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Cybersecurity

NIST develops cybersecurity standards, guidelines, best practices, and other resources to meet the needs of U.S. industry, federal agencies and the broader public. Our activities range from producing specific information that organizations can put into practice immediately to longer-term research that anticipates advances in technologies and future challenges.

Some NIST cybersecurity assignments are defined by federal statutes, executive orders and policies. For example, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) mandates that all federal agencies implement NIST’s cybersecurity standards and guidance for non-national security systems. Our cybersecurity activities also are driven by the needs of U.S. industry and the broader public. We engage vigorously with stakeholders to set priorities and ensure that our resources address the key issues that they face. 

NIST also advances understanding and improves the management of privacy risks, some of which relate directly to cybersecurity.

Priority areas to which NIST contributes – and plans to focus more on – include cryptography, education and workforce, emerging technologies, risk management, identity and access management, measurements, privacy, trustworthy networks and trustworthy platforms.

Additional details can be found in these brief and more detailed fact sheets.

The President’s Executive Order (EO) 14028 on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity  issued on May 12, 2021, charges multiple agencies – including NIST – with enhancing cybersecurity through a variety of initiatives related to the security and integrity of the software supply chain.

News

NIST Drafts Major Update to Its Widely Used Cybersecurity Framework

NIST has revised the framework to help benefit all sectors, not just critical infrastructure.

NIST Awards $3 Million for Community-Based Cybersecurity Workforce Development

NIST Releases Second Public Draft of Digital Identity Guidelines for Final Review

NIST Releases First 3 Finalized Post-Quantum Encryption Standards

Cybersecurity Insights Blog