When it comes to protecting sensitive government data, federal information security controls are the linchpins that keep federal systems secure, prevent security incidents and data breaches, and maintain public trust. Whether you’re a compliance officer, a contractor, or just curious about how the US government tackles cybersecurity, understanding how these controls are created and maintained is essential.
Below, we’ll dive into the intricacies of federal information security controls, breaking down the key players, their roles, and the security standards that define this critical aspect of US national security.
The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)
Any discussion of federal information security controls must start with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), a landmark law that laid the foundation for safeguarding government information systems.
In the wake of 9/11, the urgency to protect critical government infrastructure — including information systems — reached new heights. Cyber threats were increasingly seen as a key component of national security, yet federal agencies were struggling with inconsistent security practices, aging infrastructure, and a rising tide of attacks from hackers and other malicious actors. This challenging environment underscored the need for standardized cybersecurity measures, prompting legislative action.
FISMA was enacted as part of the E-Government Act of 2002, which aimed to modernize federal IT systems and improve public access to government information. FISMA ensured that cybersecurity was prioritized within this modernization effort, establishing a structured, government-wide framework to manage information security risks effectively.
The act built upon earlier security measures, such as the Privacy Act of 1974, by creating a comprehensive framework for protecting government data. FISMA required all federal agencies to follow consistent policies, processes, and controls for information system security, ensuring that sensitive data was protected across systems and environments.
By 2014, evolving cybersecurity threats and technological advancements required updates to the original FISMA legislation. The Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA 2014) was passed as an amendment to strengthen the original legislation and provide clearer guidance for federal agencies. For example, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was given more authority to oversee and assist agencies in implementing security measures. The amendment also modernized incident response and reporting requirements, encouraging continuous monitoring and automated reporting over annual security assessments and audits.
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Key players: The government agencies tasked with safeguarding sensitive information
Certain government agencies are tasked with overseeing FISMA implementation and compliance. These organizations collaborate to create, implement, and enforce federal information security policies and security standards.
Let’s take a closer look at the pivotal roles they play in shaping the nation’s cybersecurity landscape.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology
While FISMA establishes the legal and regulatory framework for federal information security, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides the technical guidance and tools to help agencies comply with its minimum security requirements. In other words, FISMA sets the "what" and "why" of federal information security, while NIST provides the "how."
NIST does this primarily by developing specific security standards, publishing detailed cybersecurity guidelines that are foundational to FISMA compliance. These publications include:
- NIST SP 800-53: Provides a comprehensive catalog of more than 1,000 security and privacy controls that federal agencies implement to protect their information systems.
- NIST SP 800-37: Describes the NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF), a structured approach for managing risks to information systems.
- NIST SP 800-171: Focuses on protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in non-federal systems and organizations, often used by federal contractors.
NIST collaborates with other federal agencies, academia, and the private sector to develop and refine these standards, regularly updating its publications to address evolving cybersecurity threats. For example, newer revisions of NIST SP 800-53 include controls for cloud security, supply chain risk, and AI/ML systems. It also provides training, tools, and resources to help organizations implement its guidelines effectively.
By translating FISMA's high-level requirements into actionable technical standards and security controls, NIST ensures that federal agencies can implement robust cybersecurity programs tailored to their specific needs.
The Office of Management and Budget
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is a federal agency that helps the President oversee the preparation and execution of the federal budget, ensuring that federal programs operate efficiently and align with the administration's policies.
In addition to these budgetary responsibilities, the OMB plays a critical role in information security governance. For example, as part of its budgeting role, the OMB ensures that agencies allocate sufficient resources to their information security programs, reviewing and approving budgetary requests to verify that cybersecurity efforts are adequately funded.
The OMB also serves as the central authority for ensuring that federal agencies not only comply with technical standards but also integrate cybersecurity into their overall operations and strategic planning. By linking security posture to budgetary oversight, the OMB translates legislative requirements into actionable directives and holds agencies accountable for their cybersecurity performance.
The Department of Defense
While FISMA applies to all federal agencies, the DoD has unique responsibilities and heightened requirements due to the sensitivity of its missions, data, and national security obligations.
The DoD extends FISMA’s baseline requirements by creating tailored policies and frameworks to address its unique security needs. For example, the DoD developed the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) to assess and verify the cybersecurity safeguards of defense contractors, collaborating with NIST to adapt SP 800-171 to these specific requirements.
While FISMA provides the legal and regulatory foundation for federal information security, the DoD’s implementation includes additional measures tailored to its national security mission. The department’s unique frameworks, such as CMMC and the DoD RMF, build upon FISMA’s guidelines to create more stringent security standards for itself and its contractors.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) operates within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure and federal networks from cyber threats.
CISA works to support FISMA by providing federal agencies with technical expertise, operational tools, and strategic guidance to help them adapt to evolving cybersecurity threats. By offering proactive monitoring and vulnerability management, rapid incident response, and actionable intelligence, CISA bridges the gap between FISMA’s high-level mandates and the operational realities of protecting federal systems.
The General Services Administration
The General Services Administration (GSA) plays a supporting role in federal information security, particularly through the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP).
Think of FedRAMP as the government’s gatekeeper for cloud security. By setting a standardized approach to risk assessment and management, FedRAMP ensures cloud service providers meet FISMA-compliant security requirements.
This streamlined process not only supports the adoption of secure technologies but also reduces redundancy, allowing federal government agencies to leverage pre-approved solutions with confidence.
Key federal information security standards and how they relate
Understanding how the most important standards connect can help paint a picture of how the government safeguards all types of information, from sensitive infrastructure data to personally identifiable information (PII). Each of these standards plays a unique role, but they all overlap and interconnect.
NIST SP 800-53
This is the cornerstone of federal cybersecurity. Think of it as the massive catalog of all the security and privacy controls federal agencies use to protect their systems. Whether it’s physical security, access controls and authentication, or incident response, NIST Special Publication 800-53 lays the groundwork for building a comprehensive security program.
800-53 lays the foundation for most federal security requirements, including those used in 800-171, FedRAMP, and CJIS.
NIST SP 800-171
While 800-53 focuses on federal systems, 800-171 is tailored for non-federal organizations, like contractors, that handle CUI. If you’re a defense contractor working with sensitive data, 800-171 is your playbook for staying compliant and safeguarding that information.
NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF)
The RMF acts as a unifying framework, helping agencies and contractors implement and monitor controls across various standards. It’s a step-by-step process for identifying, assessing, and managing risks across information systems, guiding how agencies and contractors select and implement controls from 800-53 and 800-171.
FedRAMP
FedRAMP takes the controls from 800-53 and adapts them for the cloud. It’s the government’s way of ensuring that cloud service providers meet stringent security requirements before they’re approved for federal use. It streamlines cloud adoption while keeping systems secure.
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification
The CMMC 2.0 is all about defense contractors and supply chain security. Building on 800-171, it introduces multiple maturity levels, ranging from basic hygiene to advanced security practices, to ensure the defense industrial base is protected.
CJIS Security Policy
If you’re dealing with criminal justice information, the CJIS (Criminal Justice Information Services) Security Policy is the go-to standard. It’s tailored to state and local law enforcement agencies, emphasizing secure data handling and system access requirements.
Federal Information Processing Standards 140
Encryption is a big deal in federal cybersecurity, and that’s where the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140 comes in. It sets the standard for cryptographic modules used in federal systems, ensuring sensitive data stays protected both at rest and in transit.
How are federal information security controls organized?
Federal information security controls are organized into control families, which group related security controls that address a certain aspect of information security. These control families are primarily defined by NIST 800-53, which serves as the foundation for federal cybersecurity requirements under FISMA.
The NIST 800-53 Rev. 5 control families are:
- Access Control (AC)
- Awareness and Training (AT)
- Audit and Accountability (AU)
- Assessment, Authorization, and Monitoring (CA)
- Configuration Management (CM)
- Contingency Planning (CP)
- Identification and Authentication (IA)
- Incident Response (IR)
- Maintenance (MA)
- Media Protection (MP)
- Physical and Environmental Protection (PE)
- Planning (PL)
- Program Management (PM)
- Personnel Security (PS)
- PII Processing and Transparency (PT)
- Risk Assessment (RA)
- System and Services Acquisition (SA)
- System and Communications Protection (SC)
- System and Information Integrity (SI)
- Supply Chain Risk Management (SR)
Earlier versions of NIST SP 800-53 such as Rev. 4 aligned with FISMA guidance to categorize these security controls into three main types:
- Management controls: Focused on risk management, security policies, and planning activities.
- Operational controls: Related to security measures and processes to enhance security, such as incident response plans and security awareness training for personnel.
- Technical controls: Security measures implemented within hardware, software, and firmware to protect information systems
Although Rev. 5 moves away from this strict categorization, it maintains the control families structure, which broadly aligns with these classifications. The shift in Rev. 5 expands the focus beyond federal systems to organizations of all types, incorporating privacy and supply chain risk management into the control structure. This approach allows for more flexibility, allowing organizations to implement security controls based on their risk environment rather than adhering to rigid categories.
FAQs
What law establishes the federal information security controls?
The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) is the primary federal law that establishes federal information security controls. Initially enacted in 2002 as part of the E-Government Act, FISMA provides the legal and regulatory framework for securing federal information systems and protecting sensitive data.
What is the Federal Information Security Controls Privacy Act?
The Privacy Act of 1974 establishes safeguards for personally identifiable information (PII) held by federal agencies, ensuring it is collected, used, and disclosed responsibly to protect individuals’ privacy.
What act is responsible for the security of information?
The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) is the key legislation responsible for federal information system security.
What regulation covers information security?
Information security is primarily covered under FISMA for federal systems, supplemented by frameworks like NIST SP 800-53, FedRAMP, and other related guidelines.
Who is responsible for enforcing the Data Protection Act?
In regions like the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) enforces the Data Protection Act. In the U.S., enforcement of privacy laws varies based on the specific law, with agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) overseeing consumer privacy protections.
What are the three federal laws to protect privacy?
- The Privacy Act of 1974: Protects personally identifiable information collected by federal agencies.
- HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act): Protects healthcare-related data.
- COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act): Safeguards the privacy of children online.
What is the purpose of the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002?
FISMA establishes a comprehensive framework for managing and securing federal information systems. It focuses on risk-based security measures, implementing controls, and ensuring accountability through reporting and continuous monitoring.
