The CMMC model was created to protect controlled unclassified information (CUI) from outside threats in order to better strengthen our nation's security posture. As such, the manufacturing industry must be prepared for how these regulatory requirements will impact their business and what they can do to help mitigate their unique risks. With access to CUI and information that could impact the U.S.' national security, manufacturers face greater risk in today's threat landscape. In this blog, we discuss what CMMC means to the manufacturing industry and what steps your organization should take if you are in scope.
What is CMMC and Who Does it Apply to?
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is the vehicle in which the Department of Defense (DoD) will determine whether or not contractors are accurately implementing the controls outlined in NIST 800-171 Rev. 2. In its current form, CMMC is made up of three maturity levels: Foundational, Advanced, and Expert. CMMC level 1 is applicable to contractors that only handle federal contract information (FCI). At this level, organizations are only required to implement 17 objectives that are based around foundational cybersecurity practices. To achieve level 2 compliance, organizations will need to implement all 110 assessment objectives listed in NIST 800-171 in addition to completing a third-party audit conducted by a C3PAO. Finally, achieving CMMC level 3 compliance requires a third-party assessment conducted by the Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center (DIBCAC).
Any organization that does work with the DoD and stores, processes, or transmits CUI must comply with CMMC requirements.
What does CMMC mean to your manufacturing business?
Failing to achieve CMMC compliance could result in substantial consequences for manufacturers currently working within the DIB. In order to bid on contracts, organizations must comply with CMMC and have proof of their certification to be considered eligible. Businesses that decide against implementing CMMC requirements will exclude themselves from a large portion of government work. If your business relies on these contracts, CMMC will be a requirement to continue business within the DIB. If your organization is currently under contract, failure to meet CMMC requirements will result in additional legal, financial, and reputational consequences. Under the False Claims Act, contractors found mispresenting their compliance posture may face heavy fines and, in some cases, criminal charges.
CMMC's Unique Impact on Manufacturers
CMMC requirements can put a unique strain on manufacturers that may cause them to reevaluate how they approach security. Historically, the manufacturing industry has always been prone to cybersecurity gaps. Cyber criminals will often target small manufacturing businesses with the intention of finding a foothold into a larger enterprise. These businesses are targeted because of their reliance on legacy hardware/software couple with limited budget and IT staff.
Manufacturers will find that industrial control systems (ICS) and operational technology (OT) face additional challenges under CMMC. ICS and OT refer to the hardware and software that monitor and control physical devices in industrial environments—such as sensors, actuators, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), SCADA systems, and manufacturing execution systems (MES). These are the backbone of modern production lines, especially in aerospace, defense, and precision manufacturing. Unlike traditional IT systems, these technologies are built primarily for availability and uptime, not security. Additionally, many of these machines were built prior to when cybersecurity in the OT environment was a major concern or have not seen a meaningful security update in over a decade. Legacy systems may complicate compliance efforts as they cannot be patched without significant downtime, may be unsupported by vendors, and are rarely compliant with modern security regulations.
Manufacturers working within the DIB may also have access to blueprints, plans, or intellectual property that, if leaked, could negatively impact national security. Documentation regarding weapons systems or secured facility access are of great value to foreign threat actors.
The manufacturing industry also has the unique task of protecting physical CUI. While an enclave solution may be sufficient enough to protect CUI in the cloud-- what happens when CUI needs to be printed? How does your organization transfer CUI from the computer to the CNC machine? These are all questions that manufacturing organizations must consider when pursuing CMMC compliance.
Key Takeaways
- CMMC is becoming a business requirement, not just a cybersecurity initiative. If you work with the DoD and touch CUI, certification will determine whether you can bid on and keep contracts in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB).
- Manufacturing faces unique CMMC friction due to OT/ICS environments. Many plants rely on legacy equipment, unsupported systems, and uptime-first architecture, which makes patching, monitoring, and access control far more complex than in traditional IT environments.
-
Threat actors target smaller manufacturers as entry points. Attackers often see SMB manufacturers as the easiest path into larger defense supply chains—especially when legacy systems, limited staff, and flat networks create gaps.
- CUI protection is not always “purely digital.” Manufacturers have to account for printed CUI, shop-floor workflows, CNC file transfers, and physical handling, meaning compliance must extend beyond the cloud and into operational processes.
CorpInfoTech, a Trusted CMMC Partner
CorpInfoTech is a managed service provider (MSP) that offers IT, cybersecurity, and CMMC compliance solutions to SMBs. We are among the first MSPs to achieve CMMC L2 compliance via a C3PAO audit, passing with a perfect 110 score. Through TAS for CMMC Compliance, your organization will inherit 200+ of the 320 objectives required by CMMC, ensuring that achieving compliance is cost effective and efficient. We understand the process because we've been through it. We also understand the manufacturing production, your side of the business.
Let CorpInfoTech's experience guide you toward your compliance goals. CMMC compliance is not just an IT decision, it’s a business decision.
CorpInfoTech is a CMMC Level 2 (C3PAO) certified MSP that has passed our audit with a perfect 110, making us one of the first MSPs to achieve level 2 compliance
