OneClickComply
    NIST SP 800-171A Rev. 3Supported in OneClickComply

    Prepare for NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 assessments with evidence ready

    NIST SP 800-171A Rev. 3 is the NIST publication that explains how to assess the security requirements in NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). For each requirement it gives an assessment objective made up of determination statements, plus the potential examine, interview and test methods and objects an assessor can use. It is the reference for a Rev. 3 self-assessment or independent assessment.

    See the NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 requirements
    NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 Aligned
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    In-House Audit Team
    Who needs NIST 800-171A Rev. 3

    Is NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 right for your organisation?

    Organisations that handle CUI for US federal agencies, and the assessors who check them, use 800-171A Rev. 3 when measuring compliance with 800-171 Rev. 3. It matters most when a contract or agency asks for Rev. 3, or when a contractor wants to prepare early for the move from Rev. 2. Defence contractors should note that DFARS and CMMC Level 2 assessments currently still reference Rev. 2 and the original 800-171A.

    Adopting it is voluntary, though customers and auditors often expect it.

    NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 at a glance
    Issued by
    National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
    Published
    May 2024 (final)
    Assesses
    NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3
    Structure
    97 assessment procedures across 17 families
    Assessment methods
    Examine, interview and test
    Applies to
    Non-federal systems that process, store or transmit CUI
    Status for DoD contracts
    DFARS and CMMC Level 2 still reference Rev. 2 under a DoD class deviation
    Type
    Guidance (voluntary)
    Region
    United States, US
    In OneClickComply
    Supported today
    How we help

    OneClickComply makes it simple

    NIST SP 800-171A Rev. 3 is mapped in OneClickComply's control library and available on request. We map each assessment procedure to controls in your platform, collect evidence from your connected cloud, identity and device tools, and generate the policies and system security plan an assessor will examine. Our in-house audit team can review your determination statements before a formal assessment.

    Requirements covered

    97 assessment procedures (A.03.01.01 to A.03.17.03) across 17 families, one for each NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 security requirement, each split into determination statements with examine, interview and test methods.

    Already working towards another framework?

    • ISO 270019% of NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 overlaps
    • SOC 274% of NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 overlaps
    • NIST CSF51% of NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 overlaps
    • GDPR5% of NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 overlaps

    Evidence you collect once counts towards every framework it applies to.

    Manual NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 vs. OneClickComply

    Manual NIST 800-171A Rev. 3
    • Working through hundreds of determination statements in spreadsheets
    • Chasing screenshots and exports for every examine object
    • Writing policies and a system security plan from blank templates
    • Evidence going stale between self-assessment and formal assessment
    • Repeating work when moving from Rev. 2 to Rev. 3 procedures
    With OneClickComply
    • Determination statements tracked against mapped controls in one place
    • Evidence pulled automatically from your connected tools
    • Policies and system security plan generated from your environment
    • Continuous monitoring keeps evidence current between assessments
    • Control mapping reuses Rev. 2 evidence where it still applies
    Capabilities

    Everything you need for NIST 800-171A Rev. 3

    Every Rev. 3 assessment procedure mapped to platform controls

    Automated evidence for examine objects from 13,000+ integrations

    AutoComplete policies and system security plan from your real environment

    Continuous monitoring with alerts when a determination statement drifts

    OneClickFix for supported misconfigurations, logged as evidence

    Ask an Auditor for help interpreting determination statements

    How it works

    Three steps to NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 compliance

    01

    Connect & scan

    Connect your cloud, identity and SaaS tools. OneClickComply checks them against NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 and shows you exactly where you stand.

    02

    Fix & generate

    OneClickFix remediates technical gaps in one click, and AutoComplete generates NIST 800-171A Rev. 3-aligned policies from your real environment.

    03

    Monitor & evidence

    Continuous monitoring keeps you compliant, and our in-house audit team is on hand when you need expert guidance.

    Requirements

    NIST SP 800-171A Rev. 3 requirements

    All 97 assessment procedures in SP 800-171A Rev. 3, one per SP 800-171 Rev. 3 security requirement across 17 families; each contains several determination statements not listed here.

    ReferenceRequirement
    A.03.01.01Account Management
    A.03.01.02Access Enforcement
    A.03.01.03Information Flow Enforcement
    A.03.01.04Separation of Duties
    A.03.01.05Least Privilege
    A.03.01.06Least Privilege: Privileged Accounts
    A.03.01.07Least Privilege: Privileged Functions
    A.03.01.08Unsuccessful Logon Attempts
    A.03.01.09System Use Notification
    A.03.01.10Device Lock
    A.03.01.11Session Termination
    A.03.01.12Remote Access
    A.03.01.16Wireless Access
    A.03.01.18Access Control for Mobile Devices
    A.03.01.20Use of External Systems
    A.03.01.22Publicly Accessible Content
    A.03.02.01Literacy Training and Awareness
    A.03.02.02Role-Based Training
    A.03.03.01Event Logging
    A.03.03.02Audit Record Content

    Always check the official NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 text for the exact wording.

    NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 FAQs

    What is NIST SP 800-171A Rev. 3?

    NIST SP 800-171A Rev. 3 is the NIST guide to assessing the security requirements in NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3. It gives one assessment procedure for each of the 97 requirements, breaking each into determination statements and listing the examine, interview and test methods an assessor can use. It helps organisations and assessors judge, consistently, whether Controlled Unclassified Information in non-federal systems is properly protected.

    How is SP 800-171A Rev. 3 different from SP 800-171 Rev. 3?

    SP 800-171 Rev. 3 says what to do and SP 800-171A Rev. 3 says how to check it was done. The first sets the 97 security requirements for protecting CUI. The companion 800-171A Rev. 3 turns each requirement into an assessment objective with determination statements, and suggests what to examine, who to interview and what to test, so findings are consistent and repeatable.

    How is 800-171A Rev. 3 different from the original 800-171A?

    The original SP 800-171A, published in 2018, assesses the 110 requirements of SP 800-171 Rev. 2. SP 800-171A Rev. 3 assesses the 97 requirements of Rev. 3, which are grouped into 17 families including new Planning, System and Services Acquisition, and Supply Chain Risk Management families. Rev. 3 procedures also reflect organisation-defined parameters, so assessors check values the organisation or agency has set.

    Do CMMC assessments use 800-171A Rev. 3?

    Not at present. CMMC Level 2 and DFARS 252.204-7012 still reference NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 and the original SP 800-171A, under a Department of Defense class deviation. Rev. 3 is widely expected to be adopted for defence work in future, so many contractors use 800-171A Rev. 3 to plan ahead, but they should follow the version their contract specifies.

    Who must follow NIST SP 800-171A Rev. 3?

    No one is required to follow it by default, because it is guidance. It becomes relevant when a federal agency, contract or prime contractor requires compliance with SP 800-171 Rev. 3, since 800-171A Rev. 3 is then the reference for assessing that compliance. Assessors, consultants and contractors also use it voluntarily to run consistent self-assessments.

    What are the assessment methods in 800-171A Rev. 3?

    There are three assessment methods: examine, interview and test. Examine means reviewing documents, records and system settings such as policies and the system security plan. Interview means talking with people who carry out or oversee the controls. Test means exercising mechanisms or activities to compare actual behaviour with expected behaviour. Assessors choose the methods and objects that fit each determination statement.

    How long does an 800-171A Rev. 3 assessment take?

    It depends on the size and complexity of the system that handles CUI, how mature its controls are, and how ready the evidence is. NIST does not set a fixed timescale. Preparation such as scoping, writing the system security plan and gathering evidence for each determination statement usually takes far longer than the assessment itself, which is where automation saves the most time.

    Does OneClickComply support NIST SP 800-171A Rev. 3?

    Yes, on request. NIST SP 800-171A Rev. 3 is mapped in OneClickComply's control library and available on request rather than live by default. Once enabled, it uses the same controls, automated evidence collection, policy generation and continuous monitoring as other frameworks, so evidence you already hold for SP 800-171 Rev. 2, ISO 27001 or SOC 2 can count towards it.

    Related standards

    All standards

    Products that power NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 compliance

    OneClickFix

    Auto-remediate technical controls

    AutoComplete Policies

    AI-generated compliance policies

    Continuous Monitoring

    24/7 drift detection & alerting

    Automated Evidence

    Evidence from 13,000+ integrations

    Get NIST 800-171A Rev. 3 ready, not stressed

    Automate controls, gather evidence continuously and stay audit-ready, all on one platform.