Using NIST SP 800-161 for Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a federal agency within the United States Department of Commerce with responsibilities including establishing computer and information technology-related standards and guidelines for federal agencies. One such NIST guideline is Special Publication (SP) 800-161. Currently on revision 1 updated in 2022, NIST SP 800-161 outlines a complementary framework to NIST SP 800-53 that enables the framing, assessment, response, and monitoring of cybersecurity supply chain risks.

SP 800-161 integrates cybersecurity supply chain risk management (C-SCRM) into risk management activities by applying a multilevel, C-SCRM-specific approach. It offers guidance on developing C-SCRM strategy implementation plans, C-SCRM policies, C-SCRM plans, and risk assessments for products and services. Due to its comprehensive subject matter, this standard has become a globally adopted framework for implementing and maintaining supply chain risk management controls.

This post examines the applicable cybersecurity supply chain risk management controls in the SP 800-53r5 Supply Chain Risk Management control family (SR) with additional NIST SP 800-161r1 guidance. It identifies best practice capabilities that you can use to meet NIST requirements for stronger supply chain security.

How Prevalent Helps Address NIST SP 800-161 Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management Guidelines

Prevalent delivers a central, automated platform for scaling third-party risk management and cybersecurity supply chain risk management. With Prevalent, your team can:

• Build a best-practice third-party risk management program in line with your organization’s broader cybersecurity supply chain and enterprise risk management programs
• Leverage consolidated insights across multiple risk areas to automate RFx processes and make more informed supplier due diligence decisions
• Centralize the distribution, discussion, retention, and review of vendor contracts to ensure that key security requirements are included, agreed upon, and enforced with key performance indicators (KPIs)
• Build a single supplier inventory and gauge inherent risk to inform service provider profiling, tiering, and categorization – and determine the appropriate scope and frequency of ongoing due diligence activities
• Automate risk assessments and remediation across every stage of the third-party lifecycle
• Continuously track and analyze external threats to third parties by monitoring the Internet and dark web for cyber threats and vulnerabilities

For more on how Prevalent can help meet NIST guidelines request a solution demo today.