Digital Guardian
by Fortra
Covered
9
controls
Partial
2
controls
Gaps
3
controls
Overview
Digital Guardian by Fortra is a data protection solution that covers 9 NIST 800-171 controls (8% total coverage). It addresses key requirements in the data protection domain for defense contractors pursuing CMMC compliance.
Implementation Notes
Deploy Digital Guardian 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 Digital Guardian
To configure Digital Guardian for NIST 800-171 compliance, focus on these key control families: **Access Control (AC)**: Enable endpoint agent deployment with user-based access policies, configure data classification rules to automatically tag CUI, and implement role-based permissions for data access. Set up real-time monitoring for unauthorized access attempts and configure alerts for policy violations. **Audit and Accountability (AU)**: Configure comprehensive logging for all data access, modification, and transfer events. Enable detailed audit trails that capture user identity, timestamps, and data classification levels. Set up automated log forwarding to SIEM systems and configure retention policies for minimum 1-year storage. **System and Communications Protection (SC)**: Deploy data loss prevention (DLP) policies that prevent CUI transmission via email, web uploads, and removable media. Configure encryption-in-transit monitoring and implement network-based data discovery. **Media Protection (MP)**: Enable removable media control policies, configure automatic encryption of data written to USB devices, and implement approval workflows for media usage. Generate assessment evidence through Digital Guardian's reporting dashboard, including compliance reports for data classification coverage, policy violation summaries, and user activity reports. Export logs in SIEM-compatible formats (CEF, JSON) for integration with Splunk or similar platforms. Common misconfigurations include: insufficient data classification rules leading to untagged CUI, overly permissive user policies, inadequate log retention settings, and failure to properly integrate with Active Directory for user context.
Gap Analysis & Compensating Controls
The 3 uncovered NIST controls likely fall in **Identification and Authentication (IA)**, **Configuration Management (CM)**, and **Risk Assessment (RA)** families. For IA gaps, implement multi-factor authentication tools like Okta or Azure AD, as these are critical for CMMC Level 2 requirements. Document in your SSP that Digital Guardian provides data-centric authentication logging but requires separate identity management tools for user authentication controls. For CM gaps, deploy configuration management tools like Rapid7 InsightVM or Nessus Professional to handle system hardening, vulnerability management, and baseline configuration controls. Digital Guardian focuses on data protection rather than system configuration compliance. For RA gaps, implement formal risk assessment processes and tools like NIST RMF-compatible platforms (e.g., Reciprocity ZenGRC or MetricStream). Document in your POA&M that data protection controls are implemented but systematic risk assessment processes require additional governance tools. **Priority order**: 1) IA controls (highest CMMC weight and C3PAO focus area), 2) CM controls (critical for system security baselines), 3) RA controls (important for continuous monitoring but can be addressed with process improvements). Budget for additional tools: $15,000-25,000 annually for IA solutions, $20,000-35,000 for CM/vulnerability management, and $10,000-20,000 for risk management platforms.
Compliance Cost Estimate
Digital Guardian licensing ranges from **$40-80 per endpoint per year** depending on feature set and deployment size. Enterprise packages for defense contractors typically cost $60-75/endpoint/year including DLP, encryption, and advanced analytics. Implementation costs range $15,000-35,000 for professional services including policy configuration, Active Directory integration, and initial deployment. Ongoing monitoring requires 0.5-1.0 FTE for policy management and incident response, approximately $50,000-100,000 annually. Compared to competitors like Code42 Incydr ($35-50/endpoint/year) or Microsoft Purview ($12-25/user/year), Digital Guardian offers superior data classification and endpoint protection but at a premium price point. Total 3-year TCO for 100-user organization: $45,000-75,000 including licensing, implementation, and management costs.
Compliance Cross-References
Digital Guardian satisfies **DFARS 252.204-7012** requirements for safeguarding covered defense information through data loss prevention, encryption monitoring, and access controls. It directly supports **CMMC Level 2** domains including Access Control (AC.L2), Audit and Accountability (AU.L2), System and Communications Protection (SC.L2), and Media Protection (MP.L2). The tool satisfies CMMC assessment objectives AC.L2-3.1.1 (authorized access control), AC.L2-3.1.2 (transaction and function controls), AU.L2-3.3.1 (audit event creation), and SC.L2-3.13.1 (boundary protection). For **FedRAMP** alignment, Digital Guardian maps to AC-3 (Access Enforcement), AU-2 (Audit Events), SC-7 (Boundary Protection), and MP-7 (Media Use). However, additional tools are required for: IA-2 (Identification and Authentication), CM-2 (Baseline Configuration), RA-5 (Vulnerability Scanning), and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation). Document in SSP that Digital Guardian provides data-centric security controls but requires complementary identity management, vulnerability assessment, and configuration management tools for complete CMMC Level 2 compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many NIST 800-171 controls does Digital Guardian cover?
Digital Guardian covers 9 of 110 NIST 800-171 controls (8%), with 2 partially covered and 3 gaps.
Can Digital Guardian alone satisfy CMMC Level 2?
No single tool covers all 110 NIST 800-171 controls. Digital Guardian covers 8% and should be part of a layered security stack addressing the remaining controls.
What controls does Digital Guardian not cover?
Digital Guardian does not cover controls ia-3-5-1, pe-3-10-1, cm-3-4-1. These require supplementary solutions such as physical security controls, additional access management, or media protection tools.
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