NIST compliance is adherence to security standards and guidelines developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). These standards protect sensitive data and information systems, especially for U.S. government agencies and contractors.
In this post, we’ll explore what NIST compliance is, what benefits it offers, and a helpful toolset that will simplify your tasks when it comes to meeting complicated NIST compliance requirements.
Background info about NIST compliance
NIST is a non-regulatory federal standards agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. Since 1972, NIST has provided guidance and recommendations for cybersecurity and other technical areas.
The two leading NIST cybersecurity frameworks are NIST SP 800-53, a comprehensive security standard, and NIST SP 800-171, which focuses on safeguarding Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).
These standards introduce controls—security or privacy measures that mitigate risks and protect data. Controls are organized into families (categories) to ensure comprehensive security coverage.
If you’re working as a contractor for the U.S. federal government, NIST compliance is probably mandatory. Otherwise, it can be a helpful step towards greater cybersecurity maturity.
Benefits of NIST compliance
NIST compliance shows your overall commitment to responsible governance, risk, and compliance (GRC). Equally important, if you fail to meet NIST compliance, there might be serious consequences. These include contract termination, legal liability and fines, and breaches (along with the reputational damage they cause!).
Even organizations that don’t have to adopt NIST standards sometimes do so voluntarily. Meeting NIST standards helps secure data and systems from the widest range of threats.
Benefits of following NIST standards include:
Streamlined compliance efforts
Simplified breach / incident prevention
Increased return on investment thanks to better informed prioritization
Common NIST frameworks
NIST has two distinct types of offerings to help organizations build a strong security program. First, the NIST cybersecurity framework (CSF) provides a broad set of guidelines and principles that can be tailored to any organization’s needs. And second, the NIST-800 series standards, NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171, provide more specific security controls.
NIST CSF
This framework provides a flexible approach to managing cybersecurity risk. It comprises five core functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover.
Official name: NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0
In a nutshell: Flexible, adaptable framework to improve your security posture
Complexity: Smallest, least complex framework
Controls: 100+ controls divided into 20 families
Best for: This NIST framework works best for small businesses as well as medium-sized companies looking for a more comprehensive security approach.
Example: A mid sized law firm handles a large volume of sensitive client data (personal information, financial records, and confidential legal documents). The firm adopts NIST CSF to help them develop a more structured approach to cybersecurity risk to protect client and firm data.
NIST 800-series standards
The NIST-800 series standards are the building blocks of Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) compliance, helping achieve information assurance by securing sensitive and confidential data and systems.
NIST SP 800-53
Official name: Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations
In a nutshell: The highest level of U.S. information security standards (to meet FISMA/FIPS requirements)
Comments: Mandatory for all U.S. government agencies and organizations working with the U.S. government, since they may access federal servers, networks, or systems
Complexity: Largest, most complex, most stringent framework
Controls: 1,000+, which are divided into 3 baseline levels (low, moderate, high) in 20 families
Best for: U.S. federal agencies and private organizations working with them must follow this framework, but large enterprises looking for bulletproof security might voluntarily adopt it, especially in sensitive industries (e.g., healthcare, finance, defense).
Example: A large, national U.S. bank is subject to regulations of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which mandates compliance with NIST 800-53. This bank must adopt NIST SP 800-53 to protect sensitive customer data, including financial records, personally identifiable information (PII), and transaction history.
NIST SP 800-171
Official name: Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Systems and Organizations
In a nutshell: Necessary to receive contracts directly from DoD, GSA, NASA and other federal and state agencies or indirectly as a subcontractor
Comments: Controls in this standard are borrowed from NIST 800-53 data-handling controls. They’re aimed at organizations that don’t handle classified information but do collect or maintain Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) on behalf of a federal agency. To achieve the trust level needed to work with the government, organizations must verify compliance using the cybersecurity maturity model certification (CMMC) assessment process.
Complexity: More complex than CSF; less complex than NIST 800-53
Controls: 110 controls in 14 control families. This is a shorter list since NIST 800-171 includes only the data-handling subset of NIST 800-53.
Best for: Mandatory for organizations handling CUI for U.S. government agencies
Example: A cybersecurity consulting firm providing network security solutions for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security handles CUI such as network diagrams, vulnerability assessments, and security incident reports. As a direct contractor handling CUI, this organization must comply with NIST 800-171.
Is NIST compliance mandatory?
The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) requires federal agencies to implement information security programs based on NIST standards. That means that for all federal agencies, the NIST standards usually serve as a baseline for cybersecurity rules.
Compliance with NIST standards, particularly NIST 800-53, is often required to bid on projects for the U.S. federal government.
However, it's important to add that while FISMA requires NIST compliance, specific agencies and organizations may have their own interpretations and additional requirements, which can vary widely. This creates different levels of complexity and cost. There’s no one-size-fits-all compliance model that will get you in the door at every U.S. government agency.
For example, the U.S. Air Force has its own set of security standards and procedures, Air Force Instruction (AFI) 17-101. This standard tailors NIST 800-53 to the unique needs and mission requirements of the Air Force.
Similarly, for cloud service providers working with the U.S. federal government, FedRAMP tailors a set of standards, based on selected controls and enhancements from NIST 800-53. FedRAMP adds a mechanism for compliance verification through a network of authorized third-party assessment organizations (3PAOs).
Remember, the cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving. Check with the agency or organization you are looking to partner with to find out their unique requirements and expectations. That’s the best way to understand where to focus your compliance efforts.
How much does NIST compliance cost?
NIST compliance is a massive project that demands both financial and human resources. Organizations should carefully assess their needs, budget, and available resources before jumping in.
Another thing you need to know: Most organizations pursue NIST compliance to gain access to government contracts. Be realistic. Weigh the potential value of those contracts against the significant costs of compliance—both initial and ongoing costs. A thorough cost-benefit analysis can help you decide if NIST compliance truly aligns with your long-term goals.
Let’s break down some of the areas where you’ll need to invest to bring your security program up to speed with NIST standards.
Up-front costs
As you can see, there’s quite a range of costs in each of these areas. Cost will depend on the maturity of your cybersecurity program, tools you already have in place, and many more factors.
Assessment: Between $5,000 and $15,000 for an outside consulting service
Remediation: Between $35,000 and $115,000 to remediate barriers to compliance
Continuous monitoring: Between $6,500 and $13,000 per year
Ongoing costs
Costs in this area can be grouped into three categories: technology costs, personnel costs, and external costs.
Most organizations will need dedicated personnel on staff for whom compliance is at least part of their responsibilities. These personnel could include IT security manager, IT security analyst, IT manager, and trained IT support/engineering staff. They will need ongoing training to keep their skills up to speed.
Technology costs will include security software, such as SIEM tools, including annual licensing fees, as well as cloud security services, such as CASB vendors. From time to time, you’ll need to upgrade hardware and software to keep it compliant, especially when it comes to legacy systems.
Finally, external costs include third-party audits and consultations, such as penetration testing, which could cost between $7,000 and $14,000 each year. There may also be legal fees for compliance advice and contract negotiations.
Funding and assistance
You may be able to find sources of funding and assistance to help you become compliant. For example, U.S. manufacturers can take advantage of the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). Small businesses may be able to obtain funding and assistance through the SBIR grant program. Check your local area or chamber of commerce for the most up-to-date advice for your industry.
Challenges and considerations
Probably the biggest challenge is thinking that compliance is going to be easy—or that you can do it on the cheap.
Some providers offer “turnkey” compliance solutions, for instance, but these might be too generic and lack the flexibility to adapt to your organization’s situation.
Most experts who have been through it agree: compliance requires more than a quick fix—it demands a genuine cultural shift throughout the entire organization, along with significant financial investment.
To avoid compliance fatigue and keep teams focused on business operations, it can help to choose tools that automate compliance processes wherever possible. For example, tools that automate discovery and prioritization will help you achieve visibility and streamline compliance.
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A simplified step-by-step NIST checklist
Here are a few tasks on the road to NIST compliance:
1. Data classification
Talk to stakeholders from different departments to find out what types of data your organization handles. Decide who needs access and who shouldn’t have access to this data. That will help you choose security categories. Compliance tasks may include:
Categorizing data based on sensitivity and risk
Establishing baseline controls for each category
Conducting risk assessments to refine controls
2. Inventory and risk assessment
Now find all the places your sensitive data is hiding based on the types of data and categories that you identified in the previous step. Compliance tasks may include:
Creating an inventory of systems and information
Identifying threats and vulnerabilities
Analyzing risks and prioritize mitigation efforts
3. Security controls
Once you know where your data is and how it’s categorized, implement tools to configure and monitor access, watching for incidents that could compromise security. Compliance tasks may include:
Adopting authorization and access management
Enabling detection, reporting, and analysis
Taking remediation actions
4. Documentation and compliance
At this stage, you’ll focus on knowledge transfer and continuity so that all your teams are on board with the NIST standard. Compliance tasks may include:
Documenting security controls in a written plan
Performing routine and emergency audits
Providing ongoing training
5. Continuous improvement
Finally, security measures can’t remain static, since your organization and its data are constantly changing. That’s why compliance tasks in this area may include:
Monitoring security controls and making adjustments as needed
Updating security teams on emerging threats and best practices
Conducting regular reviews and updates to the security plan
NIST compliance in the cloud era
Cybersecurity standards like NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171 aren’t very user-friendly. That’s especially true in the cloud, where data and processes can be highly distributed across multiple providers.
In the cloud, your data is hard to track down, classify, and secure, making regulatory compliance complicated. Tools to set uniform rules across your entire cloud can simplify security and regulatory compliance and make sure nobody breaks the rules—even in multi-cloud environments.
With Wiz, you can monitor your entire environment at a single glance. And when an alert is raised, Wiz visual tools let you drill down quickly, find root causes, and mitigate any potential problem.
As you probably guessed, this greatly simplifies NIST compliance requirements. Wiz agentlessly scans your entire cloud environment, simplifying inventory and risk assessment, and helping you configure security controls and add automation.
With automated compliance assessments for over 100 cloud security standards, Wiz streamlines internal audits and encourages your teams to embrace continuous improvement. So you can achieve NIST compliance easily while simplifying all your security teams’ tasks.
Click here for a demo and see how Wiz can power up your business to help meet NIST compliance regulations.
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