3.11.3: Prioritize and Remediate Vulnerabilities Based on Risk

What is NIST 800-171 Control 3.11.3?
Control 3.11.3 is the natural follow-up to 3.11.2. After you scan for vulnerabilities, you must:
• Evaluate their risk (based on severity, exploitability, impact)
• Remediate them in a timely manner
• Track and document remediation actions
• Reassess to ensure the fix was effective
This ensures that vulnerabilities affecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) are addressed in a way that’s aligned with your risk posture.

Why It Matters
Finding a vulnerability is only half the battle—fixing it appropriately and quickly is what really reduces risk.
This control helps ensure that:
• High-risk issues are addressed first
• Remediation isn’t delayed or deprioritized
• You’re not treating all vulnerabilities equally when they aren’t

How to Implement It
• Tie vulnerability findings into your risk management program
• Classify findings by:
◦ CVSS score
◦ Business impact
◦ Likelihood of exploitation
• Assign risk-based remediation timelines (e.g., critical = 48 hours)
• Assign ownership and track progress in a ticketing or tracking system
• Perform follow-up scans to confirm resolution

Common Mistakes
• Fixing easy issues first while critical ones linger
• Treating scanning and remediation as separate processes
• Not documenting remediation steps or timelines for audits

How Cuick Trac Helps
Cuick Trac supports remediation workflows by:
• Helping you interpret and prioritize vulnerabilities by risk
• Providing action plans and timelines based on industry best practices
• Offering integrations with ticketing systems and SIEMs to track fixes
• Documenting remediation activities for NIST 800-171 and CMMC compliance
With Cuick Trac, risk-based remediation is part of a continuous improvement loop—not a reactive to-do list.

Final CTA
Scan it. Score it. Fix it—with purpose.
Book a Cuick Trac demo and strengthen your vulnerability management from detection to resolution.

🍪 We Use Cookies

To enhance your experience and analyze site usage, we use cookies. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our use of cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.