Understanding the Aspects of CMMC Compliance

If you are a defense contractor or a business that deals in Controlled Unclassified Information, you might have come across Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification. CMMC cybersecurity is one of the most advanced data security framework that has been made a mandatory requirement by the DoD. Meaning, any contractor that works directly or indirectly with the DoD must be validated by the CMMC government contracting. 

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model has a wide range security maturity levels that defense contractors should meet. The compliance level helps the Department of Defense determine if a contractor is qualified for the job or not. 

With the increase in cases of data breach, it has become a challenge for the DoD to ensure the safety of Controlled Unclassified Information stored with the DIB vendors. The recent data breaches have made it essential for the DoD to address cyberattacks. CMMC compliance is one such step towards ensuring the defense contractors are protected against cyberattacks.

Ever since the CMMC has rolled out, CMMC compliance has been made a mandatory requirement by the DoD. Without meeting CMMC standards, no defense contractor can bid on government jobs or get new contracts. Noncompliance with the CMMC regulations can take away your ability to bid on DoD contracts or continue the contract. 

As of now, there are over 100 provisional assessors that are getting trained to become Level 3 certified assessor. Besides this, the DoD also released the interim DFARS Vs CMMC cybersecurity rules last year. 

According to the interim rule, the defense contractor will be required to have an SSP, POAM, and Incident Response Plan. Some new provisions have been added that requires the defense contractor to self-score their assessment method. Another provision allows qualified and trained DoD auditors to score SSP IAW for a defense contractor. 

Many of you must be wondering why DoD has implemented CMMC. 

CMMC has been introduced by the DoD to serve as mechanism to ensure the defense contractors have taken appropriate measures to safeguard controlled unclassified information stored and processed within their systems. CMMC is put in place to verify whether a defense contractor has some level of data security practices. 

Every year, the DoD has to face enormous cybersecurity challenge. According to a report, the Pentagon prevents over 36 million phishing and ransomware attacks in a day. Even with all the resources, the Pentagon faced a data breach incident in 2018 in which the personal information of 30,000 employees got exposed. The information was stored in one of their third-party contractors. 

The need for a robust cybersecurity plan has been there for a long time. In 2015, when the DoD determined cybersecurity requirements in DFRAS, it required the defense contractors to comply with data security standards charted by the NIST. While the framework is effective, the implementation of the program is slow. This let the DFARS to come up with more comprehensive cybersecurity practices called the CMMC. 

The new compliance requirement ensures that a defense contractor has taken all necessary measures to protect the CUI stored in their networks. Moreover, only those contractors will be able to bid who are fully compliant. …

Understanding the Benefits of Outsourcing CMMC Compliance 

Ever since the introduction of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, the US Department of Defense contractors are looking for ways to become compliant to ensure continuity of contracts. DoD contractors can either opt to acquire CMMC cybersecurity certifications on their own or rely on a third-party service provider or CMMC consulting VA Beach. 

Several self-assessment handbooks offer assistance to DoD vendors and suppliers for their in-house certification initiatives.

However, when it comes to the CMMC program, one must be aware of the pitfalls when looking after the compliance requirements on their own. Every DOD contractor has to pass the third-party CMMC assessment to become certified with the DIB. If a contractor fails in the initial third-party assessment, they may lose valuable time while rectifying the mistakes. Such contractors may also experience hold-ups and delays. Businesses that count on government contracts for revenue may get adversely affected by audit delays. 

This is where a CMMC consulting agency comes into the picture. A majority of DoD contractors don’t have skills and enough IT resources to become NIST SP 800 171 or CMMC compliant. Such contractors can outsource their CMMC compliance initiative to a proficient MSP. 

Qualified and experienced managed services are equipped with IT infrastructure processes to assess IT infrastructure and look for control gaps. They can also help a business with its security plan. They also have a support team to look after the remedial activities whenever there is a need. Managed services providers have all the necessary tools required to monitor IT security, resolve control gaps, and create a detailed report. 

For a small business that relies on government contracts, building such capabilities in-house can be a challenge, both in terms of time and money. By outsourcing the compliance initiatives, they can ensure they are on the right path to compliance. Outsourcing such tasks also save them money and effort. 

When it comes to choosing a managed service provider, one should be mindful of whether the MSP is CMMC RPO or CMMC Registered Provider Organization. 

Businesses with CMMC RPO seal are the one that has been recognized as cyber-knowledgeable. They have a good understanding of how the CMMC compliance process works. 

One of the significant tasks of MSP is conducting gap analysis and readiness evaluation. 

Gap analysis and readiness examination serve as a foundational step for the DoD contractors to understand where they are lacking in meeting the CMMC cybersecurity requirements.

This assessment allows the MSP to identify IT assets and processes that are not in accordance with the NIST 800 171. 

Here are some questions you should ask when conducting a CMMC gap analysis. 

• How do you store the data, and how is it accessed?
• Is your IT support staff appropriately trained?
• Do you have effective incident response plans in place?
• Have you implemented and maintained a data security plan?

The answers to these questions will help you locate risk areas. The results will also assist you in creating and implementing an effective Remediation plan. 

Without a thorough Gap Analysis, an organization may experience challenges in identifying security risks, categorize activities, and assign a budget for CMMC compliance initiatives.…