Risk Management Framework Implementation Services

The NIST Risk Management Framework provides disciplined process for integrating security and privacy into system development lifecycle.

RMF emphasizes risk-based approach to security control selection, continuous monitoring, and authorization decision-making.

The framework applies to federal information systems and organizations but increasingly influences commercial security programs.

RMF consists of seven steps: Prepare, Categorize, Select, Implement, Assess, Authorize, and Monitor.

These steps establish context, determine risk-appropriate controls, verify implementation effectiveness, accept residual risk, and maintain ongoing awareness.

RMF integration with development processes ensures security consideration from conception through decommissioning.

The Prepare step establishes organizational context and priorities before executing remaining RMF steps.

Preparation activities include risk management strategy development, organizational risk tolerance definition, common control identification, impact level prioritization, and continuous monitoring strategy establishment.

We facilitate Prepare activities through stakeholder workshops defining risk appetite, threat modeling sessions identifying critical assets, and common control inventories maximizing control reuse.

Effective preparation streamlines subsequent RMF execution by establishing shared understanding and reusable artifacts.

We develop organization-level documentation enabling consistent RMF application across systems while allowing system-specific tailoring.

The Categorize step determines system impact level using FIPS 199 standards.

Categorization evaluates potential adverse impact from confidentiality, integrity, or availability loss selecting Low, Moderate, or High levels.

Impact assessment considers information types processed, business functions supported, and potential consequences from security failures.

We conduct categorization workshops with system owners and stakeholders analyzing data sensitivity, mission criticality, and potential damages.

Categorization documentation requires security categorization memorandum, data inventory, and impact justification.

Accurate categorization is critical as it drives control baseline selection and authorization requirements.

Overcategorization imposes unnecessary compliance burden while undercategorization creates unacceptable risk.

The Select step identifies security controls based on impact categorization and organizational requirements.

NIST SP 800-53 provides Low, Moderate, and High baselines containing controls appropriate for each impact level.

Control selection begins with baseline selection then tailors controls through assignment, selection, compensation, and parameterization.

We facilitate tailoring workshops evaluating baseline controls against system characteristics, threat environment, and operational constraints.

Tailoring documentation explains additions, deletions, and modifications demonstrating thoughtful risk-based decisions.

We also identify common controls inherited from organizational programs, hybrid controls with shared implementation responsibility, and system-specific controls unique to assessed systems.

The Implement step deploys selected controls within system architecture and supporting processes.

Implementation transforms control language into concrete technical configurations and operational procedures.

We design control implementations leveraging cloud-native security services, open-source tools, and commercial security products.

Implementation documentation describes control deployment including configuration parameters, architectural integration points, and operational procedures.

We establish implementation evidence demonstrating control presence - screenshots, configuration exports, policy documents, and procedure descriptions.

Our implementation approach considers maintainability ensuring controls remain effective through system updates and personnel changes.

We also implement continuous monitoring solutions enabling ongoing control effectiveness visibility.

The Assess step verifies control implementation correctness and operational effectiveness.

Assessment involves examining control documentation, interviewing responsible personnel, and testing control operation.

We execute assessments following NIST SP 800-53A procedures defining assessment objectives, methods, and objects.

Our assessment approach employs tiered testing strategy - basic controls receive interview and examine assessment while critical controls undergo rigorous technical testing.

Assessment documentation includes Security Assessment Report (SAR) describing testing approach, findings, and recommendations.

We categorize findings by severity guiding remediation prioritization.

Our pre-assessment testing identifies issues before formal evaluation reducing authorization delays.

The Authorize step culminates in authorization decision determining whether residual risk is acceptable.

Authorization package includes System Security Plan, Security Assessment Report, and Plan of Action and Milestones.

Authorizing Officials review packages evaluating control implementation, assessment findings, and risk mitigation plans.

We prepare authorization packages presenting clear risk picture with appropriate context.

Our authorization support includes package quality review, Authorizing Official briefings, and remediation prioritization demonstrating risk management commitment.

Authorization results in Authorization to Operate (ATO), Denial, or Authorization with conditions requiring specific remediation.

We negotiate authorization terms ensuring conditions are achievable while addressing Authorizing Official concerns.

The Monitor step maintains ongoing awareness of control effectiveness, system changes, and emerging threats.

Continuous monitoring encompasses configuration management, security impact analysis, ongoing control assessment, security status reporting, and active vulnerability management.

We implement monitoring solutions automating data collection from security tools, aggregating metrics and indicators, and generating compliance reports.

Our monitoring approach defines assessment frequencies balancing assurance needs with operational impact - critical controls receive monthly assessment while basic controls may be assessed annually.

Monitoring outputs inform risk management decisions and authorization continuation.

We establish feedback loops ensuring monitoring insights drive program improvement and risk mitigation.