{"id":16073,"date":"2021-10-21T12:14:53","date_gmt":"2021-10-21T06:44:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getastra.com\/blog\/?p=16073"},"modified":"2026-06-02T09:49:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T04:19:16","slug":"nist-penetration-testing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getastra.com\/blog\/security-audit\/nist-penetration-testing\/","title":{"rendered":"NIST Penetration Testing: A Comprehensive Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NIST penetration testing is a security control listed by NIST or the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Penetration testing provides the best representation of the risks a network faces. Penetration testers detect exploitable vulnerabilities like weak passwords, & weak firewall rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NIST is an agency under the U.S. government’s Department of Commerce. It provides various standards, & frameworks concerning cybersecurity and its security controls. This article mentions NIST penetration testing as a security control under NIST SP 800 -53 and NIST SP 800 – 171. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>What is NIST Penetration Testing?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

NIST penetration testing refers to looking for exploitable vulnerabilities in software or networks and finding out whether an organization is following the cybersecurity framework prescribed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). These tests are conducted according to the NIST penetration testing framework. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommended Reading: What is Pentest?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>What is NIST, and Who needs to adhere to it?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

NIST is a non-regulatory governmental agency that develops technology, metrics, and standards to assist businesses and individuals in the science and technology industry by helping them reach their highest potential. They have developed a cybersecurity framework known as NIST Cyber Security Framework <\/em><\/strong>that businesses and governments use to secure their data and networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are a company developing, implementing, or operating critical IT infrastructure, you will need to adhere to the NIST compliance framework. The framework is a set of standards created in 2013 and updated in 2016 to address new threats and vulnerabilities in the cybersecurity industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The framework is built around five critical components: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Identify<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Protect<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Detect<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Respond <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Recover<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    NIST helps businesses securely supply, operate, and own their critical infrastructure. It is a framework developed by the people, collaborating with businesses, academia, and federal agencies. The framework can be used by anyone in any industry that manages or operates critical infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"NIST
    Image: NIST CSF Methodology<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    <\/span>What is NIST 800-53? <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    NIST Special Publication 800 – 53 is titled “Security and Privacy Controls for Federal Information Systems and Organizations<\/strong><\/a>“. It is also used for developing and implementing IT protocols for government agencies. Some security controls mentioned include risk assessments, access control, and configuration management. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    NIST special publication 800-53 is the set of guidelines or security controls that should be followed by federal institutions and data systems. The security controls help determine the requirements for securing federal agencies with various impact levels like low-impact, moderate-impact, and high-impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/span>What is NIST 800-171?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    NIST 800-171 is the national standard for unclassified information developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. It covers compliance within federal civilian departments and agencies (companies on contract), as well as non-federal country organizations that are operating in accordance with the law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    NIST 800-171<\/a> is a set of standards that helps to protect classified information from leaking out of a computer system. The publication was developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to help companies, organizations, and even government agencies protect CUI from unauthorized disclosure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The main difference between NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171 is the target audience, i.e. NIST 800-53 is governmental and federal agencies and organizations whereas NIST 800-171 mostly applies to civilian companies that have contracts with federal institutions. <\/p>\n\n\n

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    Image: NIST Penetration Testing Methodology<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    <\/span>Understanding NIST Cyber-Security Framework<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The National Institute of Standards and Technologies Cyber Security Framework (NIST CSF) is a set of standards to help companies improve their overall cybersecurity posture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The NIST CSF defines a set of best practices that enables IT organizations to more effectively manage cybersecurity risks. The NIST CSF is made up of five core functions, or sets of activities, that can be used to manage cybersecurity risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The NIST Cybersecurity Framework is a unified way of thinking about cybersecurity. It has five pillars, which you can see here, but in essence, it is a list of best practices that will allow businesses to be proactive in the face of cyberattacks, rather than just being reactive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Well-known security firms have already started to adopt this framework, and the government is in the process of doing the same, making it easier for businesses to comply with their regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

    <\/span>Why is NIST Framework important?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The National Institute of Standards and Technology, better known as NIST, plays a major role in protecting our nation’s information systems. NIST is responsible for developing standards, guidelines, and associated methods and techniques to strengthen the security and privacy of all U.S. Federal computer systems, including those used by the Defense Department, the intelligence community, and the judiciary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The organization is also responsible for developing standards that all federal agencies can secure their information systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The NIST Framework aims to help organizations secure their data and network. It is an internationally accepted cybersecurity standard that is used by many countries in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some of the most common benefits to comply with NIST are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1) Keeping the customer’s data safe and secure from cyber-attacks<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2) Having the edge over the market with a better reputation and customer trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    3) Protecting company data and network<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    4) Getting in line for government projects or contracts.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    Image: Benefits of NIST<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    <\/span>How important is Penetration Testing for NIST?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    According to NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology), vulnerability scanning of systems and devices needs to be conducted to ensure that systems are safe and secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Let’s understand the NIST penetration testing requirements. According to NIST 800-171, 3.11.2 and 3.11.3 are compliance requirements that need NIST penetration testing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    3.11.2: Scan for vulnerabilities in organizational systems and applications periodically and when new vulnerabilities affecting those systems and applications are identified.<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    According to 3.11.2, organizations that need to comply with NIST need to make sure that the software. Applications and the systems of the organization are very well tested. Companies opt for NIST penetration testing to ensure that everything is tested well and that there are no security risks in any organization’s assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Security analysis while NIST penetration testing may also require different approaches such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n