Any organization in the DiB space is required to achieve CMMC compliance. No matter where you are in your CMMC journey, it’s important to address any gaps that may occur. Here are the top five implementation gaps for CMMC.
- Understanding your operational requirements to meet the CMMC standards. It is important for organizations to know the operational requirements as it helps you identify and implement the necessary security controls and practices to protect sensitive government information. By understanding your operational requirements, you can determine which CMMC level is appropriate for your organization and then develop a plan to meet the specific requirements for that level. Failing to understand your operational requirements could result in inadequate cybersecurity measures, which may prevent your organization from being certified or result in a lower certification level.
- Establishing a NIST SP 800-171-based security framework in order to meet CMMC compliance requirements. A security framework provides a structured approach to identifying, implementing, and managing the security controls and practices needed to protect sensitive government information. A security framework also provides a comprehensive set of guidelines and best practices that can be customized to meet an organization’s specific needs and requirements. By establishing a security framework, an organization can ensure that its cybersecurity efforts are consistent, repeatable, and effective. It also helps to demonstrate to auditors that the organization is taking a systematic approach to cybersecurity and has implemented appropriate measures to protect sensitive information.
- Developing a comprehensive data security and risk management plan. This type of plan is important because it helps organizations identify, evaluate, and mitigate the risks associated with the handling of sensitive government information. Because CMMC requires organizations to implement a range of security controls and practices, it’s important to tailor this plan to specific risks and threats facing the organization. Most plans typically include a detailed inventory of the organization’s information assets, an assessment of the risks associated with each asset, and a set of controls and procedures for managing these risks. Incident response procedures, employee training programs, and ongoing monitoring and assessment of the organization’s security posture are also included in the plan.
- Securing the IT infrastructure and implementing the necessary security controls. IT infrastructure forms the foundation of an organization’s technology ecosystem, and it is often the primary target for cyberattacks. Securing the IT infrastructure and implementing the necessary security controls helps organizations ensure that their technology assets are protected from known threats and vulnerabilities. By implementing security controls such as firewalls, antivirus software, and intrusion detection systems, organizations can prevent or minimize the impact of cybersecurity incidents. By securing the IT infrastructure and implementing the necessary security controls, organizations can achieve the appropriate level of compliance, ensuring that they meet the security requirements for the sensitive government information they handle.
- Educating and training users on proper security practices and procedures. Your users are your biggest threat, so conducting periodic training on your security policies and procedures is a good way to minimize your risk of a breach or attack. Proper security practices and procedures include measures such as password management, social engineering awareness, safe browsing habits, and reporting of suspicious activities, among others. Educating and training users on these practices and procedures can help prevent accidental data breaches and improve an organization’s overall security posture. Additionally, CMMC compliance requires organizations to demonstrate that their employees understand and follow proper security practices and procedures.
Tego is a Registered Practitioner Organization (RPO) with Registered Practitioners (RPs) on staff. Our RPs have several years’ experience in the security, audit, and compliance space and maintain training in basic CMMC methodology. Contact us today to begin your CMMC journey.