Assessment Criteria for NIST 800-171 and NIST 800-53

Learn about NIST 800-53A and NIST 800-171A - the assessment criteria for CMMC and FedRamp.

Written By Micah

NIST publishes assessment objectives to assist internal and external assessors when auditing NIST frameworks. If you are using either NIST 800-171 or NIST 800-53 in your compliance program (to meet CMMC or FedRamp requirements), the content in these documents can serve as additional resources as you prepare to meet framework requirements.

The documents list each NIST requirement and its corresponding assessment objectives. These objectives can include any combination of examinations, interviews, and tests.

For example, the ‘Examine’ options for Access Control - 03.01.01.0, below, offers a selection of documents that can be used to demonstrate the framework requirement: Limit system access to authorized users, processes acting on behalf of authorized users, and devices (including other systems)”.

(extracted from NIST SP 800-171A):

Potential Assessment Method and Objects: Examine

[SELECT FROM: Access control policy; procedures addressing account management; security plan; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; list of active system accounts and the name of the individual associated with each account; list of conditions for group and role membership; notifications or records of recently transferred, separated, or terminated employees; list of recently disabled system accounts along with the name of the individual associated with each account; access authorization records; account management compliance reviews; system monitoring records; system audit logs and records; other relevant documents or records; list of devices and other systems authorized to connect to organizational systems].

Potential Assessment Method and Objects: Interview

[SELECT FROM: Personnel with account management responsibilities; system or network administrators; personnel with information security responsibilities].

Potential Assessment Method and Objects: Test

[SELECT FROM: Organizational processes for managing system accounts; mechanisms for implementing account management].

The assessment criteria for each framework are on the NIST website: