NIST 800-171 Compliance: How To Comply With The Latest Revision

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(Photy by Source) Following established frameworks and standards is essential in the ever-evolving technical landscape of today. It not only satisfies regulations but also provides a significant means of enhancing security and guaranteeing seamless operations.

Regarding information security standards, NIST is highly recommended guidance. For experts in this field, following these standards provides the skills to construct robust cybersecurity infrastructure.

However, tailoring your organizational processes to the NIST compliance checklist needs more than just checking boxes. It necessitates a thorough understanding and seamless integration of mandated practices.

In this post, we will go over the essentials of NIST 800-171 compliance, covering the most recent regulations and controls, and the steps required to comply.

What Exactly Is NIST SP 800-171?

A specific document called NIST 800-171 offers guidelines for nonfederal systems and organizations about how to safeguard the privacy of controlled unclassified information (CUI). NIST 800-171 compliance checklist ensures that contractors and subcontractors handling sensitive data related to US national security do so in a secure manner.

Examples of CUI, or other names for it, are:

Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Confidential Business Information (CBI)
Proprietary Business Information (PBI)
Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) Information
Unclassified Controlled Technical Information (UCTI)

The Latest Update to NIST SP 800-171

Like most security standards, the NIST SP 800-171 got a major update in May 2024 called Rev. 3. The NIST 800-171 Rev. 3 was introduced to empower organizations to better contract with the federal government with an improved understanding of the measures and steps required to be compliant with NIST 800-53.

This ensures stable defense against the latest and changing high-level CUI threats.

Key Changes in NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3

Below are some of the most significant alterations Rev. 3 introduces to NIST 800-171:

Security standards and groups were revised to suit the most recent version of NIST SP 800-53, namely Revision 5 and the NIST SP 800-53B moderate control baseline.
The number of determination statements in 800-171A went from 320 to 422.
Eliminated the derived/basic levels present in Rev. 2.
From 110 in Version 2 to 97 in Version 3, there are fewer controls overall.
To increase implementation effectiveness, eliminate ambiguity, and define the scope of assessments, significant modifications were made to over 50 security criteria.
To address requirement repetition, a new tailoring category called Other Related Controls (ORC) was created.
Organization-defined parameters, or ODPs, were added to several security standards to improve management and provide companies with more flexibility.

Complying to NIST 800-171 Rev 3

NIST 800-171 compliance is intended to safeguard CUI against unauthorized disclosure in nonfederal systems and organizations. As a result, government contractors, suppliers, and service providers who keep or share CUI for the Department of Defense must comply.

Infractions may result in monetary penalties, contract cancellation, suspension or bans from contractor status, or both.

To prevent these repercussions, use the guidelines below to comply with NIST 800-171.

1. Evaluate Your Security Posture as It Stands Now

Doing a comprehensive evaluation of your company’s present security protocols is the first step towards NIST 800-171 compliance.

Find out where CUI resides and how it moves throughout your systems. Next, compare your current security measures to the suggested specifications given in NIST 800-171 to find any weaknesses. Lastly, rank the vulnerabilities connected to each gap you found in order of importance for repair work.

2. Create the Appropriate System Security Plan (SSP)

An official document known as a System Security Plan (SSP) outlines the NIST 800-171 security standards for your information system as well as the security measures that are either implemented or planned to meet those criteria.

Separate documentation is necessary for any security demands that are not yet in use.

3. Establish a Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M)

A POA&M is a report that outlines the circumstances and methods by which any susceptible or unimplemented NIST 800-171 security requirements will be satisfied. It should contain the following elements:

Deficiency/Risk Description: Identify each unimplemented security requirement, as well as the hazards associated with failure to achieve that control.
Remediation Plan: Describe in detail the actions needed to remedy each shortfall.
Milestones: Establish deadlines for implementing each corrective measure.
Resource Allocation: Determine the resources (e.g., staff, funding, tools) needed for the remediation steps.

4. Apply the Required Standards and Policies

Once you’ve identified the holes and devised a strategy to close them, the next phase is to deploy controls that meet all NIST 800-171 standards.

5. Perform Regular Reviews and Updates to Ensure Compliance

It takes constant work to remain in line with NIST 800-171. You must conduct regular evaluations and continual improvements to respond to new threats and changes in your organization’s environment.

Final Words

The NIST SP 800-171 compliance is difficult since it examines all aspects of an organization’s security systems and network that impact the user interface. As a result, careful planning is essential.

The person in charge of cybersecurity policy and the core leadership team should provide advice while assembling the compliance and assessment teams. Meanwhile, examining each of the 97 standards might take significant time and effort.

Therefore, finding the right NIST expert to assist with compliance might mean the world to you. They can serve as the cornerstones of cybersecurity resilience by addressing asset management, incident response, protection, ongoing monitoring, and recovery planning.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff Chief editor

Bernard Van Isacker is the Chief Editor of Side-Line Magazine. With a career spanning more than two decades, Van Isacker has established himself as a respected figure in the darkwave scene.

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