RSI Security

Rethinking Your Cybersecurity

Category: Compliance Standards

Staying informed about all of the cyber security compliance standards is essential to keeping your company safe from hackers. Read on to learn about the various steps you can take to stay up to date with your industry’s compliance standards.

  • The Benefits of C3PAO Assessment Services

    The Benefits of C3PAO Assessment Services

    Navigating CMMC 2.0 compliance can be challenging for organizations in the defense supply chain. The framework introduces strict cybersecurity requirements designed to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and meeting these standards requires careful planning and execution. A C3PAO assessment helps simplify this process. Certified Third-Party Assessment Organizations (C3PAOs) evaluate your organization’s cybersecurity controls and determine whether they meet the requirements for CMMC certification.

    Beyond performing the official C3PAO assessment, these organizations help guide businesses through the complexities of the framework. They provide expert scoping, support compliance planning, and deliver detailed evaluations needed to achieve Department of Defense (DoD) certification.

    Working with a C3PAO also helps organizations maintain compliance over time. Their guidance supports ongoing control management, audit readiness, and preparation for future recertification.

    By partnering with a C3PAO, organizations can streamline the C3PAO assessment process, strengthen their cybersecurity posture, and focus on core business operations while meeting DoD cybersecurity requirements.

    Keep reading to learn the key benefits of a C3PAO assessment and how it can support long-term CMMC compliance. (more…)

  • What are Covered Entities Under HIPAA?

    What are Covered Entities Under HIPAA?

    The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) was created to protect Protected Health Information (PHI) and ensure that organizations handling sensitive healthcare data maintain strong privacy and security controls. Organizations that collect, store, process, or transmit patient information may be classified as HIPAA covered entities. These organizations must follow strict regulatory requirements designed to safeguard healthcare data from unauthorized access, breaches, and cyber threats.

    But how do you know if your organization qualifies as a HIPAA-covered entity?

    In this guide, we explain what HIPAA-covered entities are, which organizations fall into this category, and what compliance requirements they must follow. (more…)

  • How to Keep Your HIPAA Compliance Efforts Up to Date

    How to Keep Your HIPAA Compliance Efforts Up to Date

    Sensitive patient health information is a high-value target for hackers, and the frequency and severity of healthcare data breaches continue to rise. For example, 142 healthcare breaches exposed more than 3.15 million patient records in just the second quarter of 2018. As data breaches increase year over year, it’s critical for medical practices and healthcare organizations to ensure proper protection and handling of personal health information. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) expanded the reach of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), making HIPAA compliance essential across a broader range of organizations. Whether you operate a healthcare facility or provide related services, understanding and maintaining HIPAA compliance is key to protecting sensitive patient data and avoiding costly violations.

     

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  • Top Challenges Faced by C3PAOs in the CMMC Certification Process

    Top Challenges Faced by C3PAOs in the CMMC Certification Process

    As the deadline for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) approaches, Department of Defense (DoD) contractors are turning to Third-Party Assessor Organizations (C3PAOs) to guide them through the certification process. These authorized assessors play a vital role in helping contractors achieve compliance and safeguard sensitive defense information.

    However, while the CMMC framework is designed to strengthen cybersecurity across the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), C3PAOs face unique challenges during assessments. From resource limitations to evolving requirements, these obstacles can impact both assessors and contractors.

    In this article, we’ll explore the top challenges faced by C3PAOs in the CMMC certification process, and what they mean for organizations preparing for compliance.

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  • Understanding NIST SP 800-171, CMMC, and NIST SP 800-53: A Guide for Government Contractors

    Understanding NIST SP 800-171, CMMC, and NIST SP 800-53: A Guide for Government Contractors

    If your organization works with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) or other federal agencies, it’s essential to understand how compliance frameworks like NIST SP 800-171, CMMC, and NIST SP 800-53 affect your eligibility for contracts.

    These standards are designed to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and other sensitive federal data from cyber threats.

    In this guide, we’ll explain:

    • What each framework requires
    • How they overlap and differ
    • What steps your organization must take to achieve and maintain compliance

    Whether you’re pursuing a DoD contract or supporting another federal agency, understanding these cybersecurity frameworks is key to staying secure—and competitive. (more…)

  • The Economic Impact of CMMC Compliance on Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

    The Economic Impact of CMMC Compliance on Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

    CMMC compliance is a critical requirement for any organization working within the U.S. defense supply chain. Developed by the Department of Defense (DoD), the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) ensures that contractors properly protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) with strong cybersecurity measures.

    For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), achieving CMMC compliance can feel both like an investment and a challenge. The process involves costs, resource allocation, and operational changes. However, compliance also delivers long-term benefits such as access to more DoD contracts, stronger data security, and a valuable competitive edge.

    This article explores the economic impact of CMMC compliance on SMBs—highlighting both the financial challenges and the opportunities it creates for growth, stability, and resilience in the defense sector.

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  • Threat-Informed Risk Assessment Requirements under CMMC Level 3

    Threat-Informed Risk Assessment Requirements under CMMC Level 3

    Achieving CMMC Level 3 compliance means going beyond the foundational safeguards of Levels 1 and 2. At this advanced stage, organizations must implement enhanced practices to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) against sophisticated threats.

    One of the most critical requirements is conducting a Threat-Informed Risk Assessment, an approach that integrates real-world threat intelligence into your risk management strategy.

    This proactive method doesn’t just strengthen periodic assessments, it informs every aspect of your cybersecurity posture, from system hardening to incident response planning.

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  • Understanding the Interplay Between CMMC, NIST, and DFARS

    Understanding the Interplay Between CMMC, NIST, and DFARS

    Organizations that contract with the U.S. military deliver essential goods and services that support national defense. To qualify for and maintain these contracts, companies must meet strict cybersecurity and compliance requirements, especially when handling sensitive government data. Three frameworks form the foundation of these requirements: CMMC, NIST, and DFARS. Understanding how they overlap and work together is key to staying compliant, avoiding penalties, and securing future contracts.

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  • Demystifying the HIPAA Data Storage Requirements

    Demystifying the HIPAA Data Storage Requirements

    One of the most challenging aspects of compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is understanding how to store sensitive data. This is partly because the US Department of Health and Human Safety (HHS) has not provided a specific set of HIPAA data storage requirements that companies need to follow. Instead, the various HIPAA rules impact data storage in one way or another. Read on to learn what you need to do. (more…)

  • Advanced Threat Awareness Training Requirements for CMMC Level 3

    Advanced Threat Awareness Training Requirements for CMMC Level 3

    For contractors in the Department of Defense (DoD) supply chain, cybersecurity is not just a technical requirement, it’s a national security priority. That’s why the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) was introduced: to enforce standardized security protocols across all defense contractors, especially those handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Among the most demanding requirements for CMMC Level 3 is the need to counter Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) , stealthy, targeted attacks often backed by nation-states. To meet this challenge, organizations must go beyond firewalls and encryption. They need a cyber-aware workforce trained to recognize, respond to, and mitigate complex threats as they unfold. That’s where advanced threat awareness training becomes critical.

    It equips employees with the knowledge and skills needed to detect sophisticated cyberattacks and helps fulfill one of the essential Level 3 compliance requirements, creating a human firewall against evolving threats.

    APTs differ from common cyber threats in their persistence, targeting, and sophistication—often state-sponsored, they aim to stealthily infiltrate systems and extract sensitive data over time. Meeting this challenge demands more than technical safeguards, CMMC Level 3 mandates a cyber-aware workforce capable of detecting and responding to complex threats in real time. That’s where advanced threat awareness training becomes a cornerstone of compliance and long-term cyber resilience. (more…)