Use TrustCloud to accelerate NIST 800-171 readiness and self-attest

Are you struggling to meet the requirements of NIST 800-171? TrustCloud can help you accelerate your readiness and self-attest with confidence. As a trusted and reliable compliance platform, TrustCloud provides the tools and expertise to simplify the compliance process, saving you time, money, and headaches. You can pass security reviews faster, save time and money on compliance audits, mitigate risks to reduce financial liability, and prove it to your board.

You can take control of your compliance journey and ensure your organization meets the necessary standards. Don’t let compliance be a roadblock to success; let TrustCloud be your partner in achieving and maintaining NIST 800-171 readiness. Join the ranks of satisfied clients who have experienced the benefits of TrustCloud’s expertise and reliability.

Read our GRC Launchpad article: NIST password guidelines 2024: 15 rules to follow to learn more.

Accelerate NIST 800-171 readiness

Use TrustCloud to accelerate NIST 800-171 readiness and self-attest as it comes with built-in controls, policies, evidence collection automation workflows, templates, and other features such as a risk register and employee attestation workflows to help any organization get ready for a successful NIST 800-171 audit process.

Using the TrustOps application in TrustCloud, an organization can quickly get all the needed NIST CSF controls from the TrustCloud Common Controls Framework (TCCCF) catalogue (built to streamline compliance) by meeting a control requirement once and complying with many other compliance standards and regulations. Every policy in TrustCloud is automatically mapped to controls, and every control has tests associated with them to gather evidence that proves control adherence.

The NIST 800-171 framework provides guidelines for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in non-federal information systems and organizations. Achieving NIST 800-171 readiness can be a complex and time-consuming process. This is where TrustCloud comes in. TrustCloud is an innovative platform that helps organizations accelerate their NIST 800-171 readiness and self-attest. By automating critical assessment and documentation processes, TrustCloud simplifies the journey towards compliance.

It provides a centralized hub for managing security controls, assessing vulnerabilities, and tracking progress. With TrustCloud, organizations can efficiently achieve compliance, enhance their cybersecurity posture, and gain the trust of their clients and partners.

Controls for NIST 800-171 readiness

NIST 800-171 outlines a set of security requirements for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in non-federal systems and organizations. These controls are grouped into 14 families. Here’s a list of the key controls for NIST 800-171 readiness:

1. Access Control (AC)
   1. Limit system access to authorized users.
   2. Control access to CUI through segregation and encryption.
   3. Limit access to systems containing CUI to authorized transactions and functions.
   4. Employ the principle of least privilege.
2. Awareness and Training (AT)
   1. Ensure personnel are trained on security policies and procedures.
   2. Conduct regular security awareness training for all employees.
3. Audit and Accountability (AU)
   1. Create and retain audit records of system activity.
   2. Regularly review and analyze audit logs for inappropriate activity.
   3. Ensure accountability for actions taken on systems containing CUI.
4. Configuration Management (CM)
   1. Establish baseline configurations and control changes to systems.
   2. Track and manage software and hardware configurations across the organization.
   3. Apply security settings to information systems.
5. Identification and Authentication (IA)
   1. Identify and authenticate users before allowing system access.
   2. Implement multi-factor authentication for access to CUI systems.
6. Incident Response (IR)
   1. Establish an incident response plan and procedures.
   2. Conduct regular testing and updates to the incident response plan.
   3. Report and manage incidents involving CUI.
7. Maintenance (MA)
   1. Perform regular maintenance on systems processing CUI.
   2. Control and monitor maintenance tools and personnel.
   3. Log maintenance activities and ensure they are approved and authorized.
8. Media Protection (MP)
   1. Protect CUI on media during storage and transportation.
   2. Control the use of removable media on systems containing CUI.
   3. Sanitize or destroy media containing CUI when no longer needed.
9. Personnel Security (PS)
   1. Ensure that personnel are vetted before being granted access to CUI.
   2. Limit access to CUI for terminated or transferred employees.
10. Physical Protection (PE)
    1. Limit physical access to information systems and areas processing CUI.
    2. Monitor and log physical access to CUI systems.
    3. Protect and control access to facilities and systems
11. Risk Assessment (RA)
    1. Conduct regular risk assessments to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities.
    2. Implement risk mitigation strategies based on assessment findings.
12. Security Assessment (CA)
    1. Periodically assess the security controls in place.
    2. Develop and implement plans of action to correct deficiencies.
    3. Conduct ongoing security monitoring to ensure controls remain effective.
13. System and Communications Protection (SC)
    1. Monitor, control, and protect communications at external boundaries and key internal points.
    2. Employ cryptographic mechanisms to protect the confidentiality and integrity of CUI.
    3. Separate CUI from non-CUI on shared systems and networks.
14. System and Information Integrity (SI)
    1. Identify and respond to system flaws in a timely manner.
    2. Provide protection from malicious code and monitor system events.
    3. Regularly update security safeguards to protect information systems.

These controls provide a comprehensive framework to ensure that an organization is prepared to protect CUI in compliance with NIST 800-171 requirements.

Controls from the TCCCF include 200+ controls and are currently aligned with SOC 2,  HIPAA, ISO 27001, ISO 9001, GDPR, CCPA, ISO 27701, CMMC L1 and L2, NIST Cybersecurity, NIST 800-171, and NIST 800-53.

Each control comes with an evidence description to help provide guidance to prove that the control is working, and 80% of the TCCCF controls are automated! The automation helps streamline the collection exercise and helps any organization get ready faster!

Automation

Automation in TrustCloud helps automate 60% to 75% of your NIST 800-171 evidence collection needs. Therefore, you can get ready for a NIST 800-171 self-attestation in weeks instead of months or years.

The following screenshot shows the TrustCloud audit dashboard for NIST 800-171 readiness.

In addition to control automation, policies, and evidence collection, TrustCloud also helps you automate other compliance requirements, such as managing a risk register and having employees attest to your organization’s security and corporate policies.

A self-attestation report can be generated directly from TrustOps to demonstrate compliance with NIST-800-171.

Conclusion

In conclusion, TrustCloud offers an efficient and comprehensive solution for accelerating NIST 800-171 readiness and self-attestation. With its built-in controls, policies, and automated evidence collection workflows, TrustCloud streamlines the compliance process, significantly reducing the time and effort required for a successful NIST 800-171 audit.

The TrustOps application provides direct access to the TrustCloud Common Controls Framework (TCCCF), enabling organizations to meet multiple compliance standards simultaneously. By automating up to 75% of evidence collection and offering centralized management of security controls and policies, TrustCloud enhances cybersecurity posture and fosters client and partner trust.

For organizations looking to simplify their compliance journey and ensure robust protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), TrustCloud stands out as an invaluable tool. To explore how TrustCloud can support your compliance needs, schedule a demo today and take the first step towards seamless NIST 800-171 readiness.