RA-1—Policy and Procedures
>Control Description
Develop, document, and disseminate to ⚙organization-defined personnel or roles: (a) Addresses purpose, scope, roles, responsibilities, management commitment, coordination among organizational entities, and compliance; and (b) Is consistent with applicable laws, executive orders, directives, regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines; and
[Selection (one or more): Organization-level; Mission/business process-level; System-level] risk assessment policy that:
Procedures to facilitate the implementation of the risk assessment policy and the associated risk assessment controls;
Designate an ⚙organization-defined official to manage the development, documentation, and dissemination of the risk assessment policy and procedures; and
Review and update the current risk assessment:
Policy ⚙organization-defined frequency and following ⚙organization-defined events; and
Procedures ⚙organization-defined frequency and following ⚙organization-defined events.
>FedRAMP Baseline Requirements
Parameter Values
>Discussion
Risk assessment policy and procedures address the controls in the RA family that are implemented within systems and organizations. The risk management strategy is an important factor in establishing such policies and procedures. Policies and procedures contribute to security and privacy assurance.
Therefore, it is important that security and privacy programs collaborate on the development of risk assessment policy and procedures. Security and privacy program policies and procedures at the organization level are preferable, in general, and may obviate the need for mission- or system-specific policies and procedures. The policy can be included as part of the general security and privacy policy or be represented by multiple policies reflecting the complex nature of organizations.
Procedures can be established for security and privacy programs, for mission or business processes, and for systems, if needed. Procedures describe how the policies or controls are implemented and can be directed at the individual or role that is the object of the procedure. Procedures can be documented in system security and privacy plans or in one or more separate documents.
Events that may precipitate an update to risk assessment policy and procedures include assessment or audit findings, security incidents or breaches, or changes in laws, executive orders, directives, regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines. Simply restating controls does not constitute an organizational policy or procedure.
>Cross-Framework Mappings
>Assessment Interview Topics
Questions assessors commonly ask
Process & Governance:
- •What is your organization's documented risk assessment policy and how does it address the requirements of RA-1?
- •Who has been designated as responsible for conducting and maintaining risk assessments?
- •How frequently are risk assessments conducted and what triggers an update to the risk assessment?
Technical Implementation:
- •What methodology or framework do you use to conduct risk assessments?
- •How do you identify and categorize threats and vulnerabilities during the risk assessment process?
- •What tools or systems support your risk assessment activities?
Evidence & Documentation:
- •Can you provide the most recent risk assessment report?
- •What evidence demonstrates that risk assessment findings are communicated to appropriate stakeholders?
- •Where are risk assessment results documented and how long are they retained?
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