Thales CipherTrust
by Thales
Covered
9
controls
Partial
2
controls
Gaps
3
controls
Overview
Thales CipherTrust by Thales is an encryption & key management solution that covers 9 NIST 800-171 controls (8% total coverage). It addresses key requirements in the encryption & key management domain for defense contractors pursuing CMMC compliance.
Controls Covered (9)
Implementation Notes
Deploy Thales CipherTrust with FIPS-validated configurations. Integrate with your SIEM for centralized audit logging. Review partial controls quarterly to identify supplementary tooling needs.
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Implementation Guidance for Thales CipherTrust
To achieve NIST 800-171 compliance with Thales CipherTrust, configure the SC (System and Communications Protection) family by implementing FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validated encryption modules and establishing cryptographic key management policies through the CipherTrust Manager. Enable data-at-rest encryption using CipherTrust Transparent Encryption with AES-256 algorithms, and configure database encryption through CipherTrust Database Protection. For IA (Identification and Authentication) controls, integrate CipherTrust with your PKI infrastructure to manage digital certificates and implement multi-factor authentication for privileged access to encryption keys. Configure SC-8 by enabling TLS 1.2+ for all communications and implementing network encryption through CipherTrust Network Protection appliances. Generate assessment evidence by enabling comprehensive audit logging in CipherTrust Manager, documenting key rotation schedules, and maintaining encryption policy compliance reports. Integrate with SIEM tools like Splunk or QRadar by configuring syslog forwarding from CipherTrust appliances. Common misconfigurations include: failing to implement proper key escrow procedures for SC-12, using default encryption algorithms instead of FIPS-approved ciphers, inadequate separation of key management duties, and insufficient logging of cryptographic operations. Ensure CipherTrust agents are properly deployed across all endpoints and that encryption policies align with data classification requirements in your System Security Plan.
Gap Analysis & Compensating Controls
Thales CipherTrust's 3 uncovered controls likely include AC (Access Control), AU (Audit and Accountability), and CM (Configuration Management) requirements that extend beyond encryption. The biggest gap is typically in AC-3 (Access Enforcement) where CipherTrust provides encryption but doesn't handle comprehensive access control policies - remediate with tools like CyberArk PAM or Microsoft ADCS. For AU gaps, CipherTrust logs cryptographic events but may not satisfy AU-2 comprehensive audit requirements - integrate with Splunk Enterprise Security or Elastic SIEM for complete audit coverage. CM control gaps often involve SC-7 boundary protection beyond encryption - deploy Palo Alto firewalls or Cisco ASA for network segmentation. Document these gaps in your SSP Section 13 (Security Control Implementation) by mapping each control to specific compensating measures. In your POA&M, prioritize AC gaps first (high CMMC weight), followed by AU controls (medium weight), then CM controls. For C3PAO assessments, clearly demonstrate how compensating controls provide equivalent protection - for example, showing how network firewalls combined with CipherTrust encryption satisfy boundary protection requirements. Maintain evidence packages showing the integrated security architecture where CipherTrust encryption works with other tools to provide complete control coverage.
Compliance Cost Estimate
Thales CipherTrust licensing ranges from $15,000-$50,000 annually for small defense contractors (100-500 users) to $200,000-$500,000 for enterprise implementations, with per-application and per-server pricing models available. Implementation costs include 40-80 hours of professional services ($200-$300/hour) for initial configuration, policy development, and integration testing. Ongoing maintenance requires 10-15 hours monthly for key rotation, policy updates, and compliance reporting. Compared to competitors like Vormetric (now part of Thales) or IBM Security Guardium, CipherTrust offers better FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validation and government certification support, justifying 20-30% higher costs. Annual support contracts add 18-22% of license costs but are essential for CMMC compliance and government contract requirements.
Compliance Cross-References
Thales CipherTrust directly satisfies DFARS 252.204-7012 covered defense information protection requirements through AES-256 encryption and supports CMMC Level 2 System Security (SC) domain practices SC.3.177 (employ FIPS-validated cryptography), SC.3.191 (protect authenticity of communications), and SC.3.185 (implement cryptographic mechanisms). For FedRAMP, CipherTrust maps to SC-13 (Cryptographic Protection), SC-8 (Transmission Confidentiality), and SC-28 (Protection of Information at Rest) controls. CMMC assessment objectives CA-1.042 (cryptographic mechanisms) and CA-2.158 (FIPS 140-2 validation) are fully satisfied, but additional tools are required for CA-2.162 (network boundary protection) and CA-2.164 (security engineering principles). CipherTrust's government certifications including Common Criteria EAL4+ and FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validation provide strong evidence for C3PAO assessments, particularly when demonstrating cryptographic module compliance for sensitive defense contractor environments.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many NIST 800-171 controls does Thales CipherTrust cover?
Thales CipherTrust covers 9 of 110 NIST 800-171 controls (8%), with 2 partially covered and 3 gaps.
Can Thales CipherTrust alone satisfy CMMC Level 2?
No single tool covers all 110 NIST 800-171 controls. Thales CipherTrust covers 8% and should be part of a layered security stack addressing the remaining controls.
What controls does Thales CipherTrust not cover?
Thales CipherTrust does not cover controls pe-3-10-1, ra-3-11-1, si-3-14-1. These require supplementary solutions such as physical security controls, additional access management, or media protection tools.
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