NIST SP 800-171 Infrastructure as Code South Brunswick, NJ

NIST 800-171 Consulting
for DoD Contractors

All 110 controls across 14 families, implemented directly into your infrastructure using Terraform, Azure Policy, and AWS Config. The technical foundation every CMMC Level 2 assessment is built on.

110
Controls Covered
14
Control Families
IaC
Enforced in Code

NIST 800-171: The Technical Foundation of CMMC Level 2

NIST SP 800-171 defines 110 security requirements for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in non-federal systems. Under DFARS 252.204-7012, compliance has been contractually required for DoD contractors since 2017. CMMC Level 2 is verification that those requirements are actually implemented.

The common failure mode is treating NIST 800-171 as a documentation exercise. A C3PAO assessor evaluates technical evidence: configuration exports, policy assignments, audit logs, access control records. Documented intent without technical implementation does not satisfy a control.

VIS LLC implements controls into your infrastructure directly. Terraform modules, Azure Policy definitions, and AWS Config rules translate each requirement from a written standard into a technically enforced state that holds up under assessment and does not degrade between cycles.

The 14 NIST 800-171 control families

Access Control (AC)
Awareness & Training (AT)
Audit & Accountability (AU)
Configuration Mgmt (CM)
Identification & Auth (IA)
Incident Response (IR)
Maintenance (MA)
Media Protection (MP)
Personnel Security (PS)
Physical Protection (PE)
Risk Assessment (RA)
Security Assessment (CA)
System & Comm Protect (SC)
System & Info Integrity (SI)

Every control in every family is evaluated, gap-assessed, and remediated against your actual infrastructure — not a generic checklist.

Our NIST 800-171 Implementation Approach

Controls implemented in infrastructure, not described in documents. Each step produces technical artifacts an assessor can verify.

01

CUI Boundary and Scope

Map where CUI enters, lives, and exits your systems. Define the precise assessment boundary before evaluating a single control. Over-scoping creates unnecessary remediation work.

02

Control-by-Control Gap Analysis

Evaluate all 110 requirements against evidence from your actual infrastructure. Categorize each as Met, Partially Met, or Not Met. Produce a risk-ranked gap report ordered by SPRS point impact.

03

IaC-Based Remediation

Write missing controls into Terraform, Azure Policy, or AWS Config. Version-controlled in your repository, enforced at every deployment, auditable by design. Controls do not degrade when staff changes.

04

SSP and Evidence Package

Build a System Security Plan that maps each control to specific technical implementations. Finalize SPRS score, complete POA&M for any remaining gaps, and assemble the evidence a C3PAO assessor will request.

Why IaC-Based NIST 800-171 Implementation Holds Up

Manual configurations drift. Documents go stale. Code-enforced controls do not.

Continuous Enforcement

Azure Policy assignments and AWS Config rules enforce control state at every resource deployment. A misconfigured resource is flagged or blocked before it reaches production. No manual audit needed to maintain compliance.

Version-Controlled History

Every control implementation is a commit in your repository. You have a complete, time-stamped record of when a control was implemented, what it does, and who reviewed it. This is exactly the audit evidence a C3PAO assessor asks for.

Repeatable Across Environments

Once a control is implemented in code, it deploys identically to dev, staging, and production. No manual configuration differences between environments. The same Terraform module that builds your infrastructure enforces your NIST 800-171 posture.

NIST 800-171 Consulting: Common Questions

Technical answers for contractors working through NIST 800-171 compliance.

What is NIST SP 800-171 and who needs to comply?
NIST SP 800-171 defines 110 security requirements across 14 control families for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in non-federal systems. Any organization with a DoD contract that handles CUI is required to comply under DFARS 252.204-7012. CMMC Level 2 is built directly on NIST 800-171, so meeting its requirements is a prerequisite for CMMC Level 2 certification.
How does VIS LLC implement NIST 800-171 controls?
VIS LLC implements NIST 800-171 controls directly into your cloud or on-premises infrastructure using Terraform, Azure Policy, and AWS Config. Controls are written as code, version-controlled, and enforced automatically at every deployment. The control is active continuously, not just when someone checks a policy document.
What are the 14 control families in NIST 800-171?
The 14 control families are: Access Control (AC), Awareness and Training (AT), Audit and Accountability (AU), Configuration Management (CM), Identification and Authentication (IA), Incident Response (IR), Maintenance (MA), Media Protection (MP), Personnel Security (PS), Physical Protection (PE), Risk Assessment (RA), Security Assessment (CA), System and Communications Protection (SC), and System and Information Integrity (SI). Each family has between 2 and 24 individual requirements.
What is the difference between NIST 800-171 and CMMC Level 2?
NIST SP 800-171 is the technical standard defining the 110 CUI protection requirements. CMMC Level 2 is the certification program built around those same 110 requirements. The key difference is verification: previously, contractors self-attested to compliance via SPRS. Under CMMC Level 2, a third-party C3PAO assessor verifies implementation. Full technical implementation of NIST 800-171 is how you get ready for that assessment.
How long does NIST 800-171 implementation take?
Timeline depends on your current SPRS score and the technical state of your infrastructure. Contractors with a low SPRS score typically need 6 to 12 months of remediation. Contractors with basic security controls already in place often close gaps in 3 to 6 months with IaC-based remediation. A gap assessment first reveals exactly how many open controls exist and gives a realistic timeline before any remediation work begins.

Related Services

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Virtual Infrastructure Services LLC · South Brunswick, NJ · +1 (732) 200-7352