NIST 800-53 REV 5 • RISK ASSESSMENT
RA-5(6) — Automated Trend Analyses
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CMMC Practice Mapping
No direct CMMC mapping
NIST 800-171 Mapping
No direct NIST 800-171 mapping
Related Controls
No related controls listed
Supplemental Guidance
Using automated mechanisms to analyze multiple vulnerability scans over time can help determine trends in system vulnerabilities and identify patterns of attack.
Practitioner Notes
Automated trend analysis tracks your vulnerability data over time to identify patterns — are things getting better or worse? Which systems are chronically vulnerable? Which vulnerabilities keep coming back after remediation?
Example 1: Configure your vulnerability scanner to generate trend reports showing: total vulnerabilities by severity over the last 12 months, average time to remediate by severity, and systems with the most recurring findings. Present these trends to leadership monthly to demonstrate improvement or highlight areas needing attention.
Example 2: Export your scan data into Power BI and build dashboards that show vulnerability trends by system, team, severity, and age. Use the data to identify systemic issues — if one department always has the most critical findings, investigate whether they need more resources, training, or better patching processes.