Data breaches are on the rise, and it is vital that institutions of higher education (IHEs) protect data used in the administration of federal student aid programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). Updates are coming to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800–171, Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Systems (NIST 800–171 Rev. 3), and IHEs can review and comment on these updates. NIST 800-171 provides guidance that can be used by schools to secure their information systems and protect student information.
Review NIST’s presentation to learn more about NIST SP 800-171, Rev. 3 updates.
Submitting Comments
The public comment period is open through July 14, 2023. Submit your suggestions, questions, and comments to 800-171comments@list.nist.gov. NIST encourages reviewers to use this comment template when submitting comments.
NIST is specifically interested in comments, feedback, and recommendations for the following topics:
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Re-categorized controls e.g., controls formerly categorized as Non-Federal Organization (NFO) Controls.
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Inclusion of organization-defined parameters (ODP).
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Prototype CUI overlay.
For more information on providing draft feedback, visit the draft special publication on the NIST website.
The Department looks forward to continued collaboration with IHEs to protect student data. If you have any questions about the information included here, please contact FSASchoolCyberSafety@ed.gov.