NIST 800-53 Version 5 High-Moderate-Low

The 800-53 attestation is the most rigorous assessment available and provides the highest standard of attestation assurances to your customers.

Modules include:

NIST 800-53 System Security Plan (SSP)
NIST 800-53 Security Assessment Report (SAR)
Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 199 Categorization
Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M)
NIST 800-53 Preamble
NIST 800-53 Index
AC Access Control
AT Awareness and Training
AU Audit and Accountability
CA Certification, Accreditation, and Security Assessment
CM Configuration Management
CP Contingency Planning
IA Identification and Authentication
IR Incident Response
MA Maintenance
MP Media Protection
PE Physical and Environmental Protection
PL Planning
PM Program Management
PS Personnel Security
PT Personally Identifiable Information Processing and Training
RA Risk Assessment
SA System and Services Acquisition
SC System and Communications Protection
SI System and Information Integrity
SR Supply Chain Risk Management

Control baselines in NIST SP 800-53

Control baselines in NIST SP 800-53 establish the minimum security controls and privacy requirements for various information systems. These are based on the importance and impact level of different information systems. NIST standards work at three different levels, with a single privacy baseline applied to all of them.

Low-impact control baselines apply to information systems in which a data breach would have a fairly limited impact on individuals, assets, or organizational operations. Moderate impact baselines are used when a breach or interruption would have significant consequences, and high-impact control baselines are needed if a breach would have severe consequences, like something that could impact the nation.

NIST SP 800-53 Overlapping with Other Security Frameworks

NIST SP 800-53 compliance standards essentially serve as an underpinning security framework with fairly specific technical controls. It easily overlaps with other security frameworks that provide broader risk management protocols. For example, FedRAMP uses certain security controls that are mandatory for cloud providers who work with federal agencies or have government contracts; 800-53 are its baseline controls, as they are for the ISO 27001 security standard.

It is a flexible foundation for a system security plan that other frameworks can build upon and enhance. This is essential for organizations that work with cloud security or in the federal sector.

Our NIST 800-53 Audit Process

Our security audits begin with an overall assessment of your organization’s risk management process. We look at various assets and how security breaches might impact them; that will determine the controls we recommend.

We seek out security gaps and how they impact NIST 800-53 requirements, then we offer remediation recommendations and monitor them to ensure effectiveness. All of these procedures around security assessments are thoroughly documented.

The beauty of NIST 800 53 compliance standards is in their flexibility. Its security requirements are adaptable to the level of impact a data breach would have on your assets or clientele.

Key Benefits of Our Services

Our NIST compliance services are thorough and detailed, helping get your organization through a process that can often be unwieldy and time-consuming. We know our way around the ever-changing requirements, the testing and continuous monitoring, and the thorough documentation required to meet NIST standards.

Letting Continuum GRC handle your audit needs will get the job done sooner and without hiccups. Plus, we’ll help all key personnel step into the roles and responsibilities that are needed to work within continuous compliance standards. It’s an investment in your commitment to data security that pays off in trust among your clients.

What are you waiting for?

You are just a conversation away from putting the power of Continuum GRC to work for you.

About the Standard

NIST Special Publication 800-53, titled "Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations," is a comprehensive framework developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to provide a catalog of security and privacy controls for federal information systems and organizations. It is widely adopted by government agencies and private organizations to ensure compliance with federal regulations and to enhance cybersecurity and privacy protections. Below is a compliance overview of NIST 800-53, focusing on its purpose, structure, key components, and compliance implications.

Purpose of NIST 800-53

NIST 800-53 provides a standardized set of security and privacy controls to protect organizational operations, assets, individuals, and other entities from a diverse set of threats, including cyberattacks, human errors, and natural disasters. It supports compliance with the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) and aligns with other federal mandates like the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) and the Privacy Act. The framework is designed to be flexible, allowing organizations to tailor controls to their specific risk profiles, system requirements, and operational environments.

Structure of NIST 800-53

NIST 800-53 is organized into 20 control families, each addressing a specific area of security or privacy. These families are grouped under three security control baselines (Low, Moderate, High) and privacy baselines, which correspond to the potential impact of a security or privacy breach (based on FIPS 199 impact levels: Low, Moderate, High). The latest version, Revision 5 (released in September 2020 and updated periodically), integrates security and privacy controls and emphasizes a risk-based approach.

Key Control Families

The 20 control families cover both technical and non-technical controls, including:

Access Control (AC): Manages who can access systems and data.
Awareness and Training (AT): Ensures personnel are trained on security and privacy practices.
Audit and Accountability (AU): Tracks and logs system activities for accountability.
Configuration Management (CM): Maintains secure system configurations.
Contingency Planning (CP): Prepares for incident response and recovery.
Identification and Authentication (IA): Verifies user and device identities.
Incident Response (IR): Establishes processes for detecting and responding to incidents.
Media Protection (MP): Secures physical and digital media.
Physical and Environmental Protection (PE): Protects physical facilities and equipment.
Planning (PL): Develops security and privacy plans.
Program Management (PM): Supports enterprise-wide security and privacy programs.
Risk Assessment (RA): Identifies and evaluates risks.
System and Services Acquisition (SA): Ensures security in acquisition processes.
System and Communications Protection (SC): Secures network and communication channels.
System and Information Integrity (SI): Protects data integrity and system functionality.
Personnel Security (PS): Manages risks from personnel actions.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Processing and Transparency (PT): Addresses privacy requirements for PII.
Supply Chain Risk Management (SR): Mitigates risks in the supply chain.
Assessment, Authorization, and Monitoring (CA): Evaluates and authorizes systems.
Maintenance (MA): Ensures secure system maintenance.

Each family contains multiple controls (e.g., AC-1, AC-2), with specific requirements and enhancements tailored to different risk levels.

Key Features of NIST 800-53 (Revision 5)

Integrated Security and Privacy: Combines security and privacy controls to address both cybersecurity and data protection.
Risk-Based Approach: Encourages organizations to select controls based on their risk assessments, using frameworks like the NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF).
Control Baselines: Provides predefined sets of controls for Low, Moderate, and High impact systems, with flexibility to tailor as needed.
Outcome-Based Controls: Focuses on achieving specific security and privacy outcomes rather than rigid processes.
Applicability: Relevant to federal agencies, contractors, and private organizations, especially those handling federal data or seeking compliance with standards like FedRAMP.
Alignment with Other Frameworks: Maps to standards like ISO/IEC 27001, CIS Controls, and CMMC for broader applicability.

Compliance Requirements

To achieve compliance with NIST 800-53, organizations typically follow these steps:

System Categorization: Use FIPS 199 to classify systems based on the impact of a breach (Low, Moderate, High).
Control Selection: Choose the appropriate control baseline from NIST 800-53 and tailor it to the organization’s needs using risk assessments.
Implementation: Deploy the selected controls across systems, processes, and policies.
Assessment: Conduct security and privacy assessments to verify control effectiveness (e.g., through audits or penetration testing).
Authorization: Obtain formal authorization to operate (ATO) for federal systems, as required by FISMA.
Continuous Monitoring: Regularly monitor and update controls to address new threats and vulnerabilities.

Compliance Implications

Federal Compliance: NIST 800-53 is mandatory for federal agencies and contractors handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or other sensitive data. It underpins FedRAMP and CMMC requirements.
Private Sector Adoption: Many private organizations adopt NIST 800-53 to meet industry standards, improve cybersecurity posture, or prepare for federal contracts.
Audit and Accountability: Compliance requires documented evidence of control implementation, regular audits, and continuous monitoring.
Penalties for Non-Compliance: For federal systems, non-compliance can lead to loss of ATO, contract disqualification, or penalties under FISMA. Private organizations may face reputational damage or legal risks.

Challenges in Compliance

Complexity: The large number of controls (over 1,000 in Revision 5) can be overwhelming, especially for smaller organizations.
Resource Intensive: Implementing and maintaining controls requires significant time, expertise, and budget.
Tailoring: Organizations must balance risk and resources when customizing controls, which requires skilled risk management.
Evolving Threats: Continuous monitoring and updates are needed to address new vulnerabilities and compliance requirements.

Resources for Compliance

NIST 800-53 Documentation: Available on the NIST website.
NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF): Guides implementation (NIST SP 800-37).
FedRAMP: Uses NIST 800-53 for cloud service providers.
CMMC: Aligns with NIST 800-53 for Department of Defense contractors.

Conclusion

NIST 800-53 provides a robust, flexible framework for securing information systems and ensuring privacy compliance. By categorizing systems, selecting and implementing controls, and maintaining continuous monitoring, organizations can achieve compliance with federal mandates and enhance their cybersecurity posture. While complex, its risk-based approach allows tailored implementation, making it applicable to diverse organizations.

Your Roadmap to Risk Reduction!