HITRUST CCSFP - Certified CSF Practitioner 2025 Exam

HITRUST provides sampling guidance in the CSF Assessment Methodology and scoring rubric for manual controls. Sample sizes are determined by the population of items and the control’s frequency. For a population of 56 items, the expected sample size is 8, following HITRUST’s defined sampling table. This approach is based on statistical sampling principles but simplified for consistent assessor use. The sample must be randomly selected and representative of the entire population to avoid bias. Larger populations require larger sample sizes, but at certain thresholds, the increase is incremental. For example, a population between 26–100 items requires a sample size of 8. This ensures sufficient testing coverage without requiring a full census. Therefore, the correct sample size for 56 items is 8.

HITRUST requires independent validation of security controls, and vulnerability testing is a critical part of that process. External assessors are expected to review vulnerability management programs and may conduct their own independent vulnerability testing to validate results. While many organizations perform internal scans, assessors may request additional testing or re-scans if evidence is insufficient. The notion that external assessors should “never” perform such testing is incorrect. In fact, the assurance program allows assessors to conduct testing directly, provided it is within agreed scope and does not disrupt production systems. This ensures the assessor can independently verify that vulnerabilities are managed appropriately and controls are functioning as intended.