NIST SP 800-53 Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations is part of the SP 800 group of standards, containing more than 1300 documents of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), USA. It was developed by experts in computer security and privacy at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and is considered the "gold" standard for information security, containing references to many other standards in this field.

NIST SP 800-53 is designed to provide a framework of elements, strategies, systems, and controls for each organization's cybersecurity needs and priorities. Because it does not cite or require the use of specific tools, mechanisms, or manufacturing brands, it is flexible and up-to-date regardless of emerging new technologies, systems, or cloud resources.
 
Who is NIST 800-53 intended for?
Compliance with this standard is required for any organization that works with federal information systems, in conjunction with US agencies, or with the US government.
 
NIST SP 800-53 Controls
According to NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 controls are "descriptions of protective mechanisms appropriate to achieve the organization's specific security and privacy objectives. Controls are selected and implemented by the organization to satisfy system requirements."
Control groups contain basic controls and directly related additional controls ("control enhancements"). Additional controls contain more detail and specificity with respect to the base control. They should be applied in systems and work environments that require more reliable protection.
 
The controls are systematized in 20 groups that provide operational, technical and management measures to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and security of information systems.



 Since NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 has 20 control families, it is important to prioritize an organization's efforts based on the areas of greatest impact on its security and the security of its stakeholders. In an environment where many employees are working on potentially unauthorized networks and applications, including from their personal devices, five groups of controls are of particular importance to ensure adequate protection: access control, employee awareness and training, configuration management , audits and monitoring.
 
Can NIST SP 800-53 Improve Your Organization's Security System?
Yes. Although it was originally intended for use by US federal government agencies, it can help organizations in all industries improve the security of their information systems. NIST SP 800-53 contains a set of security and privacy safeguards for all types of computing platforms, cloud systems, mobile systems, industrial systems, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. In many cases, implementing NIST SP 800-53 will help organizations ensure compliance with other cyber risk and information security regulations that use NIST as a reference framework.
 

NIST SP 800-53 Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations