The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) was created by the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) to establish standardized security practices for all of its contractors responsible for CUI (Controlled Unclassified Information). This means that if you are contracted by the DIB to do work for the government then you must comply with a certain level of CMMC standards including audits from third party MSP's or organizations licensed to certify. Not all MSPs support CMMC.
There are many factors that play into complying with CMMC. The simple fact that Advanced and Expert levels require over 100 processes and regulations in addition to audits can certainly make CMMC hard to maintain.
The biggest reason for this is that oftentimes controls defined by CMMC aren't applied to procedure within an MSP's organization. This could simply be because the technical skills required to implement these controls may be outside the scope of the MSP's abilities. Additionally, many who work with CMMC will outsource their controls and infrastructure to other MSP's. The main issue with this is that sometimes miscommunication can result in misapplied controls or time lost when conducting business.
The unique thing about CorpInfoTech is that all of our controls are regulated and applied in house by our own team members. This allows for an increase in security and auditing quality. Organizations know they can trust CorpInfoTech with their CMMC controls because we live up to our own standard of security.
Time constraints and budget, like always, can limit how MSP's support CMMC. The time it takes to become compliant and supportive of CMMC regulations isn't fast. With dozens of controls and security standards to comply to it is often too much for MSPs to implement. Depending on how compliant an organization is at the start can determine how much work needs to be done to ensure full compliance.
For MSP's who haven't begun their journey into CMMC this could mean months of work and a sizable amount of money. This is another reason CorpInfoTech is unique when supporting CMMC. We take the time to make sure every control, process, and regulation is implemented right. We also understand how crucial these standards are to creating a secure business environment, which is why CorpInfoTech doesn't see the extra work it takes as a detriment, but rather a necessity.
The unique thing about CorpInfoTech is that all of our controls are regulated and applied in house by our own team members. This allows for an increase in security and auditing quality. Organizations know they can trust CorpInfoTech with their CMMC controls because we live up to our own standard of security. As a Registered Practitioner Organization (RPO) with the Cyber AB, CorpInfoTech is externally validated and trusted to help organizations achieve and maintain CMMC compliance. As CMMC reaches finalization, your MSP is REQUIRED to comply with the equivalent level of CMMC as your organization. With CorpInfoTech's services your business can achieve compliance on time and with tangible results.
Per the CMMC Proposed Rule update in December of 2023, we have a more solid understanding of what CMMC compliance will look like once fully written into contracts. One major change is that any MSP working with a defense contractor who is required to comply with CMMC, must also be compliant to the same level if they handle any security information. Under the proposed rule MSPs must be compliant with CMMC regardless of whether or not they handle CUI/FCI. If your organization must be CMMC compliant and your MSP handles security information, they must also comply. CorpInfoTech is officially registered as an "organization seeking certification" (OSC) so that when CMMC compliance is set in stone, we are able to provide for our current and future clients.
If you believe your organization must comply with CMMC but don't know where to begin, contact CorpInfoTech today to learn more about how we can help you become CMMC compliant.
CorpInfoTech (Corporate Information Technologies) provides small to mid-market organizations with expert I.T. services including compliance assessment, cybersecurity penetration tests, and comprehensive business continuity planning services. CorpInfoTech can help organizations, quantify, create, refine, and mitigate the risks presented by business threatening disasters in whatever form they may be disguised.