They must obtain their certification to demonstrate compliance with established IT security standards. In this sense, CMMC levels describe a progression from basic cyber hygiene to intermediate to good cyber hygiene; and then to proactive, progressive and advanced cybersecurity positions. CMMC is a certification program introduced to improve supply chain security in the industrial defense base . At the end of 2025, the Ministry of Defense will Security Compliance require that all contractors be certified to one of five CMMC levels, including technical security controls and decay processes. Each domain is segmented by a range of capabilities and performance to ensure that the cybersecurity objectives are met within each domain. Companies will further validate compliance with the required capabilities by demonstrating that they comply with the practices and processes assigned at five maturity levels .
If a Defense Ministry contractor only needs FCI data as part of the defense work being done, you probably need to obtain Level 1 CMMC certification. Level 1 only requires a cybersecurity approach to performance and includes 17 cybersecurity practices. These 17 cybersecurity practices are simple and should be used by most companies working for the Ministry of Defense USA It offered cybersecurity guidelines to contractors for years, but contractors were unable to demonstrate how strong their cyber programs were. CMMC presents a new set of certifications, performed by external consultants.
They differ from C3PAOs in that they are not authorized to conduct evaluations. The RPO role exists only to provide CMMC 1.0 guidance and support to CSOs in the DIB. Unless they are also certified as RPO, C3PAO cannot offer these services and cannot extend both services to the same company. A Certified Third Party Assessment Organization, or C3PAO, is an organization authorized by the CMMC Accreditation Agency (CMMC-AB) to conduct and deliver CMMC 1.0 assessments after entering into a contract with Compliance Seeking Organizations . The CMMC-AB has defined two key roles for organizations that advise and evaluate contractors as they work to join the unique requirements of CMMC 1.0. The CMMC-AB supervises the training, quality and administration of external evaluation organizations.
Because various contractors have access to information levels, the Ministry of Defense has set up the CMMC in phases. Contractors must meet the specific requirements of safety tests under possible contracts. Given the sensitivity range of the information per contract, the required maturity level is determined at individual contract level. The maturity model is cumulative, so each successive level consists of the practices and processes specified at the previous level, as well as additional controls.
This package is a great way to get into “digital security” as, in addition to DSP policies and standards, you get program-level documentation to configure comprehensive risk, vulnerability, provider and incident response capabilities. Motivated DoD providers remain informed about CMMC, easily accept the changes and are proactive in obtaining early certification. These organizations recognize that as contracts with CMMC requirements are announced and RFPs are published, early CMMC certification will open doors that may be closed to its non-compliant competitors. Not all information is equally sensitive and employees may have different access rights. To enable these variables, CMMC measures processes at five maturity levels. Achieving higher levels of CMMC improves a company’s ability to protect CUI
USA In accordance with the Federal Defense Acquisition Regulation Supplement, the DoD Cloud Computer Security Requirements Guide, the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program and other federal compliance programs. The other party is reasonably expected to terminate contracts for breach of key cybersecurity and privacy requirements as it does not meet contract requirements. The US Department of Defense supply chain is one of the most crucial for both national security and the protection of people in the armed forces. Regardless of where contractors are on the industrial defense base, security is critical to preventing intellectual property theft or the worst sabotage of bad actors. With the development of government software, a minor violation can lead to a massive leak of confidential data, which can be detrimental to the overall security of the country.
EXP Technical offers cybersecurity consulting and IT governance services at CIO level. Our recommendations are supported by decades of experience that ensures that organizations in highly regulated industries meet the high standards required of them. If you are unsure how to prepare for your CMMC audit, contact EXP Technical today for a free consultation. CMMC’s goal is to provide a framework for improving cybersecurity in organizations in the DIB sector.
Improve the protection of federal contract information and unclassified controlled supply chain information, the United States Department of Defense. CMMC also adds a certification element to verify the implementation of cybersecurity requirements and certifications to be performed by accredited third parties such as Schneider Downs. Sub-level providers outsourced by large companies should also ensure that they comply with relevant maturity levels for cybersecurity.