AT-1: Policy and Procedures

RMF Control AT-1: Policy and Procedures requires organizations to develop, document, and disseminate to organization-defined personnel or roles:

• An awareness and training policy that addresses the controls in the AT family that are implemented within systems and organizations.
• Procedures to facilitate the implementation of the awareness and training policy and associated access controls.
• Reviews and updates the current:
  • Awareness and training policy [Assignment: organization-defined frequency].
  • Awareness and training procedures [Assignment: organization-defined frequency].

Supplemental Guidance

The Risk Management Framework (RMF) is a cybersecurity framework that provides a process for managing cybersecurity risk to systems and organizations. RMF Control AT-1: Policy and Procedures is one of the controls in the AT family, which addresses awareness and training.

Awareness and training are essential for reducing cybersecurity risk. By providing employees with awareness and training on cybersecurity topics, organizations can help employees to identify and avoid cybersecurity threats.

Benefits of Implementing RMF Control AT-1

There are a number of benefits to implementing RMF Control AT-1, including:

• Reduced cybersecurity risk: Awareness and training can help to reduce cybersecurity risk by helping employees to identify and avoid cybersecurity threats.
• Increased compliance: Many regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), require organizations to provide awareness and training on cybersecurity topics to their employees.
• Improved security culture: Awareness and training can help to improve the security culture of an organization by creating a more aware and vigilant workforce.

How to Implement RMF Control AT-1

To implement RMF Control AT-1, organizations should:

1. Develop an awareness and training policy. The policy should address the following topics:
   • The importance of cybersecurity awareness and training.
   • The cybersecurity threats that employees need to be aware of.
   • The cybersecurity procedures that employees need to follow.
   • The consequences of failing to follow cybersecurity procedures.
2. Develop procedures to facilitate the implementation of the awareness and training policy. The procedures should address the following topics:
   • How employees will be made aware of the cybersecurity awareness and training policy.
   • How employees will be trained on cybersecurity topics.
   • How the organization will measure the effectiveness of the cybersecurity awareness and training program.
3. Review and update the awareness and training policy and procedures on a regular basis. The frequency of the reviews and updates will depend on the organization’s risk environment.

Examples of Awareness and Training Topics

Some examples of awareness and training topics that organizations should cover include:

• Social engineering: Social engineering is a type of attack in which attackers attempt to trick employees into revealing confidential information or performing actions that compromise security.
• Phishing: Phishing is a type of social engineering attack in which attackers send fraudulent emails that appear to be from a legitimate source. Phishing emails often contain links to malicious websites or attachments that contain malware.
• Malware: Malware is malicious software that can damage or disable computer systems or steal data.
• Password security: Strong passwords are essential for protecting computer systems and accounts from unauthorized access.
• Incident reporting: Employees should be trained on how to report cybersecurity incidents to the organization’s security team.

Conclusion

RMF Control AT-1: Policy and Procedures is an important control that can help organizations to reduce cybersecurity risk and improve their security posture. By implementing RMF Control AT-1, organizations can ensure that their employees are aware of the cybersecurity threats that they face and that they know how to protect themselves and the organization from those threats.

Additional Tips for Implementing RMF Control AT-1

• Use a variety of training methods: There is no one-size-fits-all approach to cybersecurity awareness and training. Organizations should use a variety of training methods, such as online training, in-person training, and job aids, to meet the needs of their employees.
• Make training relevant: Cybersecurity awareness and training should be relevant to the roles and responsibilities of the employees who are receiving it. For example, employees who work in IT will need more in-depth training on cybersecurity topics than employees who do not work in IT.
• Keep training up-to-date: The cybersecurity landscape is constantly changing, so it is important to keep cybersecurity awareness and training up-to-date. Organizations should review their training materials on a regular basis and make updates as needed.
• Measure the effectiveness of training: Organizations should measure the effectiveness of their cybersecurity awareness and training program to ensure that it is meeting its objectives. This can be done through surveys, quizzes, and other assessments.