to move, Enter to open, Esc to close. Try 3.5.3, AC.L2-3.1.1, MFA or unmarked.

3.2.3Cover insider threat in Rev. 3

Withdrawn and incorporated elsewhere: 03.02.01 Literacy Training and Awareness.

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 3.2.3 Insider Threat Awareness

Provide security awareness training on recognizing and reporting potential indicators of insider threat.

Assessment objectives · 800-171A

  1. [a] potential indicators associated with insider threats are identified
  2. [b] security awareness training on recognizing and reporting potential indicators of insider threat is provided to managers and employees

Rev. 3 · not adopted 03.02.01 Literacy Training and Awareness

a. Provide security literacy training to system users:

01. As part of initial training for new users and [Assignment: organization-defined frequency] thereafter,

02. When required by system changes or following [Assignment: organization-defined events], and

03. On recognizing and reporting indicators of insider threat, social engineering, and social mining.

b. Update security literacy training content [Assignment: organization-defined frequency] and following [Assignment: organization-defined events].

Determination statements · 800-171A Rev. 3

  1. 03.02.01.a.01[01] security literacy training is provided to system users as part of initial training for new users.
  2. 03.02.01.a.01[02] security literacy training is provided to system users <A.03.02.01.ODP[01]: frequency> after initial training.
  3. 03.02.01.a.02 security literacy training is provided to system users when required by system changes or following <A.03.02.01.ODP[02]: events>.
  4. 03.02.01.a.03[01] security literacy training is provided to system users on recognizing indicators of insider threat.
  5. 03.02.01.a.03[02] security literacy training is provided to system users on reporting indicators of insider threat.
  6. 03.02.01.a.03[03] security literacy training is provided to system users on recognizing indicators of social engineering.
  7. 03.02.01.a.03[04] security literacy training is provided to system users on reporting indicators of social engineering.
  8. 03.02.01.a.03[05] security literacy training is provided to system users on recognizing indicators of social mining.
  9. 03.02.01.a.03[06] security literacy training is provided to system users on reporting indicators of social mining.
  10. 03.02.01.b[01] security literacy training content is updated <A.03.02.01.ODP[03]: frequency>.
  11. 03.02.01.b[02] security literacy training content is updated following <A.03.02.01.ODP[04]: events>.

Organization-defined parameters

  • A.03.02.01.ODP[01] the frequency at which to provide security literacy training to system users after initial training is defined.
  • A.03.02.01.ODP[02] events that require security literacy training for system users are defined.
  • A.03.02.01.ODP[03] the frequency at which to update security literacy training content is defined.
  • A.03.02.01.ODP[04] events that require security literacy training content updates are defined.

Draws on Rev. 2 3.2.1, 3.2.3.

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 3.2.3 → Rev. 3 03.02.01 Literacy Training and Awareness

Provide security awareness literacy training to system users: As part of initial training for new users and [Assignment: organization-defined frequency] thereafter, When required by system changes or following [Assignment: organization-defined events], and On recognizing and reporting potential indicators of insider threat, social engineering, and social mining. Update security literacy training content [Assignment: organization-defined frequency] and following [Assignment: organization-defined events].

11 words kept, 2 removed, 46 added. Rev. 3 statement labels omitted for the comparison.

What NIST says changed

Rev. 3 withdraws this requirement as a separate item and folds it into another requirement. NIST's note: Incorporated into 03.02.01.

NIST's Rev. 3 discussion for 03.02.01

Organizations provide basic and advanced levels of security literacy training to system users (including managers, senior executives, system administrators, and contractors) and measures to test the knowledge level of users. Organizations determine the content of literacy training based on specific organizational requirements, the systems to which personnel have authorized access, and work environments (e.g., telework). The content includes an understanding of the need for security and the actions required of users to maintain security and respond to incidents. The content also addresses the need for operations security and the handling of CUI. Security awareness techniques include displaying posters, offering supplies inscribed with security reminders, generating email advisories or notices from organizational officials, displaying logon screen messages, and conducting awareness events using podcasts, videos, and webinars. Security literacy training is conducted at a frequency consistent with applicable laws, directives, regulations, and policies. Updating literacy training content on a regular basis ensures that the content remains relevant. Events that may precipitate an update to literacy training content include assessment or audit findings, security incidents or breaches, or changes in applicable laws, Executive Orders, directives, regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines. Potential indicators and possible precursors of insider threats include behaviors such as inordinate, long-term job dissatisfaction; attempts to gain access to information that is not required for job performance; unexplained access to financial resources; sexual harassment or bullying of fellow employees; workplace violence; and other serious violations of the policies, procedures, rules, directives, or practices of organizations. Organizations may consider tailoring insider threat awareness topics to roles (e.g., training for managers may be focused on specific changes in the behavior of team members, while training for employees may be focused on more general observations). Social engineering is an attempt to deceive an individual into revealing information or taking an action that can be used to breach, compromise, or otherwise adversely impact a system. Social engineering includes phishing, pretexting, impersonation, baiting, quid pro quo, threadjacking, social media exploitation, and tailgating. Social mining is an attempt to gather information about the organization that may be used to support future attacks. Security literacy training includes how to communicate employee and management concerns regarding potential indicators of insider threat and potential and actual instances of social engineering and data mining through appropriate organizational channels in accordance with established policies and procedures.

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 3.2.3 as written in Rev. 2.

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.

Back to the Rev. 2 vs Rev. 3 overview

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 03.02.01
bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:docs/reference/nist-800-171-rev3/normalized/rev3.json#requirements[]