Understanding NIST 800 for Custom Software: A Practical Guide to 800-30 and 800-53

When building custom-developed software, compliance and security can’t be afterthoughts. NIST Special Publications 800-30 and 800-53 offer a structured, risk-based approach that helps teams build secure applications from day one. There is simple checkbox solution. Instead this is meant to be a thoughtful approach to security. But how do these frameworks apply specifically to custom software development?

What Is NIST 800-30?

NIST SP 800-30 provides a methodology for conducting risk assessments. It helps security and development teams identify potential threats to a system, evaluate the likelihood of those threats occurring, and determine the potential impact.

In the context of custom software, 800-30 should be applied during the design and architecture phases. This means identifying threats (e.g., unauthorized access, injection attacks, data leaks), estimating likelihood and impact, and assigning risk ratings that inform decisions downstream.

What Is NIST 800-53?

NIST SP 800-53 is a comprehensive catalog of security and privacy controls. It doesn’t dictate what every system must have — instead, it provides a menu of options you tailor based on your risk assessment (from 800-30).

For custom software, applicable controls might include secure coding practices, authentication mechanisms, least privilege enforcement, activity logging, and incident handling procedures. These are integrated across the software development lifecycle (SDLC).

How Does This Apply to Custom Software?

Many teams think NIST only applies to infrastructure — but it directly informs how software should be built, tested, and maintained. Risk-based thinking from 800-30 guides decisions around which 800-53 controls matter most for your application.

• During development: threat modeling, secure design, coding standards
• During testing: vulnerability scanning, static/dynamic analysis
• During deployment: access controls, audit logs, encryption

Why NIST Requires Risk-Based Thinking

NIST doesn’t promote checklist compliance. 800-30 and 800-53 are designed to work together — one identifies risk, the other gives you the tools to manage it. That’s what makes these publications valuable to custom software teams: flexibility, not rigidity. Non prescriptive!

Want to dive deeper into the methodology? Read our companion post: What Is Risk-Based Security?

Common Questions

• What’s the difference between NIST 800-30 and 800-53?
• How do I apply NIST 800 to agile or DevOps teams?
• Does NIST 800 apply to internal tools or just customer-facing apps?