NIST SP 800-171 Rev 2 · 3.13 System & Communications Protection

3.13.1 Boundary protection

Monitor, control, and protect communications (i.e., information transmitted or received by organizational systems) at the external boundaries and key internal boundaries of organizational systems.

SPRS weight

5

5 points deducted from 110 when not implemented.

CMMC level

L1 + L2

Level 1 practice SC.L1-3.13.1, from FAR 52.204-21(b)(1)(x)

Assessment objectives

8

From NIST SP 800-171A, each one a “determine if” an assessor answers.

What an assessor checks

NIST SP 800-171A breaks 3.13.1 into 8 objectives. Every one has to be met for the requirement to be met; a partial answer scores as not implemented.

1. [a]Determine if the external system boundary is defined.
2. [b]Determine if key internal system boundaries are defined.
3. [c]Determine if communications are monitored at the external system boundary.
4. [d]Determine if communications are monitored at key internal boundaries.
5. [e]Determine if communications are controlled at the external system boundary.
6. [f]Determine if communications are controlled at key internal boundaries.
7. [g]Determine if communications are protected at the external system boundary.
8. [h]Determine if communications are protected at key internal boundaries.

Examine

[SELECT FROM: System and communications protection policy; procedures addressing boundary protection; security plan; list of key internal boundaries of the system; system design documentation; boundary protection hardware and software; enterprise security architecture documentation; system audit logs and records; system configuration settings and associated documentation; other relevant documents or records].

Interview

[SELECT FROM: System or network administrators; personnel with information security responsibilities; system developer; personnel with boundary protection responsibilities].

Test

[SELECT FROM: Mechanisms implementing boundary protection capability].

If it is open: POA&M eligibility

A POA&M is only permitted at a score of 88 or above, and closes in one 180-day window. Check a full gap list or compute your score.

Where 3.13.1 maps

Query it from your own tools

This page and the MacTech CMMC MCP server render the same dataset. Ask your assistant and it will answer from the methodology, not from memory.

lookup_control 3.13.1
get_assessment_objectives 3.13.1
generate_poam_entries ["3.13.1"]

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