- What is NIST 800-171
- What kind of CUI data does SyncManufacturing® handle?
- What are the NIST 800-171 requirements?
- What the NIST 800-171 assessment process looks like
- Government-Grade Security for Every Business
Cyberattacks are growing in frequency and sophistication, targeting organizations of every size and in every industry. For manufacturers that rely on digital systems to deliver products, support customers, and safeguard intellectual property, a single breach can trigger financial losses, downtime, and lasting damage to brand trust. As a result, cybersecurity has shifted from a back-office concern to a board-level priority. Choosing systems that adhere to well-established cybersecurity standards can provide peace of mind for the organization looking to entrust sensitive data to a new software vendor.
One of those standards is NIST 800-171. At Synchrono®, our adherence to this framework is a core part of our commitment to data security. While NIST 800-171 is mainly relevant for our customers who do business with government agencies, such as DOD, it can still serve as a powerful signal that the software vendor has implemented and defined verifiable security controls.
In this post, we take a closer look at NIST 800-171 and how it applies not only to manufacturers supplying products to government agencies, but also to security-conscious organizations looking for a software platform to run sensitive, mission-critical processes.
What is NIST 800-171?
While NIST SP 800-171 is generally treated as a cybersecurity standard, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) categorizes it as a “Special Publication”, rather than a formal federal regulation. This publication defines a set of requirements for how Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and other sensitive but unclassified government information must be protected when it is stored, processed, or transmitted on external (non-federal) systems. These requirements apply to a wide range of entities, including contractors, suppliers, universities, and of course, software vendors, particularly those that deliver cloud-based services on behalf of U.S. government agencies.
Many U.S. government agencies, especially the Department of Defense, reference NIST 800-171 in their contracts and acquisition regulations. In those cases, NIST 800-171 compliance is mandatory for the systems and environments where CUI resides, because the contract explicitly requires it. Therefore, a software vendor’s past work with government agencies does not necessarily indicate compliance with the standard.
What kind of CUI data does SyncManufacturing® handle?
Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is a government acronym that refers to data that is not classified but is sensitive enough that it must be handled carefully and kept out of the public domain. For example, bills of material for defense components can inadvertently reveal details about weapon systems, aircraft, or other critical infrastructure.
Manufacturers that don’t do business with the government may also want to keep details about their products and processes out of the public domain to maintain a competitive advantage. Vendor and customer records, such as which subcontractors supply which parts, or which end customers receive which products, can also be sensitive information that could be misused in the event of a data breach. Synchrono treats this information with the same level of care, using NIST 800-171 control set as a guide for protecting both government and non-government sensitive data.
What are the NIST 800-171 requirements?
Although NIST 800-171 covers a broad range of government contract scenarios, many requirements apply directly to how a software vendor builds, operates, and supports its products and services. These requirements address areas such as user authentication, customer data storage and encryption, log capture and review, vulnerability management, and incident detection and reporting. Vendors are expected to enforce strong access controls within the application, encrypt data at rest and in transit, maintain detailed audit logs, and maintain a documented, tested incident response plan.
NIST 800-171 organizes these expectations into a set of control families that cover not only access control and encryption, but also areas such as security awareness and training, audit and accountability, configuration management, identification and authentication, system and communications protection, and incident response. Together, these families define how organizations should design, operate, and continuously improve the systems that handle sensitive information.
Some requirements also extend to the personnel and operational practices that sit “behind” the software. For example, vendors are generally expected to limit administrative access to a small group of authorized personnel, revoke access promptly when staff change roles, and provide ongoing security awareness training so employees understand their responsibilities in protecting sensitive information.
In addition to implementing these controls, organizations aligning with NIST 800-171 typically document how each requirement is addressed in a System Security Plan (SSP) and use a central tracking mechanism—often called a Plan of Actions and Milestones (POA&M)—to record gaps and remediation tasks. Approaching NIST 800-171 this way turns it from a one-time checklist into an ongoing security program, where controls are tested regularly, gaps are prioritized and closed, and evidence is kept current for customers, auditors, and, when applicable, government agencies. At Synchrono, NIST 800-171 compliance is not a one-time task—it’s a continuous commitment. We proactively adapt to updates and new releases, ensuring our controls are rigorously tested, any gaps are promptly addressed, and comprehensive evidence is maintained to meet the needs of our customers, auditors, and government agencies.
What the NIST 800-171 assessment process looks like
Organizations demonstrate adherence to NIST 800-171 through structured assessments that may be internal, customer-driven, or performed by independent assessors. Although the details can vary, the NIST 800-171 assessment process usually follows a standard flow. First, the organization defines the scope: systems, applications, and environments where CUI resides or is in transit. Next, an assessment compares existing controls against each NIST 800-171 requirement, documenting how those controls are implemented in a System Security Plan (SSP) and recording any gaps in a central tracking mechanism, often referred to as a Plan of Actions and Milestones (POA&M) or similar remediation register. Finally, the vendor closes any identified gaps, and a follow-up review validates alignment with the requirements.
In the defense sector, NIST 800-171 assessments and scores are often recorded for the Department of Defense and serve as the foundation for Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). In the defense sector, NIST 800-171 assessments and scores are often recorded for the Department of Defense and serve as the foundation for Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC).
Government-Grade Security for Every Business
Even for manufacturers that never touch government data, selecting software and services aligned to NIST 800-171 can significantly strengthen the overall security posture of the organization. The publication’s controls reflect widely accepted cybersecurity best practices, such as strong authentication, least-privilege access, continuous logging, vulnerability management, and incident response planning. In effect, adopting NIST 800-171-aligned solutions lends a mature, battle-tested security framework to commercial environments and streamlines vendor risk reviews.
While NIST 800-171 was built to protect sensitive government data, its security rigor can benefit any organization that manages mission-critical data and wants extra confidence when selecting a software partner.
If you have questions about how NIST 800-171 relates to your operations or how Synchrono® can support your security goals, contact our team to continue the conversation.