Top 8 Security Software Vendors for CMMC Compliance in 2026

Top 8 Security Software Vendors for CMMC Compliance in 2026

As the Department of Defense’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 moves toward full enforcement, defense suppliers are prioritizing software that makes compliance measurable, auditable, and scalable.

If you’re asking which security vendors best support CMMC in 2026—including mobile-friendly options—the short list centers on platforms that align to NIST SP 800-171 practices, streamline evidence collection, and harden controls across email, file transfer, identity, endpoints, and SIEM.

In this post, we’ll explore CMMC at a glance, share selection criteria, and profile seven vendors that stand out for real-world CMMC readiness.

Executive Summary

Main idea: This post highlights seven security software vendors that best help defense contractors operationalize CMMC 2.0 controls, automate evidence, and secure CUI across email, file transfer, identity, endpoints, and SIEM—on web and mobile.

Why you should care: With CMMC enforcement approaching, selecting the right toolset reduces audit risk, accelerates assessments, and protects revenue. The right mix delivers measurable control coverage, unified evidence, and mobile-ready security—so you can maintain eligibility for DoD contracts and scale securely.

Key Takeaways

1. NIST SP 800-171 is the Level 2 backbone. CMMC Level 2 maps to 110 practices in NIST SP 800-171, so tools that enforce and evidence these controls provide the clearest path to audit readiness.

2. No single platform covers all CMMC practices. Most programs combine CUI governance, identity, EDR, vulnerability management, SIEM, and GRC—integrated to centralize evidence and POA&Ms.

3. Mobile devices are in scope for CUI. Secure email, file access, MDM/MAM, and conditional access are essential to protect CUI on iOS and Android without exposing device storage.

4. Evidence automation lowers audit friction. Unified logging, reports, and attestations cut effort, improve assessor confidence, and make reassessments repeatable.

5. Start with identity and CUI governance. Harden identity, encrypt and govern CUI flows, then layer EDR/SIEM and GRC to mature incident response and continuous monitoring.

What Is CMMC and How Do the Levels Work in 2026?

CMMC 2.0 is DoD’s program for safeguarding Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) across the Defense Industrial Base, which spans more than 200,000 companies in the United States alone CISA DIB sector overview. The model aligns with NIST standards and emphasizes measurable practices, assessment, and continuous improvement DoD CMMC 2.0.

• Level 1 (Foundational): Basic safeguarding of FCI; annual self-assessment.

• Level 2 (Advanced): 110 practices aligned to NIST SP 800-171; mix of third-party and self-assessments depending on contract sensitivity NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3.

• Level 3 (Expert): Additional heightened practices informed by NIST SP 800-172 for protection against advanced persistent threats.

CMMC is scope-driven: any system or workflow that stores, processes, or transmits CUI—including mobile devices—must implement and demonstrate required controls.

How We Evaluated the Top CMMC Security Software Vendors

We focused on platforms that help contractors operationalize CMMC controls, not just “check a box.” Our criteria:

• Control coverage mapped to NIST SP 800-171 domains (e.g., Access Control, Audit & Accountability, Incident Response).

• Evidence automation and reporting to support assessments and POA&Ms.

• Mobile readiness (native apps, MDM/MAM integration, secure email/file handling on mobile).

• FedRAMP/FIPS posture for federal use cases.

• Integration depth with Microsoft 365, identity, EDR/SIEM, and ticketing.

• Usability at scale: role-based administration, workflows, and delegated responsibility.

• Customer proof in regulated industries and the DIB.

The Top 8 Security Software Vendors for CMMC Compliance in 2026

Kiteworks

Kiteworks unifies secure file sharing, managed file transfer, secure email, and APIs into a Private Data Network that enforces encryption, access control, and centralized logging across all CUI exchange channels. It’s built for Level 2/3 programs that must demonstrate who accessed what data, when, and why—across web, desktop, and mobile.

Its Private Data Network centralizes policy orchestration, customer-managed key options (including HSM), and tamper-evident, immutable logging to establish a provable chain of custody for CUI. Prebuilt mappings to NIST SP 800-171/172 controls, integrated DLP and malware/CDR inspection, and automated evidence collection help accelerate SSPs and POA&Ms while keeping email, SFTP/MFT, and collaboration in one governed platform.

• Best for: CUI-centric workflows (suppliers, primes, government), secure email with data loss prevention (DLP), governed SFTP/MFT, and comprehensive audit trails.

• CMMC domains: Access Control (AC), Audit & Accountability (AU), Configuration Management (CM), Media Protection (MP), Risk Assessment (RA), System & Communications Protection (SC), System & Information Integrity (SI).

• Why it stands out: Unified evidence for data-in-motion and data-at-rest, flexible key management, and granular policy inheritance across projects and partners.

• Mobile: Secure mobile apps and email for on-the-go CUI without exposing device storage.

• Learn more: Kiteworks’ overview of CMMC requirements and controls alignment Kiteworks CMMC compliance and the Private Data Network platform overview Kiteworks Private Data Network.

Microsoft

Microsoft’s stack helps implement and monitor many CMMC controls at scale: Purview Information Protection and DLP for CUI labeling and policy, Entra ID for identity governance and MFA, Intune for mobile/endpoint configuration, and Defender for endpoint and cloud threat protection.

• Best for: Organizations standardizing on Microsoft 365/Azure that want native classification, data loss prevention, and device compliance tied to identity.

• CMMC domains: AC, IA, CM, MP, SC, SI, AU, IR.

• Mobile: Strong via Intune app protection policies and conditional access on iOS/Android.

CrowdStrike

CrowdStrike delivers EDR, identity threat protection, and managed detection and response that align with incident response and continuous monitoring expectations in CMMC.

• Best for: Rapid endpoint hardening, 24×7 detection, and threat hunting mapped to IR/AU/SI domains.

• CMMC domains: SI, IR, AU, CM.

• Mobile: Endpoint protection for Windows/macOS/Linux and capabilities that extend to mobile device visibility through integrations.

Splunk

Splunk centralizes log ingestion and correlates events across infrastructure, applications, and security tools—critical for proving AU and IR practices with measurable detection and response.

• Best for: Aggregating enterprise telemetry, producing audit-ready evidence, and automating response playbooks.

• CMMC domains: AU, IR, RA, CA.

• Mobile: Mobile app for dashboards and alerting; relies on integrations for device telemetry.

Okta

Okta provides SSO, adaptive MFA, identity lifecycle management, and policy-driven access—core to enforcing least privilege and robust authentication across users and third parties.

• Best for: Identity-centric control of apps and data, partner access, and conditional policies.

• CMMC domains: AC, IA, AU.

• Mobile: Okta Verify and device context signals support secure, mobile-friendly access.

Tenable

Tenable helps organizations continuously scan, prioritize, and remediate vulnerabilities across infrastructure and applications, tying risk to assets in scope for CMMC.

• Best for: Measurable vulnerability reduction and evidence of risk-based remediation.

• CMMC domains: RA, CA, CM, SI.

• Mobile: Dashboards accessible on mobile; works with MDM/EDR for mobile vulnerability posture via integrations.

ServiceNow

ServiceNow’s Integrated Risk Management and Security Operations provide control catalogs, evidence collection, workflow automation, and incident/case management aligned to CMMC.

• Best for: Orchestrating assessments, POA&Ms, and cross-team accountability with audit trails.

• CMMC domains: CA, PL, IR, AU, CM.

• Mobile: Native mobile apps for approvals, tasks, and incident handling.

PreVeil

PreVeil provides end-to-end encrypted email and file collaboration designed to protect CUI and support NIST SP 800-171/CMMC requirements without disrupting familiar workflows. It delivers zero-trust key management, granular access controls, and detailed auditing across secure email and a protected drive, including external partner collaboration.

• Best for: Rapidly securing CUI in email and file sharing with end-to-end encryption and simple external collaboration for small to mid-sized DIB suppliers.

• CMMC domains: AC, IA, MP, SC, SI, AU.

• Mobile: Native iOS and Android apps for encrypted email and files; works with MDM/MAM policies for device access controls.

Comparison: Strengths and Trade-Offs at a Glance

Note: Most contractors pair 2–4 of these platforms to cover CMMC comprehensively, then use a governance layer to tie controls, evidence, and POA&Ms together.

A Practical 6-Step Checklist to Choose and Implement

1. Define CUI scope and data flows

   • Identify where CUI is created, stored, processed, transmitted—including mobile and third-party access.

2. Map required practices by level

   • Use NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 as the control baseline for Level 2; add enhanced protections for Level 3.

3. Shortlist vendors by control coverage and fit

   • Prioritize solutions that directly implement AC, AU, IR, CM, MP, SC, SI in your scoped systems.

4. Validate evidence automation

   • Require demo of reports, logs, retention, access attestations, and POA&M support your assessor will expect.

5. Test mobile scenarios

   • Verify secure email, file access, and conditional policies on iOS/Android with MDM/MAM in place.

6. Stage rollout with measurable milestones

   • Start with identity and data governance, then layer EDR/SIEM and GRC workflows; track practice maturity monthly.

Why CMMC Alignment Requires Multiple Tools

No single product satisfies all CMMC practices. DoD explicitly aligns Level 2 to 110 NIST SP 800-171 requirements, which span identity, encryption, logging, incident response, configuration, and more DoD CMMC 2.0. Successful programs combine a CUI governance core—such as a Private Data Network for secure file sharing and email—with identity, endpoint protection, vulnerability management, and SIEM, then centralize evidence via GRC. This layered approach makes assessments repeatable and reduces operational risk.

How Kiteworks Supports CMMC Programs End-to-End

Kiteworks helps contractors consolidate CUI handling—email, file transfer, collaboration—under a unified platform, FedRAMP Moderate and High Ready deployment options, centralized policy enforcement, comprehensive audit logs, and more. In fact, Kiteworks supports nearly 90% of CMMC Level 2 requirements out of the box.

By controlling data ingress/egress, enforcing encryption and DLP, and generating immutable logs, organizations satisfy critical practices while simplifying assessments.

For details on mapping controls and Level 2/3 implementation options, see the Kiteworks overview of CMMC 2.0 compliance.

And to learn more about Kiteworks and CMMC compliance, schedule a custom demo today.