Date Published: May 1, 2025
Comments Due:
Email Questions to:
Planning Note (07/10/2025):
NIST is now accepting comments on this draft through August 4, 2025.
Author(s)
Yang Guo (NIST), Jeremy Licata (NIST), Jeff Neel (Argonne National Laboratory), Gary Key (DoD HPCMP), James Waterman (DoD HPCMP), Ian Lee (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, ShorePoint), Catherine Hinton (Los Alamos National Laboratory), David Shrader (Los Alamos National Laboratory), Andrew Prout (MIT Lincoln Laboratory), Albert Reuther (MIT Lincoln Laboratory), Ted Bohrer (NASA), Katsutoshi Ishisoko (NASA), Kyle Earley (Ohio Supercomputer Center), Aron Warren (Sandia National Laboratories), Tony DeNardo (Sandia National Laboratories), Ian Czarnezki (University of Arkansas), Erik Deumens (University of Florida)
Announcement
High-performance computing (HPC) systems provide fundamental computing infrastructure for large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) model training, big data analysis, and complex simulations at exceptional speeds. Securing HPC systems is essential for safeguarding AI models, protecting sensitive data, and realizing the full benefits of HPC capabilities.
This NIST Special Publication introduces an HPC security overlay that is designed to address the unique characteristics and requirements of HPC systems. Built upon the moderate baseline defined in SP 800-53B, the overlay tailors 60 security controls with supplemental guidance and/or discussions to enhance their applicability in HPC contexts. This overlay aims to provide practical, performance-conscious security guidance that can be readily adopted. For many organizations, it offers a robust foundation for securing HPC environments while also allowing for further customization to meet specific operational or mission needs.
The public comment period is open through July 3 August 4, 2025.
Additional information can be found at the NIST HPC Security Working Group website.
Note: A call for patent claims is included in the front matter of this draft. For additional information, see the Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) Patent Policy – Inclusion of Patents in ITL Publications.
High-performance computing (HPC) systems provide fundamental computing infrastructure for large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) model training, big data analysis, and complex simulations at exceptional speeds. Securing HPC systems is essential for safeguarding AI models, protecting sensitive data, and realizing the full benefits of HPC capabilities. This NIST Special Publication introduces an HPC security overlay that is designed to address the unique characteristics and requirements of HPC systems. Built upon the moderate baseline defined in SP 800-53B, the overlay tailors 60 security controls with supplemental guidance and/or discussions to enhance their applicability in HPC contexts. This overlay aims to provide practical, performance-conscious security guidance that can be readily adopted. For many organizations, it offers a robust foundation for securing HPC environments while also allowing for further customization to meet specific operational or mission needs.
High-performance computing (HPC) systems provide fundamental computing infrastructure for large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) model training, big data analysis, and complex simulations at exceptional speeds. Securing HPC systems is essential for safeguarding AI models,...
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High-performance computing (HPC) systems provide fundamental computing infrastructure for large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) model training, big data analysis, and complex simulations at exceptional speeds. Securing HPC systems is essential for safeguarding AI models, protecting sensitive data, and realizing the full benefits of HPC capabilities. This NIST Special Publication introduces an HPC security overlay that is designed to address the unique characteristics and requirements of HPC systems. Built upon the moderate baseline defined in SP 800-53B, the overlay tailors 60 security controls with supplemental guidance and/or discussions to enhance their applicability in HPC contexts. This overlay aims to provide practical, performance-conscious security guidance that can be readily adopted. For many organizations, it offers a robust foundation for securing HPC environments while also allowing for further customization to meet specific operational or mission needs.
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Keywords
high-performance computing; HPC reference architecture; HPC security; moderate control baselines; security control; security overlay
Control Families
None selected
