3.11.2Scan for vulnerabilities in Rev. 3
Reworded: 03.11.02 Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning. Gains organization-defined parameters.
Status as of 2026-09-08
Rev. 2 is what a contract requires today. DFARS 252.204-7012 and the CMMC rule at 32 CFR 170 point at NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, and a standing DoD class deviation keeps it there. NIST has published Rev. 3, but publishing a revision does not change an obligation. A move to Rev. 3 would arrive through the Department's reform process and formal rulemaking, a change to that deviation or an amendment to the rule, not through publication. The Department has published its organization-defined parameter values for Rev. 3 in preparation; that is groundwork, not adoption.
Side by side
Rev. 2 · in force 3.11.2 Vulnerability Scan
Assessment objectives · 800-171A
- [a] the frequency to scan for vulnerabilities in organizational systems and applications is defined
- [b] vulnerability scans are performed on organizational systems with the defined frequency
- [c] vulnerability scans are performed on applications with the defined frequency
- [d] vulnerability scans are performed on organizational systems when new vulnerabilities are identified
- [e] vulnerability scans are performed on applications when new vulnerabilities are identified
Rev. 3 · not adopted 03.11.02 Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning
a. Monitor and scan the system for vulnerabilities [Assignment: organization-defined frequency] and when new vulnerabilities affecting the system are identified.
b. Remediate system vulnerabilities within [Assignment: organization-defined response times].
c. Update system vulnerabilities to be scanned [Assignment: organization-defined frequency] and when new vulnerabilities are identified and reported.
Determination statements · 800-171A Rev. 3
- 03.11.02.a[01] the system is monitored for vulnerabilities <A.03.11.02.ODP[01]: frequency>.
- 03.11.02.a[02] the system is scanned for vulnerabilities <A.03.11.02.ODP[02]: frequency>.
- 03.11.02.a[03] the system is monitored for vulnerabilities when new vulnerabilities that affect the system are identified.
- 03.11.02.a[04] the system is scanned for vulnerabilities when new vulnerabilities that affect the system are identified.
- 03.11.02.b system vulnerabilities are remediated within <A.03.11.02.ODP[03]: response times>.
- 03.11.02.c[01] system vulnerabilities to be scanned are updated <A.03.11.02.ODP[04]: frequency>.
- 03.11.02.c[02] system vulnerabilities to be scanned are updated when new vulnerabilities are identified and reported.
Organization-defined parameters
- A.03.11.02.ODP[01] the frequency at which the system is monitored for vulnerabilities is defined.
- A.03.11.02.ODP[02] the frequency at which the system is scanned for vulnerabilities is defined.
- A.03.11.02.ODP[03] response times to remediate system vulnerabilities are defined.
- A.03.11.02.ODP[04] the frequency at which to update system vulnerabilities to be scanned is defined.
Left: NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 and 800-171A, verbatim. Right: NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 and 800-171A Rev. 3, verbatim, with organization-defined blanks highlighted.
Word by word
The Rev. 2 requirement compared with its Rev. 3 successor. A mechanical comparison of the two verbatim texts, not an interpretation.
removed in Rev. 3 added in Rev. 3
Rev. 2 3.11.2 → Rev. 3 03.11.02 Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning
11 words kept, 9 removed, 33 added. Rev. 3 statement labels omitted for the comparison.
What NIST says changed
- New security requirement title
- Aligned with SP 800-53, Rev 5 to provide more comprehensive detail on and foundational tasks for vulnerability monitoring and scanning
- Added new ODP: frequency to monitor and scan system for vulnerabilities
- Added new ODP: response time to remediate vulnerabilities
- Added new ODP: frequency to update vulnerabilities to be scanned
- Incorporates withdrawn requirement: 03.11.03
NIST, SP 800-171 Rev. 2 to Rev. 3 change analysis, class “Significant change”. At adoption, Bedrock files this under “Rework”.
NIST's Rev. 3 discussion for 03.11.02
Organizations determine the required vulnerability scanning for system components and ensure that potential sources of vulnerabilities (e.g., networked printers, scanners, and copiers) are not overlooked. Vulnerability analyses for custom software may require additional approaches, such as static analysis, dynamic analysis, or binary analysis. Organizations can use these approaches in source code reviews and tools (e.g., static analysis tools, web-based application scanners, binary analyzers). Vulnerability scanning includes scanning for patch levels; scanning for functions, ports, protocols, and services that should not be accessible to users or devices; and scanning for improperly configured or incorrectly operating flow control mechanisms. To facilitate interoperability, organizations consider using scanning tools that express vulnerabilities in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) naming convention. Sources for vulnerability information also include the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) listing, the National Vulnerability Database (NVD), and the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
What this means for you now
Nothing changes in what you are assessed against until a class deviation or a published rule adopts Rev. 3. Keep meeting 3.11.2 as written in Rev. 2, and if you already choose a value for the parameters above in practice, write it down where your system security plan can find it.
Bedrock CMMC shows this same comparison against your own package, with your current status on the Rev. 2 side, so the day adoption lands the migration is a review, not a rewrite.
Where this page's facts come from
- Rev. 2 text and objectives
- bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/004_reference_requirements.sql#Requirement.basicRequirement@rev2; bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/005_reference_objectives.sql#AssessmentObjective.description@rev2
- Mapping and change class
- bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:docs/reference/nist-800-171-rev3/normalized/r2_r3_transition_map.json#r2_to_r3
- Rev. 3 03.11.02
- bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:docs/reference/nist-800-171-rev3/normalized/rev3.json#requirements[]