What you Need to Know About the NIST Regulations
In recent years, the Department of Defense, along with several other federal agencies, have grown increasingly concerned about the state of information security within the non-federal systems and organizations with which it does business. While many businesses fulfill contracts with the DoD without handling classified information, even unclassified documents can be sensitive enough to pose a risk to information security.
Responding to these concerns, the National Institute of Standards and Technology issued a series of regulatory guidelines designed to help businesses contracting with the federal government better protect this sensitive data. These protocols are known as NIST SP800–171.
Businesses who intend to continue fulfilling DoD contracts—as well as those who hope to fulfill such contracts in the future—must meet these standards to qualify. Achieving NIST SP800–171 compliance will also help businesses prepare for upcoming Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) requirements.
If your business is in this position, we’ve assembled a list of FAQs to help you understand these regulations and what they mean for your business.