If you’re used to contracting with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is likely a familiar term. For those new to the game, understanding CMMC is crucial. This certification framework sets clear guidelines for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and requires organizations to implement strong cybersecurity practices. Automated asset inventory solutions play a crucial role in simplifying and ensuring compliance with CMMC. They provide essential visibility and control over IT assets, facilitating efficient monitoring and management.
What is CMMC?
CMMC stands for Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification. It is a unified standard designed by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to evaluate and strengthen the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) sector’s cybersecurity, which includes contractors and subcontractors. The CMMC framework combines various cybersecurity standards and best practices into one unified model to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) within the defense supply chain.
The CMMC framework consists of three levels. Each level represents a set of cybersecurity practices and processes that companies must follow. These levels build upon each other, starting from basic cyber hygiene to more advanced capabilities to protect sensitive information.
Here’s a brief overview of each level:
Level 1 – Basic Safeguarding of FCI: This level focuses on the annual self-assessment and annual affirmation of compliance with the 15 security requirements in FAR clause 52.204-21.
Level 2 – Broad Protection of CUI: At this level, contractors must either self-assess or have an external C3PAO assessment every three years (depending on information sensitivity). An annual affirmation is required to verify compliance with 110 NIST SP 800-171 standards.
Level 3 – Higher-Level Protection of CUI Against Advanced Persistent Threats: Level 3 focuses on reaching «Final Level 2» CMMC status by undergoing a triennial assessment by DIBCAC, and an annual affirmation of compliance with 24 NIST SP 800-172 standards.
Each level requires the implementation of specific practices and processes. Verification may involve self-assessments, or, at higher levels, assessments conducted by certified third-party assessment organizations (C3PAOs) or the Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center (DIBCAC) to achieve certification.
Why Choose Asset Discovery Solutions to Simplify CMMC Compliance?
You can streamline your CMMC compliance journey with asset discovery solutions. Here’s how you can ensure comprehensive coverage and automate your asset management processes effectively.
Comprehensive and Automated Asset Inventory
Asset discovery solutions provide you with a comprehensive view of your IT assets, including hardware, software, and network devices. It ensures you maintain a complete inventory and identify Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) as per CMMC requirements. You’ll find it simpler to safeguard your assets if they are easily identified and managed.
Streamlined CMMC Compliance Journey
Asset discovery solutions help you navigate the complexities of CMMC compliance more efficiently. They enable you to perform automated scans and continuous monitoring, empowering your organization to effortlessly maintain compliance over time.
Custom Reporting Options
When evaluating an asset discovery solution, look for tools that have flexible reporting capabilities. You’ll find it easier to tailor your compliance reports to meet the specific requirements of CMMC or other frameworks. Fortunately, Lansweeper offers excellent customizable reporting options, making it easy to adapt reports to your diverse compliance needs.
How Does Automated Asset Discovery Help with CMMC Compliance: An Example
When it comes to simplifying CMMC compliance, asset discovery solutions become indispensable. For instance, consider the Level 1 Self Assessment Guide’s requirement for Access Control—specifically, AC.L1-B.1.I – Authorized Access Control. This control emphasizes that access should only be granted to authorized users, devices, and systems, as well as processes acting on behalf of authorized users.
With CMMC’s assessment objectives, organizations must ensure that they:
- Identify all authorized users;
- Recognize processes that act on behalf of those users;
- Verify that all connecting devices or systems have been authorized;
- Restrict access exclusively to these identified and approved entities.
Asset discovery solutions directly support these mandates by enabling you to:
- Identify Every User, Device, and System: Asset discovery creates a comprehensive, real-time inventory, detailing all assets connected to your network. This visibility ensures that only authorized users and devices have access.
- Track Processes Acting on Behalf of Users: Through detailed asset monitoring, an asset discovery tool can identify and track processes tied to specific users. This makes it easier to distinguish authorized activities from potentially suspicious ones.
- Ensure Access Control Accuracy: With asset discovery, any new device or user attempting to connect is automatically flagged, verified, and either authorized or denied access. This process aligns closely with the assessment’s requirement to control and limit system access only to approved entities, reducing the chance of unauthorized entry.
Managing a network with fluctuating devices and user accounts is nearly impossible without asset discovery, as manual tracking risks constant oversight. Asset discovery solutions automate this process, and helps ensure compliance, security, and full control over CMMC requirements.
Challenges of CMMC Compliance Without Automated Asset Discovery Solutions
Navigating CMMC compliance without automated asset discovery tools can feel like piecing together a puzzle, but some pieces are missing. Picture manually sifting through spreadsheets, trying to track down every piece of hardware, software, and network device across your organization. It’s a time-consuming and error-prone process that leaves you with lots of room for crucial details to slip through the cracks.
Without automated solutions, continuous monitoring becomes impractical, leaving your cybersecurity defenses vulnerable to unseen threats. This lack of visibility not only increases the risk of compliance oversights and potential breaches but also delays in meeting CMMC requirements. Essentially, without the support of asset discovery solutions, achieving and maintaining CMMC compliance becomes a challenging, resource-intensive journey fraught with uncertainties and operational inefficiencies.
Simplify Your CMMC Compliance With Lansweeper
Your job is to ensure that your organisation complies with CMMC standards. Lansweeper’s job is to provide you with indispensable tools and expertise that make it simple for you to be confident in your compliance when contracting with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). By leveraging Lansweeper’s automated asset inventory, you always have a comprehensive view of your entire technology estate so you can achieve and maintain compliance with confidence. Ready to simplify your compliance journey? Contact Lansweeper to learn more and start securing your IT infrastructure today.
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