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If your organization works with important information from the US government that needs top secrecy, you must follow NIST 800-171 rules. These rules set security needs for keeping that data safe. Hence, it’s essential to follow the rules because you have to protect your group and customers from cyber risks.
Furthermore, complying with NIST 800-171 is necessary because it is legally required and helps shield your organization and clients from threats.
However, with more than 100 requirements across various security controls, preparing for the formal assessment process can feel like an enormous undertaking. It’s crucial to break the work into more manageable pieces to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the scope.
Here are five essential tips to help you prepare for your upcoming NIST 800-171 assessment.
1. Conduct a Thorough Self-Assessment
The first step is to check yourself to understand where your group stands with cyber safety rules. This self-assessment is essential to know how closely you follow the NIST 800-171 rules and what needs work.
To do the self-assessment, get a copy of the NIST 800-171 compliance checklist and look at each rule individually. For each rule, say if you totally follow it, partly follow it, or don’t. You may want to make a chart to track your self-assessment results for each rule. Be honest in your self-assessment – the goal is to truly say where you are, not make your group look better.
Furthermore, as you review each rule, gather proof from your systems, rules papers, and steps to help you follow your status choice. This proof will be significant for the official check. If you don’t follow a rule, figure out what fixes need to be done to handle issues.
2. Develop and Implement Policies and Procedures
Once the self-assessment is done, the next important step is developing policies and procedures. These will show how your group plans to meet each NIST 800-171 cyber safety rule. Having written rules and steps is a basic rule, so this work needs to be a top priority.
Also, when making the rules and steps papers, use words everyone can understand easily, Including the special tech, work, and management controls listed in NIST 800-171. Make all duties clear for workers, like handling problems, protecting devices, controlling who gets on, and checking things. You might set up the rules based on the groups in NIST 800-171, such as control over who gets on, info for workers, checking things, and how to set up systems.
3. Train Your Staff
After developing policies and procedures, the next big step is to complete security lessons for all workers handling important information. The lessons are important, not just about following the rules, yearly reminders, and job-based lessons. They also set the right way of thinking about security for your whole group. Your workers are on the front line, dealing with safe information daily with good habits.
Furthermore, different methods, such as online classes, in-person meetings, videos, and tests, should be used to strengthen the main points when teaching staff. Also, be sure the material fits the jobs; those with direct device access may need deeper tech lessons while all get overviews.
4. Implement Technical Controls
In addition to policies and procedures, NIST 800-171 contains many requirements for technical security controls over your systems and data. Technical controls form the foundation of security implementation, so assessing and addressing these requirements needs to be a primary focus of assessment preparation.
Some vital technical controls to prioritize are access control measures, including multi-factor authentication for remote and VPN access and strong, unique passwords. Implement system configuration baselines for equipment connecting to your network in accordance with guidance in NIST 800-171. Ensure systems and devices, both operating systems and third-party software, are regularly patched. It also enables security features like firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention, malware protection, and data encryption at rest and in transit.
5. Prepare Documentation
Finally, for the official assessment, you will need to have organized documentation to support compliance implementation and ongoing security operations. While you have likely gathered evidence during your self-assessment, consolidate relevant documents, configurations, and records. Examples of useful documentation include:
- Approved security policies, procedures, and plans
- Records of risk assessments
- Configuration standards and management procedures
- Access control lists and audit logs
- Third-party assessment reports for hardware/software products
- Records of security awareness training completion
- Maintenance records and change logs
- Incident response records and reports
- Records of annual review of security controls
Moreover, documentation should be organized in binders, folders, or electronically in a manner that maps to the NIST 800-171 requirements. This way, the assessors can easily find evidence to verify your compliance status.
Furthermore, you should keep some documents redacted for privacy or confidentiality. Also, be fully prepared to discuss how security controls operate in your environment and how you meet requirements. Thorough documentation preparation is the last step to being assessment-ready.
Wrapping Up
Getting ready for the NIST 800-171 assessment can feel huge. Still, you can make it much easier by focusing on critical spots like internal self-assessment, policy implementation, training, technical controls, and documentation. Doing a thorough first self-assessment and concentrating on the areas needing the most work saves time compared to no plan.
As a result, with the proper planning over many months, you can show assessors that your group’s security setup meets US rules for protecting controlled, sensitive information.