Establishing assessment methodology and approach.
It is crucial to conduct an accurate and comprehensive review of security controls. Assessing an organization’s systems, processes, procedures, and behaviors by gathering data and evaluating the information against a set of security controls, in a defined best processes framework, is an essential step in assessing compliance at a given point in a system’s lifespan.
Assessments, against a set of security controls, provide an organization and its stakeholders with an objective view of all processes that are accurately meeting or not meeting objectives and standards. Specifically, the set of security controls defined in NIST SP 800–53A provides organizations with a framework for assessing processes and procedures to determine an organization’s cybersecurity compliance. However, it is critical that the concepts of integrity and consistency guide a successful assessment program, and that evaluations have a level and reliability in their outcome.
SteelToad has conducted over 150 assessments, incorporating consistent and accurate gathering of data, always focused on the integrity of the data captured, and using our knowledge in the IT industry, to apply an organization’s processes against cyber security controls. NIST’s Special Publication 800-53A standard, titled Assessing Security and Privacy Controls in Information Systems and Organizations, is a comprehensive set of procedural guidelines established to standardize the assessment process for evaluating compliance with the security controls in NIST SP 800-53.
To achieve a level standard, the document 800-53A provides organizations with a general methodology for assessing an organization’s cybersecurity compliance. A successful assessment program must encourage a level and uniform pathway for assessors and must be led by the ideals of integrity and consistency.
Assessing Security and Privacy Controls in Information Systems and Organizations (NIST 800-53A) assessment methodology provides both the assessment of fundamental concepts and significant flexibility in its methodology. This helps assessors to maintain consistency in their approach while simultaneously encouraging adaptation to fit the specific environment most efficiently being examined.
Flexibility is a crucial component of assessment methodology so that assessors can adjust to an organization’s objectives and strategies. This may call for the adoption of a more straightforward approach to be more cost-effective, or it may call for the addition of special procedures or evaluation components to correspond with an IT system environment or a particular industry or system. This does not imply a lessened emphasis on ensuring that every standard and security control is assessed; rather, it gives the assessor a more flexible approach and focus, to appropriately match the organization’s IT environment. This is important since the NIST 800-53 assessment is mandated for all federal agencies, and each federal system has a diverse mission and infrastructure, but the same requirement is needed for proof of adherence to the will be evaluated.
SteelToad professionals will conduct an assessment against the NIST 800-53 family of security measures. The assessment methodology shall be used in accordance with the framework established in the NIST SP 800-53A document, Assessing Security and Privacy Controls in Information Systems and Organizations.
Our goal is to protect the integrity of the assessment process while providing your team with options, guidance, and flexibility to identify the accurate status of your system’s compliance with the 800-53 security controls through the assessment process. SteelToad will do the evaluation with honesty, consistency, and experience.
