If you work with technology and the Department of Defense, you may have seen or dealt with the acronym CMMC. The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification is necessary for any organization that wants to work with the government, which is why many companies consider becoming certified. There are some things to know if you are unfamiliar with working with the government or getting a certification. Here are some basics of CMMC compliance that business owners may find valuable.
1. Understand How To Be Compliant
If you are new to the certification process, you may wonder, “what is CMMC compliance?”. For compliance, you need a certification to ensure your cybersecurity systems are up-to-date and secure.
Determine where you are currently on the CMMC level system before continuing. Often, companies need to hire an expert to help them assess where they are and what they need to do to become fully compliant. After evaluating their systems, the expert can then make suggestions about improvements.
2. Understand Who Needs To Be Compliant
If you are an organization that is working with the Department of Defense, you need CMMC certification. There are various levels of clearance that depend on what kind of information you are handling. When becoming compliant, think about the sort of documents and information you will be working with and if they are classified.
Even if you do not work with the government in any capacity, you may want to become CMMC compliant. Better security for your systems means you lessen the chance of cyberattacks, stolen information, or viruses. It leads to better performance for your company.
3. Understand the Certification Levels
There are five levels of CMMC certification. As stated, the level you need to reach depends on the information you handle. Level one is what most companies already have. This level includes basic cybersecurity features, like strong passwords and antivirus software.
More advanced companies may have level five clearance, which involves ways to monitor and fix security issues or gaps constantly. This level also includes ways to detect threats before they start, which can increase a company’s security.
The ranks in between contain different levels of security that a company needs. The expert you work with can help you determine what level you need to strive for, depending on your goals.
Level one may be all you need if you are not working with classified or sensitive information. However, you may want to strive for a higher level no matter the data you handle.
4. Understand How To Become Certified
CMMC compliance is beneficial for many companies and organizations. However, you cannot self-identify as being compliant. Instead, you must have a third-party organization certify that you are compliant.
If a company determines that they want to become certified, they generally conduct an audit first. It helps them understand where their cybersecurity systems currently are and what upgrades they need to make before becoming compliant.
CMMC compliance is valuable for any company, even if they are not working with the Department of Defense. If you wish to have a better cybersecurity system or want to work with the government, consider becoming CMMC compliant.
