# NIST SP 800-115 Overview
One-sentence definition: NIST’s technical guide to planning and conducting security testing and assessment.
## Key Facts
- Covers planning, execution, post-testing activities; emphasizes ROE and safety.
- Methods: review (docs, logs), target identification, vulnerability testing, penetration testing.
- Stresses reporting clarity, risk communication, and remediation follow-up.
- Complements control frameworks and SDLC processes.
- **Verify:** check official (ISC)² CBK and current exam outline.
## Exam Relevance
- Cite 800-115 to justify assessment phases and documentation.
**Mnemonic:** “**Plan → Test → Report → Retest**.”
## Mini Scenario
Q: Team skips post-testing activities—what missing?
A: 800-115’s remediation verification and lessons learned.
## Revision Checklist
- Four phases.
- Two method families.
- Reporting focus.
## Related
[[Assessment Strategy and Test Planning]] · [[Penetration Testing Process and Ethics]] · [[Reporting and Executive Summaries]] · [[Remediation Verification and Regression Testing]] · [[Tabletop Exercises (TTX) and Crisis Simulations]] · [[Domain 6 - Index]]