What You Need To Know About NIST SP 800-53 Control Standards

How NIST SP 800-53 Control Standards Can Improve Cybersecurity And Profits

The NIST SP 800-53 control standards represent the federal government's commitment to deter cybercriminals. Compliance is vital to protecting U.S. data.  

Organizations that benefit from government contracts are expected to meet cybersecurity thresholds that protect the integrity of sensitive information. Businesses operating in the U.S. Department of Defense supply chain, for example, reportedly house upwards of 80 percent of sensitive data on private servers. In an effort to prevent rival nations and cybercriminals from pilfering off these materials, the National Institute of Standards and Technology issues standardized guidelines as deterrents.

Although the NIST remains a non-regulatory agency under the U.S. Commerce Department, Special Publication (SP) 800-53 and other standards are considered requirements by the Federal Information Security Management Act. If you operate a business that derives profitable work from government contracts, these are essential things to know about NIST SP 800-53 control standards.

Why Do I Need to Comply with NIST SP 800-53?

With global cyberthreats on the rise, the federal government has been increasingly proactive about companies demonstrating cybersecurity controls and proficiency. In many cases, outfits that fail to provide adequate cyber hygiene under NIST guidelines place themselves in a situation that could result in losing profit-driving contracts. That applies to contractors, subcontractors, and supply chain businesses equally.

The NIST SP 800-53 outlines determined controls that, when adhered to, create resilient cybersecurity. These safeguards relate to cyber health in areas such as management, technology, and operational aspects of a company, among others. Controls are laid out in categories that mirror the level of cybersecurity needed to protect your organization’s sensitive files. According to NIST SP 800-53, these are the security control families.

• Access Control
• Audit and Accountability
• Awareness and Training
• Configuration Management
• Contingency Planning
• Identification and Authentication
• Incident Response
• Maintenance
• Media Protection
• Personnel Security
• Physical and Environmental Protection
• Planning
• Program Management
• Risk Assessment
• Security Assessment and Authorization
• System and Communications Protection
• System and Information Integrity
• System and Services Acquisition

The NIST SP 800-53 also breaks the heightened cybersecurity thresholds into three groups that include High-Impact Baseline, Moderate-Impact Baseline, and Low-Impact Baseline. It may be in your best interest to consult with a cybersecurity specialist to determine which class your organization falls into and how to achieve proficiency.

What Are The Benefits of NIST SP 800-53 Compliance?

Coming into compliance with the mandate delivers proven benefits to any organization. It means raising your cybersecurity defenses and protocols to a level that increases the likelihood a hacker will not spend the time and energy trying to breach your system. It’s an open secret that cybercriminals target vulnerable organizations.

Beyond upgrading to safer overall network security, NIST SP 800-53 compliance also provides an industry advantage. Competitors that fail to comply with these control standards are less likely to get a slice of the federal government contract pie. The bottom line is that meeting NIST SP 800-53 control standards leads to profits, and that’s a primary reason to run a business.

How Do I Meet the Control Standards?

The first step to meeting the control standards requires having an expert evaluate your current level of cybersecurity wellness and craft a plan to improve a wide range of policies and procedures, into a new standard of best practices. Given the specialized nature of NIST guidelines and the federal government’s propensity to keep upping the ante, outsourcing to a third-party managed IT cybersecurity outfit has been the prevalent solution among industry leaders. These are three general steps you can anticipate from an experienced cybersecurity specialist.

• Analysis: From necessary firewalls to the methods used to move data within an organization, every aspect of your operation’s cybersecurity must be documented.
• Education: Best practices must be established with employees and key stakeholders educated about how to negotiate the network and protect data. Ongoing training about common and emerging hacker methods remains crucial.
• Ongoing Monitoring: Compliance is not merely a matter of fixing existing problems. Top-tier cybersecurity requires constant vigilance, 24/7 monitoring, and the ability to respond to threats promptly.

The federal government is more determined than ever to protect sensitive materials on its servers and those of private companies. This mandate will likely be upgraded in the near future, which means organizations are effectively being tasked with ongoing compliance. That’s why decision-makers are utilizing cybersecurity outsourcing and staff augmentation to seamlessly maintain compliance.