Creating a RACI matrix (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) for NIST 800-171 controls can help clarify roles and responsibilities when implementing these security requirements for the protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Below is a high-level overview of how you can assign RACI roles to some of the control families outlined in NIST 800-171. This is just an example, and you would need to customize it to your organization.
NIST 800-171 Control Families and Sample RACI Matrix
Explanation of Roles:
• Responsible (R): The person(s) who do the work to achieve the task.
• Accountable (A): The person who is ultimately answerable for the task’s completion.
• Consulted (C): Those whose opinions are sought before a decision or action is taken.
• Informed (I): Those who are kept up to date on progress or decisions.
Example for Control Family: Access Control (AC)
• Responsible: IT Security Team — Responsible for implementing access control mechanisms, enforcing least privilege, and ensuring multi-factor authentication.
• Accountable: CISO — Accountable for ensuring access control measures are adequate and effective.
• Consulted: Risk Manager — Consulted to assess potential risks associated with access control.
• Informed: Compliance Officer — Informed about access control policies to ensure compliance with NIST 800-171.
This RACI matrix provides a starting point to define who is involved in meeting NIST 800-171 requirements and what their roles are. You can adjust it depending on your organization’s structure, resources, and specific compliance needs.
