-authorization-uuid']) or (@type='service' and not(./prop[@name='leveraged-authorization-uuid']) and ./prop[@name='implementation-point' and @value='external']) or (@type='interconnection') or (@type='service' and ./prop[@name='implementation-point' and @value='internal'] and ./prop[@name='direction']) or (@type='software' and ./prop[@name='asset-type' and @value='cli'] and ./prop[@name='direction'])]" test="count(prop[@ns='https://fedramp.gov/ns/oscal' and @name='authentication-method']) >= 1" level="ERROR">
+                <formal-name>Component Has Authentication Method</formal-name>
+                <prop namespace="https://docs.oasis-open.org/sarif/sarif/v2.1.0" name="help-url" value="https://automate.fedramp.gov/documentation/ssp/4-ssp-template-to-oscal-mapping/#leveraged-fedramp-authorized-services"/>
+                <message>A FedRAMP SSP MUST include at least one authentication method for each leveraged system.</message>
+            </expect>
             <expect id="has-authorization-boundary-diagram-link-href-target" target="." test="not(starts-with(system-characteristics/authorization-boundary/diagram/link/@href, '#')) or exists(//resource[@uuid eq substring-after($authorization-boundary-link, '#')])" level="ERROR">
                 <formal-name>Has Authorization Boundary Diagram Link Href Target</formal-name>
                 <prop namespace="https://docs.oasis-open.org/sarif/sarif/v2.1.0" name="help-url" value="https://automate.fedramp.gov/documentation/ssp/4-ssp-template-to-oscal-mapping/#authorization-boundary"/>
diff --git a/src/validations/constraints/unit-tests/component-has-authentication-method-FAIL.yaml b/src/validations/constraints/unit-tests/component-has-authentication-method-FAIL.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1b7355f71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/validations/constraints/unit-tests/component-has-authentication-method-FAIL.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+test-case:
+  name: Negative Test for component-has-authentication-method
+  description: >-
+    This test case validates the behavior of constraint
+    component-has-authentication-method
+  content: ../content/ssp-component-has-authentication-method-INVALID.xml
+  expectations:
+    - constraint-id: component-has-authentication-method
+      result: fail
diff --git a/src/validations/constraints/unit-tests/component-has-authentication-method-PASS.yaml b/src/validations/constraints/unit-tests/component-has-authentication-method-PASS.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..76f5b7ef6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/validations/constraints/unit-tests/component-has-authentication-method-PASS.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+test-case:
+  name: Positive Test for component-has-authentication-method
+  description: >-
+    This test case validates the behavior of constraint
+    component-has-authentication-method
+  content: ../content/ssp-all-VALID.xml
+  expectations:
+    - constraint-id: component-has-authentication-method
+      result: pass