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SP 800-12 Rev. 1Final2017

An Introduction to Information Security

At a glanceA plain-language primer on information security for people new to the field: principles, roles, threats, policy, risk management and the families of security controls. A good first read for a new technology hire or a cabinet member who wants the basics.

Reading level
Leader
Length
101 pages · about 60 min for the key parts
Best for
Technology directors, Superintendents and cabinet, Business officials
CSF 2.0
Govern, Protect
Read it on NIST DOI 10.6028/NIST.SP.800-12r1 ↗

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Key concepts

The primer explains core concepts and points to more detailed NIST guidance for each. Its control family chapter predates the current SP 800-53 Rev. 5 organization, but the foundational material remains current.

How it is organized

  • Elements of information security
  • Roles and responsibilities
  • Threats and vulnerabilities
  • Information security policy
  • Risk management and the RMF
  • Assurance
  • Security in system support and operations
  • Cryptography
  • Overview of control families

What a school district should take from it

  • Security is everyone's role; the roles chapter helps define who does what in a district.
  • Policy, risk and operations connect; the primer shows how.

How to use it in your district

  1. Use it as onboarding reading for new technology staff.
  2. Draw on the roles chapter when writing job descriptions and the district cybersecurity policy.
  3. Pair chapters with Staff learning courses for a short internal study series.

Common misconceptions

An introduction is too basic for a technology director.
It is a useful common vocabulary for working with cabinet members and new staff.

Rubric categories and K12 Cyber Forward tools

Cybersecurity Rubric 2.0 categories

  • GV.RRRoles, Responsibilities, and Authorities
  • GV.POPolicy
  • PR.ATAwareness & Training

Tools in the program portal

Related publications

Citation and source

SP 800-12 Rev. 1, An Introduction to Information Security. National Institute of Standards and Technology. 2017. https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-12r1.

Replaces: SP 800-12 (1995).

Topics: Awareness and training, Governance and risk. This summary was written by the K12 Cyber Forward program team in its own words. NIST is not affiliated with the program and has not reviewed it. The official publication on csrc.nist.gov controls.