What do we know about the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) process? Much like the framework itself, we know the road to certification is exacting. And that it’s a 100% conforming standard. That means Plans of Actions and Milestones (POAMs) will not be accepted. Every practice and process requirement must be satisfied, and maturity must be demonstrated.

Before you even think about engaging a Registered Practitioner (RP) or Registered Provider Organization (RPO) to get your certification, you’ll want to have confidence in your environment and that it’s CMMC ready. So, you might be wondering where to begin. Here are a few key steps that will get you started:

  1. Determine which level of maturity in which domains you need to achieve
  2. Identify the scope of your CMMC initiative
  3. Do a self-assessment to identify gaps
  4. Build a system security plan (SSP)
  5. Make the necessary investments to execute your plan
  6. Engage a third-party auditor to verify CMMC compliance

Easier said than done? Perhaps. But the process of getting your environment CMMC ready can be expensive and time consuming, so it’s absolutely critical you know where you are now, what your gaps are, and what you need to do (and do it!) in order to be ready for certification.

For more details on each of the six steps you can take to prepare your organization for CMMC, check out our CMMC checklist.

And for other CMMC materials – including our “Getting CMMC Ready” eBook – check out our CMMC resources page.