Revision 5 is a major update to the NIST 800-53 Special Publication Series. Responding to the rapidly growing cyber threat to U.S. critical infrastructure, NIST is working toward a proactive and systematic approach to deterrence as a tactic to address the threat. Revision 5 provides "significant additions" to the existing security control families, and rewrites all of the controls so that they have an outcome-based focus.
Critical infrastructure are those systems that are essential for the nation to function. They include government, transportation, the financial system, health care, communications and more. First defined in a 1995 executive order from President Bill Clinton, critical infrastructure has grown from eight identified sectors to 16.
This white paper explains Revision 5 in detail and NIST's transition plan.
