NIST Cybersecurity Professional®
NCSP® 800-53 Awareness Certificate

Build Awareness of NIST SP 800‑53 Security & Privacy Controls

NIST Cybersecurity Professional®

NCSP® 800-53 Awareness Certificate

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Course Description

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NIST Special Publication 800‑53, Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations, provides a comprehensive catalogue of safeguards designed to protect organisational operations, assets, individuals, and critical infrastructure. It defines the baseline controls required to manage cybersecurity and privacy risk across federal and non‑federal environments.

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The NCSP® 800‑53 Awareness Certificate is a half‑day, instructor‑led course offering a concise introduction to the purpose, structure, and strategic value of NIST SP 800‑53. Designed for executives, managers, and stakeholders, this course explains how security and privacy controls support risk management, system assurance, compliance, and organisational resilience, without requiring technical or assessor‑level expertise.

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Participants gain a high‑level understanding of the 800‑53 control families, control baselines, tailoring concepts, and how 800‑53 integrates with RMF (800‑37), CSF 2.0, and broader cybersecurity governance.

 

What You Will Learn

 

Participants gain essential awareness‑level knowledge of NIST SP 800‑53. You will learn:

• The purpose, structure, and evolution of NIST SP 800‑53.

• The role of security and privacy controls in managing organisational risk.

• The structure of the 800‑53 control catalogue and its control families.

• How control baselines and tailoring support risk‑based implementation.

• Key organisational roles and responsibilities in control selection and oversight.

• How 800‑53 aligns with RMF, CSF 2.0, and other NIST publications.

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Course Agenda

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Module 1: Introduction to NIST SP 800‑53 & Control Fundamentals

• A high‑level overview of NIST SP 800‑53, its purpose, and its role in supporting cybersecurity and privacy risk management. Introduces the concept of controls, control objectives, and the relationship between threats, vulnerabilities, and safeguards.

Module 2: Structure of the 800‑53 Control Catalogue

• An awareness‑level introduction to the organisation of the 800‑53 control catalogue, including:

  • Security and privacy control families

  • Control structure (base control, enhancements, supplemental guidance)

  • Control baselines (Low, Moderate, High)

  • Tailoring and scoping considerations

• Explains how organisations use these elements to build risk‑appropriate control sets.

Module 3: Roles, Responsibilities & Governance for Control Implementation

• A concise overview of key roles involved in control selection, implementation, and oversight, including system owners, security officers, privacy officers, assessors, and authorising officials. Covers governance structures that support accountability, compliance, and continuous monitoring.

Module 4: Applying NIST 800‑53 in Practice - Alignment, Use Cases & Continuous Improvement

• An introduction to how organisations apply 800‑53 to real‑world systems and environments. Covers alignment with RMF (800‑37), CSF 2.0, 800‑30 risk assessments, and sector‑specific requirements.

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Learning Outcomes

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Participants will be able to:

• Describe the purpose and structure of NIST SP 800‑53.

• Explain the role of security and privacy controls in managing risk.

• Understand the structure of the 800‑53 control catalogue and control families.

• Recognise key roles and responsibilities in control implementation and oversight.

• Identify how 800‑53 aligns with RMF, CSF 2.0, and other NIST frameworks.

• Communicate the strategic value of 800‑53 controls to stakeholders and teams.

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Who Should Attend?

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This course is designed for professionals who need a foundational understanding of security and privacy controls, including:

• Executives & Senior Leaders

• Business & System Owners

• Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Stakeholders

• Programme & Project Managers

• Security & Privacy Managers

• Anyone seeking an introduction to NIST control frameworks

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Prerequisites

 

There are no prerequisites for this Awareness‑level course. No technical background is required.

 

Participants are provided with:

• NIST Cybersecurity Professional® (NCSP®) 800-53 Awareness Certificate courseware including links to further reading and resources.

• NIST Cybersecurity Professional® (NCSP®) 800-53 Awareness Certificate, Certificate of Completion.

• NIST Cybersecurity Professional® (NCSP®) 800-53 Awareness Certificate digital badge.

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