Overview
NIST Special Publication 800-171 provides federal agencies with recommended security requirements for protecting the confidentiality of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) when it resides in nonfederal systems and organizations. The publication was developed in response to Executive Order 13556, which established a government-wide CUI program.
The standard includes 110 security requirements derived from FIPS Publication 200, which are organized into 14 families corresponding to the security controls in NIST SP 800-53. Organizations that handle CUI on behalf of federal agencies must implement these requirements to protect sensitive but unclassified information.
Key Security Requirements
The 110 security requirements are organized into 14 families that cover all aspects of information security:
NIST SP 800-171 serves as the foundation for CMMC Level 2 certification. Organizations pursuing CMMC Level 2 must demonstrate compliance with all 110 NIST SP 800-171 requirements.
Key Relationship
CMMC 2.0 Level 2 directly maps to NIST SP 800-171 requirements, making this assessment essential for Defense Industrial Base contractors who handle CUI. Achieving NIST 800-171 compliance is the first step toward CMMC Level 2 certification.
Industry Use Cases
Any organization that processes, stores, or transmits CUI on behalf of federal agencies must comply with NIST SP 800-171. This includes contractors working with DoD, NASA, DHS, and other federal agencies.
DIB contractors handling CUI must implement NIST SP 800-171 requirements as a prerequisite for CMMC Level 2 certification, which is required for most DoD contracts involving CUI.
Universities and research organizations conducting federally-funded research involving CUI must demonstrate NIST SP 800-171 compliance to protect sensitive research data and technical information.
CSPs hosting CUI for federal contractors or agencies must implement NIST SP 800-171 controls to ensure the confidentiality of customer data and maintain contract eligibility.
Assessment Preview
3.1.1 Access Control
"Does your organization limit system access to authorized users, processes acting on behalf of authorized users, and devices (including other systems)?"
3.5.1 Identification and Authentication
"Does your organization identify system users, processes acting on behalf of users, and devices?"
3.13.1 System and Communications Protection
"Does your organization monitor, control, and protect communications (i.e., information transmitted or received by organizational systems) at the external boundaries and key internal boundaries of organizational systems?"
Comprehensive Coverage
Our assessment evaluates your organization's implementation of all 110 NIST SP 800-171 requirements, providing detailed gap analysis and remediation recommendations to achieve full compliance.
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