Any company handling sensitive data should prioritize security, but this is especially true for federal sector. The federal standard FIPS 199, which helps organizations in categorizing potential effects of security incidents, helps in establishing the security needs of information systems. We’ll explore how to use FIPS 199 to determine security categorization. The important details like completing the FIPS 199 form, and go over related concepts like control families and digital signatures in this in-depth guide.

What is FIPS 199?

FIPS 199 is a mandatory standard for federal agencies under the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). It categorizes information systems based on the impact of confidentiality, integrity, or availability loss. This helps organizations prioritize cybersecurity efforts, allocate resources efficiently, and ensure critical systems receive the highest level of protection, thereby enhancing overall cybersecurity.

How to Fill Out FIPS 199?

A critical stage in the security classification process is completing FIPS 199. This procedure involves determining the sensitivity of the data your system manages and understanding the potential effects of confidentiality, integrity, or availability violations for your company.

Step 1: Identify Information Types

The first step in completing Form FIPS 199 is to list every kind of data that your system handles. Financial records and personally identifiable information (PII) are examples of this, and each has unique security requirements.

Step 2: Assign Levels of Impact

Determine the possible effects on the organization of any loss of availability, confidentiality, or integrity for each kind of information. This is achieved by giving each of these security goals an effect level (low, moderate, or high).

Step 3: Document the Security Categorization

Once the impact levels are assigned, the next step is to document the security categorization for each information type. This is typically recorded in the format:

Security Category (Information Type) = (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability)

For example, the security categorization for a financial records system would be as follows: high effect for a breach in confidentiality, moderate impact for integrity, and low impact for availability.

SC (Financial Records) = (High, Moderate, Low)

Step 4: Compile and Evaluate Total Effect

The last stage involves evaluating the greatest impact level allowed in order to determine the overall effect level for the complete information system. This general classification guides the implementation of security controls and procedures.

What Levels of Potential Impact Are Defined by FIPS 199?

FIPS 199 is a federal information security standard that categorizes information and systems based on their sensitivity and potential impact on an organization. FIPS 199 defines three possible impact levels: low, moderate, and high. Each level describes the impact on assets, people, or organizational activities.

Low Impact: 

A low impact level indicates a security breach that could cause minimal adverse effects on an organization’s operations, assets, or individuals. Such as minor financial losses, slight asset damage, or minimal decrease in mission capability. An example is unauthorized disclosure of non-sensitive information, resulting in minor inconveniences or inefficiencies.

• Confidentiality: Sharing data without authorization would be limited or nil.
  

• Integrity: Information errors may result in little problems like processing mistakes or small delays.
  

• Availability: While a brief lack of availability would result in some small interruptions, activities wouldn't be severely restricted.
  

Moderate Impact: 

A security breach with a moderate impact level may have major harm for a business. This might include a significant decrease in mission capacity, serious financial loss, or harm to organizational assets. Individuals may suffer from the breach in the form of small injuries or damage to their privacy.

• Confidentiality: Unauthorized disclosure might disclose sensitive but unimportant information, for example, with larger effects.
  

• Integrity: Serious errors might result in more serious disruptions and lead to bad choices or behaviors.
  

• Availability: A minor effect on availability might cause significant delays in mission operations or service delivery, which could have an impact on the organization's capacity to achieve its objectives.
  

High Impact: 

The most serious kind of impact level, high, indicates the possibility of a security breach that might have adverse impacts on an organization. This could result in a major decrease in mission ability, serious harm to assets, or significant financial loss. Significant damage to people, such as death, severe injury, or violation of civil rights, might potentially come from the breach.

• Confidentiality: Unauthorized disclosure could expose very sensitive or classified material that might threaten lives or damage national security, among other serious consequences.
  

• Integrity: Serious errors or corrupted data might seriously affect the operations of the company and have serious effects.
  

• Availability: A significant effect on availability might totally stop an organization's activities, making it impossible for it to carry out its vital duties.
  

Comparing Security Standards

While FIPS 199 provides the basis for security classification in the federal sector, it’s critical to know how it stacks up against other security standards.

• FIPS 199 vs. FIPS 200 

It’s common to discuss FIPS 200 and 199 together. FIPS 200 specifies the minimum security standards for federal information systems based on the classifications of FIPS 199, which focuses on classifying information systems according to possible effect levels.

• FIPS 199 vs. NIST SP 800-53 

A list of security controls for government information systems is available in NIST Special Publication 800-53. According to the FIPS 199 classifications, these controls apply to the information systems. FIPS 199 defines what needs protection, while NIST SP 800-53 provides instructions on how to implement that protection.

• FIPS 199 vs. ISO/IEC 27001

An international standard for information security management systems (ISMS) is ISO/IEC 27001. In comparison with FIPS 199, which is exclusive to government information systems in the United States, ISO/IEC 27001 is applicable worldwide in a variety of industries. But the aim of information protection, regardless of effect and sensitivity, is shared by both standards.

Digital Signature

Digital signatures are an essential control technique in the discipline of information security, especially when working with high-impact systems that fall under FIPS 199.

What is a Digital Signature?

A digital signature offers non-repudiation, data integrity, and authenticity for digital communications or documents. It is the electronic counterpart of a handwritten signature. Encryption methods ensure that the document or communication has not been changed in transit and that it comes from a verified source.

Role in FIPS 199 Security Controls

In systems covered by FIPS 199, digital signatures are essential for maintaining data authenticity and integrity. Moreover, they become even more critical, especially for systems with high impact levels. Furthermore, by ensuring that data has not been altered and confirming its origin, digital signatures play a vital role in protecting sensitive information within these systems. To secure sensitive information, they ensure that the data has not been modified and confirm its origin.

Control Families

Information system security is addressed using control families, which are collections of connected security measures. These control families provide an organized method for putting the required safeguards in place depending on a system’s security classification within the framework of FIPS 199.

Understanding Control Families: 

NIST SP 800-53 provides a number of control families, each designed to handle a specific information security issue. Among them are:

• Access Control (AC): Access control (AC) controls limit who can access the information system and define what they can do with the data.
  

• Audit  and Accountability (AU): Audit and Accountability (AU) refers to controls that monitor user behavior and provide ways to look at and evaluate it.
  

• Incident Response (IR): Incident response (IR) controls establish protocols for handling security issues, including detection, reporting, and mitigation.
  

• Risk assessment (RA): Information system risk identification and assessment controls.
  

Applying Control Families in FIPS 199: 

Various control families are applied to meet the various risks connected with the information system, based on the security classification established by FIPS 199. For example, a system with a high impact level could require more thorough incident response protocols. Additionally, it might need stronger access control mechanisms to ensure comprehensive protection. Moreover, implementing these enhanced security measures helps mitigate potential risks and ensures the system’s integrity.

Impact Level Value

The impact level value in FIPS 199 represents the potential negative impacts a security breach might have on an organization. These values guide the implementation of appropriate security controls.

Calculating Impact Level Value: 

The impact level value is determined by analyzing the effects on confidentiality, integrity, and availability for each information type. Each security objective is assigned a value—low, moderate, or high—based on the potential consequences of a breach.

Using Impact Level Value in Security Planning: 

The impact level value is a crucial aspect of security planning, guiding the selection of appropriate measures and enabling organizations to allocate resources effectively, ensuring the protection of sensitive systems and ensuring their safety. Higher impact level systems will need stronger access restrictions, greater encryption, and more regular audits, among other security measures.

Determine the Overall Impact Level:

Finding the information system’s total effect level is the last stage. To achieve this, you determine the greatest impact level among the three security goals. The overall impact level then dictates the required degree of security measures for the system.

Conclusion

FIPS 199 is a crucial tool for classifying information systems and determining necessary security precautions for sensitive data. Organizations can enhance data security by learning how to complete FIPS 199, understanding impact levels, and comparing it to other security requirements. Implementing the right security controls requires understanding concepts like impact level values, control families, and digital signatures. Adhering to these principles ensures systems are secure and compliant with government regulations, ensuring the integrity and safety of sensitive information.