All You Need To Know About CMMC Certification Framework

Author: Linqs Group

What Is CMMC Certification & To Whom Does CMMC Apply?

The United States Department of Defense (DoD) created the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification programme to assess defence contractors' capabilities, readiness, and competence in the area of cybersecurity. The framework is a combination of procedures, other frameworks, and inputs from existing cybersecurity standards like NIST, FAR, and DFARS at a high level. The main purpose of the CMMC certification is to increase the integrity and security of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and Federal Contract Information (FCI) held by and used by its federal contractors. The certification applies to both "prime" contractors that work directly with the Department of Defense and subcontractors who work with primes to fulfil and execute contracts.

Why Does CMMC Matter?

Cybercrime is predicted to cost the global economy around $600 billion every year. Using a large network of contractors to carry out its purpose means that the Department of Defense is exposing crucial data to each of them, which raises the DIB's overall risk profile. As a result, the Department of Defense recognises the expense and uneven risk that cybercrime imposes on their subcontractor base, many of which are tiny firms lacking the capabilities of their larger, prime counterparts. To enable the adoption of best practises in cybersecurity with a "defence in depth" strategy throughout DoD's entire global contractor base, the Department of Defense has released CMMC certification.

CMMC Framework and 5 Levels

From level 1 (lowest) to level 5 (highest), the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification is based on an advancing level of preparation. The ultimate purpose of CMMC is to prevent the exposure or illegal use of two types of information:

  • Controlled Unclassified Information(CUI) - Information that requires safeguarding or dissemination controls in accordance with and consistent with applicable legislation, regulations, and government-wide policy but is not classified under Executive Order 13526 or the Atomic Energy Act, as amended.

  • Federal Contract Information (FCI) - Information provided by or generated for the government under a contract to develop or supply a product or service to the government that is not meant for public release, but does not include information provided to the public by the government.

CMMC Framework Model

The CMMC model assesses cybersecurity maturity on a scale of one to five. Within a domain, each level consists of a set of procedures and practises. Depending on the sensitivity of information processed by enterprises within the DoD supply chain, compliance with CMMC standards will occur at one of these five levels. Contractors working for the Department of Defense must be certified at Level 1 or above, and those handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) must be certified at Level 3 or higher. It's important to realize that the set of processes and practises is cumulative, which means that in order to attain compliance with a particular maturity level, an organisation must also be compliant with all preceding maturity levels.

How Linqsgroup Can Help?

CMMC, like most frameworks, sets out the procedures that your company must follow. The CMMC Appendices provide implementation guidance, though, as with other standards and frameworks, it is currently unclear and susceptible to interpretation in some circumstances. It is recommended that you begin assessing how you have these requirements written and implemented to ensure your organisation is ready for CMMC certification.

Linqsgroup can analyse your organization's readiness at every level of the CMMC criteria by using the extensive knowledge of the CMMC consultant and give you a path forward towards compliance. To know more visit linqsgroup.com.

Author Bio:-

Linqsgroup has experience in process improvement, consulting, audits and process documentation. He is expert in documentation required for various ISO standards like ISO 9001, 45001, 17021, CMMI Level 5, etc. and consultancy. For More Informations Visit Us At:- https://www.linqsgroup.com/.