NIST 800-53 Vulnerability Scanning: RA-5 and SI-2

Vulnerability scanning for NIST 800-53

If you report against NIST SP 800-53, whether for FISMA, FedRAMP, a state program or a customer contract, control RA-5 is where vulnerability scanning lives and SI-2 is where fixing the findings lives. Assessors expect both to be running with evidence. This page explains the controls, what the assessor wants, and how to put scanning in place this week.

What NIST 800-53 actually says

RA-5, Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning, requires monitoring and scanning for vulnerabilities in systems and hosted applications on an organization-defined frequency and when new vulnerabilities are identified, using tools that use standard naming for flaws and misconfigurations, analyzing the results, and remediating legitimate findings within organization-defined response times. The moderate baseline adds RA-5(2), updating vulnerability information before each scan, and RA-5(5), privileged (credentialed) access for scanning. SI-2, Flaw Remediation, requires identifying, reporting and correcting flaws and installing security-relevant updates within defined time periods. FISMA moderate systems and FedRAMP both inherit these.

What your auditor needs to see

Scan reports for every system component in the authorization boundary.
A frequency written in the security plan and scans that match it, monthly for most FedRAMP and FISMA moderate systems.
Credentialed scans for RA-5(5).
Findings rated by severity with remediation within the defined response times.
A Plan of Action and Milestones entry for anything not fixed on time.

Getting it done this week

Clone Systems internal vulnerability scanning covers servers, workstations and network devices inside the authorization boundary, with credentialed scans and is ready the moment you check out. Internal scanning is $1,095 a year for 128 IPs, $1,495 for 512, $2,295 for 2,048. Add external vulnerability scanning for your internet-facing systems. External scanning is $595 a year for 10 IPs, $2,495 for 50, $5,985 for 150. Every package includes free rescans, and reports export mapped to NIST 800-53 from the portal.

Why Clone Systems

PCI Approved Scanning Vendor since 2007, the same scanning engine tested every year under the PCI Council's ASV program, published prices, buy online. Switching from another scanner? See how it works.

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Clone Systems is a PCI Security Standards Council Approved Scanning Vendor, listed since 2007. This page is general guidance, not legal or audit advice.