Roles and Responsibilities for Information Security

B.

The federal law that establishes roles and responsibilities for information security, risk management, testing, and training, and authorizes NIST and NSA to provide guidance for security planning and implementation is the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA).

FISMA was enacted in 2002 as part of the E-Government Act of 2002, and it provides a framework for the management and protection of information and information systems within the federal government. The law requires each federal agency to develop, document, and implement an agency-wide program to provide security for the information and information systems that support its operations and assets.

FISMA assigns specific roles and responsibilities for information security within federal agencies, including the agency head, the Chief Information Officer (CIO), and the Senior Agency Information Security Officer (SAISO). It also requires the development of policies and procedures for risk management, security testing, and security training for employees, contractors, and other users of federal information systems.

NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) and NSA (National Security Agency) are authorized under FISMA to provide guidance for security planning and implementation. NIST develops and publishes standards, guidelines, and best practices for information security, while NSA provides guidance on protecting national security systems.

In summary, FISMA is a federal law that establishes a framework for information security management within federal agencies. It assigns specific roles and responsibilities, requires the development of policies and procedures for risk management, security testing, and training, and authorizes NIST and NSA to provide guidance for security planning and implementation.