Many organizations are required to comply with various security frameworks in order to ensure business continuity and security between the federal government and the private sector; NIST 800-171 is one of these frameworks.
If your organization has been approached about NIST 800-171 you may be wondering what it even is. NIST 800-171 is a security framework developed by NIST to help ensure the protection of controlled unclassified information (CUI) in contractors working with the Department of Defense (DoD) or the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). How important is this for your organization and what are the benefits that come with 800-171 compliance?
The most obvious reason for why NIST 800-171 compliance is important is because for your organization it may be required by law. In order to work with the federal government, you will eventually have to comply with some if not all of 800-171's regulations. This is to ensure that any data or information provided by the government to the private sector is kept out of the wrong hands. If your organization fails to comply and you do have a breach there may be multiple consequences. The government may pursue damages for a breach of contract, your contract may be terminated entirely, and other legal actions may be taken against your organization. Additionally, the False Claims Act will make sure that if a false compliance report has been made there will be consequences.
NIST SP 800-171 Rev.2 is the foundation on which the CMMC model is built. The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is the vehicle in which the DoD determines whether or not an organization is compliant and able to protect CUI. Consisting of 3 levels, the CMMC model requires that many organizations undergo a third-party audit to determine whether or not the contractor has successfully implanted the controls outlined in NIST 800-171. In fact, in order to be considered level 2 compliant, contractors will have to implement all 110 controls listed in NIST 800-171.
Implementing NIST 800-171 into your organization security posture isn't just to avoid legal trouble, it actually helps secure your organization. The controls making up the 800-171 framework are extremely effective at securing your business. With 110 controls and 14 control families, the NIST 800-171 framework contains controls for the most practical the most advanced and technical security provisions that will all work together to protect your IT infrastructure from bad actors. Not only will you protect the CUI you've been entrusted with, but you will also increase your overall security posture and decrease the chances of you falling victim to a data breach.
CorpInfoTech is a managed service provider (MSP) that offers IT, cybersecurity, and CMMC compliance solutions to small-medium sized businesses. We have gone through the CMMC process and have achieved level 2 compliance through a C3PAO third-party assessment. Not only have we successfully implemented NIST 800-171 into our own organization, but we are qualified to help other organizations reach the same level of compliance maturity.
Through TAS for CMMC Compliance, contractors will inherit 200+ of the 320 assessment objectives required by CMMC. This makes achieving CMMC compliance much more cost effective, efficient, and leaves your organization with greater confidence in your ability to pass a third-party audit.
NIST 800-171 will become an unavoidable part of your security plan. While compliance may seem difficult and time consuming, CorpInfoTech is here to help you at every point in your compliance journey!
Contact us today if you feel you need to become compliant with NIST 800-171 today!
CorpInfoTech, a Managed Service Provider (MSP) with over 25 years in the SMB space, is a trusted partner for business pursuing compliance and cybersecurity. We are a CMMC Level 2 (C3PAO) certified MSP and a Cyber AB Registered Provider Organization (RPO). Also, as the first CIS accredited organization, we help organizations implement the CIS controls as it pertains to CMMC and your overall cybersecurity posture. CorpInfoTech is your trusted partner for secure, compliant growth in every changing digital landscape.