id: "PL-10" title: "Baseline Selection" family: "PL" family_name: "Planning" sort_id: "pl-10" priority: "P1" implementation_level: "organization"


Statement

Select a control baseline for the system.

Guidance

Control baselines are predefined sets of controls specifically assembled to address the protection needs of a group, organization, or community of interest. Controls are chosen for baselines to either satisfy mandates imposed by laws, executive orders, directives, regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines or address threats common to all users of the baseline under the assumptions specific to the baseline. Baselines represent a starting point for the protection of individuals’ privacy, information, and information systems with subsequent tailoring actions to manage risk in accordance with mission, business, or other constraints (see PL-11 ). Federal control baselines are provided in SP 800-53B . The selection of a control baseline is determined by the needs of stakeholders. Stakeholder needs consider mission and business requirements as well as mandates imposed by applicable laws, executive orders, directives, policies, regulations, standards, and guidelines. For example, the control baselines in SP 800-53B are based on the requirements from FISMA and PRIVACT . The requirements, along with the NIST standards and guidelines implementing the legislation, direct organizations to select one of the control baselines after the reviewing the information types and the information that is processed, stored, and transmitted on the system; analyzing the potential adverse impact of the loss or compromise of the information or system on the organization’s operations and assets, individuals, other organizations, or the Nation; and considering the results from system and organizational risk assessments. CNSSI 1253 provides guidance on control baselines for national security systems.

Assessment Objective

a control baseline for the system is selected.

Security and privacy planning policy

procedures addressing system security and privacy plan development and implementation

procedures addressing system security and privacy plan reviews and updates

system design documentation

system architecture and configuration documentation

system categorization decision

information types stored, transmitted, and processed by the system

system element/component information

stakeholder needs analysis

list of security and privacy requirements allocated to the system, system elements, and environment of operation

list of contractual requirements allocated to external providers of the system or system element

business impact analysis or criticality analysis

risk assessments

risk management strategy

organizational security and privacy policy

federal or organization-approved or mandated baselines or overlays

system security plan

privacy plan

other relevant documents or records

Organizational personnel with security and privacy planning and plan implementation responsibilities

organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities

organizational personnel with responsibility for organizational risk management activities