# NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 3.13.11 — Cryptographic Protection - Source: https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-13-11-cryptographic-protection - Section: [Compliance](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance) › [NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 Requirements](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3) › System and Communications Protection — §3.13 - Last updated: 2026-06-05 - Publisher: iCompaas, Inc. (https://www.icompaas.com) **NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3**·Requirement `3.13.11`·critical·Component: **Situational Awareness** ## What this control requires > This control requires implementing cryptographic mechanisms to protect the confidentiality of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). The cryptography must align with applicable laws, regulations, and standards, with FIPS-validated cryptography recommended for CUI protection. This control supports the Cryptographic Protection capability within the Situational Awareness (3.13) family. > > — NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3, Requirement 3.13.11 ### In plain English This control requires implementing cryptographic mechanisms to protect the confidentiality of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). In practice, this means you can prove you information management-level controls on a defined cadence. ## Why it matters DoD contractors and their subcontractors must implement all 100 SP 800-171 requirements to keep CUI handling contracts. Gaps are scored against the SPRS scoring methodology; below a 110-point starting score, each unmet requirement deducts points and a below-threshold score can disqualify a bid. This control is rated **critical** in the source catalogue. Treat gaps here as production incidents in the risk register, not housekeeping. ## What an auditor looks for A C3PAO conducting a CMMC Level 2 assessment uses NIST SP 800-171A objectives. They expect a System Security Plan (SSP), Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) for any gaps, and objective evidence (configurations, ticket records, training records) for every requirement. Within **Situational Awareness**, the assessor will trace your implementation back to the catalogue reference (Requirement 3.13.11) and look for objective evidence on the latest two assessment cycles. ## How to implement #### Policy Management **Docs.** Keep each policy in version-controlled Markdown alongside the code that implements it; ship a signed PDF snapshot at each annual review and link the SHA into the SoA. ### Operational checklist - **Information.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **Protection.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **Risk.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **Cryptographic.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **Policy.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **Scope:** management, cui, - cryptographic protection. ## Evidence to collect - **Policy Document.** A signed and version-controlled policy / standard / procedure document. - **Infra Scan.** Continuous infrastructure-posture telemetry — AWS Config, Azure Policy compliance, GCP Organisation Policy, Wiz / Prisma findings. Signed policy or standard documents the safeguard. Focus: Cryptographic Protection. ## Common pitfalls - Policies that no engineer has read; the version in Confluence drifts from the version that's actually being enforced. ## How it maps to other frameworks Computed from shared tags, control component and key-operation subjects — handy when you are reconciling controls across an audit. - [**NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 SC-12(2)** — Symmetric Keys](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/sc-12-2-symmetric-keys) - [**ISO/IEC 27001:2022 A.5.5** — Contact with authorities](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/iso-27001-2022/a-5-5-contact-with-authorities) - [**SOC 2 (2017 TSC) CC2.3** — External Communication on Internal Control Matters](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/soc-2-trust-services-criteria/cc2-3-external-communication-on-internal-control-matters) - [**BSI C5:2020 AM-06** — Asset Classification and Labelling](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/bsi-c5-2020/am-06-asset-classification-and-labelling) - [**HIPAA (45 CFR Part 164) 164.308(a)(5)(i)** — Security Awareness and Training](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/hipaa/164-308-a-5-i-security-awareness-and-training) ## Related controls in NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 - [**Requirement 3.13.15** — Session Authenticity](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-13-15-session-authenticity) - [**Requirement 3.8.3** — Media Sanitization](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-8-3-media-sanitization) - [**Requirement 3.15.1** — Policy and Procedures](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-15-1-policy-and-procedures) - [**Requirement 3.15.3** — Rules of Behavior](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-15-3-rules-of-behavior) - [**Requirement 3.8.4** — Media Marking](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-8-4-media-marking) - [**Requirement 3.10.6** — Alternate Work Site](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-10-6-alternate-work-site) ## References - [NIST Computer Security Resource Center — NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/171/r3/final) - Catalogue identifier: `Requirement 3.13.11` Topics: governance riskpolicy management ## Related compliance guidance - [NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC: a practical guide to protecting CUI in the cloud](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3): Start with the full NIST SP 800-171 implementation guide — scope, roadmap, evidence and how the assessment runs. - [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: a practical implementation guide for cloud teams](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5): The catalogue 800-171 is tailored from, and the basis of the FedRAMP Moderate baseline your cloud providers must meet for CUI. - [ISO/IEC 27001:2022 compliance: a practical implementation guide](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/iso-27001-2022): If commercial customers ask for a certificate as well, most 800-171 controls can be evidenced once and mapped to Annex A.