NIST 800-171 Compliance and Consulting Services

As of 2017, any entity that processes or stores US government Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) — government contractors, research institutions, consulting companies, manufacturing contractors — must comply with the stringent requirements of NIST 800–171 or be prepared to face a myriad of risks, including the loss of contract renewals, newly won bids, or the ability to secure future contracts. In January 2020, the Department of Defense released the initial version of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) standard. Certifications will begin for new and existing defense contractors this year and a CMMC certification will be required in place of self-attested NIST compliance.