Standardized Architecture for NIST-based Assurance Frameworks on the AWS Cloud: Quick Start Reference Deployment

Posted on: Jun 1, 2016

This major update to the NIST 800-53 Quick Start (published earlier this year) deploys a standardized environment that helps support additional NIST-based security requirements on the AWS cloud. Specifically, it helps organizations with workloads that fall in scope for any of the following:

  • National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) SP 800-53 (Revision 4)
  • NIST SP 800-171
  • The OMB Trusted Internet Connection (TIC) Initiative – FedRAMP Overlay (pilot)
  • The DoD Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide (SRG)

The Quick Start includes a deployment guide, which provides step-by-step instructions for deploying and configuring the environment. The deployment guide provides links for viewing and launching AWS CloudFormation templates that automate the deployment.

The Quick Start also includes a security controls matrix, which maps the architecture decisions, components, and configuration in the Quick Start to security requirements within NIST, TIC, and DoD Cloud SRG publications; indicates which AWS CloudFormation templates and stacks affect the controls implementation; and specifies the associated AWS resources within the templates and stacks.

This reference deployment is part of a set of AWS compliance offerings, which provide security-focused, standardized architecture solutions to help Managed Service Providers (MSPs), cloud provisioning teams, developers, integrators, and information security teams adhere to strict security, compliance, and risk management controls.

Quick Starts are automated reference deployments for key workloads on the AWS cloud. Each Quick Start launches, configures, and runs the AWS compute, network, storage, and other services required to deploy a specific workload on AWS, using AWS best practices for security and availability.

To get started, use the following resources:

If you need assistance with an enterprise implementation of the capabilities introduced through this Quick Start, AWS Professional Services can guide and assist with the training, customization, and implementation of deployment and maintenance processes.  Please contact your AWS Account Manager for further information, or send an inquiry to compliance-accelerator@amazon.com.