UB’s NIST environment is a virtual computing environment that uses a combination of security features to maintain NIST SP 800-171 compliance, often a prerequisite for conducting federally funded research. 

UB’s Information Security Office can consult on security for any aspect of your research, from securing funding to managing data.

You can request consultation from the Information Security Office using their secure research request form. Someone will contact you to discuss your specific needs, and help you take advantage of the various resources available for secure research.

UB’s NIST environment is one of many resources for conducting secure research at UB. The Information Security Office also provides help in assessing risk, planning and developing systems and study security plans, and determining the right combinations of controls to meet data use agreements and other requirements, such as HIPAA compliance for Protected Health Information, in addition to NIST compliance.

“The NIST Environment itself was recently created,” says Mark Herron, UB Information Security Officer, “and the onboarding process is still maturing. We look forward to working with interested faculty and researchers, to help them secure future grants and data-related agreements with security and compliance requirements.”

UB’s NIST environment maintains the requisite security standards through the use of physical, logical and virtual separations, as well as multi-factor authentication and enhanced logging and monitoring practices.

NIST, which stands for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is a physical science laboratory that conducts and sponsors research on behalf of the federal government. NIST SP 800-171 is a document outlining practices for protecting unclassified information in nonfederal information systems and organizations.