CMMC Compliance:
Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification
The Network Pro is now a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) accredited RPO.
The Department of Defense (DoD) has taken proactive measures in creating the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). The primary goal of the CMMC is to safeguard what is referred to as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) across the DoD supply chain.
With an escalating cybersecurity threat risk that doesn’t appear to be slowing down, the CMMC will soon be a requirement for any defense contractors or other vendors that are, or wish to be, working with the DoD.
What is CMMC?
CMMC is short for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification and it represents a security standard for implementing protective measures across the defense industrial base. The said base counts over 300,000 companies in its supply chain, which have suffered numerous security breaches up until now. These events prompted the DoD to create a better cybersecurity framework as a response to recent compromises of sensitive data within the contractors’ information systems.
The CMMC framework is structured in such a way that it has five different certification levels. Each level shows how reliable the company’s cybersecurity infrastructure it is in terms of protecting sensitive data from potential cyber threats. Naturally, the companies’ goal should be to obtain the highest level of the CMMC certification.
Each of the five levels of certification comes with different technical requirements. Consequently, it is far more difficult to achieve the 4th or 5th level of certification compared to the 1st or 2nd levels.
Each certification level:
- Level 1 requires a company to perform the basic cybersecurity measures such as ensuring proper password management, using an antivirus program, and training their employees to manage basic security tasks.
- At Level 2, a company must start documenting intermediate cybersecurity measures to protect Controlled Unclassified Information or CUI. At this level, companies must implement the NIST framework’s security requirements.
- In order to obtain a Level 3 certification, a company must put together an institutionalized management plan that implements relevant cybersecurity measures. This includes having a plan that safeguards CUI and includes all the NIST security requirements, next to other standards.
- At Level 4, the company has to finish the implementation of all procedures designed to measure and review their security practices put in place to protect against advanced persistent threats.
- Lastly, to obtain a Level 5 certification, a company must put continuous effort into detecting and responding to ATPs in the most efficient way possible. A company that has a Level 5 CMMC certification is considered fully reliable and trustworthy in terms of being able to safeguard their sensitive information systems and processes.
Over 300,000 DoD contractors will have to obtain the CMMC certification in order to take the DIB’s data security to the next level. Without the CMMC certification, competing for DoD contracts will soon become impossible. Thus, companies should start preparing for assessment procedures by implementing the basic cybersecurity measures and working their way up the ladder.
A few steps to start the preparation include clearly documenting the required practices and procedures, as well as building an actionable plan as to how to start implementing those procedures. Naturally, DoD contractors should aim to obtain the highest level of certification possible to remain competitive in this industry.