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Terms of Use

Effective Date: March 2026 · Last Updated: March 2026

Overview

These Terms of Use govern your access to and use of the personal website located at ugoeze.com (the "Site") and the NIST 800-53 Common Controls Catalog (the "Catalog"), both operated by Ugo Eze ("I," "me," or "my") as a personal, non-commercial project.

By accessing the Site or downloading the Catalog, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Site or download the Catalog.

1. Nature of This Project

The Site and the Catalog are personal projects maintained by an individual GRC practitioner. They are not operated by a business entity, law firm, consulting company, or any organization affiliated with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) or the United States government.

The Catalog is provided free of charge as a contribution to the compliance community. No commercial transaction, service agreement, employment relationship, or professional relationship of any kind is created by downloading the Catalog or visiting the Site.

2. The Catalog Is Not an Official NIST Publication

This is the most important disclaimer in this document. Please read it carefully before using the Catalog.

The NIST 800-53 Common Controls Catalog is a practitioner-built tool grounded in publicly available NIST guidance. It is not:

  • An official publication of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
  • An authoritative or legally binding interpretation of NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-37, or any other federal standard
  • A government document of any kind
  • Legal advice, compliance advice, or security advice
  • A substitute for your organization's security program decisions, risk assessments, or your Authorizing Official's judgment
  • A guarantee of compliance with FISMA, FedRAMP, CMMC, or any other regulatory framework

Inheriting a common control requires your Authorizing Official's explicit approval regardless of what this Catalog suggests.

3. Government Use

Use of the Catalog by federal employees, government contractors, or other personnel in connection with official government work is permitted. However, use does not imply endorsement by any government agency. Government users remain fully responsible for their own authorization decisions and compliance determinations.

4. License to Use the Catalog

Subject to these Terms, I grant you a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, non-sublicensable license to:

  • Download and use the Catalog for personal, organizational, or professional compliance program purposes
  • Modify the Catalog to suit your organization's specific needs
  • Share the Catalog internally within your organization
  • Reference the Catalog in publications with appropriate attribution

You may not:

  • Sell, resell, license for a fee, or otherwise commercialize the Catalog
  • Represent the Catalog as an official NIST publication or government document
  • Remove authorship attribution, version information, or disclaimer notices
  • Use the Catalog as the basis of a paid product without express written permission

5. No Warranty

The Site and the Catalog are provided "as is" and "as available," without warranty of any kind, express or implied.

I disclaim all warranties including accuracy, fitness for a particular purpose, regulatory compliance, non-infringement, and uninterrupted access. The Catalog is a starting point — whether it is suitable for your specific authorization environment is a determination only you and your Authorizing Official can make.

6. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, I shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages arising out of or in connection with your use of or reliance on the Catalog.

In plain terms: This tool is a starting point built in good faith by one practitioner. If you use it and something goes wrong — an ATO is delayed, an assessor disagrees with a control designation, an organization fails a compliance review — I am not responsible.

7. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Ugo Eze from and against any and all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses arising from your use of or reliance on the Catalog, your violation of these Terms, or any claim by a third party arising from your use of the Catalog.

8. Not Professional Advice

Nothing on the Site or in the Catalog constitutes legal advice, security advice, compliance advice, audit guidance, or professional services of any kind. I am not your attorney, consultant, auditor, or security advisor. No professional or advisory relationship is created by your use of the Site or the Catalog.

9. Intellectual Property

The content of the Site reflects my own original work and is subject to copyright protection where applicable. NIST SP 800-53 control text quoted within the Catalog is drawn from U.S. government publications, which are in the public domain. I have no affiliation with NIST and make no claim of affiliation, endorsement, or authorization.

10. Modifications

I reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. I also reserve the right to modify, discontinue, or take down the Site and the Catalog at any time without notice.

11. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. Any disputes shall be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Virginia. Before initiating any formal legal proceeding, you agree to contact me at info@ugoeze.com to attempt to resolve the dispute informally.

12. Survival

The following sections survive termination of your use: Section 2 (NIST Disclaimer), Section 5 (No Warranty), Section 6 (Limitation of Liability), Section 7 (Indemnification), Section 8 (Not Professional Advice), Section 9 (Intellectual Property), and Section 11 (Governing Law).

Contact

Questions about these Terms?

info@ugoeze.com