Defense contractors and subcontractors are required under the DFARS 252.204-7012 documentation to establish acceptable security controls to guard CUI. This is, of obviously, a highly ambiguous word that is quite useless on its own.
However, for good reason, the word “sufficient security” is ambiguous. The cyberthreat landscape is always changing, as are the best practices that must be applied to guard against the most recent attacks. Control systems developed to prevent frequent risks some years ago, for instance, may no longer provide adequate protection. Since DFARS standards are complicated to understand, it’s important to hire DFARS consultant .
The Department of Defense defines appropriate security as the defensive measures taken to reduce the potential threat. The paperwork requires defense contractors to adhere to the NIST Special Publication 800 171 methodology, while also allowing considerable leeway in determining which measures to implement. After all, because each computer environment is unique, there really is no such thing as a fully defined set of interfaces and processes.
Adhering to the NIST SP 800 171 framework
The DFARS cybersecurity regulations are built on the National Institute of Standards and Technology framework (NIST). The paper outlines all of the steps you must take to guarantee that ‘sufficient security’ criteria are satisfied. In other sense, it is a starting point for enterprises to acquire a suitable degree of cyberthreat defense.
To safeguard your network infrastructure, you must safeguard all of your infrastructure’s tangible and digital elements. Workstations, networking gear, and portable devices are examples of physical elements. Virtual components include cloud-hosted virtual computers, web-based software and storage platforms, and virtualized infrastructure. In addition, you must have a set of well defined rules and practices in place to regulate how these diverse components operate within security constraints.
Despite the fact that the NIST SP 800-171 architecture is smaller and simpler than the 800-53 framework, the document is still 76 pages lengthy. It has 110 controls spread over 14 security domains, including network access control, assessment and responsibility, and training and awareness. Consider these controls to be the many high-level requirements that must be met in order to provide appropriate security. However, how you integrate these restrictions is entirely up to you. In other respect, you must do it, just like you have to pay taxation, but there are numerous methods to accomplish it.
Creating a security plan
There is more to establishing appropriate security than simply following legislation or executing widely acknowledged best practices. Every institution must also define adequate for itself, and the spectrum of measures adopted might vary greatly. Starting with the correct considerations, such as which asset you intend to preserve, which resources you have that manage CUI, and how you can successfully manage residual risk, is the ideal strategy. After all, no corporation can completely safeguard everything and avoid every conceivable assault, which is why prioritization is essential.
When developing your security plan, consider the specific qualities of your company and its market. Businesses that manage many physical sites, for example, may need to adopt a greater variety of preventive precautions than an entity that simply maintains one location. Furthermore, safeguarding a widely dispersed computing infrastructure where workers frequently work remotely utilizing their own tools differs greatly from defending a standard in-house network.
Finally, proper security is essentially a question of evaluating and managing risk, and, in the event of DFARS compliance, guaranteeing that all 110 NIST SP 800 171 controls are fulfilled. There will always be some risk, but by following industry best practices to the letter, that risk should be reduced to an insignificant level. The objective is not to achieve perfection since it is unachievable. Instead, the objective should be continual improvement through the implementation of a routine assessment procedure that assesses your current security measures and how they compare to the most recent best standards on a regular basis.
