How to Secure Your ComplyUp for NIST 800-171 and Obtain the Compliance Seal

 

Achieving NIST 800-171 compliance—and displaying the NIST 800-171 badge or compliance seal—means you’ve proven you can securely store, process, and transmit Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) for U.S. government contracts. ComplyUp provides a platform to track and manage these requirements, but you must secure it properly and pass NIST 800-171 assessments.

• Understand NIST 800-171 Basics: NIST 800-171 is a set of cybersecurity controls created to protect CUI in non-federal systems. There are 14 families of requirements—like access control, incident response, encryption, and system integrity—with 110 individual controls you must meet.
• Protect Access to ComplyUp: Always use strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and assigned roles for each user. Only give users access to the data and features they need. Restrict admin rights to as few people as possible.
• Keep Your ComplyUp Software Secure and Updated: Apply all updates and patches as soon as they’re available. Updates often fix vulnerabilities, which could be exploited if left unpatched.
• Back Up Your Data Regularly: Store backups in a secure, separate location. Make sure you can restore your ComplyUp data in case of ransomware or other attacks.
• Follow Security Training and Awareness: Train all users in security best practices, including phishing, social engineering, and how to report incidents quickly.
• Document Every Step: Keep records of all actions you take within ComplyUp: account changes, policy updates, risk assessments, incident reports, and access logs. Documentation is a major part of passing an audit.
• Encrypt Sensitive Data: Encrypt all CUI within the ComplyUp system, both when it’s stored and when it’s sent over the internet.
• Monitor and Respond: Enable alerting for suspicious activities in ComplyUp. Have a response plan for incidents—and test it regularly.
• Perform Regular Assessments: Schedule internal reviews, vulnerability scans, and risk assessments, all tracked within ComplyUp. This makes audit preparation easier and ensures nothing is overlooked.
• Work with a Readiness Partner: Engage specialized consultants such as OCD Tech for readiness assessments, gap analysis, mock audits, and implementation guidance. They can evaluate your current security posture in ComplyUp—and provide remediation steps to meet every NIST 800-171 control.

How To Get How to Secure Your ComplyUp for NIST 800-171 Badge/Seal:

• After full implementation, perform a self-assessment using the NIST 800-171 Assessment Methodology available in ComplyUp.
• Remediate all deficiencies and close any open items identified.
• Have a third-party readiness assessment or pre-assessment (like with OCD Tech) to ensure no control is missed.
• Create a System Security Plan (SSP) and Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) as evidence of compliance—these are required documents for NIST 800-171 audits and badge requests.
• Report your assessment results through the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS) as required by the DoD, and provide evidence if requested by your customer or contract officer.

What's Most Important for Passing Audits?

• Comprehensive documentation—every control needs evidence.
• Security awareness and correct access controls for all staff using ComplyUp.
• Regularly tested incident response and backup plans.
• Proactively fixing issues—don’t leave open security gaps.
• Engaging external experts for verification (like OCD Tech), not just self-assessment.

By following these actionable steps and leveraging both ComplyUp and professional consultants like OCD Tech, you’ll confidently secure your platform, achieve NIST 800-171 compliance, and earn your badge or seal for government contracting.