How to Get NIST 800-53 Certified?

With the future of your company’s access to lucrative contracts on the line, working alongside Domain Technology Group provides the level of expertise and familiarity with NIST guidelines and protocols necessary to align your current IT architecture with NIST standards. The most pressing question is how to get NIST 800-53 certified.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce, responsible for aligning science and technology companies with stricter guidelines dedicated to promoting economic viability and competitiveness.

How to Get NIST 800-53 Certified?

NIST 800-53 is a relatively recent article introduced to the NIST’s compendium of standards, compliances, and controls. It was initially created in response to a rise of credible cyber threats that were outpacing the rate at which US security infrastructure was expanding. To reach a higher standard capable of aligning with international requirements and opposing future threats, NIST developed the NIST 800-53, providing critical guidelines, recommendations, and suggestions to increase awareness of IT risk and resiliency.

For many companies, becoming NIST certified is the only way to capture exclusive contracts with federal agencies. Obtaining your NIST 800-53 certification is necessary to prove that you can properly handle and protect all data with the proper policies, security requirements, and security controls.

Adapting to the NIST 800-53 Framework

The NIST 800-53 is a risk management framework designed to give your organization the structure it needs to mitigate security flaws and vulnerabilities that could otherwise be critical weaknesses within your network. It’s a means to enact a more mature cybersecurity model that uses recommended security controls to allow your company to be a more reliable and viable entity to work with. The information used by federal agencies requires a higher degree of dependability and security if you’re to land a contract with them.

Now, how do you get NIST 800-53 certified? While there isn’t exactly a formal certification, you’ll have to undergo a cybersecurity assessment to determine certification in anticipation of a new contract. Thankfully, a roadmap is provided for your use, outlining the central protocols needed to prove your commitment to these new cybersecurity standards. Here are the steps you should take:

  1. Assessment – A gap assessment provides your teams with a thorough identification of areas that need to be made compliant according to NIST 800-53 standards.
  2. Policy Refreshing – Going through your current policies, procedures, and controls can help your team make appropriate adjustments to meet compliance standards.
  3. Update – If you haven’t updated your System Security Plan (SSP) recently, aligning it with NIST 800-53 standards is essential.
  4. Remediation – Any vulnerabilities still extant from your gap assessment should be rectified.
  5. Pre-Assessment – Taking a second pass at your assessment ensures your compliance to meet NIST 800-53 standards.
  6. Confirmation – A third-party assessment company can provide its own assessment that vouches for your network integrity.

Knowing how to get NIST 800-53 certified doesn’t necessarily make the journey easier. However, Domain Technology Group possesses the skill, experience, and familiarity needed to drive your cybersecurity program into the future. If you’re interested in a partnership, visit our contact page so we can get started.