[ISN] Last draft released for security guide

[InfoSec News]

http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2004/0405/web-nist-04-06-04.asp

By Florence Olsen 
April 6, 2004

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 at nist.gov.