NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC are both U.S. government frameworks designed to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) — that is, private companies that work with the Department of Defense (DoD).

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is a U.S. Department of Defense program that certifies the cybersecurity practices of defense industrial base companies to protect sensitive information, particularly Controlled Unclassified Information and Federal Contract Information, from cyber threats.  

How They Work Together

• NIST 800-171 = the standard defining what controls are required.
• CMMC = the program that verifies those controls are actually implemented and maintained.

So, a company can think of NIST 800-171 as the rulebook, and CMMC as the referee and scoring system ensuring the rules are followed.

Protect sensitive data:
Protect sensitive information, such as personnel records and technical data, from theft or unintentional leaks. 

Verify cybersecurity: 
A self-attestation model to a “trust but verify” approach, requiring third-party assessments to validate a contractor’s security posture. 

Unify standards: 
Serves as a unifying framework for DoD contractors, ensuring consistent implementation of cybersecurity controls across the entire defense supply chain. 

Department of Defense contractors and subcontractors must implement CMMC if their contracts require handling Federal Contract Information or Controlled Unclassified Information, which applies to many businesses in the Defense Industrial Base. 

Implementation is a requirement for these organizations to protect sensitive government data and maintain eligibility for future contracts, especially for those involved in CUI, which may require CMMC Level 2 certification

CMMC covers the implementation of cybersecurity standards to protect Federal Contract Information and Controlled Unclassified Information held by Department of Defense contractors and subcontractors. 

The framework establishes different maturity levels for security, with requirements for basic protection of FCI at Level 1 and more advanced, third-party verified safeguards for CUI at Level 2 and above.

For information call (248) 355-4421