Glossary definition: NIST 800-53 Control Families

NIST 800-53 Control Families: Securing IT Systems

NIST 800-53 Control Families are a set of security controls developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to provide a standardized approach to information security management. The controls are organized into 18 families, which are further divided into subcategories. These families are: Access Control, Awareness and Training, Audit and Accountability, Configuration Management, Contingency Planning, Identification and Authentication, Incident Response, Maintenance, Media Protection, Physical and Environmental Protection, Personnel Security, Risk Assessment, Security Assessment and Authorization, System and Communications Protection, System and Information Integrity, System and Services Acquisition, System and Services Development, and System and Information Security Management. Each family includes a set of security controls that are intended to protect an organization’s information system from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. The controls are designed to be applicable to any organization, regardless of size or industry. The NIST 800-53 Control Families provide a comprehensive framework for organizations to assess their information security posture and take appropriate measures to protect their information systems.