The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a non-regulatory government agency that develops technology, metrics, standards, and guidelines. Compliance with NIST standards and guidelines has become a top priority in many industries today.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was founded in 1901 and is now part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. NIST is one of the nation's oldest physical science laboratories. Today, NIST measurements support the smallest of technologies to the largest and most complex of human-made creations, from nanoscale devices, up to earthquake-resistant skyscrapers and global communication networks.
The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) is a United States federal law passed in 2002 that made it a requirement for federal agencies to develop, document, and implement an information security and protection program. NIST plays an important role in the FISMA implementation by producing key security standards and guidelines (for example, FIPS 199, FIPS 200, and SP 800 series).
Government and private organizations use NIST 800-53 to secure information systems. Cybersecurity and privacy controls are essential to protect organizational operations (including mission, functions, image, and reputation), organizational assets, and individuals from a diverse set of threats. Some of these threats include hostile cyber-attacks, natural disasters, structural failures, and human errors. VMware has enlisted a third-party audit partner to evaluate VMware products and solutions against the NIST 800-53 catalog of controls. For more information, visit the NIST webpage at https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework.
