NIST SP 800-53 and NIST SP 800-171 are critical cybersecurity frameworks with distinct purposes for different users. This guide compares each with actionable guidance from experts and free control mapping resources to help simplify implementation.

What are the similarities between NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171? 

NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171 are similar standards. Both focus on federal information security and have overlapping controls. Both focus on Controlled Unclassified Information. However, NIST 800-171 focuses specifically on CUI. This means financial information, privacy-related data, and more.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology created NIST 800-171 as a subset of 800-53. Its control families and requirements map to the core control requirements found in 800-53’s control families. For a closer look, see the section below on how NIST 800-171 overlaps with NIST 800-53.

Comparison of NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171

What is the difference between NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171?

NIST 800-53 is broader and more rigorous than NIST 800-171. NIST 800-53 applies to federal agencies and includes comprehensive controls and mandatory third-party assessments. In contrast, NIST 800-171 protects CUI in non-federal systems. It's mostly for defense contractors that rely primarily on self-assessment for compliance.

Both standards in the NIST framework provide risk-based approaches to information security. However, each has a distinct purpose and applicability based on your governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) needs. NIS 800-53 covers more areas like privacy, supply chain risks, and program management than 800-171, which focuses specifically on protecting CUI from cyber threats. 

Here’s a closer look at the differences between NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171:

• Application: NIST 800-53 applies broadly to federal information systems, while 800-171 targets non-federal defense contractors and private sector partners handling sensitive unclassified information.
• Control complexity: NIST 800-53 encompasses hundreds of controls across 20 comprehensive control families, whereas NIST 800-171 presents 110 specific, more focused security requirements in 14 control families.
• Regulatory mandate: NIST 800-53 is mandatory for federal agencies, with direct implementation requirements. 800-171 is primarily a compliance framework for contractors seeking federal contract eligibility.
• Depth of guidance: NIST 800-53 provides extensive, detailed implementation guidance across multiple security domains. 800-171 offers more targeted, concise security requirement specifications.
• Compliance assessment: NIST 800-53 typically involves third-party assessment, while NIST 800-171 relies on self-assessment and documentation.

NIST 800-53 includes additional control families and more detailed control enhancements that are not part of 800-171, including:

• Supply chain risk management (SR): This NIST 800-53 control family focuses on managing risks associated with third-party suppliers.
• Program management (PM): The NIST 800-53 framework, also called a special publication, includes controls for overarching security governance within organizations.
• Privacy controls (PC): Special publication 800-53 addresses privacy-specific risks and compliance with legal requirements.

These differences require a different implementation approach for each. For more, see the section below on implementing NIST 800-171 vs. NIST 800-53.

What is NIST 800-53?

NIST 800-53 is a security standard to protect CUI. It is mandatory for federal agencies and contractors that share federal servers or networks.

NIST 800-53 is the foundation for the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, known as FedRAMP. FedRAMP is a U.S. government program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. The program ensures that cloud solutions used by federal agencies meet strict security requirements to protect sensitive government data. 

NIST 800-53 includes 20 control families, such as access control and incident response, and requires regular assessments, monitoring, and documentation to maintain system security. As of the most recent revision, NIST 800-53 lists hundreds of individual security controls across those families. When considering the baseline and additional controls, the exact count depends on how you group them and can exceed 1,000.

Here's a more detailed look at NIST 800-53:

• NIST 800-53 purpose: NIST 800-53 establishes a standardized, risk-based approach to information security for federal systems, enabling comprehensive risk management and protection strategies.
• NIST 800-53 scope: NIST 800-53 applies universally to federal information systems, providing adaptable security control guidelines for diverse technological environments and organizational security needs.
• NIST 800-53 compliance requirements: NIST 800-53 mandates rigorous risk assessment, continuous monitoring, periodic security control evaluation, and extensive documentation for federal agency information systems.
• NIST 800-53 controls: NIST 800-53 encompasses over 20 control families across technical and operational domains, including:

• • Access Control (AC): The 22 AC control requirements manage who has access to systems, networks, and data.

• • Incident Response (IR): The three IR control requirements ensure the organization has incident response plans, procedures, and training.

• • System & Communications Protection (SC): The 16 SC control requirements protect data and communications from unauthorized access and ensure proper cryptography.

• • Security Assessment & Authorization (CA): The four CA control requirements address security control monitoring, assessment, and authorization processes.

• • Risk Assessment (RA): The two RA control requirements mandate regular risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities.

• • Awareness & Training (AT): The three AT control requirements ensure security awareness training for all users and administrators.

• • Audit & Accountability (AU): The nine AU control requirements govern audit record generation, review, protection, and retention.

• • Configuration Management (CM): The nine CM control requirements focus on secure system configurations to prevent vulnerabilities.

• • Contingency Planning (CP): The eight CP control requirements cover system recovery and continuity contingency plans.

• • Identification & Authentication (IA): The 11 IA control requirements ensure only authorized users and devices access systems.

• • Maintenance (MA): The six MA control requirements address secure maintenance of information systems.

• • Media Protection (MP): The nine MP control requirements govern the handling, storage, and sanitization of CUI media.

• • Personnel Security (PS): The two PS control requirements ensure personnel screening and security controls.

• • Physical & Environmental Protection (PE): The six PE control requirements control physical access to CUI systems and facilities.

• • Planning (PL): The three PL control requirements focus on developing and maintaining system security plans.

• • Program Management (PM): The eight PM control requirements address organization-wide security program management.

• • Supply Chain Risk Management (SR): The two SR control requirements assess and mitigate supply chain risks.

• • System & Services Acquisition (SA): The 11 SA control requirements ensure security through the system life cycle.

• • Privacy Controls (PC): The 12 PC control requirements protect individual privacy and personal information.
  • System & Information Integrity (SI): The seven SI control requirements safeguard system and data integrity.
    
    

What is NIST 800-171?

NIST 800-171 is a security standard for CUI in non-federal systems. It's mainly for defense contractors. It includes 110 controls covering areas like access control and incident response. Compliance is based on self-assessment.

NIST 800-171 is based on the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) 2002. Organizations that follow 800-171 include contractors, service providers, and consulting companies. They work with agencies like the Department of Defense (DoD), NASA, and the General Services Administration (GSA). Universities and research organizations receiving federal funding also must be NIST 800-171 compliant.

Here's a closer look at NIST 800-171:

• NIST 800-171 purpose: NIST 800-171 aims to establish minimum security standards for protecting sensitive information handled by external contractors and suppliers across the defense industry and government supply chain.
• NIST 800-171 scope: NIST 800-171 focuses on non-federal information systems managing CUI, creating a standardized approach for protecting sensitive data outside direct federal information management systems and infrastructure. 
• NIST 800-171 compliance requirements: 800-171 mandates self-assessment, documentation of security implementations, and meeting 110 specific security requirements to maintain eligibility for federal contracts. No official audit or certification body assesses 800-171 compliance. You self-attest to NIST 800-171 compliance and maintain policy and control implementation documentation. 
• NIST 800-171 controls: NIST 800-171 covers 110 specific security requirements grouped within 14 control families. These control families address critical protection domains, including:
  • Access Control (AC): The 14 AC requirements control who can access information systems.

• • Awareness & Training (AT): The two AT requirements ensure security awareness training for personnel.

• • Audit & Accountability (AU): The five AU requirements govern audit record management.

• • Configuration Management (CM): The seven CM requirements secure system configurations.

• • Identification & Authentication (IA): The eight IA requirements verify authorized users and devices.

• • Incident Response (IR): The two IR requirements cover incident response planning.

• • Maintenance (MA): The two MA requirements address secure system maintenance.

• • Media Protection (MP): The eight MP requirements handle CUI media.

• • Personnel Security (PS): The two PS requirements screen personnel with CUI access.

• • Physical Protection (PE): The five PE requirements control physical access to information systems.

• • Risk Assessment (RA): The two RA requirements mandate risk assessments.

• • Security Assessment (CA): The three CA requirements monitor security controls.

• • System & Communications Protection (SC): The seven SC requirements secure data transmission.
  • System & Information Integrity (SI): The seven SI requirements safeguard system and data integrity.
    
    

How NIST 800-171 overlaps with NIST 800-53

NIST 800-171 is derived from NIST 800-53, and the two frameworks share significant overlap in controls. Understanding the overlap of requirements and how they map to each other helps streamline your NIST compliance.

800-171’s 14 control families are a subset of 800-53’s broader 20 control families. Many of the controls in 800-171 are simplified or tailored versions of those found in 800-53, streamlining implementation for non-federal entities handling CUI. 

Key areas of overlap between NIST 800-171 and NIST 800-53 include:

• Access Control (AC): Both frameworks emphasize limiting system access to authorized users, user access audits, and managing permissions effectively.
• Audit and Accountability (AU): Both frameworks focus on implementing audit mechanisms to track and review system activity.
• Incident Response (IR): Both frameworks require establishing processes to detect, respond to, and recover from security incidents.
• System and Communications Protection (SC): Both frameworks share overlap in ensuring secure communication between systems and networks.
  
  

According to Elliott Harnagel, Product and Compliance Experience Strategist at Strike Graph, there is about a 50 percent overlap between the Strike Graph suggested controls for 800-53 and 800-171. For example, NIST 800-53 and 800-171 have significant overlap in their Identity and Access Management (IAM) control requirements: 

• NIST 800-53 controls: The Identification and Authentication (IA) control family includes 11 requirements to verify user and device identities, manage authentication mechanisms, and differentiate between privileged and non-privileged access. 
• NIST 800-171 controls: The IA control family has eight requirements addressing user and device authentication, session management, and least privilege access.
  
  

The AC control family provides another clear example of how controls in NIST 800-171 map to those in 800-53. 800-171 AC controls focus on role-based access control (RBAC) for systems handling CUI to ensure only authorized users can access sensitive data. NIST 800-53 AC controls focus on the broader implementation of RBAC across all federal systems, including additional measures like multifactor authentication (MFA) and auditing access privileges:

• NIST 800-53 AC-6: Enforces the principle of least privilege by limiting system access based on roles and responsibilities.
• NIST 800-171 AC 3.1.5: Implements the least privilege principle for protecting CUI.
  
  

NIST 800-53 and 800-171 control overlap example

Mapping NIST 800-171 to NIST 800-53

You can implement controls more efficiently by mapping NIST 800-171 to NIST 800-53. To simplify this process, use this downloadable mapping table that cross-references all 14 NIST 800-171 control families with their corresponding 800-53 controls.

Download the full NIST 800-171 and NIST 800-53 control overlap spreadsheet. 

Implementing NIST 800-171 vs. NIST 800-5.3

Implementing NIST 800-171 is different from 800-53. They have different target audiences, scope, and complexity. The right approach is key to successful implementation.

Here’s how the target audience and scope differ for NIST 800-171 vs. NIST 800-53:

• NIST 800-171 covers non-federal organizations that handle CUI, such as contractors and subcontractors. It focuses on protecting CUI with a streamlined set of 14 control families derived from NIST 800-53. Implementation is typically contractual, often mandated by federal agencies through agreements like the Department of Defense’s DFARS clause.
• NIST 800-53 covers federal agencies and systems processing federal data, including cloud service providers seeking FedRAMP certification. It is a comprehensive framework covering 20 control families, with controls tailored to large-scale IT infrastructures. Compliance is mandatory under FISMA for federal systems, requiring extensive documentation and risk management practices. 

Here's how the complexity and resources differ between NIST 800-171 and NIST 800-53:

• NIST 800-171 has streamlined controls, making it accessible for smaller organizations with limited resources. It’s designed with clear and prescriptive guidance to reduce the need for extensive customization. By addressing specific gaps and risks related to protecting CUI, you can often leverage existing security practices to implement 800-171.
• NIST 800-53 requires significant resources due to its broad scope and detailed information security requirements. Tailoring controls to align with your business and unique risks may require significantly more resources and customization. The emphasis on governance and program management for 800-53 may require additional hiring and a dedicated compliance team.
  

NIST 800-171 and 800-53 implementation snapshot

NIST 800-171 implementation approach

To implement NIST 800-171, start by mapping out the CUI you handle. Next, do a gap analysis against the 800-171 requirements. Make a plan to remedy the gaps and implement your measures incrementally. Document it all with clear policies and procedures.

Here’s a detailed NIST 800-171 implementation approach recommended by David Brosi, Practice Director, CISSP, CISA, at 360 Advanced: 

• Understand scope: Identify where CUI resides within your environment. Map out systems, networks, and processes that handle or store CUI.
• Perform a gap analysis: Compare your current cybersecurity practices against the 110 requirements in NIST 800-171. Document any deficiencies or gaps that need to be addressed.
• Prioritize remediation: Use your gap analysis to prioritize addressing high-risk areas and critical deficiencies. First, focus on foundational controls like access control, encryption, and monitoring.
• Develop an SSP and POA&M: Create a System Security Plan (SSP) detailing your current implementation of NIST 800-171 controls. Then, develop a Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) for any gaps or areas that need improvement.
• Implement incrementally: Break down the implementation into manageable phases, addressing one control family or priority area at a time.
• Leverage automation: Use cybersecurity tools like vulnerability scanners, security information and event management (SIEM) solutions, and endpoint protection to simplify implementation and monitoring.
• Establish clear policies and procedures: Write detailed policies and procedures to document compliance with NIST 800-171 requirements. 
• Monitor and audit regularly: Continuously monitor your environment to detect vulnerabilities or deviations from compliance. Perform regular self-assessments to ensure controls remain effective.
• Engage leadership: Secure buy-in from management to allocate resources and support implementation efforts. Communicate progress and challenges to stakeholders regularly.
• Document everything: Maintain comprehensive documentation of compliance efforts to demonstrate adherence during audits or customer reviews.
  
  

NIST 800-53 implementation approach

To implement NIST 800-53, start by understanding the framework and defining your scope. Next, conduct a risk assessment and document your gaps vs. 800-53. Tailor your controls and create a system security plan. Then, implement it and continuously monitor and update it.

Brosi details the following implementation approach for NIST 800-53:

• Understand the framework: Familiarize yourself with the structure of NIST 800-53, including its control families and categories (low, moderate, and high baselines). Identify which controls are relevant to your organization's risk profile and objectives.
• Define the scope: Identify the systems, data, and environments the controls will apply. Delineate boundaries to avoid overextending efforts.
• Conduct a risk assessment: Assess organizational risks to determine which controls are most critical. Use the assessment to prioritize implementation based on potential impact and likelihood.
• Map to your environment: Compare existing security practices and technologies against the NIST 800-53 controls — document gaps where controls are partially implemented or missing.
• Tailor controls: Customize the controls to align with your organization's requirements, considering scalability and business processes. Use the tailoring process to eliminate irrelevant or redundant controls.
• Create a system security plan (SSP): Document your implementation of NIST 800-53 controls in an SSP. Include details about systems, control applicability, and implementation status.
• Prioritize implementation: Start with high-priority controls, such as access control, incident response, and risk management. Implement foundational controls first to build a secure baseline.
• Leverage automation: Use tools like vulnerability scanners, compliance platforms, and SIEM solutions to implement and manage controls effectively. Automate repetitive tasks like log monitoring and reporting.
• Engage stakeholders and resources: Secure buy-in from leadership to allocate necessary resources for implementation and better manage implementation costs. Collaborate across departments to integrate controls into daily operations.
• Train employees: Provide regular training on security policies, procedures, and specific control implementations. Foster a culture of responsible security awareness.
• Test and validate controls: Conduct periodic tests, such as penetration testing and vulnerability assessments, to validate control effectiveness. Based on test results and feedback, adjust and improve controls.
• Monitor and maintain compliance: Continuously monitor control effectiveness and adapt to technological changes, threats, and regulations. Schedule compliance testing, reviews, and updates to ensure ongoing compliance with NIST 800-53.
  
  

Benefits of combining NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171

Combining NIST 800-53 and 800-71 can provide better security coverage, efficiency, and trust in your company. It also can help you align with other security standards, such as ISO 27001 and CMMC.

"Implementing a standardized cybersecurity framework can improve your overall cyber hygiene and security posture, but you have to commit fully," says Stephen Ferrell, Chief Strategy Officer at Strike Graph. "Going all in is crucial because either framework's superficial or incomplete implementation may create redundancies and inefficiencies. A consolidated security effort can drive operational efficiencies and build your reputation as a trusted supplier." 

According to Ferrell, creating a unified security standard for federal and non-federal systems can reduce fragmentation in security policies and practices. Consolidating NIST 800-53 and 800-171 requirements addresses a broader spectrum of cybersecurity risks, from CUI-specific threats to more expansive enterprise risks, and can enhance incident prevention and response capabilities, improve risk management, and strengthen supply chain trust and integration. 

For example, extending beyond NIST 800-171 compliance to adopt broader requirements of 800-53 controls signals a strong commitment to safeguarding CUI, fostering trust with stakeholders and regulators, and enhancing credibility with federal agencies and private sector partners.

Other benefits of combining NIST 800-53 and 800-171 requirements include the following: 

• Comprehensive security coverage: Combining NIST 800-171 implementation with more 800-53 requirements ensures robust protections across all control families, from access control to incident response. The detailed guidance provided by 800-53’s expansive controls complements NIST 800-171’s targeted approach to protecting CUI, resulting in layered defenses.
• Efficiency through overlap: Leveraging shared controls minimizes the resources required to implement and maintain compliance. You can align your implementation efforts to reduce audit, assessment, and documentation process duplication. 
• Interoperability: NIST 800-53 and 800-171 align with other standards, such as ISO 27001, Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), simplifying multi-framework compliance. 
  
  

This visualization can help you decide where to begin with NIST 800-53 and 800-171. Your specific business context, information security systems, contractual obligations, or industry-specific requirements may necessitate a deeper dive into both frameworks.

Expert tips for implementation of NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171 together

Experts can advise you on implementing NIST 800-53 and 800-171 together. They can guide you in scoping your systems and focusing your efforts. That’s key to effective NIST implementation.

“Both frameworks deal with the protection and management of CUI,” says Harnagel. “It’s important to identify the systems that process or store CUI and remove those that do not handle CUI from the scope of your program.”

This strategy can ease the workload by excluding unnecessary systems and allowing your organization to focus on the areas that matter most. 

Ferrell says NIST 800-171 is expected to evolve further as the CMMC program matures and gathers insights from widespread adoption. CMMC is a framework designed by the DoD to ensure contractors and suppliers meet specific cybersecurity standards to protect sensitive government data, including CUI. It combines practices from frameworks like NIST 800-171 and establishes a tiered system of cybersecurity maturity levels.

“When you’re working with the government in whatever capacity, data is key,” says Kenneth Webb, Director of Assessments at Strike Graph. “The type of data, how you handle, store, and protect data for your business or target market is the starting line for determining which NIST special publication you align with. And as your business grows, so will your data. Build your NIST implementation strategy on top of that premise. Start small, and scale accordingly.”

Implementing 800-53 and 800-171 requires collaboration across IT, compliance, and leadership teams. Webb emphasizes the importance of upper management buy-in and the need to communicate the reasons behind the compliance project before kickoff. He advises transparency and a clear understanding of the benefits and risks involved.

“The first step for compliance projects is fostering collaboration across all relevant stakeholders,” Webb says. “Garnering support from leadership across the business can reduce friction and is crucial for successfully implementing a compliance program.”

Before you begin analyzing gaps in your information security systems against the NIST framework of choice, Webb also recommends that you clearly understand that special publication before planning remediation work.

“Do you truly comprehend how NIST 800-171 and 800-53 apply to your business, data, and operations? If not, network with your security community for insights, research existing forums, or engage with an external GRC partner,” says Webb.

Webb advises caution at this stage. Over-sharing sensitive details when collaborating with the information security community may compromise your efforts to strengthen your GRC program.

“Don’t share confidential information or go into too much detail when engaging with the security community, especially online,” says Webb. He shares an example relevant to the NIST 800-53 Physical Protection (PE) control family of requirements. “If you’re inquiring about help with physical access to information systems, don’t include any information about specific locations. Ask about strategies, share about strategy. You don’t need to add depth beyond that.”

Webb believes incremental, continuous improvement processes build the best information security programs. He also recommends you avoid implementing new controls like a numbers game of checked boxes if you are mapping controls for 800-171 and 800-53.

“I’m compliant with this number of requirements for the 800-171 control family, so let’s implement 10 more to meet 800-53’s control family requirements.’ That is a flawed approach,” says Webb. “Tailor your framework and controls to your specific business needs. If you already satisfy 800-171, ask how NIST 800-53 control family requirements apply to your business and the data it handles.”

Webb says prioritizing risk is essential.

“You need to apply a mix of qualitative and quantitative risk analysis to identify your high-priority areas of risk against the NIST requirements,” says Webb. “Determine the value perceived of proactively remediating the risk against the worst-case scenarios. What is the cost of this risk to your business if information security is compromised?” 

Once you establish a baseline, you can prioritize which high-priority risks to tackle first.

How to automate NIST 800-53 and 800-171 compliance

Automating NIST compliance makes implementation and monitoring much easier. Tools like SIEM systems and GRC platforms greatly reduce manual work. They also help you avoid documentation errors and provide real-time monitoring.

“Many technical controls, like encryption configurations, backups, and user listings, can all be automated with cloud service providers,” says Harnagel. 

Beyond reducing manual effort with automation, integrating with cloud-based services is another critical factor when implementing NIST 800-53 or 800-171 requirements, especially in multi-cloud environments.

“Automation plus integration is the goal when handling data in cloud environments,” says Webb. “Using a solution that standardizes information you’re pulling from different cloud services is crucial for automation, in my experience.”

He recommends leveraging an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solution, which automates the provisioning and management of cloud-based IT infrastructure through code. This approach ensures consistent, repeatable configurations, reduces errors, and integrates with automated compliance tracking and monitoring systems.

“People view automation through different lenses,” Webb says. “For some, how do I automate risk analysis based on the existing controls in place and this NIST framework? For others, maybe I can simplify evidence collection for these new controls with automation. Either way, narrow the scope of your automation efforts to get the most value.”

There are several options for continuous integration and automation of your NIST compliance efforts, including:

• Compliance management software: Implement an integrated platform that automatically tracks, assesses, and reports security control implementations across GRC frameworks.
• Continuous monitoring tools: Deploy real-time monitoring solutions that evaluate security controls and create automated compliance alerts.
• AI-powered security analytics: Utilize artificial intelligence integrations to predict potential compliance gaps, analyze risk patterns, and recommend proactive security improvements.
• Automated documentation processes: Create systematic documentation generation tools that automatically compile and update compliance evidence and assessment records.
• Integrated reporting dashboards: Develop comprehensive dashboards providing real-time visibility into compliance status across NIST 800-53 and 800-171 requirements.
  
  

Integrating automation into your 800-53 and 800-171 compliance efforts allows you to achieve faster implementation, strengthen security, and potentially reduce administrative overhead. Automation ensures that compliance efforts remain continuous and adaptive to evolving threats and regulatory updates.

How to simplify NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171 compliance

You can simplify your NIST 800-53 and 800-171 efforts by leveraging a unified compliance management platform.

Strike Graph’s customizable GRC platform includes cross-mapped suggested controls, integration offerings, and automation. If you want to learn how the controls and evidence for NIST 800-171 and 800-53 map specifically for your organization, set up a time to chat with a Strike Graph compliance expert.

Bundling NIST 800-171 and 800-53 using Strike Graph can save hundreds to thousands of dollars. By doing that, you can also simplify your FedRAMP compliance with Strike Graph.

Set up a call and demo with Strike Graph today.

NIST 800-171 and NIST 800-53 FAQs

Navigating the implementation of NIST frameworks can raise numerous questions. Below, we address some of the most common inquiries about the similarities, differences, and implementation.

Does NIST 800-53 include NIST 800-171?

NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-171 are related but distinct frameworks with unique applicability and some control overlap. Specifically, NIST 800-171 is a subset derived from NIST 800-53. 

What is the difference between NIST 800-53 and NIST 800-53A?

NIST 800-53A is an extension of NIST 800-53 that provides additional guidance on assessing the controls required by NIST 800-53. 

What is the difference between NIST SP 800-53 and NIST SP 800-53B?

NIST 800-53B provides guidance for the NIST 800-53 security controls. It offers implementation details and recommendations.

Is NIST 800-171 a subset of NIST 800-53?

Yes, NIST 800-171 is a subset of NIST 800-53. NIST 800-171 was developed to address the protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in non-federal systems and organizations. It simplifies and tailors the broader set of controls found in 800-53 to meet the needs of non-federal entities.

What is the difference between NIST and NIST 800-53?

NIST is a government agency that develops standards. On the other hand, NIST 800-53 is a standard maintained by NIST. It outlines security controls for protecting confidential unclassified information (CUI).

How does implementation complexity differ between the two frameworks?

NIST 800-53 is complex, requiring a lot of tailoring. NIST 800-171 is more streamlined, making it easier for smaller organizations.