NIST SP 800-171
Control 3.8.3
Sanitize or Destroy CUI Media Before Disposal
CMMC-RP Certified Team
24+ Years Experience
2,500+ Clients Served
Official Requirement
Sanitize or destroy information system media containing CUI before disposal or release for reuse.
What This Means in Plain English
Before throwing away or repurposing any media that contained CUI, it must be securely wiped or physically destroyed. Simply deleting files is not sufficient -- data can be recovered from deleted files.
How Petronella Implements This Control
Petronella Technology Group implements this control through:
- NIST SP 800-88 compliant media sanitization procedures for all CUI-containing media
- Certified hard drive destruction service with certificates of destruction
- Secure shredding of paper CUI documents using cross-cut shredders (DIN 66399 Level P-4+)
- Degaussing of magnetic media before physical destruction
- ComplianceArmor tracking media sanitization and destruction records with certificates
Assessment Guidance
Assessors will review media sanitization procedures, check for certificates of destruction, verify that sanitization methods align with NIST 800-88, review the media destruction log, and confirm that paper documents are securely shredded.
Common Implementation Gaps
- Media disposed of without sanitization (thrown in trash)
- Using simple file deletion instead of proper sanitization
- No certificates of destruction for third-party disposal
- Paper CUI documents recycled without shredding
- No media sanitization log or tracking
Cross-Framework Mapping
| Framework | Mapped Controls |
|---|---|
| NIST SP 800-53 | MP-6 |
| HIPAA | 164.310(d)(2)(i) - Disposal |
| PCI DSS | Req 9.8 - Destroy media when no longer needed |
Need Help Implementing 3.8.3?
Our CMMC-RP certified team can assess your current compliance posture and build a remediation plan.
Schedule a Compliance Assessment