Your CMMC Journey

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There are several important milestones that define where you are in your CMMC journey—whether you're preparing for self-attestation or aiming for certification through a C3PAO assessment. This journey begins with a clear understanding of how Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) flows through your organization. Defining that flow establishes your CUI System Boundary.

Key milestones on your journey:

Before you can protect CUI, you must define your system boundaries. This includes identifying all assets and personnel who access, store, or interact with CUI. Scoping begins by understanding where CUI enters, how it moves through your environment, and how it exits.

We lead a focused CUI Discovery effort that maps your CUI System Boundary and results in:

1. A complete, categorized asset inventory
2. Workflow and network diagrams
3. Identification of all personnel interacting with CUI
    

These foundational elements support your System Security Plan (SSP), attestation readiness, and your overall compliance management program—including continuous monitoring and incident response.

Once your system boundaries are established and CUI flow is documented, the next step is to evaluate how well your organization meets the NIST SP 800-171 requirements. Our approach combines both a security control review and a risk assessment to identify current implementation gaps and determine your readiness for attestation or certification.

Each activity in this phase aligns directly with key NIST controls:

• Security Control Assessment – Evaluates current technical and procedural safeguards (maps to Control 3.12.1, 3.12.3).
   
• Risk Assessment – Identifies threats, vulnerabilities, and business impacts to guide prioritization (aligns with Control 3.11.1).
   
• Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) – Documents identified deficiencies and planned corrective actions (supports Control 3.12.2).
   
• Vulnerability Scanning and Penetration Testing – Proactively identifies exploitable weaknesses (recommended add-on under 3.11.2).
   
• Remediation Planning and Gap Documentation – Supports traceability, accountability, and ongoing compliance efforts (reinforces multiple controls across 3.12 and 3.14 families).
   

By completing this phase, your organization will not only gain visibility into current compliance gaps but will also address a significant portion of the required practices and documentation called for under NIST SP 800-171.

Effective remediation planning is built on four pillars:

1. Budget
2. Operational Effectiveness
3. Cultural Impact
4. Timeline to Attestation or Certification

Rather than focusing solely on “low-hanging fruit,” we help you build a comprehensive remediation strategy that considers all four aspects. This ensures efficient use of time, effort, and resources.

CMMC is not just an IT requirement—it is a business function. Successful implementation requires cross-functional participation from both business and technical stakeholders.

Our remediation plans also address architecture changes, budgeting, and executive approvals.

Some remediations are quick wins—others require deeper effort. We support both ends of the spectrum. Whether you need technical guidance, additional hands, or help sourcing specialized vendors, we can assist or advise on the best path forward. 

To be fully prepared for a CMMC Level 2 assessment or attestation by a Certified Third Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO), key documentation must be in place:

1. System Security Plan (SSP)
2.  Asset Inventory
3.  CUI Workflow Diagram(s)
4.  Network Diagram(s)
5. Policies and Procedures aligned with NIST SP 800-171 families and associated Assessment Objectives (e.g., Access Control, Audit and Accountability)
    

We’ve helped organizations create all of the above and achieve certification. We’re ready to assist you too.