NIST 800-53 REV 5 • ASSESSMENT, AUTHORIZATION, AND MONITORING
CA-1 — Policy and Procedures
Develop, document, and disseminate to {{ insert: param, ca-1_prm_1 }}: {{ insert: param, ca-01_odp.03 }} assessment, authorization, and monitoring policy that: Procedures to facilitate the implementation of the assessment, authorization, and monitoring policy and the associated assessment, authorization, and monitoring controls; Designate an {{ insert: param, ca-01_odp.04 }} to manage the development, documentation, and dissemination of the assessment, authorization, and monitoring policy and procedures; and Review and update the current assessment, authorization, and monitoring: Policy {{ insert: param, ca-01_odp.05 }} and following {{ insert: param, ca-01_odp.06 }} ; and Procedures {{ insert: param, ca-01_odp.07 }} and following {{ insert: param, ca-01_odp.08 }}.
Supplemental Guidance
Assessment, authorization, and monitoring policy and procedures address the controls in the CA family that are implemented within systems and organizations. The risk management strategy is an important factor in establishing such policies and procedures. Policies and procedures contribute to security and privacy assurance. Therefore, it is important that security and privacy programs collaborate on the development of assessment, authorization, and monitoring policy and procedures. Security and privacy program policies and procedures at the organization level are preferable, in general, and may obviate the need for mission- or system-specific policies and procedures. The policy can be included as part of the general security and privacy policy or be represented by multiple policies that reflect the complex nature of organizations. Procedures can be established for security and privacy programs, for mission or business processes, and for systems, if needed. Procedures describe how the policies or controls are implemented and can be directed at the individual or role that is the object of the procedure. Procedures can be documented in system security and privacy plans or in one or more separate documents. Events that may precipitate an update to assessment, authorization, and monitoring policy and procedures include assessment or audit findings, security incidents or breaches, or changes in applicable laws, executive orders, directives, regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines. Simply restating controls does not constitute an organizational policy or procedure.
Practitioner Notes
This control asks you to write down your rules for how your organization handles security assessments, authorizations, and ongoing monitoring — and share those rules with everyone who needs them.
Example 1: Create a Security Assessment Policy document in SharePoint that defines who is responsible for conducting annual security reviews and how results are reported to leadership.
Example 2: In your Microsoft 365 Compliance Center, set up a recurring calendar reminder to review and update your assessment procedures at least once per year or after any major security incident.