DFARS 252.204-7012
Also known as: Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting
DFARS 252.204-7012 is the DoD acquisition clause that requires contractors handling Covered Defense Information (CDI) to implement NIST SP 800-171 and report cyber incidents within 72 hours. It is the contractual hook that has made NIST 800-171 mandatory across the defense industrial base since 2017.
Related terms
- NIST SP 800-171
NIST SP 800-171 is the National Institute of Standards and Technology publication that defines 110 security controls for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) on non-federal systems. It is the controls catalog used at CMMC Level 2, but is not used at Level 1, which is based on the 15 safeguarding requirements in FAR 52.204-21.
- Controlled Unclassified Information
Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is unclassified information that requires safeguarding or dissemination controls under law, regulation, or government-wide policy. It is explicitly marked CUI by the originating agency and triggers NIST SP 800-171 protections, and at the contractual level, CMMC Level 2.
- Covered Defense Information
Covered Defense Information (CDI) is the subset of CUI that DoD specifically requires contractors to protect under DFARS 252.204-7012. It includes unclassified controlled technical information and other information that requires safeguarding when in support of a DoD contract.
- DFARS 252.204-7019
DFARS 252.204-7019 requires offerors on DoD solicitations involving CUI to post a current NIST SP 800-171 self-assessment score in the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS) before they are eligible for award. The score must not be more than three years old at the time of the offer.
Read more in the Library
- DFARS 252.204-7012 vs CMMC: Which One Applies to Me? (2026 Guide)
DFARS 7012 says 'protect CUI to NIST 800-171.' CMMC says 'prove it.' One is the rule. The other is the audit. Here's how they fit together.
- CMMC vs NIST 800-171: The Difference Most Small Contractors Get Wrong (2026)
CMMC and NIST 800-171 are not the same thing. The difference decides whether your weekend is 5 days of paperwork or a $50K assessment.