Varonis
by Varonis
Covered
11
controls
Partial
2
controls
Gaps
3
controls
Overview
Varonis by Varonis is a data protection solution that covers 11 NIST 800-171 controls (10% total coverage). It addresses key requirements in the data protection domain for defense contractors pursuing CMMC compliance.
Controls Covered (11)
Implementation Notes
Deploy Varonis 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 Varonis
Configure Varonis for NIST 800-171 compliance by implementing these key control families: **Access Control (AC)** - Deploy DatAdvantage to monitor file and folder permissions, configure automated alerts for unauthorized access attempts, and establish role-based access reviews through the web interface. Set up Data Classification Framework to automatically tag CUI and implement least-privilege enforcement. **Audit and Accountability (AU)** - Enable comprehensive logging in Data Transport Engine, configure log retention for 90+ days minimum, and establish automated alerting for suspicious data access patterns. Use DatAlert to generate real-time notifications for policy violations. **System and Information Integrity (SI)** - Deploy Data Security Platform to detect data exfiltration attempts, configure behavioral analytics for anomaly detection, and implement automated threat response workflows. **Media Protection (MP)** - Use DataPrivilege to control removable media access and monitor data movement to external devices. Generate assessment evidence through Varonis reporting dashboards, exporting compliance reports in NIST-required formats, and maintaining audit trails of all configuration changes. Integrate with SIEM platforms via syslog forwarding and API connections to Microsoft 365, Active Directory, and network storage systems. Common misconfigurations include: insufficient baseline establishment periods (minimum 30 days required), overly permissive alert thresholds that generate noise, failure to configure service accounts properly, and inadequate integration with identity management systems causing false positives.
Gap Analysis & Compensating Controls
Varonis's 10% coverage leaves significant gaps requiring compensating controls. **Incident Response (IR)** controls are not covered - implement dedicated IR platforms like Phantom/Splunk SOAR for automated incident workflows and response orchestration. Document in SSP Section 13 that Varonis provides detection capabilities but formal IR procedures require separate tooling. **Configuration Management (CM)** baseline controls need additional solutions - deploy Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager or Red Hat Satellite for system hardening and patch management. **Personnel Security (PS)** screening and training controls are completely outside Varonis scope - implement HR systems integration and security awareness platforms like KnowBe4. Priority gap closure order: (1) IR capabilities for immediate threat response (highest CMMC weight), (2) CM controls for system hardening (medium-high weight), (3) PS controls through policy implementation (lower technical weight but required for assessment). Document these gaps in POA&M with specific milestones: IR platform deployment within 90 days, CM tool integration within 180 days, and PS policy formalization within 60 days. Each gap should reference the specific compensating control implementation and timeline for full coverage achievement.
Compliance Cost Estimate
Varonis licensing ranges from $15-45 per protected terabyte annually, with typical defense contractor implementations costing $50,000-200,000 for initial deployment depending on data volume and infrastructure complexity. Implementation costs include 80-120 hours of professional services at $200-300/hour for proper configuration and integration. Ongoing monitoring requires 0.5-1.0 FTE for administration and alert management, approximately $75,000-120,000 annually. Compared to competitors like Microsoft Purview ($5-20/user/month) or Forcepoint DLP ($30-50/user/year), Varonis offers superior unstructured data analytics but at higher per-TB costs. Total 3-year TCO typically ranges $300,000-600,000 for mid-sized defense contractors, positioning it as premium solution requiring strong ROI justification.
Compliance Cross-References
Varonis directly satisfies DFARS 252.204-7012 requirements for CUI protection through automated data classification and access monitoring, covering safeguarding (paragraph b) and cyber incident reporting preparation (paragraph g). For CMMC Level 2, Varonis supports AC.L2-3.1.3 (control data access sessions), AU.L2-3.3.1 (audit record creation), AU.L2-3.3.2 (audit system events), SI.L2-3.14.1 (identify system flaws), and SI.L2-3.14.6 (monitor communications for attacks). Assessment objectives AC.L2-3.1.3[a] through [d] are satisfied through DatAdvantage session monitoring and automated controls. FedRAMP Moderate controls AC-2 (Account Management), AU-2 (Audit Events), and SI-4 (Information System Monitoring) align with Varonis capabilities. Additional tools required for complete CMMC assessment include endpoint protection for SI.L2-3.14.2, vulnerability scanning for SI.L2-3.14.2, and formal incident response procedures for IR domain controls. Varonis provides strong technical evidence for data-centric controls but requires policy documentation and additional tooling for comprehensive CMMC Level 2 compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many NIST 800-171 controls does Varonis cover?
Varonis covers 11 of 110 NIST 800-171 controls (10%), with 2 partially covered and 3 gaps.
Can Varonis alone satisfy CMMC Level 2?
No single tool covers all 110 NIST 800-171 controls. Varonis covers 10% and should be part of a layered security stack addressing the remaining controls.
What controls does Varonis not cover?
Varonis does not cover controls sc-3-13-1, ia-3-5-1, pe-3-10-1. These require supplementary solutions such as physical security controls, additional access management, or media protection tools.
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