NIST 800-53 r5 · Controls catalogue · Family RA
RA-2Security Categorization
Categorize the system and information it processes, stores, and transmits; Document the security categorization results, including supporting rationale, in the security plan for the system; and Verify that the authorizing official or authorizing official designated representative reviews and approves the security categorization decision.
Last updated: 22 August 2026 07:11 UTC
Implementations targeting this control (0)
- No implementations targeting this control yet.
ATT&CK techniques this control mitigates (0)
- No ATT&CK techniques mapped to this control yet.
Weaknesses this control addresses (8)AI-assisted
CWEs ranked by how often they appear in real CVEs. The rationale describes how this control reduces exploitability of each weakness class.
| CWE | Name | CVEs | Why this control addresses it |
|---|---|---|---|
CWE-200 | Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor | 11,000+ | Categorization identifies sensitive data so that confidentiality protections commensurate with impact level are selected and documented. |
CWE-284 | Improper Access Control | 6,900+ | Security categorization determines the impact level that drives selection of appropriate access-control baselines. |
CWE-732 | Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource | 1,900+ | Security category directly informs the required permission settings for critical resources before authorization occurs. |
CWE-552 | Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties | 500+ | Categorization results dictate which files and directories must be restricted, making unauthorized external access less likely. |
CWE-922 | Insecure Storage of Sensitive Information | 400+ | Proper categorization drives selection of storage controls that keep sensitive information from being stored insecurely. |
CWE-497 | Exposure of Sensitive System Information to an Unauthorized Control Sphere | 300+ | Documented categorization of system information reduces the chance that sensitive internals are left exposed to unauthorized spheres. |
CWE-359 | Exposure of Private Personal Information to an Unauthorized Actor | 200+ | Explicit categorization of PII ensures stronger privacy controls are applied and approved before system operation. |
CWE-538 | Insertion of Sensitive Information into Externally-Accessible File or Directory | 98 | Approved categorization forces identification of externally accessible files that contain sensitive content so they receive proper protection. |
Top CVEs where this control is the strongest mitigation
| CVE | Risk | CVSS | EPSS | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No CVEs annotated to this control yet — the per-CVE backfill is in progress. | ||||