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NIST 800-53 Rev 5 Controls List and Checklist

How to work from the Rev 5 control catalog and SP 800-53B baselines — select and tailor, do not implement every control.

Published: September 2026 Compliance · NIST 8-12 min read

SP 800-53 Revision 5 is a catalog of security and privacy controls. A useful checklist starts from your SP 800-53B baseline (Low, Moderate, or High) plus the privacy baseline when applicable, then documents tailoring — not a vow to implement the entire catalog.

Related: 20 families · Baselines · 800-53 hub.

Catalog vs Baseline Checklist

  1. Categorize impact (FIPS 199 context for federal systems)
  2. Select the matching 800-53B security baseline
  3. Apply the privacy baseline when required
  4. Tailor with overlays and compensating controls; document decisions
  5. Track implementation and assessment status per selected control

For family-level explainers, start with AU, IR, and CM when SIEM and hardening evidence matter most.

How CyberSilo Helps

Track the Baseline You Actually Selected

Pair impact categorization with continuous evidence for the tailored control set.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many controls are in Rev 5?

Use the official NIST catalog and baseline spreadsheets for counts. Programme scope is the selected and tailored set, not the raw catalog size.

Does the privacy baseline depend on impact level?

SP 800-53B applies the privacy baseline irrespective of impact level, in addition to the Low, Moderate, or High security baseline.

Is FedRAMP the same as Moderate unchanged?

FedRAMP uses baselines with FedRAMP-specific overlays and tailoring. Follow current FedRAMP baseline documents.

NIST hub · What Is NIST CSF 2.0? · 800-171 Rev 3 Changes · 800-53 Families

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