Why Meeting the CMMC Compliance Deadline Might Require an MSP
By now, all government contractors know that they are going to need to meet the CMMC deadline if they want to continue government contract labor. But while the CMMC compliance deadline may seem far off, CMMC implementation should already be well underway now. Companies targeting CMMC compliance will need to achieve it by 2025.
1. The CMMC is particularly robust — and there are layers to the CMMC.
There are three tiers of CMMC. Ideally, you will need to be at least at the second tier to take any type of government contract work. Because the CMMC is a new standard and is quite robust, it’s easy to miss certain parts of the standard. If you want to achieve full CMMC compliance, you will need an expert. And because CMMC implementation has just started, it would be very difficult to find and employ a technician who can become an expert in CMMC certification on their own — you will need support.
2. Acquiring CMMC certification is a process unto itself.
To get CMMC certification, you need to update your networking, security, infrastructure and documentation standards. Then, you’ll undergo a review process. During that review process, you’ll be advised of anything that needs to be fixed, and then, you will have to submit those changes within a tight time frame to achieve your certification. Most companies are going to need support through this process; company-wide IT activities cannot grind to a halt during certification. With an MSP, they won’t have to.
3. Companies may need to do a complete overhaul of their infrastructure and security.
Some companies may already be in good shape. Other companies may not be. CMMC requires elements such as multi-factor authentication. If your system is not designed for MFA, 2FA or SSO, you may need to redo significant portions of it. The amount of work that has to be done on your network will depend on your network’s current status as well as the CMMC tier you’re hoping to achieve. But for some companies, it’s going to be quite extensive.
Most companies may not find it in their time or monetary resources to complete such an overhaul internally within the next few years. An MSP brings with it additional resources, technology, tools and expertise to complete the overhaul as easily (and non-disruptively) as possible.
4. Many will benefit from a third-party audit on their security.
It’s not always easy to audit security internally. Companies develop their own systems and may not be able to “see” issues. Internal IT teams start to adjust to a “we’ll fix that later” approach and may not address issues until they need to be addressed. But a third-party audit is going to be as thorough and honest as possible.
An MSP can really dig into the issues in your security as well as the gaps in your technology. Your MSP will provide a complete list of things that need to be changed — in addition to the answers to the problems that you have. From there, they can create a complete roadmap for your company’s adoption of these new, necessary technologies and standards.
In reality, most companies can benefit from regular third-party security audits, not just those who are trying to acquire CMMC certification.
5. Documentation, planning and contingencies are essential to the CMMC.
CMMC certification goes well beyond just the technology involved. Companies need entire sets of documentation, planning, disaster-related contingencies and more.
Does your organization have this documentation in place? When was the last time it was updated? Who is in charge?
Documentation and planning are some of the first things to fall behind when companies are busy. Often, there just aren’t the internal resources that can be allocated to them. And while the task may seem superfluous, it’s very critical. An MSP can bring in the work hours and resources needed to complete all this documentation and planning as swiftly as possible — without any additional strain on your internal team.
6. An MSP can help save time and money when it comes to CMMC compliance.
Ultimately, an MSP is going to save you work hours and money when it comes to CMMC compliance. An MSP well-versed in CMMC standards will be able to build your organization an entire plan to achieve whatever tier of compliance you desire. The MSP will be able to provide vital resources throughout the period of transition — so your company can focus on doing business, rather than managing a major infrastructure change. And an MSP will be able to provide support throughout the compliance process.
The most dangerous thing an organization can do is try to establish CMMC compliance piecemeal — by improving their systems here or replacing technologies there. The CMMC compliance deadline is fast approaching and CMMC implementation really needs to be completed whole cloth.
But if you need support, the support is there. Contact Red River to learn more about CMMC compliance, levels and certification — and the process that can get you from here to there.
