CMMC

To secure Department of Defense (DoD) and other government contracts, organizations must demonstrate compliance with specific frameworks that help protect federal contract information (FCI) and controlled unclassified information (CUI), such as CMMC 2.0 and NIST SP 800-171. NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4 provides a complementary framework, but it’s not mandatory like the other two. Still, SP 800-53 substantially informs and maps to SP 800-171 and CMMC 2.0.

In November 2021, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) introduced major updates to the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification(CMMC) program. These changes left many organizations in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) wondering: Do we still need to comply with CMMC certification requirements?

The short answer is yes, but the more important question is which Level of CMMC certification applies to your organization. The required Level depends on the type of sensitive data you handle in your current or prospective DoD contracts. Understanding this distinction is critical, as it determines the cybersecurity controls you must implement—and how soon you need to meet them.

If your organization works with government entities as a contractor, you probably have some questions about NIST SP 800-171, CMMC, or even NIST SP 800-53 compliance. Below, we’ll answer questions like what is NIST SP 800 171, how does CMMC differ from it, and what are NIST 800-53 controls? Understanding the answers to these questions covers most everything you need to know for the DoD compliance efforts necessary to secure lucrative contracts with the military and other agencies.

If your company currently works closely with the Department of Defense (DoD) or plans to begin a lucrative partnership with the military, you will soon need to acquaint yourself with a managed security service provider (MSSP) that’s been vetted by the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Accreditation Body (CMMC AB). There are many such organizations and many different kinds you’ll find on the CMMC AB Marketplace.

Preparing for a CMMC Audit: What DoD Contractors Need to Know
Companies aiming for Department of Defense (DoD) contracts must demonstrate strong cybersecurity practices by achieving Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). Successfully implementing CMMC leads to an official CMMC audit, which is a critical step toward earning preferred contractor status with the DoD. This guide will walk you through how to prepare effectively for a CMMC audit.

Working as a contractor with the US Department of Defense (DoD) can provide lucrative short- and long-term opportunities for partnering companies. But it also requires strict adherence to multiple cybersecurity frameworks. The most recent of these, which has an ongoing roll-out, is the new Cybersecurity Model Maturity Certification (CMMC) framework. This framework is presided over by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD-A&S).

The US military and its broad network of businesses and individual contractors comprise the most critical infrastructure in the entire country. Any threat to the Department of Defense (DoD) resources and information could jeopardize all Americans’ security, both domestically and abroad.

Companies working with the Department of Defense (DoD) regularly handle sensitive data. To maintain preferred contractor status, they must comply with cybersecurity frameworks such as the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). A key focus of CMMC is protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), a category of sensitive, unclassified data that requires careful handling.

Understanding Controlled Unclassified Information and implementing proper security measures is critical for compliance and safeguarding national security.

If your company seeks lucrative contracts with the US Department of Defense (DoD) or other governmental agencies, you’ll need to keep your cybersecurity up to date. In practice, that means complying with several cyberdefense frameworks, many of which overlap in critical ways. Read on to learn all about CMMC vs. FedRAMP regulatory compliance.

Hygiene is essential for the overall well-being of a person. From taking a bath to brushing one’s teeth, good hygiene is crucial to health. In the digital realm, cyber hygiene is a term that refers to precautions, principles, and practices to keep a digital environment pristine from cybercriminals.