NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3vsUK Cyber Essentials
See exactly how NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 controls map to UK Cyber Essentials. Pre-computed mappings, identified gaps, and coverage analysis.
A reviewed coverage crosswalk for this pair is available. See which UK Cyber Essentials controls you already evidence.
According to the TheArtOfService Compliance Knowledge Graph:
NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 maps to UK Cyber Essentials with 37% coverage across 36 directly mapped controls. Analysis of 97 NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 controls identifies 61 compliance gaps, primarily concentrated in 03.03 AU (Audit and Accountability).
Source: TheArtOfService Knowledge Graph | 97 controls analysed | 686 frameworks | 309K+ cross-framework mappings
Control Mappings
Showing 20 of 68 mapped controls across 13 domains. Sign up to explore all 309K+ mappings across 686 frameworks.
03.01 AC (Access Control)(19 mappings)
03.02 AT (Awareness and Training)(1 mappings)
+48 more mappings
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The NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 to UK Cyber Essentials crosswalk
The table above lists candidate mappings. A crosswalk answers the narrower question you are probably here for: which UK Cyber Essentials controls your existing NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 work already satisfies, which are real gaps, and the reasoning behind every claim so you can check it. One pair, $299, one time.
Coverage does not run both ways. NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 into UK Cyber Essentials lands at 75%, while UK Cyber Essentials into NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 lands at 20.6%, on the same two control sets. That is not a rounding difference. It is the whole reason these are two separate reports: one asks what your NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 evidence buys you for UK Cyber Essentials, the other asks the reverse.
27 of 36 UK Cyber Essentials controls are evidenced by work you have already done for NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3. 9 are genuine gaps.
A sample of what the report says
Account management defines establishment, membership conditions and authorisation before access.
Grounded in 03.01.01 Account Management. Confidence high, survived the refutation pass.
Where identity is established without a password, use a recognised passwordless method such as a FIDO2 authenticator or passkey, biometric, hardware security key or token, push notification or one-time code, and manage it as the...
Every one of the 27 evidenced controls and 9 gaps in the report carries this much reasoning, so you can check the claim rather than take it on trust.
20 of 97 NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 controls are evidenced by work you have already done for UK Cyber Essentials. 77 are genuine gaps.
A sample of what the report says
Both require a documented approval process before an account is established.
Grounded in CE-AC.1 User Account Approval Process. Confidence high, survived the refutation pass.
Enforce approved authorizations for controlling the flow of CUI within the system and between connected systems.
Every one of the 20 evidenced controls and 77 gaps in the report carries this much reasoning, so you can check the claim rather than take it on trust.
- Every evidenced control, with the reasoning behind it
- Every gap, with what it requires
- Its level of review stated plainly, not a bare number
Why this page shows two different percentages. The 37% in the header counts how many NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 controls carry at least one candidate mapping in the graph, before any review. The crosswalk percentage counts something stricter: how many UK Cyber Essentials controls are actually evidenced, after a pass that argued against each mapping and kept only what survived. They answer different questions and they are not meant to agree.
A crosswalk narrows the work. It does not replace an audit, and your assessor may take a different view on individual controls. Mappings between frameworks are judgements, not text printed in either standard, which is why every claim in the report shows its reasoning. Questions go to support@theartofservice.com.
Related Comparisons
Other NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 comparisons
Other UK Cyber Essentials comparisons
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What are the key differences between NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 and UK Cyber Essentials?
NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 has 97 controls across its framework, while UK Cyber Essentials covers 36 controls. Direct mapping analysis identifies 36 overlapping controls (37% coverage). The frameworks diverge most significantly in 03.03 AU (Audit and Accountability), where 8 NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 controls have no direct UK Cyber Essentials equivalent.
How many controls map between NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 and UK Cyber Essentials?
Of 97 total NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 controls, 36 map directly to UK Cyber Essentials controls, representing 37% coverage. The remaining 61 controls represent compliance gaps requiring additional documentation or compensating controls to satisfy both frameworks simultaneously.
What are the compliance gaps when mapping NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 to UK Cyber Essentials?
61 NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 controls have no direct equivalent in UK Cyber Essentials. The highest concentration of gaps is in 03.03 AU (Audit and Accountability) with 8 unmapped controls. These gaps represent areas where additional controls, policies, or documentation must be created to achieve compliance with both frameworks.
Which control domains have the most gaps between NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 and UK Cyber Essentials?
The domain with the highest gap count is 03.03 AU (Audit and Accountability) (8 gaps). Export the full domain-by-domain gap breakdown via the Professional tier to generate a prioritised remediation roadmap.
Related Resources
This platform provides educational compliance tools, not legal, regulatory, or professional compliance advice. Cross-framework mappings are AI-assisted interpretations and do not reproduce or replace official standards. Framework names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Consult qualified professionals for your specific compliance requirements. See our Terms of Service.