NIST gets busy with security draft

The draft standard includes requirements for access control, incident response and risk assessment.

In order to comply with the standards, federal agencies will have to limit information system access to authorised users, track, document and report all security incidences and periodically assess system risk.

"We have attempted to create a security standard that establishes a level of security due diligence for federal agencies in protecting their information and information systems," said NIST.

The standard will now undergo a period of public consultation until September this year, its introduction is a response to the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) that passed in 2002. Once in place federal agencies will have a single year until auditors wade into the offices.

The news arrives after a turbulent few weeks in U.S. information security. In July SC reported the Department of Homeland Security Secretary had unveiled a reorganization plan for his agency that includes a new assistant secretary for cybersecurity and telecommunications. Michael Chertoff said the new position will be responsible for identifying and assessing the vulnerability of the critical telecommunications infrastructure, providing timely threat data and leading national response to cyber and telecommunications attacks.

The NIST public draft