NIST SP 800-171 CUI
Understand protection outcomes for Controlled Unclassified Information in nonfederal systems and organizations.
On this page · 4 sections
Applicability & intent
SP 800-171 applies to covered CUI environments under relevant federal agreements. Applicability, contract language, system boundaries, and current revision must be confirmed.
- Document why nist sp 800-171 cui applies, what is in scope, and who is accountable.
- Translate obligations into owned, testable outcomes with proportionate evidence.
- Track exceptions, residual risk, changes, and corrective actions through governance review.
Governance lifecycle
- 01
Confirm scope, context, interested parties, legal or contractual basis, and authoritative sources.
- 02
Identify desired outcomes, owners, dependencies, existing controls, and evidence sources.
- 03
Assess design and operating effectiveness using representative, time-bound evidence.
- 04
Record gaps, risk, interim protections, target dates, and approval decisions.
- 05
Verify remediation, report residual risk, and schedule reassessment when context changes.
Evidence & assurance
| Evidence family | Assurance question |
|---|---|
| contractual and CUI applicability basis | Does governance establish accountable direction? |
| CUI system boundary and information flows | Does the process operate consistently? |
| requirement implementation and assessment evidence | Can the claimed outcome be independently verified? |
Evidence should be attributable, current, protected, reproducible, and linked to an accountable owner. A document alone does not demonstrate that a control operates effectively.
Readiness decisions
- Confirm contract and agency requirements.
- Keep CUI out of unapproved systems.
- Use the current official revision and assessment guidance.