Leveraging ISACA for Your CMMC Career

"The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is the definitive standard for DoW contractors to demonstrate security competence. Whether viewed as necessary progress or an audit burden, CMMC represents a strategic career investment - and a strong entry point for practitioners looking to specialize. It is poised to reshape cybersecurity roles in the defense sector, making certification a strategic move for advancement."

"For years, the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) relied on self-attestation against DFARS/NIST requirements, often yielding uneven outcomes. CMMC is the DoW's mechanism to enforce consistent, evidence-based security for protecting Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Risk reduction: Driving implementation of baseline controls for FCI and the full NIST SP 800-171 control set for CUI. Verification: Enforcing accountability through independent assessment and ongoing affirmation. Standardization: Establishing a unified framework and assessment methodology across the DIB."

"Level 1 (Foundational): Basic cyber hygiene for FCI. Implements 17 practices from FAR 52.204-21. Level 1 requires most contractors to perform annual self-assessments, affirmed by a senior official, and report findings to the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS). These obligations extend to relevant subcontractors. Level 2 (Advanced): Aligns to the 110 requirements in NIST SP 800-171 for CUI. DoW distinguishes "prioritized" acquisitions (requiring triennial third-party assessment) from others that may permit annual self-assessment."

CMMC mandates standardized, evidence-based cybersecurity controls across the Defense Industrial Base to protect Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). CMMC 2.0 consolidates requirements into three levels: Level 1 enforces basic cyber hygiene and annual self-assessments for FCI; Level 2 aligns to the 110 NIST SP 800-171 requirements for CUI with a mix of third-party and self-assessments based on acquisition prioritization; Level 3 adds enhanced NIST SP 800-172-derived practices for the most sensitive programs with government assessment. CMMC introduces independent verification, rigorous scoping, objective evidence requirements, and makes certification a strategic career investment.

Read at Securitymagazine