# NIST800 53 AC-1 — Policy And Procedures

- Source: https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/a_gen_nist80053_ac1_51e32873c0-nist800-53-ac-1-policy-and-procedures
- Section: [Solutions](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions) › [NIST](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/62000112528) › [Access Control](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/folders/f_gen_62000112528_accesscontrol)
- Last updated: 2026-05-30
- Publisher: iCompaas, Inc. (https://www.icompaas.com)

NIST800 53 · Control AC-1 · Priority: critical · Component: Access Control

### What this control covers

Develop, document, and disseminate an access control policy addressing purpose, scope, roles, responsibilities, management commitment, coordination, and compliance with laws and regulations. Establish procedures to implement the policy and controls. Designate an official to manage policy and procedures. Review and update them periodically or after events like audits or incidents. This control supports the Governance capability within the Access Control family.

### Why it matters

Risk is the language an executive team understands; this control connects technical reality to board-level decisions and budget allocation.

### How to implement

#### AWS

Codify the policy intent as **SCPs, AWS Config conformance packs, and Security Hub standards** so the cloud enforces what the document says.

#### Azure

Codify in **Azure Policy initiatives** (built-in regulatory compliance for CIS, ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA) and assign at management-group level.

#### GCP

**VM Manager** (OS patch + config management) and **Artifact Registry vulnerability scanning** integrate with Cloud Build to block vulnerable images.

#### GitHub

**Dependabot** security updates + version updates, plus **CodeQL** for SAST and a renovate bot for major-version drift management.

#### On-premises

Maintain a policy library with a documented review cadence (annual minimum); store in your GRC tool with attestation tracking. Map each policy to controls so an audit pull cites the exact policy clause.

### Evidence to collect

-   `policy_document` — A signed, version-controlled policy stating leadership intent and the named owner.

Signed policy or standard documents the safeguard. Focus: Policy And Procedures.

### Quick checklist

-   Policy — Procedures / Management
-   Access — Procedures / Management
-   Review — Procedures / Management
-   Access Control — Procedures / Management
-   Compliance — Procedures / Management
-   Coordination — Procedures / Management

### Related articles on this site

-   [163.310(a)(2)(iii) - Access control and validation procedures](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/62000230533-163-310-a-2-iii-access-control-and-validation-procedures)
-   [Use Cluster Access Manager API for Access Control Management](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/62000234198-use-cluster-access-manager-api-for-access-control-management)
-   [Ensure IAM instance roles are used for AWS resource access from instances](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/62000083902-ensure-iam-instance-roles-are-used-for-aws-resource-access-from-instances)
-   [Ensure a log metric filter and alarm exist for changes to Network Access Control Lists (NACL)](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/62000084031-ensure-a-log-metric-filter-and-alarm-exist-for-changes-to-network-access-control-lists-nacl-)

## Related compliance guidance

- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: a practical implementation guide for cloud teams](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5): How the 800-53 catalogue, baselines and the Risk Management Framework fit together, and which controls take the most work in the cloud.
- [NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC: a practical guide to protecting CUI in the cloud](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3): If the driver is a DoD or federal contract handling CUI, 800-171 (and CMMC) is the scope you actually need.