diff --git a/profiles/w3c.js b/profiles/w3c.js
index 7b338387d5..62bf5f6443 100644
--- a/profiles/w3c.js
+++ b/profiles/w3c.js
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ const modules = [
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/no-unused-dfns.js"),
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/no-headingless-sections.js"),
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/no-unused-vars.js"),
-  import("../src/core/linter-rules/privsec-section.js"),
+  import("../src/w3c/linter-rules/required-sections.js"),
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/wpt-tests-exist.js"),
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/no-http-props.js"),
   import("../src/core/linter-rules/a11y.js"),
diff --git a/src/w3c/defaults.js b/src/w3c/defaults.js
index 3590c8d0de..bbe7a06c73 100644
--- a/src/w3c/defaults.js
+++ b/src/w3c/defaults.js
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ const w3cLogo = {
 
 const w3cDefaults = {
   lint: {
-    "privsec-section": true,
+    "privsec-section": false,
+    "required-sections": true,
     "wpt-tests-exist": false,
     "no-unused-dfns": "warn",
     a11y: false,
diff --git a/src/w3c/linter-rules/required-sections.js b/src/w3c/linter-rules/required-sections.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ba98102f2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/w3c/linter-rules/required-sections.js
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+// @ts-check
+/**
+ * The W3C Process requires separate Privacy Considerations and Security
+ * Considerations sections. This linter checks for the presence of these
+ * sections, and reports an error if they are not present.
+ */
+
+import {
+  InsensitiveStringSet,
+  docLink,
+  getIntlData,
+  norm,
+  showError,
+  showWarning,
+} from "../../core/utils.js";
+import { recTrackStatus } from "../headers.js";
+
+const ruleName = "required-sections";
+export const name = "w3c/linter-rules/required-sections";
+
+const localizationStrings = {
+  en: {
+    msg(sectionTitle) {
+      return `W3C Recommendation track documents require a separate "${sectionTitle}" section.`;
+    },
+    hint(sectionTitle) {
+      return docLink`Add a \`<section>\` with a "${sectionTitle}" header. See the [Horizontal review guidelines](https://www.w3.org/Guide/documentreview/#how_to_get_horizontal_review).
+        If the document is not intended for the W3C Recommendation track, set ${"[noRecTrack]"} to \`true\`
+        or turn off the ${`[${ruleName}]`} linter rule.`;
+    },
+  },
+};
+const l10n = getIntlData(localizationStrings);
+
+export const requiresSomeSectionStatus = new Set([...recTrackStatus, "ED"]);
+requiresSomeSectionStatus.delete("DISC"); // "Discontinued Draft"
+
+export function run(conf) {
+  if (!conf.lint?.[ruleName]) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (conf.noRecTrack || !requiresSomeSectionStatus.has(conf.specStatus)) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const logger = conf.lint[ruleName] === "error" ? showError : showWarning;
+
+  const missingRequiredSections = new InsensitiveStringSet([
+    "Privacy Considerations",
+    "Security Considerations",
+  ]);
+
+  /** @type {NodeListOf<HTMLElement>} */
+  const headers = document.querySelectorAll("h2, h3, h4, h5, h6");
+  for (const header of headers) {
+    const clone = header.cloneNode(true);
+    // section number and self-link anchor
+    clone.querySelectorAll("bdi, .self-link")?.forEach(elem => elem.remove());
+    const text = norm(clone.textContent);
+    if (missingRequiredSections.has(text)) {
+      missingRequiredSections.delete(text);
+      // Check if we find them all...
+      if (missingRequiredSections.size === 0) {
+        return; // All present, early return!
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Show the ones we didn't find individually
+  for (const title of missingRequiredSections) {
+    logger(l10n.msg(title), name, {
+      hint: l10n.hint(title),
+    });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/spec/core/respec-global-spec.js b/tests/spec/core/respec-global-spec.js
index 2797457f53..a8ab4254a0 100644
--- a/tests/spec/core/respec-global-spec.js
+++ b/tests/spec/core/respec-global-spec.js
@@ -22,7 +22,10 @@ describe("Core — Respec Global - document.respec", () => {
   });
 
   it("has an array of errors and warnings", async () => {
-    const config = { lint: { "broken-refs-exist": true } };
+    const config = {
+      lint: { "broken-refs-exist": true },
+      specStatus: "unofficial",
+    };
     const body = `
       <div id="sotd"></div>
       <p><a id="test-warning" href="#non-existent">FAIL</a></p>
diff --git a/tests/spec/w3c/defaults-spec.js b/tests/spec/w3c/defaults-spec.js
index 574c30053f..634a0cb52d 100644
--- a/tests/spec/w3c/defaults-spec.js
+++ b/tests/spec/w3c/defaults-spec.js
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ describe("W3C — Defaults", () => {
     const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
     const rsConf = doc.defaultView.respecConfig;
     expect(rsConf.lint).toEqual({
+      "privsec-section": false,
       "no-headingless-sections": true,
-      "privsec-section": true,
       "no-http-props": true,
       "no-unused-vars": false,
       "local-refs-exist": true,
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ describe("W3C — Defaults", () => {
       "check-charset": false,
       "wpt-tests-exist": false,
       "no-unused-dfns": "warn",
+      "required-sections": true,
       a11y: false,
     });
     expect(rsConf.highlightVars).toBe(true);
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ describe("W3C — Defaults", () => {
           "fake-linter-rule": "foo",
           "check-internal-slots": true,
           "no-unused-dfns": "error",
+          "required-sections": "warn",
         },
         license: "c0",
         specStatus: "ED",
@@ -65,6 +67,7 @@ describe("W3C — Defaults", () => {
       "check-charset": false,
       "wpt-tests-exist": false,
       "no-unused-dfns": "error",
+      "required-sections": "warn",
       a11y: false,
     });
     expect(rsConf.highlightVars).toBe(false);
diff --git a/tests/spec/w3c/linter-rules/required-sections-spec.js b/tests/spec/w3c/linter-rules/required-sections-spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5a67eca96e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/spec/w3c/linter-rules/required-sections-spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+"use strict";
+
+import {
+  errorFilters,
+  flushIframes,
+  makeRSDoc,
+  makeStandardOps,
+  warningFilters,
+} from "../../SpecHelper.js";
+import { noTrackStatus } from "../../../../src/w3c/headers.js";
+import { requiresSomeSectionStatus } from "../../../../src/w3c/linter-rules/required-sections.js";
+
+describe("w3c — required-sections", () => {
+  afterAll(() => {
+    flushIframes();
+  });
+
+  const errorsFilter = errorFilters.filter(
+    "w3c/linter-rules/required-sections"
+  );
+  const warningsFilter = warningFilters.filter(
+    "w3c/linter-rules/required-sections"
+  );
+
+  it("does nothing if disabled", async () => {
+    const ops = makeStandardOps({ lint: { "required-sections": false } });
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    const errors = errorsFilter(doc);
+    const warnings = warningsFilter(doc);
+    expect(errors).toHaveSize(0);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(0);
+  });
+
+  it("allows using 'error' as the logger", async () => {
+    const ops = makeStandardOps({ lint: { "required-sections": "error" } });
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    const errors = errorsFilter(doc);
+    const warnings = warningsFilter(doc);
+    expect(errors).toHaveSize(2);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(0);
+  });
+
+  it("allows using 'warn' as the logger", async () => {
+    const ops = makeStandardOps({ lint: { "required-sections": "warn" } });
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    const errors = errorsFilter(doc);
+    const warnings = warningsFilter(doc);
+    expect(errors).toHaveSize(0);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(2);
+  });
+
+  it("doesn't lint non-rec-track docs", async () => {
+    for (const specStatus of noTrackStatus) {
+      const ops = makeStandardOps({
+        lint: { "required-sections": true },
+        specStatus,
+      });
+      const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+      const errors = errorsFilter(doc);
+      const warnings = warningsFilter(doc);
+      expect(errors).withContext(specStatus).toHaveSize(0);
+      expect(warnings).withContext(specStatus).toHaveSize(0);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("doesn't lint for when explicitly marked as noRecTrack", async () => {
+    const ops = makeStandardOps({
+      lint: { "required-sections": true },
+      noRecTrack: true,
+      specStatus: "ED",
+    });
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+    const errors = errorsFilter(doc);
+    const warnings = warningsFilter(doc);
+    expect(errors).toHaveSize(0);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(0);
+  });
+
+  it("generates warning by default when its a rec track document and both privacy and security sections are missing", async () => {
+    for (const specStatus of requiresSomeSectionStatus) {
+      const ops = makeStandardOps({
+        lint: { "required-sections": true },
+        specStatus,
+      });
+      const doc = await makeRSDoc(ops);
+      const errors = errorsFilter(doc);
+      const warnings = warningsFilter(doc);
+      expect(errors).withContext(specStatus).toHaveSize(0);
+      expect(warnings).withContext(specStatus).toHaveSize(2);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("generates an error if privacy section if present, but security is missing", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Privacy considerations</h2>
+        <p>This is a privacy section</p>
+      </section>
+    `;
+    const conf = {
+      lint: { "required-sections": "error" },
+      specStatus: "WD",
+    };
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(makeStandardOps(conf, body));
+    const errors = errorsFilter(doc);
+    const warnings = warningsFilter(doc);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(0);
+    expect(errors).toHaveSize(1);
+    const [error] = errors;
+    expect(error.message).toContain(
+      'separate "Security Considerations" section'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("generates an error if Security section if present, but privacy is missing", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Security considerations</h2>
+        <p>This is a security section</p>
+      </section>
+    `;
+    const conf = {
+      lint: { "required-sections": "error" },
+      specStatus: "WD",
+    };
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(makeStandardOps(conf, body));
+    const errors = errorsFilter(doc);
+    const warnings = warningsFilter(doc);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(0);
+    expect(errors).toHaveSize(1);
+    const [error] = errors;
+    expect(error.message).toContain(
+      'separate "Privacy Considerations" section'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("generates no errors when both the Privacy and Security considerations sections are present", async () => {
+    const body = `
+      <section>
+        <h2>Privacy Considerations</h2>
+        <p>This is a privacy section</p>
+      </section>
+      <section>
+        <h2>Security Considerations</h2>
+        <p>This is a security section</p>
+      </section>
+    `;
+    const conf = {
+      lint: { "required-sections": true },
+      specStatus: "WD",
+    };
+    const doc = await makeRSDoc(makeStandardOps(conf, body));
+    const errors = errorsFilter(doc);
+    expect(errors).toHaveSize(0);
+    const warnings = warningsFilter(doc);
+    expect(warnings).toHaveSize(0);
+  });
+});