For companies within the federal sector, especially small to mid-sized businesses, the push toward compliance is not just a regulatory burden but an operational necessity. CMMC is one of these challenging frameworks, and these businesses are finding that alignment with CMMC is a tricky proposition. Meeting the stringent demands of CMMC requires a robust and… Read More
For organizations in the Defense Industrial Base, CMMC readiness is an immediate mandate to line up security requirements across the digital supply chain. With the DoD’s final rule now in effect, companies must treat compliance as a strategic business imperative. Delaying readiness is risky, if not business-ending, and could result in loss of contracts. Here,… Read More
The cybersecurity landscape for Department of Defense contractors is evolving rapidly. As the CMMC program rolls out, organizations are wrestling with a tough question: how do we meet these demanding requirements while actually building security that works? Here’s where Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) comes into play. It’s a complete shift from the old “castle and… Read More
Federal contractors and cloud service providers face an increasingly complex web of compliance requirements. Two frameworks dominate this landscape: CMMC and FedRAMP. This challenge hits hardest for organizations serving multiple federal sectors or providing both traditional contracting services and cloud solutions. These companies must navigate overlapping requirements, duplicate their documentation efforts, and maintain separate compliance… Read More
Gaining and maintaining compliance with the CMMC, especially at Level 2 or higher, is a complex challenge for many organizations within the DIB. Among the more difficult of these is managing the disruption that often accompanies new tech, especially when these measures impact day-to-day workflows and require a shift in organizational culture. The solution is… Read More
Automapping CMMC with NIST 800-53 If you’re a DoD contractor, you’ve probably felt the pain of juggling multiple cybersecurity frameworks. Between CMMC requirements and NIST 800-53 compliance, you’re doing the same work. Automating these frameworks can help you work smarter, not harder, while maintaining a strong security program. For organizations serving both government and commercial… Read More
CMMC has fundamentally transformed the landscape for defense contractors operating within the DIB. With mandatory compliance deadlines looming and contract requirements becoming increasingly stringent, organizations can no longer afford to treat cybersecurity as an afterthought. Yet for many contractors, the path to CMMC Level 2 compliance remains fraught with challenges that extend far beyond simple… Read More
As the cyber threat landscape becomes increasingly dominated by state-sponsored actors and advanced persistent threats, the DoD has taken critical steps to evolve its cybersecurity requirements for defense contractors. For contractors handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and seeking to achieve CMMC Level 3, the NIST SP 800-172 Enhanced Security Requirements represent the most stringent technical… Read More
Protecting CUI is critical to national security. As adversaries increasingly target the Defense Industrial Base, the Department of Defense has strengthened its approach to cybersecurity compliance through the CMMC. While CMMC does not explicitly create or enforce data governance frameworks, it plays a pivotal role in operationalizing the technical and procedural controls necessary to secure… Read More
More than ever, insider threats remain among the most challenging attacks to detect and the most damaging to mitigate. Threats from individuals with authorized access are a critical focus of the CMMC, particularly at Levels 2 and 3, which mandate strong controls to combat social engineering and threats from employees or other internal stakeholders. This… Read More
CMMC has emerged as a pivotal framework for contractors working in the DiB, ensuring that organizations safeguard sensitive information effectively. CMMC requires adherents to follow comprehensive documentation and robust policy frameworks like any other. Here, we will discuss the intricacies of documentation and policy development within the CMMC context, providing expert insights for organizations aiming… Read More
A critical component of CMMC is the robust authentication mechanisms that it requires, including biometric authentication, which plays a pivotal role in safeguarding sensitive information. As biometrics become more common and available across organizations, standards are evolving to incorporate this substantial identification measure. This article covers the technical aspects of CMMC’s authentication requirements, emphasizing the… Read More
Effective log management is critical to CMMC. It ensures organizations can monitor, analyze, and respond appropriately to security incidents. Properly implemented, log management supports compliance, enhances security posture, and provides a foundation for forensic analysis. Here, we’ll discuss some of the particulars of log management under CMMC, covering the technical aspects of log management within… Read More
?Classifying CUI is a critical component of the CMMC framework, ensuring that sensitive information is appropriately identified and protected within the Defense Industrial Base. This article explores the processes and guidelines for classifying CUI in alignment with CMMC requirements, drawing upon official documentation from the Department of Defense and related authoritative sources.?
Modern attackers come from any and every angle, but one thing they all want is access to data. But this doesn’t mean they just want to land in some database… more often than not, advanced attackers are looking for ways to monitor information flows to gain credentials and learn more about the systems and organizations… Read More
CMMC reshapes how defense contractors secure CUI. One of the most critical components of CMMC compliance is incident response (IR)—the ability to detect, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity incidents while meeting strict reporting and documentation requirements. Under the final CMMC rule, contractors at Level 2 and above must implement formalized IR policies, procedures, and… Read More
Incorporating open-source software (OSS) into organizational systems offers numerous benefits, including flexibility, innovation, and cost savings. However, for entities operating under stringent regulatory frameworks such as CMMC, FedRAMP, and HIPAA, adopting OSS requires careful consideration to ensure compliance. This article explores the effectiveness of OSS within these regulations and outlines the essential measures organizations must… Read More
CMMC requires extensive controls, policies, and compliance documentation like any other framework. Unfortunately, this documentation takes weeks or even months to complete correctly, and human error is always possible. Here, we discuss documentation requirements under CMMC and how automation can help make the certification process more manageable.
As organizations work toward CMMC compliance, the role of the Chief Information Officer becomes increasingly critical. A CIO ensures alignment with CMMC requirements and shapes an organization’s broader cybersecurity and IT governance strategies. This article explores the CMMC framework’s expectations for CIOs, responsibilities, and actionable steps to help organizations achieve and maintain compliance.
Adopting hybrid cloud systems—blending private on-premises infrastructure with public cloud services—has surged as organizations seek scalability, cost-efficiency, and flexibility. However, securing Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in these environments remains a critical challenge. These systems will use encryption to protect this data… but hybrid clouds introduce unique complexities due to data mobility, shared responsibility models, and… Read More
The digital battleground of the 21st century is no longer confined to physical borders or conventional warfare. Nation-states increasingly weaponize cyberspace to disrupt economies, steal intellectual property, and destabilize adversaries. The U.S. Department of Defense has prioritized fortifying its Defense Industrial Base through the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) framework in this high-stakes environment. This… Read More
The CMMC framework represents a critical evolution in securing the DIB. For organizations handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in the highest-risk contexts, achieving CMMC Level 3 compliance requires defenses against sophisticated adversaries like nation-state APTs. Traditional compliance checks and penetration testing are insufficient to validate these controls. Instead, red teaming—a full-scope, adversarial simulation—is essential to… Read More
For startups in the defense sector, CMMC is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, working in the DIB is a massive opportunity for most startups. Conversely, the costs and complexity of compliance can overwhelm lean teams with limited resources. This is why startups increasingly turn to CSPs and MSPs to achieve CMMC compliance without… Read More
We’re well into the era of “hybrid,” where many tech and office jobs are managed from the comfort of our employees’ homes alongside elective trips to the office. This approach to work is often much more convenient and flexible than on-site work (when possible), but it introduces its own set of challenges, specifically around security. Hybrid… Read More