Over 100,000 are Defense Industrial Base contractors for the US Department of Defense (DoD). These contractors work in support of the DoD to research, develop, design, produce, deliver, and maintain military weapons and weapon systems.
There have always been safety protocols in place to protect secure information that contractors might have or need. However, the DoD is implementing a new program to improve secure information.
What is CMMC? What impact will it have on DoD contractors going forward? If you work with the DoD or hope to land a future contract, you need to know about CMMC. Read on to learn more.
What Is CMMC?
CMMC stands for Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification. It is a new Department of Defense program.
CMMC puts in place cybersecurity processes and security measures to ensure and protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) that could be a part of the Defense Industrial Base networks or systems that contractors have access to and use.
The CMMC framework will put in place the framework for cybersecurity. The framework has maturity levels that will protect the sensitive government information that is part of the government and contractors’ work.
Why Is CMMC Important?
The US government and the Department of Defense entrust contractors when they contract with them. As part of the relationship between the government and contractors, they hold and use sensitive government data to fulfill their contracts.
The importance of implementing cybersecurity measures from DoD ensures that the data is secure and safe from the nemesis hands. With enhanced security measures, the contractors can secure information the same way government departments would.
How Is CMMC Different?
It’s not like the DoD has allowed contractors to do work without security measures in place. They have required cybersecurity as part of previous contracts.
In previous forms of cybersecurity, contractors weren’t able to prove the security measures in place. Third-party assessors like Alluvionic now certifies contractors. They help to prove the necessary security measures are in place.
Again, it’s worth noting that future government contracts won’t be issued without CMMC in place.
Getting CMMC
CMMC requirements are in place for DoD contractors, not government contractors. CMMC requirements will test a contractor in 171 different security practices. This is done across five levels of security or maturity.
Each level helps to identify and showcase the contractor’s cybersecurity processes, practices, and infrastructure. The levels are cumulative, so you must pass one level before moving to the next one.
Maturity Levels of CMCC
Let’s take a closer look at the CMMC levels of maturity. The levels of maturity are as follows:
- Level 1, Basic Cyber Hygiene containing 17 security controls
- Level 2, Intermediate Cyber Hygiene containing 46 security controls
- Level 3, Good Cyber Hygiene containing 47 security controls
- Level 4, Proactive containing 26 security controls
- Level 5, Advanced / Progressive containing 4 security controls
A contractor must prove they have achieved proficiency at one level before moving to the next level.
Understanding Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification
What is CMMC? CMMC is the method for the DoD to ensure they have maximum levels of security from their contractors.
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