By achieving compliance, you could be ahead of your competition when bidding on contracts. Discover how in this recent article by SSE CEO Elizabeth Niedringhaus.

The Department of Defense (DoD) recently issued its much-anticipated Interim Final Rule, which came into effect on November 30, 2020. DoD contractors and subcontractors will be required to submit scored self-assessments against current NIST 800-171 requirements under the new rule. This process will also act as a bridge to CMMC compliance in the coming years.

Have you started working on compliance? Delaying could be a costly error; get ahead of your competition and achieve compliance to ensure your company is eligible for DoD contracts.

Expert Assistance With NIST 800-171 And CMMC For Small Businesses

The experienced team at SSE is available to help assess your current situation and provide a customized solution set for your company to meet NIST 800-171 controls and CMMC practices.  As both a DoD contractor and IT solutions provider, in 2017 we self-certified with third-party verification.  While new to our clients, CMMC isn’t new to us.

How can SSE help your business?

• Contact our team and schedule a Readiness Assessment
• Our team can assess your current environment to gauge your current state of compliance with both NIST 800-171 and CMMC
• Our team will create a plan to achieve both NIST 800-171 and CMMC compliance, and maintain an audit-ready state

You’re only as secure as the company handling your IT services, right? If they’re vulnerable to cybercriminals, then so are you. You can’t only be thinking about your cybersecurity. You have to consider your MSP’s cybersecurity as well.

You hear about small businesses and massive enterprises getting hacked on nearly a daily basis. It’s regular news at this point, so you probably tune it out, right?

Even still, ransomware is a big threat to businesses like yours:

• 39% of malware-based data breaches worldwide are caused by ransomware.
• 70% of businesses aren’t prepared to defend themselves.

As dangerous as ransomware is for you, unfortunately, your security isn’t all that matters…

 Is Your MSP A Target For Ransomware?

It’s especially dangerous when an MSP gets hacked, because they often have access to all their clients’ data. In effect, all their clients are hacked as well. Third-parties involved with your business — either directly, or in concert with your MSP — are a part of your supply chain. How they perform affects how you perform.

Is Your MSP Secure?

You need to be confident that your MSP can protect you, as well as themselves. If you’re at all unsure, then do your due diligence and inquire about their security standards and practices. Ask how they are protected from cybercrime, and what makes them different from other IT companies that have been hacked.

SSE Delivers Cybersecurity Expertise You Can Rely On

The SSE team understands that our cybersecurity is just as important as the cybersecurity we manage for our clients. Over our 30+ years in business, we’ve gained extensive experience in protecting both our business and our clients’ businesses against cybercriminal attacks.

Our team provides cybersecurity and technology services for organizations across the United States across multiple, highly regulated industries — we are available to help you develop a robust cybersecurity defense.

Cybersecurity Is About More Than Just Your Cybersecurity

If you truly have your success in mind, you need to manage your third parties effectively — or your MSP should be doing it for you.

You can find out about our cybersecurity standards in three simple steps

1. Book a meeting with our team at a time that works for you.
2. Let us assess your cybersecurity, and demonstrate our own.
3. Get back to focusing on your business instead of worrying about your cybersecurity.

Playing the waiting game is dangerous — once it’s too late, there’s no going back.

Are you hoping you won’t get hit by a cybercrime attack?

That’s a dangerous hope to hold on to. After all, 43% of all breaches involved small businesses in 2019.

We recently talked to a local business owner that experienced an IT nightmare — they got hit by ransomware and had no way to protect themselves.

For some time, they had been considering investing in cyber insurance. You hear about it more and more these days — it’s essentially a policy that covers your costs of recovery after you get hit by malware.

Needless to say, this business owner is sorry they waited to invest. They just kept assuming they’d have more time, that they could budget it in the next quarter or the next year.

This is the kind of assumption a lot of businesses make — since they haven’t been hit yet, they never will.

If that sounds familiar, then you should start thinking about your cybersecurity and investing in cyber insurance sooner rather than later.

What Is Cyber Insurance?

Often referred to as cyber liability or data breach liability insurance, Cyber Insurance is a type of stand-alone coverage recommended by any professional cybersecurity company.

Cyber Insurance is designed to help businesses cover the recovery costs associated with any kind of cybersecurity incident including:

• Breach And Event Response Coverage: A very general and high-level form of coverage, this covers a range of costs likely to be incurred in the fallout of a cybercrime event, such as forensic and investigative services; breach notification services (which could include legal fees, call center, mailing of materials, etc.); identity and fraud monitoring expenses; public relations and event management.
• Regulatory Coverage: Given that a range of organizations (such as The Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Homeland Security, and more) have a hand in regulating aspects of cyber risk in specific industries, there are usually costs that come with defending an action by regulators. This covers the costs associated with insufficient security or “human error” that may have led to a privacy breach. Examples may include an employee losing a laptop or e-mailing a sensitive document to the wrong person.
• Liability Coverage: This type of coverage protects the policyholder and any insured individuals from the risks of liabilities that are a result of lawsuits or similar claims. Put simply, if you’re sued for claims that come within the coverage of the insurance policy, then this type of coverage will protect you.
• Cyber Extortion: This type of cybercrime event is generally a form of a ransomware attack, in which a cybercriminal keeps encrypted data inaccessible (or, alternatively, threatens to expose sensitive data) unless a ransom is paid. Coverage of this type addresses the costs of consultants and ransoms, including cryptocurrencies, for threats related to interrupting systems and releasing private information.

Do You Actually Need Cyber Insurance?

You may not be required by the law to have cyber insurance. However, certain compliance regulations, depending on the industry, do recommend it. Cyber Insurance policies are offered by a variety of insurers and policy prices and exclusions vary widely among different providers.

Odds are, it’s more likely you’ll need cyber liability insurance in one form or another at some point, which is why it’s wiser to invest now. At the very least, you should get a quote on a policy so you can make a properly informed decision.

Don’t Overlook Proactive Cybersecurity Protection

As important as cyber insurance is, don’t forget that it’s simply one part of an effective cybersecurity defense. You also need to protect your organization proactively.

SSE Inc. can help. Our team provides cybersecurity and technology services for organizations across the United States — we are available to help you develop a robust cybersecurity defense, minimizing the chance that you’ll ever have to make a claim on your cyber insurance.

You can start improving your cybersecurity in three simple steps:

1. Book a meeting with our team at a time that works for you.
2. Let us assess your cybersecurity and address any vulnerabilities we find.
3. Get back to focusing on your core business instead of worrying about your cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) sets new cybersecurity standards for companies that work with the Department of Defense. Are you aware of how these guidelines will impact your company? If not, now is the time to get to know how CMMC works and what you’ll need to do to meet its requirements.

Who Needs CMMC Certification?

Any company that works with the DoD needs CMMC certification to bid on upcoming contracts. Additionally, subcontractors that work for companies that provide goods and/or services to the DoD will need the appropriate level of certification to continue current business relationships.

What are the CMMC Levels?

CMMC has five tiered levels. The level of certification your business needs will depend on the type of contracts you intend to bid on now and in the future. Bear in mind your subcontractors don’t necessarily have to have the same level of certification that you have if they don’t handle as much information as you work with.

Level One

Any government contractor should already be Level One compliant as the requirements at this level as the same as existing FAR 52.204-21 requirements. Only basic cybersecurity practices such as maintaining anti-virus software, selecting strong passwords, and changing passwords regularly are required at this level.

Level Two

Level Two certification requires adherence to intermediate cybersecurity standards and is a must for any company working with controlled unclassified information (CUI). It’s a “transitionary level” of sorts for businesses that want to make it to Level Three but aren’t quite there yet.

Level Three

Any business that stores or processes CUI, holds Federal Contract Information, possesses government data or holds export-controlled data will need Level Three CMMC authentication. This is the CMMC level that most government contractors should aim for.

Level Four

Level four, like level two, is meant to be a transitionary stage between levels three and five. The requirements for this level are pretty challenging as you’ll need to take measures to not only protect yourself from run-of-the-mill cyberattacks but also advanced persistent threats. These threats include, but aren’t limited to, rogue nation-states and terrorist organizations. You’ll need proactive cybersecurity measures that keep your systems safe by aggressively identifying potential threats and eliminating them before a data breach occurs.

Level Five

Level Five is the highest CMMC certification level. Businesses at this level must have fully optimized processes in place along with cutting-edge cybersecurity tools to prevent even the most sophisticated hacking techniques.

How do I Get CMMC Certification?

In times past, a business was able to certify on its own that it was compliant with government cybersecurity requirements. That time is no more. Any business that wants any level of CMMC certification will need to be authenticated by a DoD-authorized third party. The number of auditors is limited so you’ll want to schedule an appointment in advance to ensure your paperwork is in order in time to bid on the contracts of your choice. However, you’ll need to take some important measures before you call in an independent auditor to assess your cybersecurity tools and procedures.

What is your current level of cybersecurity? It can be wise to start by examining employee behavior. Do your staff members change passwords regularly, use strong passwords at all times, and use two-factor authentication? Do employees know warning signs that indicate that pop-ups and emails contain malicious content? Cybersecurity training and testing for staff members can help your employees be aware of and adhere to your company’s cybersecurity guidelines at all times.

You’ll also need to examine your IT hardware and software. All software programs need to be updated regularly as patches and updates eliminate vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers to gain access to your systems. You should have a VPN to keep data encrypted as it transits to and from your servers. Any SaaS platforms you use should be NIST 800-171 or NIST 800-53 compliant. Large tech vendors such as Microsoft and Salesforce have government versions of their platforms that offer higher cybersecurity standards than their run-of-the-mill platforms. Cloud storage and back-up solutions should be fully secure at all times.

Professional Help with CMMC Compliance

Reaching and maintaining the high cybersecurity standards in place for CMMC certification is no easy task. That’s why it can be a wise idea to partner with an IT managed service that specializes in CMMC consulting services. SSE has more than thirty years of experience providing cutting-edge IT services to the business community and more than twelve years offering the specialized tech tools and services businesses need to stay in step with DoD cybersecurity requirements. Our CMMC services include gap assessments to help you identify vulnerabilities in your cybersecurity set-up, remediation to improve cybersecurity standards and policies, and compliance as a service to ensure your company can easily maintain high cybersecurity standards long-term. Get in touch with us at your convenience to learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced consultants

Has your IT Company made you aware of the DOD’s new certification standard? If you are just learning about it, here’s what you need to know.

At the start of this year, the department of defense declared that contractors and other organizations in the defense industry now have to comply with a new security standard. The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) was rolled out in January 2020 as a means of ensuring businesses prioritize network security as much as safety and quality. Unlike previous regulations which also incorporated cybersecurity aspects, CMMC was explicitly designed to address IT security concerns.

What does this mean for your business? CMMC compliance will be crucial to securing business with the Pentagon going forward. This, therefore, means you need to learn all you can about it.

SSE Inc is a St. Louis-based tech company dedicated to helping businesses in the defense industry meet the required security guidelines and regulations. With decades of experience under our belt, we take it upon ourselves to equip business IT decision-makers with the information they need to remain compliant.

As part of our mission to accelerate business through reliable technology solutions, our IT experts came up with this blog article. We’ve painstakingly combed through the available documents and news releases and managed to condense them to 5 items you need to take note of as the model starts to come into play.

CMMC Applies to All Defense Contractors, Although the Rollout Will Be Gradual

Likely, the first question that pops up in your mind is whether you need CMMC in the first place. And if so, exactly when? It’s a good question but one that needs to be answered in parts, starting with the simplest. For starters, any ongoing businesses will not be affected by the new CMMC requirements. As such, the DOD will allow such work to be conducted as per the previously agreed-upon terms.

However, a minimum of fifteen contracts must include CMMC requirements by the end of this year. What’s more, this number is expected to grow quickly over the coming years. The DOD predicts there will be an estimated 479 contracts containing CMMC clauses and more than 48,000 certified contractors by 2025.

What do these figures mean for your business? Whether you are a DOD contractor or a subcontractor on a DOD project, expect these guidelines to apply to your business soon.

Assessments Will Be Conducted By C3PAOs Designated by The CMMC Accrediting Body

The defense department is still formulating the steps by which you can attain certification. Although it’s still a work in progress, there currently exists an accrediting body comprising 13 members from various backgrounds such as:

• The cybersecurity industry
• The defense industry
• The academic community

At the moment, the CMMC Accrediting Body is yet to designate any third-party accrediting organizations (C3PAOs). To avoid conflicting interests in how the C3PAOs themselves achieve certification, the Accrediting Body is still working out its roles and responsibilities.

Subsequently, C3PAOs have to be chosen and trained to offer certifications to the organizations that need them. If an organization would like to be a CMMC assessor, they need to get in touch with their local Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) for consideration for training.

Furthermore, the PTACs will play a crucial role in connecting certified C3PAOs to contractors after the training has been completed.

Your Organization Will Be Responsible for Achieving Certification Through a Designated Assessor

If you’d like to continue working on defense contracts, the burden of ensuring your business meets CMMC requirements rests on your shoulders. To attain certification, you will need to contact and hire a qualified C3PAO. They will proceed to assess your security practices against the required certification levels before issuing the all-important green light. The same goes for subcontractors looking to work on DOD projects with primary contractors. The only difference being that they won’t be required to achieve the same certification standard.

To illustrate the point, let’s take an example. Say, to bid on a project, a primary contractor needs Level 3 certification. However, if a portion of the same project only requires Level 1 CMMC, a subcontractor with that level of qualification could tackle that particular aspect.

This is meant to minimize disruptions to defense projects by ensuring the CMMC roll out is as smooth as can be.

Level 1 CMMC Follows the Basic Cybersecurity Practices You Should Be Following Already

Any change in our personal or business lives can seem daunting at first. However, if you’ve worked with the DOD previously, you should be familiar with many of the CMMC requirements. Although the defense department now prioritizes certification, a lot of the Level 1 certification requirements are similar to FAR Basic Safeguarding Requirements.

Because your organization is probably observing these practices already, it should be relatively easy to attain Level 1 certification.

These are the basic cybersecurity best practices, including:

1. Running frequent software updates
2. Installing antivirus software on computers
3. Following robust password protocols

Many CMMC and NIST 800-171 Requirements Are Very Similar

If you are keen on attaining higher certification standards for your business, you can look, once more, to your current security protocols for guidance. However, this only applies to Levels 1 through 3. If your organization needs Level 4 or 5 CMMC, you’ll be expected to present evidence of stringent and comprehensive protocols. On the upside, this standard of certification will not apply the majority of DOD contracts.

Are You Looking to Leverage Expert CMMC Consulting?

SSE Inc provides cybersecurity, compliance, and technology services for organizations across the United States. Our experienced team of IT experts is eager to help your business remain compliant with all the requirements of CMMC and any other necessary regulations. Contact us to get started right away.

Regardless of whether your organization does direct business with the federal government or benefits from lucrative supply chain contracts, the CMMC will have an impact on your bottom line going forward.

The CMMC, short for Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, went into full force and effect as of June 1, 2020. Anyone operating directly or indirectly with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), NASA, or General Service Administration, who houses what is known as “controlled unclassified information” (CUI) must now secure this data with heightened protections. If you are unsure about whether this includes your outfit or what types of cybersecurity measures are required, this CMMC overview answers a wide range of compliance questions.

Why CMMC Regulations & Compliance Matters?

The federal government rolled out the CMMC in an effort to provide a unified cybersecurity standard across the defense industrial base. This sector includes upwards of 300,000 companies in a wide-sweeping supply chain. Officials at the DoD spearheaded the phased CMMC release beginning on January 31, 2020.

Before this rollout, defense contractors and supply chain outfits largely conducted their own compliance oversight using a variety of standards. Confusion about which guidelines to follow and failures to self-comply were resolved after the fact. Penalties and suspension of government contracts were an exercise in futility given that hackers may have already stolen valuable data.

According to Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen M. Lord, cyber-theft costs the U.S. approximately $600 billion in losses each year. The DoD official indicates that hackers and rival nation-states place a high priority on stealing CUI from vulnerable supply chain companies.

“Adversaries know that in today’s great-power competition environment, information and technology are both key cornerstones. Attacking a sub-tier supplier is far more appealing than a prime (supplier),” Lord reportedly said. “CMMC is a critical element of DOD’s overall cybersecurity implementation.”

Peripheral companies may not realize that the seeming scraps of CUI they house on standard devices can be pieced together and weaponized by rogue nations such as Iran, China, and Russia, among others. The recently-minted CMMC compliance regulations call for certification before bidding on lucrative government work.

Does CMMC Replace Previous Guidelines?

Perhaps the most confusing aspect of the CMMC rollout is that it does not exactly replace other directives. Instead, it brings many of the top-tier cybersecurity policies together under one roof.

For example, organizations in the federal government supply chain may already be familiar with standards such as NIST and DFARS. These were created to help secure vital information leveraged by contractors. Although these were determined efforts, neither delivered the hardened defenses necessary to keep digital assets out of the hands of bad actors. And indecision about which to follow added avoidable confusion.

The recently implemented CMMC gives everyone in the supply chain a single model to follow. It also eliminates potential vulnerabilities caused by subpar defenses or failure to meet the guidelines. The good news for industry leaders that took proactive measures is that previously adhering to the following standards may have you in compliance or close to the CMMC threshold.

• NIST 800-171
• NIST 800-53
• ISO 27001
• ISO 27032
• AIA NAS9933

If you exercised due diligence when working with CUI in the past, an audit of your security measures can determine whether you are aligned with one of the five CMMC levels.

What You Need To Know About 5 CMMC Cyber Hygiene Levels

It’s essential for supply chain companies to understand that your compliance level will be roughly equal to the sensitivity of the data you store or access. Corporations working directly on military or scientific projects can expect to meet the heightened measures outlined in Level 5. Those at the low-end of the data food chain may only require minimal cybersecurity upgrades. Consider this general overview and how it relates to your current cyber-hygiene.

Level 1

The first tier of the CMMC involves what many consider “basic hygiene.” Expectations include employing up-to-date antivirus software, firewalls, and having employees and those with access to your network routinely changing robust passwords.

Level 2

Widely consider “intermediate cyber hygiene,” supply chain organizations are expected to implement standards found in NIST, among others. Companies are tasked with establishing and documenting cybersecurity controls so that key stakeholders can implement and repeat them. The critical point is consistently securing CUI.

Level 3

Industry professionals generally consider this level of compliance “good cyber hygiene.” Companies are expected to adhere to upwards of 47 cybersecurity controls to earn certification. Organizations must also craft a determined plan that demonstrates those with access to data follow protocols. A company’s plan may include best practices, training, mission statement, and outlines stakeholders.

Level 4

Commonly called “proactive cyber hygiene,” outfits are expected to have the ability to detect and defend against emerging threats. Contractors who met the DFARS criteria may find the Level 4 standards familiar. One of the terms used to highlight compliance is “advanced persistent threats” or APTs. In essence, contractors must have the defense capabilities to deter sophisticated bad actors.

Level 5

Meeting this heightened standard involves implementing as many as 30 additional controls. Companies must create standardized protocols that maximize “advanced cyber hygiene,” delivering sophisticated detection and response capabilities to defend against APTs.

The federal government’s decision to streamline and enhance protections under one CMMC roof hardens the nation’s defenses against international threats. But as a supply chain company decision-maker, that doesn’t make the details any less confusing. Going forward, your company will not only need to meet its required hygiene Level, but you will also need certification.

Get A CMMC Compliance Assessment

The DoD and other agencies required minimum certifications for requests for information as of June 2020. Request for proposals compliance went into effect as of September 2020. Rather than miss an opportunity to participate in profitable government contracts, it’s imperative to have a cybersecurity professional analyze your system. By having your cybersecurity defenses assessed and hardened to meet your CMMC compliance level, you can participate in profit-driving contracts going forward.

From 2017, the US Department of Defence (DoD) subcontractors had to complete a System Security Plan (SSP) and a Plan of Actions & Milestones (POA&M) for assessment of their cybersecurity stance according to the NIST 800-171 standard. This standard comprises 110 controls and requires analysis of a subcontractor’s response to cybersecurity needs and implementation outcomes.

However, by 2019, the Department realized that neither government acquisition officers nor those working for prime contractors, or subcontractors responded adequately to the regulations. For this reason, with Congressional approval, the DoD commissioned updated regulations and standards known as the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), which are mandatory for all DoD contracts from September 2020.

Previously DoD contractors had the responsibility for the implementation, monitoring, and certification of the integrity of their IT systems and the sensitive DoD information that these systems generated, stored, or transmitted.

Although contractors are still responsible for ensuring the implementation of essential cybersecurity measures, the CMMC alters this paradigm. It requires a third-party assessment of compliance with procedures, capabilities, and specific mandatory requirements to help them adapt to new cyber threats from adversaries of the US.

What is CMMC?

CMMC is a unified cybersecurity standard implemented across the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) sector, which has more than 300,000 companies in the DoD’s supply chain. This standard is the Department’s response to recent significant compromises of defense-related information housed on its contractors’ IT systems.

The Department of Defense released version 1 of the CMMC standard on January 31, 2020. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers and University Affiliated Research Centers offered significant input in drafting the rule.

CMMC specifies five certification levels, which reflect how mature and reliable a company’s cybersecurity infrastructure is. These levels are tiered, and each builds upon the previous level’s technical requirements. Higher levels require a contractor to comply with the requirements of lower levels fully and institutionalize the processes needed for specific cybersecurity practices.

Reasons for the Introduction of CMMC Regulations

Although various past regulations have had cybersecurity components, the new certification standard comes into force to address digital security issues like:

1. State-Sponsored Cyberattacks by Adversaries of the US: A recent spate of cyberattacks on sections of the DoD supply chain instigated by foreign adversaries, international criminals, and industry competitors. According to the Department of Defense, countries like China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran pose a grave threat, using cyber operations for strategic or malignant objectives. Today, these countries’ threat is more pronounced, as they use the Covid-19 pandemic and the disruption it has brought as a shield for nefarious activities. With many defense contractors shifting operations from well-secured corporate premises to their employees’ homes, they expose new attack surfaces.
   According to a recent Defense Science Board Task Force report, the US military electronics supply chain is particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks, making an overhaul necessary to protect weapons systems from their initial design to the end of their field life.
2.  Inadequate Cybersecurity Measures by Subcontractors: The DoD has identified its subcontractors as the Achilles heel of US security. While the Department’s prime contractors commonly have large cybersecurity budgets and are heavily regulated, market pressure and existing standards have not required this compliance level from its subcontractors. Small and medium-sized defense suppliers, research labs, and universities that make up the bulk of the Department of Defense’s suppliers are vulnerable to attack. BullGuard’s research study shows that more than 40% of SMEs do not have any cybersecurity plan. Many organizations do not have the needed investment in information protection, the required skills, or do not see themselves as potential targets. CMMC regulations ensure that all subcontractors apply higher cybersecurity standards than they currently do.
3. A Need to Enforce a Corporate Culture Shift to Prioritize Cyber Security: Designed to boost cybersecurity and information protection, CMMC is an essential element of the DoD’s overall security strategy. The Department looks to facilitate a sweeping cultural shift that will have far-reaching impacts on how defense contractors do business. The most significant effect would be the high penalties companies would pay for non-compliance – these include personal and corporate liability, loss of current and future business from the DoD, and negative impact on their brands. The DoD expects its plan to ensure that all companies adopt CMMC-level best practices as their new standard. Having independent cybersecurity audits and certification as prequalification requirements will help to entrench process efficiency, promote cybersecurity maturity, and improve corporate governance.

What Impact Is CMMC Expected To Have?

As the trust and self-attestation model used in the past results in information loss, the DoD has acted to enact the CMMC standard to reduce unauthorized exfiltration of Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Defense contractors can expect an increase in cybersecurity prequalification requirements, severe penalties for non-compliance, and supply chain enforcement.

Compliance officers, corporate legal departments, and senior executives will be responsible for interpreting and enforcing the laws, compliance standards, and regulatory requirements of CMMC within their organizations and ensure mitigation of current and potential business risks.

Several other US government civilian federal contracts have adopted the CMMC standard. CMMC is likely to be chosen as a new cybersecurity standard in future commercial and government contracts. CMMC certification, once granted, remains valid for three years.

Industry-leading Cybersecurity Consulting for DOD Subcontractors

Cybersecurity is essential for the success of any modern business. Additionally, the DoD also identifies data security as a vital aspect of national security. If you are involved in the defense industry and want to work with the DoD while maintaining your competitive edge, you should make CMMC certification a priority.

A crucial part of the certification is a third-party assessment of your cybersecurity posture. SSE Inc is an ISO certified IT services solutions provider and cybersecurity consultancy working in corporate governance, cybersecurity space, and compliance with clients in finance, banking, and DoD contracting.

SSE will carry out a gap assessment of your internal network against the requirements of CMMC, to give your company report on its findings and recommend remediation measures of issues identified in the evaluation.

Visit SSE Inc today and Schedule a CMMC consultation with experienced compliance professionals.

Defense contractors need to understand how new cybersecurity requirements rolled out by the Pentagon could make their work more difficult, but also remove some competition from the market. 

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) requirements were released by the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of the Undersecretary of Defense Acquisition and Sustainment [OUSD(A&S)], and they are having an effect on the industry.

These new requirements are a part of an ongoing effort to continually provide more accurate and more effective insight into modern cybersecurity best practices for organizations involved with DOD operations.

“As companies who are out there compete, either as the contracts, they’re currently working on come up for re-compete or they want to go after new work, they are going to have to show evidence that they’ve been certified by these third-party organizations,” said Elizabeth Niedringhaus, CEO of SSE Inc., to the St. Louis Business Journal.

What Is CMMC?

CMMC is the DOD’s way of certifying its contractors’ abilities to protect the Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) shared within the supply chain. 

This builds upon the requirements set out by Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), Code Of Federal Regulations (CFR) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines (namely, 800-171 of the latter). 

What Does CMMC Mean For Defense Contractors?

While complying with these new requirements will undoubtedly require a further investment of time and money beyond your standard DFARS compliance efforts, it’s important to note the silver lining – CMMC will likely reduce your competition. 

“We’re really looking at the flip side as an opportunity for their business to actually to win more contracts, as there will be those companies that just say, at this point in time, we’re not doing enough business to justify the investment,” said Niedringhaus.

As it becomes more difficult to operate in the defense sector, smaller competitors will likely drop out. Becoming compliant with CMMC will require more resources, and not all current contractors will see the benefit of investing further, especially if they don’t have the capital to do so. 

That makes the market less competitive for contractors that do make the effort to become compliant. And that’s not the only benefit — these new requirements aren’t arbitrary. Implementing them will have additional benefits as well, making your company more secure and of greater value to your clients. 

“Many of the protocols that are going to be required to continue to do Department of Defense work are likely going to improve a business’s competitive posture for commercial work, as well,” said Dale Ketcham, vice president of government and external relations at Space Florida, to the St. Louis Business Journal.

Need Expert Assistance Implementing CMMC?

Don’t drop out of the defense contracting sector just because it’s become more difficult to stay compliant. Our team is available to help you analyze your current compliance, and improve it to meet new standards set by CMMC. Doing so will make your business more secure, effective, and competitive in the market. 

Becoming CMMC compliant with our expert assistance is easy:

• Contact our team and book your CMMC readiness assessment at a time that fits your schedule.
• Our team will assess your systems to determine your current state of compliance.
• Our team will layout the necessary changes to achieve CMMC compliance.
• You can continue to work with the DoD with less competition to worry about. 

Most large organizations, especially DoD suppliers, are required to have Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). Implementing your CMMC compliance solutions can be challenging at times. CMMC measures your organization’s ability to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and Federal Contract Information (FCI). If your organization meets the following criteria, you will need email and file sharing solutions:

1. You need to meet standards that dictate how information is shared and accessed
2. You face technical challenges when partnering with outside firms
3. You have work from home employees and you need file sharing and collaboration tools
4. If you have concerns that employees are mixing personal data and company data on their devices.

CMMC Has the Following Maturity Levels:

• Level 1: It has 17 basic cybersecurity controls, such as the use of passwords. Most of you have achieved this, but you still need to get a compliance certificate.
• Level 2: It has 72 controls, and it introduces Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Encrypted email and file-sharing options will help you achieve level 2 clearance. It will ensure the secure transmission of CUI and any other sensitive information that your organization handles. This level requires that you provide documented policies.
• Level 3: It includes 130 controls. It requires your organization to establish, maintain, and resource a plan which illustrates how the policies, procedures, and behaviors that go hand in hand with them are managed. The plan may include your organization’s missions, goals, etc.
• Level 4: It has 156 controls, and it requires that you review your plans and policies and take an aggressive approach in measuring, detecting, and defeating threats.
• Level 5: It involves 171 controls. It lists a set of requirements that test your organization’s ability to adapt to the new evolving threats through its auditing and managerial processes.

PreVeil email and drive provide an affordable, secure technology for Email & File Sharing Solutions For CMMC Compliance. It should also be accompanied by a set of policies and procedures to ensure you are fully compliant.

Benefits of PreVeil Encrypted Email and File Sharing Solutions

1. You’ll Enhance Collaboration Between Your Supply Chain: Communication between your organization, subcontractors, and suppliers is essential. Most cyber attackers will target the smaller firms in the hopes that they have weaker defenses than you. Our encrypted email and file sharing enable secure sharing of files between you and the different stakeholders while maintaining visibility to your sensitive data.
2. You’ll Unlock Efficiency in Remote Work: With the ever-increasing need for remote work, your organization needs to be ready with cybersecurity measures with a provision for remote work. Our solutions help reduce any risks that may arise from working at home or any remote job. It also supplements your pre-existing protocols.
3. You Get Secure Syncing Services: It provides real-time syncing on all your devices. Any changes made on one device automatically updates on all the devices on your network.
4. Secure Encryption and Storage Services: All your sensitive data is encrypted and stored on our cloud service. Decrypting options are only available to you and any other person that you have given access to the files. Not only that, but its also important to note that we won’t have access to your data.
5. Fast and Secure Sharing: The process of inviting others to edit and view your encrypted files has been made easy.
6. A Wide Range of Integration Features: The software is available for Windows, Mac, and Smartphones enhancing your remote work flexibility. It easily integrates with Windows File Explorer and Mac Finder.
7. An Extensive Range of Enterprise Tools: The wide range of tools enables your admins to control user access, unshared files, provisioning users, and reviewing of activity logs.
8. Deployment Is Easy: Your organization does not need to reorganize its network infrastructure. The software easily connects to your network.
9. More Comprehensive Visibility of Data Flow: The software tracks the data throughout the system. Handles sensitive information through restricting and revoking access rights to users and setting permissions such as view-only or read-only.
10. It Is Affordable: It is cheaper than other products since it does not include migrating project costs. It can also be implemented only for the department that is handling Controlled Unclassified Information. Focusing on one department will save you extra charges.

Looking for Ways You Can Implement Encrypted Email and File Sharing Solutions?

For your organizations to be CMMC Compliant, they need to implement encrypted email and file sharing solutions. The key is to contact a certified IT service provider.

SSE, together with your team, will conduct a gap assessment of your networks against the required CMCC requirements. We will provide an overview of the findings and recommendations. Afterward, we develop a strategy, and our team starts implementing the needed changes.

SSE simply implements the PreVeil email and file-sharing options. We integrate the software without the need to migrate all user emails and data. Our team will ensure you are always compliant through compliance reporting.

CMMC was recently introduced and set as a critical requirement. Our documented policies will ensure we make your organization compliant in a short amount of time.

SSE handling your data sharing solutions will also boost your organization’s security against cyber-attacks.

Get the Best Encrypted Email and File Sharing Solutions For Your Organization

SSE is an IT service provider that focuses on developing rigorous processes with a keen concentration on quality service. We are an IT service provider that has been handling DOD contracts for over 12 years. In addition to that, we have upheld networks to the NIST 800-171 and NIST 800-53 standards since they came into existence. Our processes are ISO-9001:2008 compliant.

Ready to get started? Contact us now by phone on (314) 439-4700 or email us at info@sseinc.com, and we’ll be glad to discuss ways you can implement encrypted email & file Sharing Solutions For CMMC compliance.

Securing data and meeting compliance regulations regarding that data is one of the most important priorities for a company. Failure to do so can produce catastrophic results. Everything from fines and lawsuits to the loss of federal contracts and even the loss of the business may occur. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has put together a publication to help secure Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). In order to meet these standards and keep data as secure as possible, it’s imperative that an organization understand and correctly implement NIST 800-171. The following is everything a business or IT leader needs to know in order to successfully implement and manage NIST 800-171.

Why is NIST 800-171 so Important?

NIST 800-171 is considered a companion document or guide to NIST 800-53. It provides clear guidelines regarding how contractors of federal agencies should adequately handle CUI. The main goal of NIST 800-171 is to protect controlled unclassified information and reduce the risk of any type of data breach. These guidelines provide many benefits including offering a scalable approach when protecting data, a framework for managing different types of risk, and best practice standards for accessing information. There are three specific areas that it covers.

• Whenever CUI is stored or accessed in any type of organization that is a nonfederal system.
• Whenever CUI is not specifically being used or maintained by a nonfederal organization.
• Whenever CUI doesn’t have any particular laws or regulations in place to protect the confidentiality.

NIST 800-171 is important because it specifies exactly how federal agencies can define data. There is an abundance of data that is sensitive, yet not considered classified under federal law. A few examples of this type of data include a variety of medical records and certain types of financial records that companies normally keep internally. In order to maintain the integrity and security of this type of data, specific guidelines needed to be put in place. The following are some of the organizations that are required to comply with NIST 800-171.

• Contractors working for DoD (Department of Defense).
• Contractors working for NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).
• Any manufacturing company that provides goods for a federal agency.
• Any consulting company that has a federal contract.
• Research organizations and universities that are supported with federal grants.

How Do You Implement NIST 800-171?

There are several things an organization is required to do in order for a complete and successful implementation. It may be a good idea to break implementation down into several manageable steps. The following are the five specific steps that need to be taken to correctly and thoroughly implement NIST 800-171.

1. What Data and Information Does a Company Have that Falls into this category? – The first step is to identify all systems in the network that maintain or transfer all CUI. This type of data might be stored in a variety of areas including local storage, cloud storage, portable devices, hard drives, and endpoints.
2. How Should CUI Be Categorized? – While this may not be necessary for every organization, some companies may want to categorize CUI according to how sensitive different types of information may be. For companies with large amounts or a wide variety of data, a classification system may make it easier to manage and secure data.
3. Who is Able to Access this Data? – The next step is to implement controls regarding who is able to access the data. Data encryption is a necessary part of this process and will help keep unauthorized individuals from accessing this information.
4. How Should Data Be Audited and Monitored? – Controls must be implemented to continually audit and monitor CUI. An organization needs solutions in place that can record and provide ongoing monitoring of all user’s activities. Each company should put procedures in places that make auditing and monitoring as easy and routine as possible.
5. How Should Training Be Implemented? – After data is located, categorized, and managed, each employee that has access to the data must be trained. Training would include specific uses of CUI and the proper way to transfer the information. Use and transfer of all data must be in accordance with the standards provided by NIST 800-171. It’s important to remember that training is not a “once and done” type of thing. Ongoing training to make sure employees are always updated on the latest compliance changes is absolutely necessary.

What are the Requirements?

There are several specific requirements associated with NIST 800-171. A company will need to make sure the following points are all put into place, maintained, and monitored.

• Access Control – Start by evaluating who should and who shouldn’t have access to CUI. As few individuals as possible should be able to have access to this information. It’s also important to limit the number of devices that store information.
• Audit and Accountability – Those who do have access to CUI need to be part of an accountability system. This would include creating an audit trail program that tracks and monitors each individual’s access and handling of specific data.
• Awareness Training – Adequate and ongoing training should be established for all employees. This would include awareness of best practices for cybersecurity, how to identify and handle insider threats, and the knowledge and ability to carry out all responsibilities regarding security.
• Configuration Management – All hardware and software in an organization should have configurations that emphasize strong security. These measures must be maintained even when new updates are released.
• Identification and Authentication – Any users or devices that are trying to access data or a computer system in the company must be authenticated. There needs to be a system in place that monitors and records at all times any person or system trying to access information.
• Incident Response – Every organization needs a detailed incident response plan in place. The plan should include the ability to detect loss of data or intrusions, to analyze each specific incident, contain the incident, document what occurred, and then report the incident to the correct authorities.
• Maintenance – Every computer and device used in an organization should receive ongoing maintenance to keep all systems completely protected and up to date. Lack of proactive maintenance can result in extended downtime or even the unintentional disclosure of sensitive data.
• Media Protection – Media in an information system should be sanitized or destroyed on a regular basis. This process should also include ongoing protection and access controls. Media protection applies to both digital and physical media.
• Physical Protection – On-site physical protection of all information systems is still a critical aspect of security that must be addressed. A security plan and a team of professionals should be in place to physically protect all computers, devices, etc.
• Personnel Security – A specific screening process should be implemented for anyone who has access to CUI. Make sure a process to protect information is in place whenever employees leave the company for any reason.
• Risk Assessment – A company needs to create a risk assessment plan and regularly implement it to assess all risks regarding CUI. A risk assessment plan should be fluid and changed as better ways to assess and handle risks become apparent.
• Security Assessment – Ongoing security assessments are an integral part of keeping CUI secure. Create a plan and procedures for doing this, as well as a timeframe for each assessment.
• System and Communications Protection – Both internal and external boundaries of all information systems in a company should be monitored and protected. These are almost always areas of highest risk in an organization.
• System and Information Integrity – All information systems should be protected from all malware and viruses. Security alerts should be in place and regularly monitored so action can be taken quickly when necessary.

How Can A Professional IT Services Firm Help?

Considering how important the implementation and ongoing management of NIST 800-171 is, making sure it’s handled by IT professionals is crucial. A company that doesn’t completely comply with all aspects of these guidelines can risk losing their federal contracts. There are several specific ways that a managed IT support team can help.

1. Provide Security Training – One of the most important benefits of bringing in a team of IT professionals is that they can provide expert training for every employee in the organization. Employee errors regarding security and compliance can be costly and time-consuming to fix. Employees need to be trained in everything from how to correctly handle CUI to general security issues so they have the ability to safeguard all types of data.
2. Maintain Current and Future Compliance – Compliance for NIST 800-171 for many companies is complicated and time-consuming. Organizations that take the time to learn and implement all the requirements will still likely need assistance to maintain compliance. This is because guidelines and mandates are constantly changing or being updated. Full compliance at all times is necessary or contracts can be canceled. A company that wants to be sure to always stay compliant will want to bring in an experienced IT team.
3. Create Security Plans – Putting together a comprehensive security plan to assess, monitor, and maintain security for all systems in an organization is a massive undertaking. An experienced IT team can put together a security plan as well as intrusion and response steps that are catered to the specific needs of each individual organization. Security plans may include regular vulnerability assessments, determining areas of weakness in a system, looking for patterns of activity that may indicate potential cyberattacks, and behavioral monitoring.
4. Remain in Budget – Hiring an outside IT service means knowing what your security costs will be and including them in a future budget. Tech professionals who have experience keeping companies compliant while monitoring security knows what costs to expect. An in-house team will likely not have the experience or expertise to realistically calculate all costs on a yearly or even quarterly basis.
5. Provide Backup and Disaster Recovery – If there would happen to be a data breach of any sort, decisive action must be taken immediately to minimize damage and remain compliant. An experienced IT company will be able to put together and effectively implement a business continuity and disaster recovery plan specific to each individual company.
6. Offer Ongoing Consulting – The services of a managed IT team will likely prove invaluable in a variety of ways beyond compliance with NIST 800-171. An experienced IT company can offer DFARS and CMMC assessments as well as NIST.
7. Provide Peace of Mind – The time and expense an organization often puts toward maintaining compliance and security is often time and resources taken away from the daily operations of the company. A business can rest assured that all guidelines regarding NIST 800-171 are being met while spending their energy focusing on the goals of the organization.

It may take several months to become completely compliant with NIST 800-171. it’s imperative to bring in a team that can implement and manage the requirements as quickly and smoothly as possible. SSE has over 30 years of experience in the field of technology. Whether it’s managed IT services, cybersecurity, NIST security, IT consulting, or a variety of other technology services, SSE can provide an organization with maximum security, expert training, and the tools to completely implement and comply with NIST 800-171. Contact SSE to get started today.