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Risk Management Framework - RMF SP 800-37

Risk Management Framework for Information Systems and Organizations: A System Life Cycle Approach for Security and Privacy (nist.gov)

Prepare Essential activities to prepare the organization to manage security and privacy risks.

Implement the controls and document how controls are deployed.

Categorize the system and information processed, stored, and transmitted based on impact analysis. 

Assess to determine if the controls are in place, operating as intended, and producing the desired results. 

Select the set of NIST SP 800-53 controls to protect the system based on risk assessment(s)

Authorize: Senior official makes a risk-based decision to authorize the system (to operate).

Monitor: Continuously monitor control implementation and risks to the system. 
Table 1: RMF Steps Including Resources for Implementers and Supporting NIST Publications *Read More at Risk Management Framework (RMF) Overview - Risk Management | CSRC

Cybersecurity Framework

Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) Framework Core (nist.gov)

Identify –   Develop an organizational understanding to manage cybersecurity risk to systems, people, assets, data, and capabilities. The activities in the Identify Function are foundational for effective use of the Framework. Understanding the business context, the resources that support critical functions, and the related cybersecurity risks enables an organization to focus and prioritize its efforts, consistent with its risk management strategy and business needs. Examples of outcome Categories within this Function include Asset Management; Business Environment; Governance; Risk Assessment; and Risk Management Strategy.

Protect – Develop and implement appropriate safeguards to ensure delivery of critical services. The Protect Function supports the ability to limit or contain the impact of a potential cybersecurity event. Examples of outcome Categories within this Function include Identity Management and Access Control; Awareness and Training; Data Security; Information Protection Processes and Procedures; Maintenance; and Protective Technology.

Detect – Develop and implement appropriate activities to identify the occurrence of a cybersecurity event. The Detect Function enables the timely discovery of cybersecurity events. Examples of outcome Categories within this Function include Anomalies and Events; Security Continuous Monitoring; and Detection Processes. 

Respond – Develop and implement appropriate activities to take action regarding a detected cybersecurity incident. The Respond Function supports the ability to contain the impact of a potential cybersecurity incident. Examples of outcome Categories within this Function include Response Planning; Communications; Analysis; Mitigation; and Improvements.

Recover – Develop and implement appropriate activities to maintain plans for resilience and to restore any capabilities or services that were impaired due to a cybersecurity incident. The Recover Function supports timely recovery to normal operations to reduce the impact of a cybersecurity incident. Examples of outcome Categories within this Function include Recovery Planning; Improvements; and Communications. 

Read more about NIST Cybersecurity Framework CSF

GRC Blog

Virtual Reality - It's not a game - Problem Solving

Details
Written by: Barbara Davi
Category: GRC Blog

Article Index

Page 2 of 3

Problem-solving with virtual reality

Virtual reality also acts as a problem-solving device in that it enables us to explore various options as a means of finding an answer to a problem.

For example, an engineering company will use virtual reality to produce a prototype which is then tested and the results fed back to the design team. The advantage of this is that it enables the designers to make alterations to their design but at far less time and cost.

This is a preferred option to building a physical prototype which is expensive to build and make changes to especially if it undergoes several alterations as part of the design process.” (source: https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/concepts.html)

With any technology that provides virtual worlds for users to engage in fantasy lives, ethical issues are going to surface.  When it is online and real people are interacting in these worlds they may encounter children dressed as adult avatars and adults dressed as children.  These imaginary relationships can evolve into something that may become a cause for concern.  Even though they are imaginary, the can become real.  As with all children playing on the internet, parents should be closely monitoring.  The VR gaming companies can only go so far to protect children.  Parents are the true gatekeepers. 

More ethical issues were addressed in the VR Society that sparked my interest regarding virtual environments. “These are related to human behavior and motivations and are also a concern for the gaming industry.

They include:

  • The problem of ‘desensitization’
  • Virtual criminality

The desensitization of virtual reality
“Concerns have been raised about a possible relationship between virtual reality and desensitization. This refers to virtual reality games in which there are high levels of violence or training exercises for the military in which soldiers engage in simulated combat scenarios which include killing.

Desensitization means that the person is no longer affected by extreme acts of behavior such as violence and fails to show empathy or compassion as a result. In some situations, they actively seek out this type of scenario for the adrenaline rush and sense of power.

This has been noticed with gamers, especially those who play first person shooters or role playing games which involve a high degree of immersion.

Another issue related to this is ‘cyber-addiction’. There are people who become addicted to virtual reality games and therefore, start to blur the boundary between real and virtual life. They spend increasing amounts of time in the virtual environment which has a detrimental effect on their real-world life.”(source: https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/concepts.html)

The result of desensitization caused by violent gaming is a controversially loaded subject.  Much more goes into whether a person that can become desensitized.  They may be battling other psychological issues that caused them to act out violently after becoming highly immersed in violent gaming.  The same is true for ‘cyber-addiction’.  If someone is vulnerable to becoming addicted then studies have shown that it is more associated with their personal state of mind and my flow over to other aspects of their life.

More about Virtual Reality

“Virtual reality has been used for more than the fun of gaming over many years.  Virtual reality GIS (VRGIS) is decades old. It has been around since the 1990s (One may also add mixed reality “GIS [MRGIS] and augmented reality GIS [ARGIS] as closely related terms and concepts.) But more recent developments in technologies, such as big data, augmented reality, graphic processing units (GPUs) and the Internet of Things (IoT), have helped provide superior implementations, higher performance and better human–computer interactive modes for VRGIS, which enabled its use in solving more complex, practical and real-world problems.

VRGIS technology is a combination of virtual reality (VR) and GIS technologies, integrating three-dimensional GIS (3D GIS) and Internet-oriented GIS (Web GIS). VRGIS technology adopts different human–computer interaction devices [1]. It establishes a three-dimensional (3D) model in a virtual environment and operates via personal computers, mobile devices, and smart glasses. Newer generations of low-cost hardware technologies and ubiquitous devices are significantly reducing the threshold of VRGIS adoption and acceptance by various research communities and user groups” (source: https://ij-healthgeographics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12942-017-0081-0)

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FIPS PUB 200 Minimum Security Requirements

FIPS PUB 200 Minimum Security Requirements - Visit FIPS 200, Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Info and Info Systems | CSRC (nist.gov)
  • Access Control (AC)
  • Awareness and Training (AT)
  • Audit and Accountability (AU)
  • Certification, Accreditation, and Security Assessments (CA)
  • Configuration Management (CM)
  • Contingency Planning (CP)
  • Identification and Authentication (IA)
  • Incident Response (IR)

Read FIPS PUB 200 Minimum Security Requirements
  • Maintenance (MA)
  • Media Protection (MP)
  • Physical and Environmental Protection (PE)
  • Planning (PL)
  • Personnel Security (PS)
  • Risk Assessment (RA)
  • System and Services Acquisition (SA)
  • System and Communications Protection (SC)
  • System and Information Integrity (SI)

Standards.gov | NIST

Standards.gov | NIST
Documentary Standards can specify the definition of terms; classifications of components; delineation of procedures; specification of dimensions, materials, processes, products, systems, services, or practices; test methods and sampling procedures; or descriptions of fit and measurements of size or strength. Under the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA), NIST is assigned the responsibility to coordinate federal, state, and local documentary standards and conformity assessment activities.
Standards.gov | Federal Use of Standards | Standards Incorporated by Reference (SIBR) | Industry Standards | International Standards | Military Standards | Standards Issued or Adopted by Federal Agencies | Standards Search Engines | Voluntary Product Standards

NIST Reading

Whether you're preparing for Cybersecurity certification, working with government standards, or simply starting your career in compliance, these are the NIST Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS), Special Publication (SP), and Interagency Report (IR) topics you need to know. (The Perils of Mount Must Read™ Confessions of a Cliff Note Junky) These resources go onto the "Mountain of Must Read". If you don't recognize the standard reference, you've missed critical understanding. As of 2022, this is the minimum NIST alphabet. All of these documents are found at https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/ Be very careful about static content. Look at links before you launch them. Never use alternate sites for the Computer Security Resource Center. Get the full list here <NIST Reading Extended>

FIPS Publication 140-2 Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules [FIPS 140-2]
FIPS Publication 199 Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems [FIPS 199]
FIPS Publication 200 Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Information and Information Systems [FIPS 200]
FIPS Publication 201-1 Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal Employees and Contractors [FIPS 201-1]		 NISTIR 8212 ISCMA: An Information Security Continuous Monitoring Program Assessment
NIST SP 800-18 Guide for Developing Security Plans for Federal Information Systems [SP 800-18]
NIST SP 800-30 Risk Management Guide for Information Technology Systems [NIST SP 800-30]
NIST SP 800-34 Contingency Planning Guide for Federal Information Systems [SP 800-34]

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