Last draft released for security guide

The National Institute of Standards and Technology today released a final draft of security guidelines for federal agencies that need to certify and accredit their information systems.

With May as their target date for publication, NIST officials cited an urgent need to receive comments on the final draft document by April 21.

The proposed guidelines are relevant to security requirements that all federal agencies must meet under the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002.

NIST officials incorporated several significant changes in the final draft based on earlier comments they received. Among them are newly defined roles for the chief information officer and senior agency information security officer in the certification and accreditation process.

Also new are additional guidelines for low-impact information systems, a revised timetable for interim approval to operate information systems, and a summary table of tasks and subtasks for security certification and accreditation.

Comments on Special Publication 800-37, Guide for the Security Certification and Accreditation of Federal Information Systems, can be sent to sec-cert@nist.gov.