What You Need To Know About CMMC
Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) sets new cybersecurity standards for companies that work with the Department of Defense. Are you aware of how these guidelines will impact your company? If not, now is the time to get to know how CMMC works and what you'll need to do to meet its requirements.
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What Every Single Business Should Know about CMMC
Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) sets new cybersecurity standards for companies that work with the Department of Defense. Are you aware of how these guidelines will impact your company? If not, now is the time to get to know how CMMC works and what you’ll need to do to meet its requirements.
Who Needs CMMC Certification?
Any company that works with the DoD needs CMMC certification to bid on upcoming contracts. Additionally, subcontractors that work for companies that provide goods and/or services to the DoD will need the appropriate level of certification to continue current business relationships.
What are the CMMC Levels?
CMMC has five tiered levels. The level of certification your business needs will depend on the type of contracts you intend to bid on now and in the future. Bear in mind your subcontractors don’t necessarily have to have the same level of certification that you have if they don’t handle as much information as you work with.
Level One
Any government contractor should already be Level One compliant as the requirements at this level as the same as existing FAR 52.204-21 requirements. Only basic cybersecurity practices such as maintaining anti-virus software, selecting strong passwords, and changing passwords regularly are required at this level.
Level Two
Level Two certification requires adherence to intermediate cybersecurity standards and is a must for any company working with controlled unclassified information (CUI). It’s a “transitionary level” of sorts for businesses that want to make it to Level Three but aren’t quite there yet.
Level Three
Any business that stores or processes CUI, holds Federal Contract Information, possesses government data or holds export-controlled data will need Level Three CMMC authentication. This is the CMMC level that most government contractors should aim for.
Level Four
Level four, like level two, is meant to be a transitionary stage between levels three and five. The requirements for this level are pretty challenging as you’ll need to take measures to not only protect yourself from run-of-the-mill cyberattacks but also advanced persistent threats. These threats include, but aren’t limited to, rogue nation-states and terrorist organizations. You’ll need proactive cybersecurity measures that keep your systems safe by aggressively identifying potential threats and eliminating them before a data breach occurs.
Level Five
Level Five is the highest CMMC certification level. Businesses at this level must have fully optimized processes in place along with cutting-edge cybersecurity tools to prevent even the most sophisticated hacking techniques.
How do I Get CMMC Certification?
In times past, a business was able to certify on its own that it was compliant with government cybersecurity requirements. That time is no more. Any business that wants any level of CMMC certification will need to be authenticated by a DoD-authorized third party. The number of auditors is limited so you’ll want to schedule an appointment in advance to ensure your paperwork is in order in time to bid on the contracts of your choice. However, you’ll need to take some important measures before you call in an independent auditor to assess your cybersecurity tools and procedures.
What is your current level of cybersecurity? It can be wise to start by examining employee behavior. Do your staff members change passwords regularly, use strong passwords at all times, and use two-factor authentication? Do employees know warning signs that indicate that pop-ups and emails contain malicious content? Cybersecurity training and testing for staff members can help your employees be aware of and adhere to your company’s cybersecurity guidelines at all times.
You’ll also need to examine your IT hardware and software. All software programs need to be updated regularly as patches and updates eliminate vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers to gain access to your systems. You should have a VPN to keep data encrypted as it transits to and from your servers. Any SaaS platforms you use should be NIST 800-171 or NIST 800-53 compliant. Large tech vendors such as Microsoft and Salesforce have government versions of their platforms that offer higher cybersecurity standards than their run-of-the-mill platforms. Cloud storage and back-up solutions should be fully secure at all times.
Professional Help with CMMC Compliance
Reaching and maintaining the high cybersecurity standards in place for CMMC certification is no easy task. That’s why it can be a wise idea to partner with an IT managed service that specializes in CMMC consulting services. SSE has more than thirty years of experience providing cutting-edge IT services to the business community and more than twelve years offering the specialized tech tools and services businesses need to stay in step with DoD cybersecurity requirements. Our CMMC services include gap assessments to help you identify vulnerabilities in your cybersecurity set-up, remediation to improve cybersecurity standards and policies, and compliance as a service to ensure your company can easily maintain high cybersecurity standards long-term. Get in touch with us at your convenience to learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced consultants