The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is a groundbreaking addition to the Department of Defense (DoD) supply chain. The program is meant to strengthen cybersecurity across the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). This will ensure the protection of controlled, unclassified information.
All DoD contractors must comply with the CMMC, so small and midsize businesses must understand this model.
What Is CMMC?
The CMMC program aligns with the DoD’s information security rules for all DIB contractors and partners. It helps protect all unclassified information the Department shares with contractors and subcontractors.
Known as CMMC 2.0 after amendments were made in November 2021, the program constitutes the following:
- A tiered model: All companies privy to national security information must invest in progressive cybersecurity standards. These cybersecurity measures depend on the type of information shared and how sensitive the data is.
- Assessment requirement: CMMC demands assessments that help the Department verify the actual implementation of cybersecurity measures.
- Implementation through contracts: When CMMC is in place, contractors handling sensitive information must achieve a certain CMMC level. This is one condition of being awarded a contract from the DoD.
Why CMMC Is Important for Smaller Businesses
Getting a DoD contract means exceptional revenue and business growth for many small and medium companies. This is why these businesses must be aware that the new CMMC framework will disqualify them from bidding on contracts if they do not achieve the required level of certification.
Moreover, becoming CMMC compliant shows the DoD that a contractor is committed to cybersecurity and protecting sensitive information. This can instantly enhance the company’s reputation and open the door to more contracts.
CMMC Levels
Contractors should consider three progressive compliance levels: foundational, advanced, and expert. Because these levels are progressive, companies must implement more security controls per level.
So, 17 practices are required for level one (foundational). For level two (advanced), a contractor must implement 110 practices that align with NIST SP 800-171.
Level three (expert) requires 110+ practices based on a subset of NIST SP 800-72 requirements.
Level one is for companies that work with federal contract information, which means their cybersecurity requirements are basic. Within this level, cybersecurity measures should focus on limiting access (access control), system integrity, and risk management.
Level two is for companies that work with controlled, unclassified information. This means focusing on incident responses in addition to the requirements of level one.
Level three is the highest level of compliance and must be achieved by contractors working with CUI targeted by APT (advanced persistent threats). Essentially, this means advanced detection and mitigation solutions.
Becoming CMMC Compliant
CMMC 2.0 is not yet a contractual requirement, at least not until the DoD officially implements the program. Still, all contractors and companies working with the DoD are advised to fulfil their required CMMC achievements.
The process of becoming compliant starts with conducting a self-assessment. Companies can do this using NIST 800-171 standards.
Based on the outcome of this assessment, companies should create an action plan and set out milestones. This is based on the physical assessment score. The score must be submitted to the DoD’s Supplier Performance Risk System.
The company or contractor should then establish their services and what they cover. A third party can help the organization identify serious gaps in its information security measures. This is not mandatory, but experts advise that contractors seriously consider this step.
If security gaps are found, they must be fixed as soon as possible. A company or contractor should not schedule a CMMC assessment if the gaps remain.
The CMMC assessment is divided into four phases. The first one includes pre-assessment planning and identifying team members for assessment.
The second phase consists of the C3PAI assessment. This process analyzes and reviews evidence of adherence to CMMC practices.
The third phase is the results phase. At this point, companies learn the outcome of their quality assurance review and receive recommendations where necessary.
During phase four, remediation happens if a company or contractor does not meet the required CMMC standards. They will have three months to address these issues.
CMMC Offers Contractors a Place in the DoD Supply Chain
Even though achieving CMMC compliance can mean upfront costs, these are offset by the potential for a long-term partnership with the DoD. Furthermore, CMMC compliance gives contractors an instant edge when bidding on DoD contracts. Government agencies will always prioritize awarding contracts to contractors who commit to cybersecurity.
However, becoming CMMC compliant is about much more than meeting the requirements to win a contract. It is an investment in the future of small and medium-sized businesses.
