QOMPLX's Bill Solms on DoD CMMC: Time to Prepare is Now

QOMPLX Vice President of Government Solutions Bill Solms writes for The Fifth Domain that government contractors should take the new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) standard seriously - and that the time to start preparing for it is now.

The Department of Defense's new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is the new standard for third party organizations doing business with the U.S. Military. Despite delays - including those forced by the COVID 19 pandemic - CMMC keeps rolling down the track and the accreditation period is approaching. Still, many firms are in the dark about what CMMC is all about.

According to the guidance released by the Department of Defense (DoD), all contractors and subcontractors working with the DOD must receive CMMC accreditation. This marks a significant break with previous cyber security guidelines encouraged by DOD, like NIST 800-171, in which compliance was self-reported. For the CMMC, outside auditors and certification are required.

According to QOMPLX's Bill Solms, that means companies concerned about receiving CMMC certification need to get started now. Bill has written the article ‘With new standards, the time to prepare is now,’ for Fifth Domain.

Bill is the General Manager and President of Government Solutions at QOMPLX. He had a long career in the military that included working as a strategic planner for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, before joining QOMPLX.

As bad actors continue to target companies in the defense industrial base, and with the strain caused by remote working, cybersecurity for contractors and subcontractors is more important than ever before.

“Companies and contractors should be taking these requirements seriously,” writes Solms. “Leaders from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment have been consistent in saying that they will not be delaying the certifications and companies should prepare for it now.”

Read the article here. And, if you want to learn more about CMMC, consider registering for our webinar on June 3: CMMC Compliance What you Need to Know, in which Bill will walk attendees through the new CMMC guidelines and talk about how best to prepare to receive CMMC certification.