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NIST · Shared reference library

NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Common Control Library

Browse 1,193 controls and enhancements across 20 security and privacy families. Use the GovRAMP crosswalk to locate controls referenced by Security Snapshot, Core, and Moderate.

A shared catalog supports common-control planning; designation as a common, hybrid, or system-specific control depends on your organization’s implementation and inheritance decisions.

Sources and crosswalk scope

NIST OSCAL content 5.1.1+u4, retrieved 2026-09-18. GovRAMP Snapshot v1.4 and Core selection from Moderate v1.06 reference the December 2020 Rev. 5 text. Mappings establish exact identifier correspondence, not identical requirements, inherited implementation, or GovRAMP authorization. GovRAMP parameters and additional requirements remain authoritative for each program. Full Moderate, High, and other programs are not mapped here. Withdrawn controls are retained for reference.

Official pinned NIST source

SHA-256: 81cf2de45ede9aef3de7ce09d65ea9d32f662c483bbf916f6e346292b22f7763

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7 matching controls · Page 1 of 1

Assessment, Authorization, and Monitoring · Base control

CA-8 · Penetration Testing

Control statement and discussion

NIST control statement

Conduct penetration testing [Assignment: frequency] on [Assignment: system(s) or system components].

Discussion

Penetration testing is a specialized type of assessment conducted on systems or individual system components to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by adversaries. Penetration testing goes beyond automated vulnerability scanning and is conducted by agents and teams with demonstrable skills and experience that include technical expertise in network, operating system, and/or application level security. Penetration testing can be used to validate vulnerabilities or determine the degree of penetration resistance of systems to adversaries within specified constraints. Such constraints include time, resources, and skills. Penetration testing attempts to duplicate the actions of adversaries and provides a more in-depth analysis of security- and privacy-related weaknesses or deficiencies. Penetration testing is especially important when organizations are transitioning from older technologies to newer technologies (e.g., transitioning from IPv4 to IPv6 network protocols). Organizations can use the results of vulnerability analyses to support penetration testing activities. Penetration testing can be conducted internally or externally on the hardware, software, or firmware components of a system and can exercise both physical and technical controls. A standard method for penetration testing includes a pretest analysis based on full knowledge of the system, pretest identification of potential vulnerabilities based on the pretest analysis, and testing designed to determine the exploitability of vulnerabilities. All parties agree to the rules of engagement before commencing penetration testing scenarios. Organizations correlate the rules of engagement for the penetration tests with the tools, techniques, and procedures that are anticipated to be employed by adversaries. Penetration testing may result in the exposure of information that is protected by laws or regulations, to individuals conducting the testing. Rules of engagement, contracts, or other appropriate mechanisms can be used to communicate expectations for how to protect this information. Risk assessments guide the decisions on the level of independence required for the personnel conducting penetration testing.

GovRAMP crosswalk

Assessment, Authorization, and Monitoring · Enhancement

CA-8(1) · Independent Penetration Testing Agent or Team

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Control statement and discussion

NIST control statement

Employ an independent penetration testing agent or team to perform penetration testing on the system or system components.

Discussion

Independent penetration testing agents or teams are individuals or groups who conduct impartial penetration testing of organizational systems. Impartiality implies that penetration testing agents or teams are free from perceived or actual conflicts of interest with respect to the development, operation, or management of the systems that are the targets of the penetration testing. [CA-2(1)](#ca-2.1) provides additional information on independent assessments that can be applied to penetration testing.

GovRAMP crosswalk

Assessment, Authorization, and Monitoring · Enhancement

CA-8(2) · Red Team Exercises

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Control statement and discussion

NIST control statement

Employ the following red-team exercises to simulate attempts by adversaries to compromise organizational systems in accordance with applicable rules of engagement: [Assignment: red team exercises].

Discussion

Red team exercises extend the objectives of penetration testing by examining the security and privacy posture of organizations and the capability to implement effective cyber defenses. Red team exercises simulate attempts by adversaries to compromise mission and business functions and provide a comprehensive assessment of the security and privacy posture of systems and organizations. Such attempts may include technology-based attacks and social engineering-based attacks. Technology-based attacks include interactions with hardware, software, or firmware components and/or mission and business processes. Social engineering-based attacks include interactions via email, telephone, shoulder surfing, or personal conversations. Red team exercises are most effective when conducted by penetration testing agents and teams with knowledge of and experience with current adversarial tactics, techniques, procedures, and tools. While penetration testing may be primarily laboratory-based testing, organizations can use red team exercises to provide more comprehensive assessments that reflect real-world conditions. The results from red team exercises can be used by organizations to improve security and privacy awareness and training and to assess control effectiveness.

GovRAMP crosswalk

Not selected in the imported Snapshot or Core sets. This does not establish exclusion from other GovRAMP baselines.

Assessment, Authorization, and Monitoring · Enhancement

CA-8(3) · Facility Penetration Testing

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Control statement and discussion

NIST control statement

Employ a penetration testing process that includes [Assignment: frequency] [Selection (one-or-more): announced; unannounced] attempts to bypass or circumvent controls associated with physical access points to the facility.

Discussion

Penetration testing of physical access points can provide information on critical vulnerabilities in the operating environments of organizational systems. Such information can be used to correct weaknesses or deficiencies in physical controls that are necessary to protect organizational systems.

GovRAMP crosswalk

Not selected in the imported Snapshot or Core sets. This does not establish exclusion from other GovRAMP baselines.

Identification and Authentication · Enhancement

IA-8(2) · Acceptance of External Authenticators

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Control statement and discussion

NIST control statement

(a) Accept only external authenticators that are NIST-compliant; and (b) Document and maintain a list of accepted external authenticators.

Discussion

Acceptance of only NIST-compliant external authenticators applies to organizational systems that are accessible to the public (e.g., public-facing websites). External authenticators are issued by nonfederal government entities and are compliant with [SP 800-63B](#e59c5a7c-8b1f-49ca-8de0-6ee0882180ce) . Approved external authenticators meet or exceed the minimum Federal Government-wide technical, security, privacy, and organizational maturity requirements. Meeting or exceeding Federal requirements allows Federal Government relying parties to trust external authenticators in connection with an authentication transaction at a specified authenticator assurance level.

GovRAMP crosswalk

Maintenance · Base control

MA-4 · Nonlocal Maintenance

Control statement and discussion

NIST control statement

a. Approve and monitor nonlocal maintenance and diagnostic activities; b. Allow the use of nonlocal maintenance and diagnostic tools only as consistent with organizational policy and documented in the security plan for the system; c. Employ strong authentication in the establishment of nonlocal maintenance and diagnostic sessions; d. Maintain records for nonlocal maintenance and diagnostic activities; and e. Terminate session and network connections when nonlocal maintenance is completed.

Discussion

Nonlocal maintenance and diagnostic activities are conducted by individuals who communicate through either an external or internal network. Local maintenance and diagnostic activities are carried out by individuals who are physically present at the system location and not communicating across a network connection. Authentication techniques used to establish nonlocal maintenance and diagnostic sessions reflect the network access requirements in [IA-2](#ia-2) . Strong authentication requires authenticators that are resistant to replay attacks and employ multi-factor authentication. Strong authenticators include PKI where certificates are stored on a token protected by a password, passphrase, or biometric. Enforcing requirements in [MA-4](#ma-4) is accomplished, in part, by other controls. [SP 800-63B](#e59c5a7c-8b1f-49ca-8de0-6ee0882180ce) provides additional guidance on strong authentication and authenticators.

GovRAMP crosswalk

System and Information Integrity · Base control

SI-12 · Information Management and Retention

Control statement and discussion

NIST control statement

Manage and retain information within the system and information output from the system in accordance with applicable laws, executive orders, directives, regulations, policies, standards, guidelines and operational requirements.

Discussion

Information management and retention requirements cover the full life cycle of information, in some cases extending beyond system disposal. Information to be retained may also include policies, procedures, plans, reports, data output from control implementation, and other types of administrative information. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) provides federal policy and guidance on records retention and schedules. If organizations have a records management office, consider coordinating with records management personnel. Records produced from the output of implemented controls that may require management and retention include, but are not limited to: All XX-1, [AC-6(9)](#ac-6.9), [AT-4](#at-4), [AU-12](#au-12), [CA-2](#ca-2), [CA-3](#ca-3), [CA-5](#ca-5), [CA-6](#ca-6), [CA-7](#ca-7), [CA-8](#ca-8), [CA-9](#ca-9), [CM-2](#cm-2), [CM-3](#cm-3), [CM-4](#cm-4), [CM-6](#cm-6), [CM-8](#cm-8), [CM-9](#cm-9), [CM-12](#cm-12), [CM-13](#cm-13), [CP-2](#cp-2), [IR-6](#ir-6), [IR-8](#ir-8), [MA-2](#ma-2), [MA-4](#ma-4), [PE-2](#pe-2), [PE-8](#pe-8), [PE-16](#pe-16), [PE-17](#pe-17), [PL-2](#pl-2), [PL-4](#pl-4), [PL-7](#pl-7), [PL-8](#pl-8), [PM-5](#pm-5), [PM-8](#pm-8), [PM-9](#pm-9), [PM-18](#pm-18), [PM-21](#pm-21), [PM-27](#pm-27), [PM-28](#pm-28), [PM-30](#pm-30), [PM-31](#pm-31), [PS-2](#ps-2), [PS-6](#ps-6), [PS-7](#ps-7), [PT-2](#pt-2), [PT-3](#pt-3), [PT-7](#pt-7), [RA-2](#ra-2), [RA-3](#ra-3), [RA-5](#ra-5), [RA-8](#ra-8), [SA-4](#sa-4), [SA-5](#sa-5), [SA-8](#sa-8), [SA-10](#sa-10), [SI-4](#si-4), [SR-2](#sr-2), [SR-4](#sr-4), [SR-8](#sr-8).

GovRAMP crosswalk