How to Become NIST 800-171 Compliant (And Why You Need It)

NIST stands for the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

It’s an office within the U.S. Department of Commerce that aims to create advanced innovations through the use of science and technology. NIST deals with a wide range of topics from forensic science to quantum science, as well as technology transfer and cybersecurity.

Their research, discoveries, and security requirements affect all Americans.

As far as cybersecurity goes, the best way to ensure you’re following all NIST requirements is to be NIST 800-171 compliant. Keep reading to discover why this is so important and how you can ensure your website/digital systems are compliant.

Why You Need to Be NIST 800-171 Compliant

The main value of being NIST 800-171 compliant is simple: safety. But, there are deeper reasons to prioritize these requirements in your workplace operations.

Following the guidelines set by NIST 800-171 helps you improve your risk management in many ways. It reduces the risk of lost data and makes your systems stronger against cyber attacks. It also sets clear ground rules for everyone on your team to follow regarding cybersecurity.

How to Become Compliant

It’s a completely different story to understand the value of following NIST 800-171 requirements than it is to put it into practice. The government doesn’t expect you to know every little thing about cybersecurity. But, they do ask that you use the provided rules and regulations to create a safe workplace and protect user information.

There are two ways you can do this: figure it all out yourself or invest in a cybersecurity resource that can fill in the gaps for you.

1. Research and Fix Everything Yourself

Becoming NIST 800-171 compliant on your own is a tall order. It’s not impossible, but it’s not the smartest idea unless you already have a good understanding of cybersecurity.

These security requirements go into 14 different categories. They each have their own tests to pass and rules to follow, which means you’re going to be spending a lot of time getting everything right if you try to do it all alone.

You can have your IT department help if you have one or call on other staff members to speed the process along. Or, you can bring in an expert to get it all done in a much faster, more efficient manner.

2. Hire an Expert

Hiring someone to make sure you’re NIST 800-171 compliant is the better choice than trying to DIY something so delicate. This way, you can be sure your company and digital systems are following all the necessary requirements and operating with the highest level of cyber security possible.

Plus, you may learn a thing or two from the services a cybersecurity team provides.

More Tech Safety Tips and Tricks

Keep in mind that becoming NIST 800-171 compliant is not an end-all tell-all solution to cybersecurity.

The best way to prevent your business from cyber attacks and data breaches is to make security a constant effort. NIST 800-171 requirements are a big part of this, but they’re not the whole story.