NIST is a non-regulatory body, so they do not offer certifications. However, government contracts have built-in clauses to ensure companies and agencies follow these NIST guidelines. Plus, many enterprise-level organizations only engage with companies that can demonstrate NIST compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This guide will explain what companies must abide by NIST guidelines, the differences between NIST and other compliance standards, and how to prepare for a NIST compliance audit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who Needs to Be NIST Compliant?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
All federal government agencies, contractors, and subcontractors touching government data must be NIST compliant. Some examples of contracted companies include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Consulting firms<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Manufacturers<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Staffing firms<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Academic institutions<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Other service providers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Although NIST isn\u2019t required for companies that don\u2019t contract with the government, many private and public companies see NIST frameworks as the gold standard for cybersecurity and use them to pave the way to other compliance regulations like HIPAA, SOX, or GDPR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Are the Consequences of Non-Compliance with NIST?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Failure to comply with NIST could result in a stop-work order, non-renewal, or even cause immediate termination. There\u2019s also potential legal exposure. If, after an investigation, an agency discovers damages, you could be monetarily liable for repairing them. Failure to demonstrate compliance, could result in beingcharged with criminal fraud for misrepresentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being involved in any of these scenarios could greatly tarnish your company\u2019s reputation, preventing you from working with any other government agencies. A breach or other data security issue can cause serious legal and reputational harm for any organization, even those that aren\u2019t government contractors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n![\"黑料海角91入口\"](\"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-1-1-aspect-ratio-160-110-1.png\")
\n <\/div>\n \n\n The IT Manager\u2019s Guide to Data Compliance Hygiene <\/p>\n
\n How to ace your audit <\/p>\n <\/div>\n
\n Get the Guide <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nNIST Compliance Standards vs. Other Compliance Standards<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
NIST is a common security framework, but it\u2019s not the only one. ISO, CIS, SOC 2, and COBIT are all legitimate ways of bolstering an organization\u2019s security posture and serve as excellent supplements to NIST best practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NIST vs. ISO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an internationally recognized security framework for technology and business operations<\/a> and has existed since 1947. ISO spans a range of areas, from employee management to product development to service delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like NIST, ISO takes a risk-management approach to security. ISO advocates that IT admins and security teams build an Information Security Management System (ISMS) to identify existing risks, maintain comprehensive controls, and update policies in accordance with new threats and new technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But unlike NIST, ISO is mandatory \u2014 independent auditors review ISMSs and verify compliance with ISO requirements. So starting with NIST first helps companies build the right habits and routines to put them in a good spot to take on more rigorous ISO requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NIST vs. CIS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
CIS Critical Security Controls (CIS Controls) are suggested activities and benchmarks for cyber defense created by the Center for Internet Security (CIS). CIS has 20 controls to prevent cyberattackers and prime organizations for potential attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CIS compliance is voluntary. The key benefit of CIS is prioritizing risk and defense, allowing organizations to direct resources to the most essential actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In many ways, NIST and CIS are complementary \u2014 NIST actually references CIS as a useful framework in their materials. Many companies that leverage NIST embrace CIS as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NIST vs. SOC 2<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you work at a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company, you\u2019ve probably heard of SOC 2: it\u2019s important for many startups trying to penetrate the enterprise market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Formally, Systems and Organizations Controls 2 (SOC 2)<\/a> is a compliance framework built specifically for service-based companies that manage other companies\u2019 data. SOC 2 compliance is especially important for SaaS companies \u2014 customers want proof that their data is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Stored securely<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Readily available when it needs to be accessed<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Processed with integrity<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Kept confidential<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Handled with privacy in mind<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
They must undergo a SOC 2 audit to demonstrate company compliance with SOC 2 standards. A third-party firm evaluates the organization\u2019s internal controls related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because many of those controls intersect with NIST, companies that adhere to the NIST framework already have a solid foundation for the additional controls they need to obtain SOC 2 compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NIST vs. COBIT<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT), was developed by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association to improve IT governance and data infrastructure integrity. COBIT is split into four operational categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Planning and organization<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Acquisition and implementation<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Support and delivery<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Monitoring and evaluation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Each of these categories encourages IT administrators to evaluate the weak points in their infrastructure while streamlining their workflow and organizational communication. COBIT is praised for its efficiency and ease of adoption but is more simplistic than NIST or other models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NIST and Cybersecurity Maturity Model Compliance (CMMC)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Unlike NIST, Cybersecurity Maturity Model Compliance<\/a>, is a security framework that is required by organizations to work with the Department of Defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CMMC has a heavy emphasis on protecting controlled, unclassified information (more on that later) and is made up of five different maturity levels. Organizations need to pass each one via third-party review before proceeding to the next. Technical demands of CCMC are primarily related to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Physical protection and employee security<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Identity and authentication<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Access control<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Audit and accountability<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Configuration management<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- System integrity<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Media protection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
There is a significant overlap between NIST and CMMC. But historically, CMMC levels have been more challenging to meet, forcing organizations to implement more advanced tactics to thwart potential threats. Organizations that attain CMMC certifications are very close to or are already in compliance with NIST.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Is NIST SP 800-53?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
NIST SP 800-53 standards are a list of controls<\/a> that secure user access and identity across an enterprise. More specifically, NIST SP 800-53 has roughly 1,000 controls under several control families, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Access control<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Incident response<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Continuity<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Disaster recovery<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
To maintain NIST SP 800-53 compliance, organizations must:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Take stock of their sensitive data. <\/strong>Knowing where confidential data is used and stored helps companies take the right precautions to prevent cyberattacks and insider threats and address incidents quickly when they arise.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Review access permissions.<\/strong> Understanding who has what level of access to internal servers, cloud services, and other applications can help admins reduce the number of people who can view, edit, and share sensitive information.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Manage access appropriately. <\/strong>Adjusting permissions is only the first layer of security. IT and security teams should also consider mandating multi-factor authentication<\/a> (MFA) or using a VPN to ensure that the right people access the right applications in the right ways.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Track data activity. <\/strong>Keeping a close eye on all data transfer, data download, and file-sharing activity can surface suspicious trends, allowing IT and security teams to respond to incidents in a timely manner.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
NIST SP 800-53 is not required for non-government organizations but is still highly recommended for companies of any size to protect their data and their customers\u2019 data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Is NIST SP 800-63?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- Track data activity. <\/strong>Keeping a close eye on all data transfer, data download, and file-sharing activity can surface suspicious trends, allowing IT and security teams to respond to incidents in a timely manner.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Manage access appropriately. <\/strong>Adjusting permissions is only the first layer of security. IT and security teams should also consider mandating multi-factor authentication<\/a> (MFA) or using a VPN to ensure that the right people access the right applications in the right ways.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Review access permissions.<\/strong> Understanding who has what level of access to internal servers, cloud services, and other applications can help admins reduce the number of people who can view, edit, and share sensitive information.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Take stock of their sensitive data. <\/strong>Knowing where confidential data is used and stored helps companies take the right precautions to prevent cyberattacks and insider threats and address incidents quickly when they arise.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n