Policy and Procedures

Audit and accountability policy and procedures address the controls in the AU family that are implemented within systems and organizations. The risk management strategy is an important factor in establishing such policies and procedures. Policies and procedures contribute to security and privacy assurance. Therefore, it is important that security and privacy programs collaborate on the development of audit and accountability policy and procedures. Security and privacy program policies and procedures at the organization level are preferable, in general, and may obviate the need for mission- or system-specific policies and procedures. The policy can be included as part of the general security and privacy policy or be represented by multiple policies that reflect the complex nature of organizations. Procedures can be established for security and privacy programs, for mission or business processes, and for systems, if needed. Procedures describe how the policies or controls are implemented and can be directed at the individual or role that is the object of the procedure. Procedures can be documented in system security and privacy plans or in one or more separate documents. Events that may precipitate an update to audit and accountability policy and procedures include assessment or audit findings, security incidents or breaches, or changes in applicable laws, executive orders, directives, regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines. Simply restating controls does not constitute an organizational policy or procedure.

an audit and accountability policy is developed and documented; the audit and accountability policy is disseminated to personnel or roles; audit and accountability procedures to facilitate the implementation of the audit and accountability policy and associated audit and accountability controls are developed and documented; the audit and accountability procedures are disseminated to personnel or roles; the one or more: organization-level; mission/business process-level; system-level of the audit and accountability policy addresses purpose; the one or more: organization-level; mission/business process-level; system-level of the audit and accountability policy addresses scope; the one or more: organization-level; mission/business process-level; system-level of the audit and accountability policy addresses roles; the one or more: organization-level; mission/business process-level; system-level of the audit and accountability policy addresses responsibilities; the one or more: organization-level; mission/business process-level; system-level of the audit and accountability policy addresses management commitment; the one or more: organization-level; mission/business process-level; system-level of the audit and accountability policy addresses coordination among organizational entities; the one or more: organization-level; mission/business process-level; system-level of the audit and accountability policy addresses compliance; the one or more: organization-level; mission/business process-level; system-level of the audit and accountability policy is consistent with applicable laws, executive orders, directives, regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines; the official is designated to manage the development, documentation, and dissemination of the audit and accountability policy and procedures; the current audit and accountability policy is reviewed and updated frequency; the current audit and accountability policy is reviewed and updated following events; the current audit and accountability procedures are reviewed and updated frequency; the current audit and accountability procedures are reviewed and updated following events.