Security Assessment

 Assignment Content

Refer to NIST SP 800-53 (Rev. 4) [https://nvd.nist.gov/800-53] for the 18 candidate security control families and associated security controls.

Security Assessment must be incorporated into the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) in order to be a secure, integrated process. Testing of selected security controls ensures that applications meet business requirements, function as planned, and protect associated data securely from attack. A security assessment of the targeted environment identifies vulnerabilities that may cause a security breach and specifies the security controls that mitigate the vulnerabilities.

For this assignment, use the organization you choose.

Part I: Mapping Vulnerabilities to Security Controls

Choose 5 distinct security control families as specified in NIST SP 800-53 (Rev. 4) that are most applicable to your organization’s known vulnerabilities.

Create a 1-page spreadsheet in Microsoft® Excel® that identifies the following criteria for each family:

Control ID

Control Name

Vulnerability

Recommended mitigation (refer to your Week 3 assignment; refine them for this mitigation)

Part II: Security Controls Testing

Provide a 2- to 3-page table in Microsoft Word including each family, and describe the testing procedure that will mitigate the vulnerability. Annotate whether the testing procedure is an interview, observation, technical test, or a combination.

Example of Security Controls Testing Table:

Part III: Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Scanning

Provide a 1-page description of penetration testing and vulnerability scanning processes.

Describe how they are used as part of the organization’s testing and assessment strategy.

Format your citations according to APA guidelines.