As CMMC 2.0 moves towards implementation, more and more companies are facing the need to achieve compliance.
If you’re new to CMMC, it’s a framework designed to protect sensitive unclassified information from the ever-increasing threat of cyberattacks. The government has recognized that not only its own assets, but those of connected vendors – and their vendors – are potential threat vectors. Any organization that stores, processes, or transmits federal contract information (FCI) or controlled unclassified information (CUI) must be compliant.
As with any other initiative, there are right ways and wrong ways to go about becoming CMMC 2.0 compliant. Here are some of the mistakes we’ve seen being made:
Failing to identify the correct level. There are three levels of CMMC compliance, and without getting into too much detail, it’s important to understand which level of compliance is required for your situation. For one example, the model for Level 1 requires 17 practices, while Level 2 jumps to 110 practices. Knowing which one is the right one will save a lot of time and effort.
Improper scoping. In many cases, not all of an organization’s resources need to be CMMC compliant. It’s crucial to begin by properly defining in detail the resources that will need to be within scope. Attempting organization-wide compliance can create situations that are very difficult to manage.
Incomplete gap assessment. As the name would suggest, a gap assessment looks at current practices and procedures, compares them to the CMMC standard, and identifies the gaps, or areas that require improvement. This assessment needs to be thorough and comprehensive.
Failing to get buy-in. All involved stakeholders need to understand how important it is to achieve and maintain CMMC compliance. Front-line personnel especially need to understand that taking shortcuts or failing to abide by prescribed procedures can create an existential threat to an organization.
Not working with a professional. For most organizations, CMMC 2.0 compliance is not a do-it-yourself proposition. The standards are complex, the stakes are very high, and the costs of working with a professional CMMC consultant pale in comparison to the potential costs of a misstep. Hill Tech’s Founder and President, Ron Hill, is a Certified CMMC Professional.
CMMC 2.0 addresses shortcomings in the original rule, and as the review period draws to a close and the rule takes effect, compliance will no longer be optional. Understanding where your organization fits into the CMMC framework, and working with a professional, can help you achieve compliance with a minimum of wasted cost and effort.
Questions about CMMC 2.0 compliance? Contact Hill Tech Solutions.
