NIST RMF System Categorization Step Hands On (Using SP 800-60 Vol II)

KamilSec

26 Dec 202071:53

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe video script provides a detailed walkthrough of the Risk Management Framework (RMF) process, emphasizing the importance of categorizing information systems based on their sensitivity levels. It covers the steps for system categorization, the role of the system owner, and the use of NIST 800-60 and NIST 800-53 documents for determining security categorization. The script also discusses adjusting security levels based on agency-specific requirements and the concept of high watermark values to determine the overall system impact level.

Takeaways

📚 The script discusses the updated RMF (Risk Management Framework) steps, emphasizing the addition of a preparation step, often referred to as 'Step Zero', which is crucial for establishing risk management roles and strategies.
🔗 The importance of bookmarking the Computer Security Resource Center is highlighted for easy access to all relevant documents, as it contains updated information on technology and security standards.
📈 The document NIST 800-53 is mentioned as a key resource for understanding the impact levels of systems, detailing how systems are categorized as low, moderate, or high risk based on their potential adverse effects.
💼 The script explains the significance of understanding risk levels in cybersecurity, focusing on protecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability, which are the core objectives of any security measure.
🔍 The process of downloading and reviewing documents is discussed, with an emphasis on checking if the documents are in draft form or final, as this affects their reliability and usability.
🏗️ The concept of a control baseline is introduced, explaining that systems are assigned a baseline based on their risk level, and controls must be implemented accordingly, with justifications required for any deviations.
🔑 The script delves into the specifics of control families, such as AC (Access Control) and AT (Awareness and Training), and how they are part of the overall security strategy.
📋 The process of tailoring control baselines is discussed, explaining how organizations can modify controls to suit their specific needs, but must justify any removal of controls from the baseline.
🔄 The concept of common controls is introduced, explaining that some controls are inherited across systems, reducing the need to reimplement them for every new system.
🔎 The script concludes with a detailed explanation of how to categorize a system by identifying information types and their impact levels, using NIST 800-60 as a guide, and how this categorization influences the overall security strategy.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of the RMF (Risk Management Framework) preparation step?
-The primary purpose of the RMF preparation step is to carry out section extension activity organization and the business process, information system. It involves establishing risk management roles, identifying and assigning key roles for executing risk management, and establishing a risk management strategy for the organization.
What is the significance of the 'high watermark' value in the context of the RMF?
-The 'high watermark' value is used to determine the overall sensitivity level of a system. It is based on the highest impact level among the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) triad for all information types processed by the system.
Why is it important to bookmark the Computer Security Resource Center page?
-Bookmarking the Computer Security Resource Center page is important because it contains all the documents related to the RMF process. It serves as a valuable resource for downloading and reading the latest documents, which are regularly updated, thus providing a wealth of information akin to free books in the field of cybersecurity.
What does the document NIST 800-53 rev5 focus on in terms of RMF?
-NIST 800-53 rev5 focuses on the security controls for information systems and organizations. It provides detailed guidelines on the categorization of information systems, the selection of security controls, and the assessment of security controls.
How does the RMF process address the varying impact levels of systems?
-The RMF process addresses varying impact levels by categorizing systems into low, moderate, and high impact levels. This categorization helps determine the appropriate level of security controls required for each system based on its potential adverse effects on the organization's operations, assets, and individuals.
What is the role of the ISO (Information System Security Officer) in the RMF process?
-The ISO plays a crucial role in the RMF process by overseeing the security aspects of the information system. They are responsible for ensuring that the system complies with the established security policies and procedures and that the appropriate security controls are implemented.
What is the purpose of tailoring the control baseline in the RMF?
-Tailoring the control baseline in the RMF allows organizations to modify the set of controls to better suit their specific needs. It involves selecting additional controls that may enhance security beyond the baseline requirements or, in some cases, justifying the removal of controls that are not applicable, provided the necessary approvals are obtained.
How does an organization determine the common controls that can be inherited by a new system?
-An organization determines common controls by identifying controls that are already in place and applicable to multiple systems within the same environment. These controls, such as physical and environmental protection measures or awareness and training programs, are inherited by new systems rather than being re-implemented, thus streamlining the development process.
What is the importance of continuous monitoring strategy in the RMF?
-Continuous monitoring strategy is important in the RMF as it ensures the ongoing effectiveness of the security controls implemented. It involves regularly testing and evaluating the controls to adapt to changing conditions and threats, thereby maintaining the security posture of the organization.
How does the RMF process handle the documentation of system categorization?
-The RMF process requires thorough documentation of system categorization to provide a clear record of the analysis and decisions made. This includes identifying information types, determining their security categories, and justifying any adjustments to the baseline security levels. The documentation serves as evidence during security assessments and audits.

Outlines

00:00

📘 Introduction to RMF and Documentation

The script introduces the Risk Management Framework (RMF) and its steps, mentioning a new 'preparation step' that some documents refer to as 'step zero.' It emphasizes the importance of bookmarking the Computer Security Resource Center for access to essential documents that are continually updated, thus serving as a dynamic learning resource. The speaker also highlights the significance of the 800 series documents, particularly focusing on the impact level of systems and how to understand the risks associated with different levels.

05:05

📕 Understanding Control Baselines and RMF Documentation

This paragraph delves into the specifics of control baselines as outlined in NIST Special Publication 800-53, explaining the different levels of controls required for low, moderate, and high-impact systems. It discusses the importance of the 'dash one' controls, which are the foundational policies and procedures for each control family. The speaker also covers the process of tailoring control baselines to suit an organization's specific needs, including the need for justification when removing controls from a baseline.

10:05

🔒 Tailoring Controls and Common Control Identification

The script explains the concept of tailoring controls to fit an organization's unique needs, which may involve adding more controls than the baseline requires. It also discusses the identification of common controls that are inherited by systems within a defined boundary, thus reducing the need to implement duplicate controls for each new system. The importance of documenting and publishing these common controls through common control providers is highlighted.

15:06

🛠️ Continuous Monitoring Strategy and Categorization

The speaker introduces the concept of a continuous monitoring strategy, which is crucial for organizations to determine how they will manage and test their security controls over time. It also touches on the categorization of information systems, explaining the process of identifying information types and their respective security categories, and the importance of the 'high watermark' value in determining the overall sensitivity level of a system.

20:10

🏢 System Description and Information Type Identification

This section focuses on the process of identifying information types within a system description, which is a critical step in determining the system's sensitivity level. The speaker provides an example of a system description for a web application used in the federal contract bidding process, highlighting the importance of working with system owners to understand the types of information the system will process.

25:11

🔍 Locating Information Types in NIST 800-53

The script demonstrates how to use NIST Special Publication 800-53 to find the security categorization for specific information types, such as 'services acquisition.' It illustrates the process of searching for information types within the document, emphasizing the need to use synonyms if the exact term is not found, and explains how to document the findings for auditors.

30:14

📋 Documenting Security Categorization

The speaker provides a step-by-step guide on how to document the security categorization for different information types, using the example of 'services acquisition' and 'proposal development.' It explains the importance of copying relevant information from the NIST document, including the security categorization and justifications for the assigned levels of confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

35:14

📝 Finalizing System Categorization Using High Watermark Value

This section explains how to finalize the security categorization of a system by applying the high watermark value to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts of all identified information types. It demonstrates the process of comparing these impacts and selecting the highest value to determine the overall system categorization, which is then documented in the system's security plan.

40:15

📑 Adjusting Security Categorization and Assignment

The final paragraph discusses the possibility of adjusting the security categorization based on agency-specific requirements or compensating controls. It emphasizes the need for documentation and justification when such adjustments are made, particularly if moving from a lower to a higher impact level. The speaker also mentions an upcoming assignment that will require applying these concepts to a new system description.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡RMF (Risk Management Framework)

The Risk Management Framework (RMF) is a systematic approach for managing and mitigating risks to organizational operations, personnel, assets, and mission. In the video, RMF is central to the discussion, with an emphasis on its steps and how to navigate the process for securing information systems. The script mentions 'step zero' and other steps, indicating the iterative and structured nature of RMF.

💡Preparation Step

The Preparation Step in RMF is the initial phase where risk management roles are established, and the strategy for risk management is set. The script refers to this as 'step zero' or the 'preparation step', highlighting its importance in laying the groundwork for subsequent risk management activities, including hiring key personnel and determining organizational risk tolerance.

💡Information System Categorization

Information System Categorization is the process of determining the sensitivity level of a system based on the type of information it processes. The script explains that this is done by identifying all information types supported by the system and their respective security categories, which is crucial for applying the appropriate security controls.

💡High Watermark Value

The High Watermark Value is a concept used in RMF to determine the overall security categorization of an information system. It is the highest impact level among the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) triad for all information types processed by the system. The script uses this term to illustrate how the final security categorization is derived.

💡Control Baselines

Control Baselines refer to the set of security controls that are considered necessary for information systems based on their categorization level (low, moderate, high). The script discusses how these baselines are used as a guide for implementing security measures and how they can be tailored to an organization's specific needs.

💡Compensating Controls

Compensating Controls are additional or alternative security measures that offset the absence or inadequacy of a particular control. The script mentions adjusting the provisional security level based on compensating controls, which means if a system lacks a certain control, other controls can be implemented to compensate for the deficiency.

💡NIST 800 Series

The NIST 800 Series is a collection of guidelines and standards published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for computer security. The script specifically refers to Special Publication 800-53, which provides a catalog of security controls for federal information systems and organizations.

💡System Description

A System Description is a document that outlines the purpose, functions, and requirements of a new or existing system. In the script, the system description is used to identify the information types processed by the system, which is essential for the categorization process and determining the appropriate security controls.

💡Security Objectives (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability)

Security Objectives refer to the core goals of protecting information and systems, which are Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. The script emphasizes that these objectives are central to understanding and implementing security measures within the RMF process.

💡Common Controls

Common Controls are security measures that are shared across multiple information systems within an organization. The script explains that these controls can be inherited by new systems, reducing the need to implement the same controls from scratch for each system, and streamlining the security management process.

Highlights

Introduction of a new RMF (Risk Management Framework) step called 'preparation step' or 'step zero'.

Importance of bookmarking the Computer Security Resource Center for access to RMF documents and other cybersecurity resources.

Explanation of the RMF process and its significance in maintaining cybersecurity standards.

Discussion on the draft and final forms of RMF documents and the importance of checking their status before downloading.

Introduction to the 800 series of NIST publications, focusing on understanding impact levels in cybersecurity.

Definition of low, moderate, and high impact levels for systems and their implications on organization operations and assets.

Emphasis on the protection goals of cybersecurity: confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Guidance on downloading and saving RMF documents for future reference, especially during site downtimes.

Introduction to Special Publication 853 and its role in defining control baselines.

Explanation of control families and their respective policies and procedures (e.g., AC for Access Control, AT for Awareness and Training).

Discussion on the mandatory nature of controls within a baseline and the process for tailoring or modifying controls.

Introduction to the concept of 'common controls' and their inheritance in system development.

Explanation of the role of Common Control Providers in managing and providing non-system-specific controls.

Discussion on the development of an organization-wide continuous monitoring strategy for controls.

Introduction to the Preparation Step (Step 0 or Step 1) in the RMF process, focusing on establishing risk management roles and strategy.

Explanation of the process for conducting an organization-wide risk assessment and updating existing assessments.

Discussion on the establishment of an organizationally tailored control baseline and cybersecurity framework profile.

Introduction to the System Categorization process and its role in determining the sensitivity level of a system.

Explanation of the High Watermark Value concept in determining the overall sensitivity level of a system based on the highest impact level among information types.

Guidance on using NIST 800-60 and NIST 800-53 to understand and apply security categorization to information systems.

Discussion on the process of identifying information types supported by a system and their respective security categories.

Explanation of the steps involved in adjusting provisional security categories based on compensating controls and stakeholder decisions.

Transcripts

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Related Tags

RMF Process System Categorization Cybersecurity Information Types Security Objectives Risk Management Compliance NIST 800-53 High Watermark Control Baselines