Do you know what CMMC is? If not, you’re not alone. CMMC is a relatively new term in the world of cyber security, and it stands for Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification. This certification was created by the United States Department of Defense to ensure that all companies in the highly targeted DoD supply chain meet certain cyber security standards.
If your business works with the government or military in any way, you will most likely need to be compliant with CMMC regulations. Staying compliant with strict CMMC regulations can be a difficult task, which makes finding the right IT compliance consultants and CMMC compliance solutions for your business even more important.
Unfortunately, businesses that assume they’ll be able to comply with CMMC based on the cybersecurity measures they’ve had created by an unspecialized IT company are likely still at risk of cyber incidents and not in full compliance with CMMC.
What is CMMC?
CMMC is a security standard designed to protect Department of Defense systems and information, including private information in the DoD supply chain. Current CMMC standards cover three levels of cybersecurity maturity and are aimed at protecting contractor systems and data from cyber incidents.
The DoD created CMMC to address the increasing number of cyber attacks on government and contractor systems when previous compliance requirements proved inadequate. The goal of CMMC is to ensure that contractors have a minimum level of cybersecurity protection in place and to reduce the risk of cyber incidents affecting government information through contractors.
Why is CMMC Important?
CMMC is important because it provides a clear and concise way to communicate cyber risks across the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). The model also gives organizations a common language to use when discussing their cybersecurity programs.
CMMC is different from other compliance regulations because it’s extremely detailed and requires a lot of certification, even for consultants and assessors to go through. As opposed to previous DoD standards like DFARS, CMMC requires third-party assessments for higher levels of maturity, instead of only using self assessments.
How Has CMMC Changed?
The CMMC Model was first released in January of 2020. Since then, several changes have been made to the model. Most recently and significantly, in November 2021, the DoD announced CMMC 2.0, which condensed the previous five certification levels into three and made the first level of compliance only require a self assessment instead of third-party certification. This change is designed to make it more feasible and accessible for small businesses to achieve and maintain compliance.
Why Your IT Company May Pose a Risk to Your CMMC Compliance
CMMC compliance is highly detailed and regulated, and in most (if not all) cases, businesses need to work with specialized CMMC compliance consultants to achieve the level of compliance necessary to continue doing business with the DoD.
The problem occurs when a business working with an unspecialized IT provider assumes that their current cybersecurity setup is sufficient, or that their current provider will be able to handle all their CMMC needs.
To comply with CMMC, you must reach seventeen cyber hygiene standards, submit a System Security Plan (SSP) and a Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M), and in some cases, complete remediation in areas that were substandard. To comply with certifications above Level 1, you must implement dozens of more standards and pass an assessment from a third-party assessor. And that’s just the basic overview of what’s required for CMMC!
For businesses that are counting on their current IT company to fulfill their CMMC compliance needs, that relationship can become their biggest liability. Even if you’ve received satisfactory IT support in the past, that does not mean your provider is automatically capable of preparing you sufficiently for the rigorous demands of CMMC.
Finding the Right CMMC Consultants
The right CMMC consultants will be extremely familiar with CMMC and will know how to help you comply with its requirements. An experienced CMMC consultant will be able to help you implement CMMC in a way that best fits your organization, and also also provide you with the support you need to maintain your compliance with CMMC over time.
Simple Systems’ CMMC Compliance Services
Simple Systems is an experienced IT company with expertise in CMMC compliance. We help DoD contractors in Utah and throughout the US navigate the complexities of CMMC compliance regulations so they can continue to win bids from the DoD. We’ve tailored a solution that helps companies implement the requirements quickly and affordably.
To learn more about our CMMC compliance solutions or to schedule a free consultation, contact Simple Systems today.
