Media Disposal
Sanitize or destroy system media containing CUI before disposal or release for reuse.
What an assessor scores, the objectives
MP.L2-3.8.3 is met only when every one of these 2 objectives, from NIST SP 800-171A, is satisfied. A single missed objective makes the whole requirement not met.
- a.system media containing CUI is sanitized or destroyed before disposal
- b.system media containing CUI is sanitized before it is released for reuse
How a C3PAO checks it
NIST SP 800-171A defines three assessment methods. For MP.L2-3.8.3, an assessor uses these:
System media protection policy; procedures addressing media sanitization and disposal; applicable standards and policies addressing media sanitization; system security plan; media sanitization records; system audit logs and records; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; other relevant documents or records
Personnel with media sanitization responsibilities; personnel with information security responsibilities; system or network administrators
Organizational processes for media sanitization; mechanisms supporting or implementing media sanitization
What it means, in context
This requirement applies to all system media, digital and non- digital, subject to disposal or reuse. Examples include: digital media found in workstations, network components, scanners, copiers, printers, notebook computers, and mobile devices; and non-digital media such as paper and microfilm. The sanitization process removes information from the media such that the information cannot be retrieved or reconstructed. Sanitization techniques, including clearing, purging, cryptographic erase, and destruction, prevent the disclosure of information to unauthorized individuals when such media is released for reuse or disposal. Organizations determine the appropriate sanitization methods, recognizing that destruction may be necessary when other methods cannot be applied to the media requiring sanitization. Organizations use discretion on the employment of sanitization techniques and procedures for media containing information that is in the public domain or publicly releasable or deemed to have no adverse impact on organizations or individuals if released for reuse or disposal. Sanitization of non- digital media includes destruction, removing CUI from documents, or reda cting selected sections or words from a document by obscuring the redacted sections or words in a manner equivalent in effectiveness to removing the words or sections from the document. NARA policy and guidance control sanitization processes. NIST SP 800-88 provides guidance on media sanitization.
“Media” refers to a broad range of items that store information, including paper documents, disks, tapes, digital photography, USB drives, CDs, DVDs, and mobile phones. It is important to know what information is on media so that you can handle it properly. If there is CUI, you or someone in your company should either: • shred or destroy the device before disposal so it cannot be read; or • clean or purge the information, if you want to reuse the device. See NIST Special Publication 800-88, Revision 1, Guidelines for Media Sanitization, for more information. Example As you pack for an office move, you find some old CDs in a file cabinet. You determine that one has information about an old project your company did for the DoD . You shred the CD rather than simply throwing it in the trash [a]. Potential Assessment Considerations • Is all managed data storage erased, encrypted, or destroyed using mechanisms to ensure that no usable data is retrievable [a,b]?
What passing evidence looks like
The sanitization or destruction rule for media leaving service (shred paper, wipe or destroy drives) and a dated record or certificate for at least the standing process.
Common ways contractors fail MP.L2-3.8.3
- !Five point requirement. Tossing an old office PC with its drive intact is the catastrophic version; the answer is the written rule, the shredder or wipe method, and destruction records per event.
The step by step walkthrough for Microsoft 365 GCC High, Google Workspace, and on premises setups, plus the exact evidence to capture, lives inside the Level 2 Accelerator.
Prove MP.L2-3.8.3, and the other 109
The Level 2 Accelerator walks all 110 requirements with you, generates your SSP, POA&M, and Audit Room from real evidence, includes the full Level 1 platform, and puts a credentialed officer alongside you for 180 days. Filed in 180 days, or we work free until you are.
No credit card. Phase 2 begins Nov 10, 2026, when applicable DoD solicitations start requiring a current Level 2 status to win the award.
MP.L2-3.8.3 questions, answered
How many points is CMMC requirement MP.L2-3.8.3 worth?+
MP.L2-3.8.3 is worth 5 points in the CMMC Level 2 score under 32 CFR 170.24. If it is not met, you lose 5 from your total of 110.
Can MP.L2-3.8.3 be placed on a POA&M?+
No. MP.L2-3.8.3 must be fully met before you can file. It cannot be deferred to a POA&M, so it is a gate on your assessment.
What family does MP.L2-3.8.3 belong to?+
MP.L2-3.8.3 is in the Media Protection (MP) family, one of the 14 families of NIST SP 800-171 that make up CMMC Level 2.
- NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 3.8.3
- FAR Clause 52.204-21 b.1.vii