At SecMyIT, we are experts in guiding you through the process of achieving NIST 800-171 compliance by implementing security measures to defend against cyber incidents.
United States Department of Defense contractors that collect, store, or transmit Covered Defense Information (CDI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) are required to comply with NIST compliance regulations 800-171 as of December 31, 2017. All prime contractors and their subcontractors must comply with NIST 800-171 or risk losing their corresponding government contract.
NIST 800-171 Compliance involves adhering to the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Special Publication 800-171, “Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Systems and Organizations.” The NIST SP 800-171 framework comprises 110 unique Requirements spread across 14 Requirement Families. Compliance requires implementing all of them and validating implementation via self or third-party assessment.
Organizations that need to achieve NIST 800-171 compliance for DoD or governmental contracts may fail to secure contracts without it. Organizations that fail to maintain compliance after being awarded a contract risk losing the contract and damaging their relationship with the DoD or other governmental entities. In some cases, penalties or criminal charges may be applied.
NIST SP 800-171 compliance is required for all DoD and government-adjacent organizations that process sensitive classes of information, such as CUI. Full implementation of SP 800-171 is required for CMMC 2.0 compliance at Level 2 or higher. Other organizations to whom the CMMC does not apply may also be required to implement some or all of NIST SP 800-171.
he benefits of being NIST 800-171 compliant include full protection of sensitive data and ensuring eligibility for DoD and government-adjacent contracts. In some cases, organizations can secure preferred contractor status, granting long-term stability in workflows.
