• Contingency Planning Policy and Procedures: Organizations should develop and implement a contingency planning policy that defines the objectives, scope, roles, and responsibilities for managing contingencies. Procedures should be established to guide personnel on the development, implementation, and maintenance of contingency plans.
• Business Impact Analysis (BIA): Organizations should conduct a thorough business impact analysis to identify and prioritize their critical information systems, processes, and assets. The BIA helps determine the potential impacts of disruptions, such as loss of data, system unavailability, financial losses, and damage to the organization's reputation.
• Contingency Plan Development: Based on the results of the BIA, organizations should develop contingency plans that outline the strategies, procedures, and resources necessary to respond to and recover from disruptions. Contingency plans should address various types of incidents, including natural disasters, cyberattacks, equipment failures, and human errors.
• Plan Testing and Exercises: Contingency plans should be tested and validated through exercises and simulations to ensure their effectiveness. This includes tabletop exercises, functional exercises, and full-scale drills that involve key personnel and external stakeholders. Testing helps identify gaps, weaknesses, and areas for improvement in the plans.
• Contingency Plan Maintenance: Contingency plans should be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect changes in the organization's environment, systems, or operations. This includes updating contact lists, recovery procedures, and dependencies on external entities. Regular maintenance helps ensure the plans remain relevant and aligned with the organization's current needs.
• Training and Awareness: Personnel involved in contingency planning should receive appropriate training and awareness programs. This helps them understand their roles and responsibilities in implementing the plans effectively during a disruption. Training can include incident response training, awareness campaigns, and regular drills to ensure personnel are prepared to respond to contingencies.
• Backup and Restoration: Organizations should establish and maintain appropriate backup and restoration capabilities for critical systems and data. This includes implementing regular backup procedures, verifying backup integrity, and testing restoration processes to ensure data can be recovered in a timely manner.
• Alternate Processing Sites: Contingency plans should consider the availability of alternate processing sites or facilities that can be activated in the event of a disruption. These sites should have the necessary infrastructure, connectivity, and security controls to support critical operations.

By following the contingency planning controls in NIST 800-53, organizations can effectively prepare for and respond to disruptions, minimizing the impact on their operations and ensuring business continuity. It is important for organizations to assess their needs, develop tailored contingency plans, and regularly test and update them to address evolving threats and vulnerabilities.

100 + NIST 800-53 Templates Available for Download for Federal Contractors

The solution for federal contractors is the Arlington Security Portal (ASP), an online repository of world-class, industry leading security and privacy policies & procedures, programs, plans – and other highly essential documents & templates developed specifically on NIST SP 800-53, Revision 5.

From Beginning to End, Complete Project Management for NIST RMF

With Arlington, we can manage your entire NIST RMF A&A process from beginning to end (i.e., from the initial scoping & gap assessment to post-Authorization to Operate (ATO) activities), providing essential services for getting you to the finish line in terms of your ATO.  Core services and solutions offered include the following:

• Scoping & Gap (i.e., Readiness) Assessments
• Remediation Services (Policy and Procedures writing)
• Remediation Services (Technical and Operational)
• System Security Plan (SSP) Development
• Security Assessment Reports (SAR)
• Continuous Monitoring (ConMon) Services

About Arlington

We are Arlington, a team of innovative, solution-oriented, highly agile, and well-versed professionals with decades of experience in working with America’s defense industry. From emerging cybersecurity regulations to helping our clients solve complex security & compliance solutions – and so much more – you can trust Arlington, the firm that’s Dedicated to Defense®.  Learn more at arlingtonintel.com