Framework: NIST 800-53 Audio Course

Contingency Plan (CP-2) requires organizations to establish, maintain, and test documented procedures for restoring essential operations following disruption. For exam purposes, recognize that CP-2 goes beyond IT recovery—it ensures mission continuity by defining recovery priorities, roles, communication paths, and restoration timelines. The control mandates that contingency plans align with business continuity, disaster recovery, and incident response frameworks. The plan must identify critical systems, data dependencies, alternate facilities, and testing schedules. Its purpose is to guarantee that operations can resume quickly and predictably after an outage or compromise.

Operationally, CP-2 is realized through a formal, version-controlled document updated after system or organizational changes. Exercises such as tabletop simulations and functional failovers validate that personnel understand their roles and that recovery steps work as designed. Evidence includes approved plan documents, test records, lessons learned, and updated procedures reflecting post-test improvements. Metrics such as test completion rate, recovery time objective (RTO) compliance, and plan update frequency measure maturity. Common pitfalls include untested plans, missing contact information, and mismatched assumptions about interdependent systems. Mastering CP-2 proves readiness for adversity and ensures that organizational resilience is more than a written promise.
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