NIST 800-53 REV 5 • AWARENESS AND TRAINING
AT-2 — Literacy Training and Awareness
Provide security and privacy literacy training to system users (including managers, senior executives, and contractors): As part of initial training for new users and {{ insert: param, at-2_prm_1 }} thereafter; and When required by system changes or following {{ insert: param, at-2_prm_2 }}; Employ the following techniques to increase the security and privacy awareness of system users {{ insert: param, at-02_odp.05 }}; Update literacy training and awareness content {{ insert: param, at-02_odp.06 }} and following {{ insert: param, at-02_odp.07 }} ; and Incorporate lessons learned from internal or external security incidents or breaches into literacy training and awareness techniques.
Supplemental Guidance
Organizations provide basic and advanced levels of literacy training to system users, including measures to test the knowledge level of users. Organizations determine the content of literacy training and awareness based on specific organizational requirements, the systems to which personnel have authorized access, and work environments (e.g., telework). The content includes an understanding of the need for security and privacy as well as actions by users to maintain security and personal privacy and to respond to suspected incidents. The content addresses the need for operations security and the handling of personally identifiable information. Awareness techniques include displaying posters, offering supplies inscribed with security and privacy reminders, displaying logon screen messages, generating email advisories or notices from organizational officials, and conducting awareness events. Literacy training after the initial training described in [AT-2a.1](#at-2_smt.a.1) is conducted at a minimum frequency consistent with applicable laws, directives, regulations, and policies. Subsequent literacy training may be satisfied by one or more short ad hoc sessions and include topical information on recent attack schemes, changes to organizational security and privacy policies, revised security and privacy expectations, or a subset of topics from the initial training. Updating literacy training and awareness content on a regular basis helps to ensure that the content remains relevant. Events that may precipitate an update to literacy training and awareness content include, but are not limited to, assessment or audit findings, security incidents or breaches, or changes in applicable laws, executive orders, directives, regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines.
Practitioner Notes
Every person who accesses your systems needs security awareness training. Not just IT people — everyone, including executives, contractors, and temporary employees. They need to understand basic threats and their responsibilities.
Example 1: Enroll all employees in the DoD Cyber Awareness Challenge (or your commercial equivalent via KnowBe4). Topics must cover phishing recognition, password hygiene, social engineering, removable media risks, and incident reporting. Require completion within the first week of onboarding and annually after that.
Example 2: Supplement the annual training with monthly micro-training — 5-minute videos or quizzes on specific topics like "How to spot a phishing email" or "What to do if you find a USB drive." Use KnowBe4's Training Campaigns feature to assign and track these throughout the year.