NIST 800-171A Evidence Pack: 20 Artifacts Small Teams Can Produce Weekly
- Brent Gallo
- Sep 21
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 24
Evidence Is the Language of Auditors
When it comes to NIST 800-171A and CMMC Level 2, policies and promises aren’t enough. Auditors want evidence to include documents, records, screenshots, and logs that prove security practices are not only written but also working. The problem for many small and mid-sized defense contractors is knowing, “What counts as evidence?” This is where small teams often stall. The good news? You don’t need a massive compliance department. With a practical plan, you can generate 20 core artifacts that satisfy most NIST 800-171A objectives, map cleanly to CMMC Level 2 practices, and align with CIS Controls v8.This blog lays out those artifacts, grouped into 5 categories, with why they matter, how auditors verify them, and how small teams can create them quickly.
How Auditors Think: Examine, Interview, Test
The NIST 800-171A assessment guide defines three ways auditors confirm compliance:
Examine: Review documents, logs, or screenshots.
Interview: Ask staff about procedures or awareness.
Test: Observe systems in action (e.g., MFA prompt).
The artifacts below are designed to support these methods, ensuring your evidence pack is both audit-ready and practical for small teams.
Category 1: Core Documentation
System Security Plan (SSP)
- Why it matters: The SSP is the master document describing your systems, boundaries, and controls.
- Audit method: Examine (document).
- Quick tip: Update at least quarterly with system inventory and network diagrams.
POA&M (Plan of Action & Milestones)
- Why it matters: Shows how you track gaps and remediation timelines. POA&Ms prove you’re managing risk.
- Audit method: Examine (document).
- Quick tip: Keep dates realistic; stale POA&Ms signal neglect.
Access Control Policy
- Why it matters: Defines who gets access, how accounts are created, and when they’re terminated.
- Audit method: Examine + interview.
- Quick tip: Pair policy with a sample access review (artifact #9).
Incident Response Plan
- Why it matters: Auditors expect a documented playbook for detecting, reporting, and recovering from incidents.
- Audit method: Examine + interview.
- Quick tip: Run one tabletop per year and log participation. That's another CMMC requirement. Now check it off.
Category 2: System Evidence
MFA Screenshot Evidence
- Why it matters: Multi-factor authentication is a high-priority CMMC control. Screenshots of MFA prompts prove enforcement.
- Audit method: Test + examine.
- Quick tip: Capture both login screens and admin dashboards showing MFA enabled. MFA enforcement is required for both General and Administrative users.
System Configuration Baselines
- Why it matters: Show how endpoints and servers are hardened.
- Audit method: Examine.
- Quick tip: Export from Group Policy or endpoint manager.
Vulnerability Scan Reports
- Why it matters: Proves you’re scanning regularly and remediating findings.
- Audit method: Examine.
- Quick tip: Keep last 90 days of reports; annotate remediation notes. This meets some of your Risk Assessment criteria.
Patch Management Logs
- Why it matters: Demonstrates timely updates.
- Audit method: Examine.
- Quick tip: Export from WSUS, SCCM, or other patching tool.
Category 3: Training & Awareness
Quarterly Access Review Records
- Why it matters: Evidence that managers reviewed accounts for least privilege.
- Audit method: Examine + interview.
- Quick tip: A spreadsheet with reviewer signatures suffices.
Security Awareness Training Logs
- Why it matters: Auditors check completion rates for annual training.
- Audit method: Examine.
- Quick tip: Export LMS report or keep signed attendance sheets. Certificates of completion work too.
Phishing Simulation Results
- Why it matters: Shows users are tested against social engineering.
- Audit method: Examine + interview.
- Quick tip: Even free phishing tools produce usable reports.
Acceptable Use Acknowledgments
- Why it matters: Confirms staff agreed to rules of behavior.
- Audit method: Examine.
- Quick tip: Store signed PDFs or HR onboarding confirmations.
Category 4: Operational Records
Change Management Log
- Why it matters: Proves you review and approve IT changes.
- Audit method: Examine.
- Quick tip: Use a ticketing system export or Excel tracker.
Backup & Restore Records
- Why it matters: Show backups are both performed and tested.
- Audit method: Examine + test.
- Quick tip: Screenshot successful restore tests quarterly.
Data Classification Register
- Why it matters: Confirms you’ve identified CUI and applied handling rules.
- Audit method: Examine.
- Quick tip: Start small—Public / Internal / CUI categories.
Data Encryption
- Why it matters: Data must be stored and transmitted securely.
- Audit method: Examine + Test.
- Quick tip: Document the types of encryption protocols applied on systems. Ensure encryption protocols are enforced.
Category 5: Oversight & Monitoring
Audit Log Samples
- Why it matters: Evidence that system logs exist and are retained.
- Audit method: Examine + test.
- Quick tip: Export from SIEM or system event logs.
Incident Report Record
- Why it matters: If you’ve had an incident, show how it was documented and resolved.
- Audit method: Examine + interview.
- Quick tip: Even “no incidents” should be logged as “zero events.”
Management Review Meeting Minutes
- Why it matters: Shows leadership is involved in cybersecurity oversight.
- Audit method: Examine + interview.
- Quick tip: Keep quarterly meeting notes, even short ones.
Annual Risk Assessment Report
- Why it matters: Required by multiple frameworks; auditors look for it.
- Audit method: Examine.
- Quick tip: Cover assets, threats vectors or threat events, likelihood, impact, and mitigation.
Quick Decision Table: Evidence Mapping
Artifact Type | Audit Method | CMMC Level 2 Expectation |
Policies & Plans | Examine | Documented and updated annually |
Screenshots & Logs | Examine / Test | Technical enforcement visible |
Training Records | Examine / Interview | Annual completion + tracking |
Operational Records | Examine | Continuous activity evidence |
Oversight Records | Examine / Interview | Leadership involvement shown |
Why This Matters for Small Teams
- Practicality: Each artifact can be generated in under a week.
- Coverage: Together, they satisfy several NIST 800-171A objectives and CMMC Level 2 practices.
- Audit readiness: Evidence is formatted the way assessors actually check (examine / interview / test).
Next Steps
Building an evidence pack isn’t about perfection, it’s about proving you’re managing security consistently. Hire A Cyber Pro provides:
- Pre-built templates for policies, logs, and checklists.
- Coaching on how to gather and package artifacts.
- Support for SPRS scoring and CMMC L2 readiness. Reach out to Hire A Cyber Pro to help with building your System Security Plan and documenting your environment so you are audit ready.
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