How to Make Sure Your Business Meets CMMC Requirements

Cybersecurity Maturation Model Certification (CMMC) requirements have recently been updated by the federal government. CMMC requirements are intended to gauge how mature an organization’s IT and security processes are, as well as how safe and secure its infrastructure is. Any organization working with the US Department of Defense will need to go through the CMMC compliance process and will need to meet with the required CMMC standards.

Even companies that do not need to maintain CMMC compliance may benefit from CMMC best practices and the CMMC requirements – especially if they capture large volumes of privileged information.

The Different Levels of CMMC Compliance

There isn’t one set “CMMC compliance.” Rather, the CMMC certification process gauges an organization’s ability to fulfill certain security levels and gives a company a level that is appropriate to its security measures and maturation.

The CMMC process outlines and identifies 5 levels total of maturation:

• Level 1. A company performs the minimum levels of security, such as ensuring that devices and data are password-protected. A Level 1 company has an antivirus solution and ensures that employees regularly change their passwords. A Level 1 company may be adequately equipped to maintain Federal Contact Information (FCI), but not much else. Level 1 companies will be on the periphery of engagement with the DoD and will not be cleared for further interaction with government data.
• Level 2. A company performs broader security operations to ensure that data is at less of a risk of being breached. The organization will need established, documented practices that are intended to reduce the amount of risk to any important data. These CMMC best practices are also critical to other organizations that are interested in maintaining their security. Better documentation means that processes can be more thoroughly and consistently followed.
• Level 3. Companies have written, documented plans and strategies for not only ensuring that the organization maintains its security, but also for ensuring that this security is optimized and improved upon and that all processes are properly implemented. Level 3 ensures that companies are able to create a consistent CMMC framework on which to build.
• Level 4. Companies are able to assess the efficiency of their security processes and systems and are able to regularly improve upon the efficiency of their infrastructure. At Level 4, companies should be able to strategically audit their infrastructure with confidence, noting any problems and addressing them proactively.
• Level 5. At Level 5, companies should have standardized, rigorous methods for fulfilling and improving upon Level 1 through Level 4 requirements. Companies should also be able to identify and detect potential attacks quickly, responding to and mitigating them in a way that vastly reduces the amount of damage done.

These levels are used to gauge an organization’s ability to keep its data safe and its infrastructure stable. Each level builds upon the other levels, so Level 5 includes Level 4, Level 3, Level 2 and Level 1.

Not every organization needs to achieve Level 5 CMMC compliance. In fact, very few do. But moving toward Level 5 CMMC compliance is a boon for any company.

What Level of CMMC Compliance Do You Need?

CMMC compliance requirements are determined on a project-by-project basis, depending on the materials that are going to be engaged with. At minimum, all companies interacting with the Department of Defense are going to need to meet Level 1 CMMC compliance. Level 1 is the base level – the minimum requirements.

Companies that are going to receive, process or otherwise interact with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) will need to have Level 3 or above CMMC compliance. Companies that receive, process or otherwise interact with High Value Assets (HVA) are going to need to be level 4 or level 5. These requirements will be outlined within the government contracts.

Companies that do not need to deal with CUI or HVA will likely only need to meet Level 1 or Level 2 compliance.

Understandably, it’s always better to meet greater levels of compliance. While you may only need to meet CMMC level 3 requirements, the CMMC framework for Level 4 and Level 5 are general, positive best practices for all companies – not just companies that are operating with the DoD.

How does your company fare when compared to CMMC requirements? At Red River, we can help you develop a CMMC framework, complete the CMMC assessment guide and perform a complete audit and CMMC gap analysis. Contact us today to find out more about CMMC requirements and how they may impact you.