NIST RMF supporting concepts

  • Release version: Washingtondc
  • Updated February 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of NIST RMF Supporting Concepts

    This document outlines key concepts from the NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF) as they relate to Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) within ServiceNow®. It emphasizes the importance of the NIST RMF Use Case Accelerator, which is now only available for existing customers. New customers are encouraged to utilize the GRC: Continuous Authorization Monitoring application.

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    Key Features

    • Target: A shared table for GRC products and Use Case Accelerators, linked to profiles and tailored to specific attributes.
    • Confidentiality (C): Protects information access and privacy, rated as High, Moderate, or Low.
    • Integrity (I): Ensures information authenticity and guards against unauthorized modifications, rated similarly.
    • Availability (A): Guarantees reliable access to information, also rated by impact level.
    • Baseline Controls: Recommended security controls from NIST to mitigate risks, categorized by impact values.
    • Impact Analysis: Assesses how changes to a Target affect its security state based on the CIA objectives.
    • Assurance: Strengthens security and confidence in Target functionality.
    • Common Controls: Inheritable controls applicable to multiple Targets.
    • Compensating Controls: Alternative controls providing equivalent security protection.
    • Supplemental Controls: Additional controls to meet specific risk management needs.
    • Tailoring: Customizing security control baselines according to organizational parameters.

    Key Outcomes

    By understanding these concepts, ServiceNow customers can effectively utilize the NIST RMF Use Case Accelerator to enhance their risk management processes, ensure compliance with security requirements, and tailor security measures to their organizational needs. This structured approach aids in maintaining robust security postures and facilitates ongoing risk assessment and management.

    Familiarize yourself with these concepts, developed from the NIST RMF guidance.

    Note:
    Starting with version 10.1.0, the NIST RMF Use Case Accelerator will be supported only for customers who currently use the product. New and existing customers should consider using the GRC: Continuous Authorization Monitoring application. For details, Continuous Authorization and Monitoring.
    Concept Description
    Target

    The target is the foundation of the NIST RMF Use Case Accelerator and all related concepts.

    The target is a shared table between the ServiceNow® GRC products and several Use Case Accelerators. They are similar to the concept of profiles in the core GRC applications. They are optionally linked to profiles, but are used for any attributes that are specific to the Use Case Accelerators.
    Note:
    Each NIST RMF Target uniquely represents a single profile throughout its RMF life-cycle.
    Confidentiality (C) Confidentiality is a security objective of a Target, and is defined as the act of preserving authorized restrictions on information access and disclosure, including means for protecting personal privacy and proprietary information. Confidentiality is expressed as High, Moderate, and Low values
    Integrity (I) Integrity is a security objective of a Target is defined as act of guarding against improper information modification or destruction, and includes ensuring information non-repudiation and authenticity. Integrity is expressed as High, Moderate, and Low values
    Availability (A) Availability is a security objective of a Target is defined as act of ensuring timely and reliable access to and use of information. Availability is expressed as High, Moderate, and Low values
    Baseline controls Baseline Controls are recommended set of security controls from National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) which when implemented and determined to be effective, would mitigate security risk while complying with security requirements. Baseline controls have a designated impact value which is a combination of High, Moderate, or Low values.
    Impact analysis Impact analysis determines the extent to which proposed or actual changes to the Target or its environment of operation can affect or have affected the security state of the Target. A Target in which all three CIA security objectives evaluate to Low is considered Low-impact and uses any of the security controls which are tagged as Low impact value. Likewise, a Target in which any of the three CIA security objectives evaluate to Moderate is considered Moderate-impact and uses any of the security controls which are tagged as Moderate impact value. Likewise, a Target in which any of the three CIA security objectives evaluate to High is considered High-impact and uses any of the security controls which are tagged as High impact value.
    Assurance Assurance controls increase both the strength of security and degree of confidence that the functionality of Targets is correct, complete, and consistent and would mitigate the security risk and assists in complying with security requirements
    Common Common controls are controls that are inheritable by one or more Targets
    Compensating Compensating controls are controls which can be employed in lieu of recommended baseline security controls and provide equivalent or comparable protection for the Targets
    Supplemental Supplemental controls are controls which can be employed as added security controls to adequately meet the risk management needs of a Target
    Tailoring Tailoring is a process by which a security control baseline is modified based on: (i) Targets scoping guidance; (ii) specification of the security controls, for example, compensating, if needed; and (iii) the specification of organization — defined parameters in the security controls via explicit assignment and selection statements