Introduction 

In today's world of advanced technology and digital platforms, where sensitive information is pervasive, ensuring data security is crucial. Breaches can have severe consequences, affecting individuals, organizations, and national security. Compliance with robust frameworks like NIST SP 800-53 is essential, addressing key aspects such as Protecting Sensitive Information, Building Trust and Credibility, Meeting Regulatory Requirements, Reducing Financial Losses, and Enhancing Operational Resilience. 

VIDIZMO serves as a robust video streaming and management platform, aligning closely with NIST SP 800-53 standards to prioritize security and privacy. The platform is designed to empower users through enhanced collaboration and seamless access to integrated, high-quality data that is reliable, protected, and maintains consistency. 

This article aims to demonstrate VIDIZMO's compliance with NIST Special Publication 800-53 Revision 5, a key information security framework. By addressing the fundamentals, structure, type, and organization of security and privacy controls, as well as highlighting relevant control enhancements, we will provide a clear picture of VIDIZMO's commitment to data protection and system security. 

NIST SP 800-53 A Summary

The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), originating from the E-Government Act of 2002, was established to safeguard vital information systems. Enacted on December 17th, 2002, FISMA mandated the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop robust guidelines for enhancing the security infrastructure of the federal government. 

In response, NIST introduced Special Publication 800-53 (NIST SP 800-53), a set of cybersecurity standards comprising 20 distinct control families totaling 1189 individual controls. These controls offer a detailed approach to system security, enabling organizations to assess and address their specific risks effectively. 

NIST SP 800-53 accommodates diverse agency needs by providing security baselines, each requiring a specific number of controls. The low baseline (149 controls) suits federal systems with minimal security needs, the moderate baseline (287 controls) caters to those with more substantial risk factors, and the high baseline (370 controls) offers the most comprehensive protection for critical and sensitive systems. 

NIST SP 800-53 targets a broad audience involved in system development, security implementation, risk management, assessment, and compliance. This includes IT professionals, security officers, developers, managers, auditors, and commercial entities contributing to the security and privacy ecosystem. 

In summary, NIST SP 800-53r5 plays a pivotal role in enhancing federal cybersecurity by providing detailed control families, distinct security baselines, and tailored guidance. It caters to a diverse audience engaged in various aspects of system security, making it a valuable resource for ensuring robust protection and compliance. 

VIDIZMO's Compliance Approach

VIDIZMO goes beyond basic compliance to deliver robust security and privacy aligned with NIST SP 800-53, protecting your sensitive data with a multi-layered approach. The platform prioritizes the protection of sensitive information through a robust framework. VIDIZMO's security posture is built on three pillars: 

  • Comprehensive Controls: We implement industry-standard controls exceeding NIST SP 800-53 requirements, like multi-factor authentication, data encryption, and granular access controls (refer to the 'Meeting NIST SP 800-53 Access Control Requirements' section for details). 
  • Continuous Monitoring: We employ real-time security monitoring and conduct regular penetration testing to proactively identify and address potential threats. VIDIZMO integrates continuous monitoring and assessment practices into its security framework. 
  • Empowered Users: We provide comprehensive security awareness training and resources to equip users with the knowledge to contribute to a strong security posture. At help.vidizmo.com, we provide users with training and resources through a variety of articles. 
  • Highlight customizability: VIDIZMO's platform recognizes that security needs vary. We offer organizations the flexibility to tailor control settings and data access policies to their unique risk profiles, ensuring alignment with individual security requirements.  


Now, in the next section, we will delve into the detailed implementation of each NIST SP 800-53 control by VIDIZMO, outlining how compliance is achieved for each. 

Meeting NIST SP 800-53 Access Control Requirements 

Access Control 

  •  Differentiates users for access control decisions, exceeding AC-1 and AC-10 requirements. 
  • Enforces strong password policies, multi-factor authentication, and password resets, exceeding AC-2, AC-3, and AC-4 requirements.  
  • Granular role-based access control (RBAC). Assigns pre-defined roles with specific access permissions during provisioning, minimizing manual configuration and adhering to AC-6 and AC-17. 
  • Supports capturing and managing user attributes relevant to access control decisions, facilitating dynamic RBAC based on AC-16. 
  • Single Sign-On (SSO) integration. VIDIZMO's granular access control ensures users only have access to data and functionalities needed for their roles, following AC-6 and AC-17. 
  • User Provisioning  
  • Users only have access to data and functionalities required for their roles. 
  • The system will log out the user from the portal if there is no activity for a specific period. 
  • Define specific users or groups authorized to access specific data. 
  • Logs all access attempts and data modifications for accountability. 
  • Encrypts data at rest and in transit with industry-standard algorithms. 
  • Digital rights management (DRM) controls access, usage, and distribution of copyrighted content. 
  • Restricts access to specific IP addresses or pools, ensuring authorized users and complying with AC-1 and AC-10. 
  • Controls user ability to download content, aligning with AC-17 and AC-20. 
  • Controls access for non-authenticated users, complying with AC-17 and AC-19. 
  • Automatically logs users out after a period of inactivity, with customizable timeout settings to prevent unauthorized access, complying with AC-7.
  • The last Login activity displays the date and time, aligning with  AC-8.
  • Following AC-9, users can view a detailed log of all successful logins, including timestamps and IP addresses, ensuring transparency and security.

Awareness and Training 

  • Educates users on data security fundamentals and password hygiene (AT-2). 
  • User-friendly website with a clear structure, search function, and concise language to aid product information (AT-2). 
  • Ensures users stay informed about evolving threats and security best practices (AT-2 and AT-3). 

Audit and Accountability (AU) 

  • VIDIZMO captures comprehensive logs of user activity, including access attempts, data modifications, and system events exceeding AU-2 and AU-9. 
  • These logs are centralized and tamper-proof, ensuring data integrity and facilitating forensic analysis (AU-9). 
  • VIDIZMO retains audit logs for a configurable period, complying with regulatory requirements and enabling long-term analysis (AU-11 and AU-12). 
  • VIDIZMO holds various industry-recognized compliance certifications, demonstrating its commitment to security and data protection, exceeding AU-8 requirements. 
  • Users can flag specific activities within the portal, such as data modifications. This empowers users to actively participate in security incident detection and reporting, exceeding AU-5 and AU-7 requirements. 

 

Assessment, Authorization, and Monitoring 

  • Granular permissions are assigned based on user roles and responsibilities, minimizing risk. 
  • Users only have access to data and functionalities needed for their roles. 

Configuration Management 

  • Any changes to the system configuration require formal approval based on pre-defined criteria, adhering to CM-3. 
  • Proposed changes are evaluated for potential security risks and impact on overall system stability, exceeding CM-3. 
  • All changes are documented and tracked through version control mechanisms, ensuring accountability and facilitating rollback if needed, exceeding CM-3. 
  • Automated patching processes ensure timely deployment of security updates, exceeding CM-5. 

Contingency Planning 

  • Disaster recovery planning, geographic redundancy, regular backups, and testing (exceeds CP-2, CP-3, CP-4. 
  • Business continuity planning, failover mechanisms, user access management, and communication plan (exceeds CP-1, CP-3, CP-7). 
  • Security incident response plan, facilitation of mitigation and recovery (exceeds CP-8). 
  • Compliance reports, Support for CP-8, and audit requirements. 

Identification and Authentication 

  • Username/password, SSO, and social login options cater to diverse user preferences (IA-2, IA-4). 
  • SAML, OAuth, and OpenID Connect ensure secure interoperability and adherence to best practices (IA-3, IA-5). 
  • Streamlines user provisioning and facilitates integration with various IAM services like Okta, OneLogin, etc. (IA-5, IA-7). 
  • Enables seamless integration with modern identity management systems (IA-5). 

Incident Response 

  • Demonstrates commitment to proactive incident handling (IR-4). 
  • Predefined SLAs and protocols. Ensure timely and standardized response based on severity (IR-4, IR-5). 
  • Outlines procedures and response steps (IR-4). 
  • Ensures continuous improvement (IR-8). 
  • Facilitates learning and accountability (IR-6). 
  • Sharing information with stakeholders aligns with best practices (IR-5). 

Media Protection 

  • VIDIZMO's documented policy covers media handling, labeling, classification, and disposal, exceeding MP-1. 
  • Granular access permissions minimize unauthorized access, aligning with MP-1 and MP-2. 
  • Auditing and logging. Tracks user activity and access attempts for accountability and incident response, exceeding MP-1. 
  • Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security for accessing media content exceeding MP-2. 
  • Based on content and metadata, media is automatically classified and labeled, exceeding MP-3. 
  • Users can add additional labels for further clarity and control, exceeding MP-3. 
  • Ensures data confidentiality during storage and transfer, exceeding MP-4. 
  • HTTPS ensures secure data transfer, exceeding MP-5. 
  • Optional password protection on Media adds an extra layer of security for shared files, exceeding MP-5. 
  • Tracks transfers and access attempts for monitoring and accountability, exceeding MP-5. 

 

Physical and Environmental Protection 

  • Implements identity and access management (IAM) controls aligning with PE-2 and exceeding by using multi-factor authentication (MFA). 
  • While relying on Azure's data center security, VIDIZMO leverages Azure's physical security measures, potentially aligning with PE-1, PE-3, PE-7, PE-8, and PE-9 indirectly. 
  • Referencing Azure's security documentation for their data centers provides further insight into their alignment with PE controls like PE-3, PE-7, PE-8, and PE-9. 

Planning 

  • Tier-based support agreements align with PL-4 by defining service expectations and response times. 
  • Aligning documentation with evolving industry standards adheres to PL-8. 
  • Leveraging Azure's security best practices and documentation demonstrates awareness of PL-7 and shared responsibility. 

Personnel Security 

  • Background checks: Conducting thorough background checks aligns with PS-2, promoting trustworthy personnel access to organizational data. 
  • Termination procedures: Immediately locking accounts upon termination adheres to PS-5, mitigating unauthorized access risks. 

Risk Assessment 

  • Utilizing Azure Defender for EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) exceeds RA-5 by providing continuous monitoring and threat detection. 
  • Performing regular vulnerability assessments aligns with RA-3 and RA-5. 
  • Encryption at rest and in transit addresses RA-1 and RA-3, protecting data confidentiality and integrity. 
  • Relying on Azure's risk assessments demonstrates shared responsibility and awareness of RA-7. 

System and Service Acquisition  

  • Having a dedicated team for system protection aligns with SA-5 and exceeds by demonstrating a commitment to security (SA-1). 
  • Enforcing group policies for software usage aligns with SA-1 and SA-2, mitigating risks associated with unauthorized software. 
  • Implementing firewall rules against risky downloads aligns with SA-2 and SA-3, reducing malware risks. 
  • Least privilege access control: Restricting access to confidential elements based on responsibility adheres to SA-3 and SA-4, minimizing unauthorized access risks. 
  • Using the latest licensed software with regular updates addresses SA-1 and SA-2, minimizing vulnerabilities. 

System and Communications Protection (SC) 

  • Firewall rules and other network security measures likely address denial-of-service protection (SC-5). 
  • Filtering emails to prevent data breaches and using end-to-end encryption in MS Teams address boundary protection for both external and internal communications (SC-2, SC-7). 
  • Encryption at rest and in transit ensures transmission confidentiality and integrity (SC-8). 
  • Endpoint security measures might address security for collaborative computing devices SC-15 (potentially). 

System and Information Integrity 

  • Utilizing Azure Security Center for continuous monitoring aligns with (SI-2) Security Monitoring and (SI-5) Continuous Monitoring. 
  • Constant monitoring and running diagnostics align with SI-5 and SI-7, identifying potential issues and vulnerabilities. 
  • Receiving real-time service uptime and security alerts aligns with (SI-4) Event Logging and (SI-5) Continuous Monitoring. 
  • Taking appropriate actions within standard response times adheres to SI-6: Security Assessment and (SI-7) Security Incident Reporting.  

Conclusion 

VIDIZMO's approach to implementing security and privacy controls, guided by NIST SP 800-53, is characterized by a commitment to standards, a focus on control families, flexibility in tailoring to risk profiles, adherence to security baselines, continuous monitoring, and a strong emphasis on user education.