CMMC 2.0 Compliance
Kiteworks Supports Nearly 90% of CMMC 2.0 Level 2
Practice Requirements Out of the Box
Contractors and subcontractors in the Defense Industrial Base must demonstrate CMMC compliance if they wish to continue working with the Department of Defense. Full stop. But CMMC isn’t just a “check-the-box-compliance” initiative. Contractors reap myriad benefits from CMMC compliance. CMMC compliance demonstrates a commitment to data security, establishes trust and credibility, protects CUI, and reduces the risks of data breaches and cyberattacks.
Kiteworks is uniquely qualified to help organizations in the DIB achieve CMMC compliance and secure business with the DoD. As a FedRAMP Moderate Authorized secure file sharing solution, the Kiteworks Private Content Network offers advanced security and governance capabilities and features that align with the CMMC practices and controls. This includes granular access controls, encryption at rest and in transit, and visibility into all file activity. Additionally, Kiteworks offers advanced reporting and auditing capabilities, making it easier for organizations to track and demonstrate compliance with CMMC as well as other data privacy regulations and standards.
Control, Protect, and Track All Your Sensitive DoD Communications for CMMC Compliance
Safeguard FCI and CUI whenever you send it, share it, receive it, or store it. Granular access controls, multi-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption, and secure links ensure only authorized users have access to sensitive content, essential for CMMC compliance. Consolidate secure email, file sharing, managed file transfer, web forms, and APIs into one platform to unify metadata and standardize security policies and controls. Finally, a single point of integration for security investments like ATP, DLP, CDR, LDAP/AD, and SIEM let defense contractors and subcontractors protect sensitive content under CMMC 2.0 practices.
Learn more about Kiteworks security capabilities for protecting FCI and CUI
Ease Deployment With FedRAMP Moderate Authorization
Avoid the time and cost of proving your cloud platform meets 325 NIST 800-53 security controls—critical for CMMC compliance—by adopting one the U.S. federal government has already approved: FedRAMP Moderate Authorized. Unlike “FedRAMP equivalent” vendors, Kiteworks undergoes regular pen tests and employee screening, and is backed by strong encryption, physical security, incident response plans, and more. Ultimately, contractors that use a FedRAMP authorized file sharing solution like Kiteworks have a shorter road to meeting CMMC requirements and demonstrating CMMC compliance.
Safeguard DoD CUI With Comprehensive Access Controls in Accordance With CMMC
Centrally administer a single set of user roles and policies to protect the CUI that flows through all the communication channels the Kiteworks platform consolidates. Mitigate the risk of inadvertent or malicious CUI exposure with default least-privilege access controls over folders, emails, SFTP, managed file transfer (MFT) flows, and web forms, as well as clients, functions, repositories, and domains. And no matter what deployment option you choose, Kiteworks employees never have access to content in your Kiteworks system.
Protect CUI With Seamless, End-to-End Email Encryption
Safeguard the CUI you share via email with your DoD stakeholders with strong encryption ciphers. Apply your security policies to your email encryption to automate the decision of whether or not to encrypt each email. Automated key exchange ensures user simplicity so your employees work with their normal email standard clients without the need for plugins or training. End-to-end encryption ensures email content and attachments are encrypted from sending client to receiving client while the private decryption key stays in receiving client so neither server-side vendors or attackers can decrypt. Finally, apply your DLP to outbound traffic and your anti-malware and anti-phishing to inbound traffic. You’ll look great in front of your C3PAO and take another step toward CMMC compliance.
Track All CUI File Activity and Simplify Audits With Unified Logging and Reporting
See who sent what to whom, when, and how so you can track FCI and CUI entering and leaving your organization, detect suspicious activity, and take action on anomalies. Depend on Kiteworks’ comprehensive, immutable audit trails for all user, automated, and admin activities, including all actions on content, permissions, and configuration. Analyze, alert, and report on the events using built-in tools, or forward to your SIEM via syslog or the Splunk Forwarder for deeper analysis.
Tightly Manage Configurations to Maintain Maximum Security in Compliance With CMMC
The Kiteworks hardened virtual appliance follows the principle of least functionality required for CMMC compliance by exposing only a few essential ports, with all nonessential services disabled. Further, the server prevents users and administrators from accessing the operating system or installing software, enforces strict separation of duties, and logs every configuration change. And when you prepare for audits, it provides the reporting you need to validate configurations and documented controls.
Frequently Asked Questions
CMMC 2.0 is an update to the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) that was initially released in January 2021. It is the Department of Defense’s (DoD) method for requiring organizations in the DoD supply chain to protect federal contract information (FCI) and controlled unclassified information (CUI) to the appropriate level determined (there are three levels in CMMC 2.0). CMMC 2.0 is a restructure of CMMC’s maturity levels by eliminating two of the original five ratings, improved assessment protocols that reduce costs for contractors, and the introduction of a more flexible path to certification through Plans of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms)
Compliance with NIST standards are levied as contractual requirements through inclusion of clauses such as FAR 52.204-21 and DFARS 252.204-7012. CMMC requirements result in a contractor self-assessment, or a third-party assessment by a CMMC Third Party Assessor Organization (C3PAO), to determine whether the applicable NIST standard (as identified by the DFARS clause) has been met. Under CMMC 2.0, a Level 2 assessment will be conducted against the NIST SP 800-171 standard and a Level 3 assessment will be based on a subset of NIST SP 800-172 requirements.
CMMC C3PAO is a CMMC Third Party Assessor Organization (C3PAO) authorized and certified by the CMMC Accreditation Body (CMMC-AB) to conduct assessments of contractors and subcontractors seeking certification to demonstrate compliance with the CMMC standard. C3PAOs are entrusted with assessing and certifying that companies in the defense industrial base (DIB) supply chain have met the cybersecurity requirements of the CMMC standard. Their responsibilities include evaluating and issuing certificates of adherence to the CMMC standard. The C3PAO must review and certify the contractor or subcontractor’s audit and self-assessment reports based on the DoD’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model. The C3PAO must also be able to recommend and implement corrective actions as needed.
CMMC 2.0 applies to all third parties within the defense supply chain, including contractors, vendors, and any other contracted third parties related to the support of the department of defense (DoD). All civilian organizations that do business with the DoD must comply with CMMC2.0, based on the type of CUI and FCI that they handle and exchange. The list of entities includes:
- DoD prime contractors
- DoD subcontractors
- Suppliers at all tiers in the DIB
- DoD small business suppliers
- Commercial suppliers that process, handle, or store CUI
- Foreign suppliers
- Team members of DoD contractors that handle CUI such as IT managed service providers
According to Kiteworks, working with a CMMC Third Party Assessor Organization (C3PAO) provides several benefits for organizations seeking certification under CMMC 2.0 standards:
- Expertise: A certified third-party assessor has extensive experience assessing cybersecurity programs across multiple industries and can provide valuable insight into best practices for achieving compliance with CMMC 2.0 standards.
- Objectivity: An independent third-party assessor provides unbiased feedback on an organization’s security posture that can help identify areas where improvements are needed.
- Cost Savings: Working with a certified third-party assessor can save time and money compared to hiring internal staff or consultants who may not have expertise in assessingcybersecurity programs.
- Efficiency: A certified third-party assessor can quickly identify gaps in an organization’ssecurity posture, helping to reduce time spent preparing for certification.
- Peace of Mind: Having an independent third-party assessor review a DoD supplier’s cybersecurity program provides peace of mind, ensuring that organizations have taken all necessary steps toward achieving compliance with CMMC 2.0 standards.
Government contractors, subcontractors, and systems integrators trust Kiteworks to unify, control, track, and secure sensitive documents in compliance with CMMC 2.0
FEATURED RESOURCES
Kiteworks-enabled Private Content Networks Simplify and Deliver Rapid CMMC 2.0 Compliance 
Kiteworks-enabled Private Content Networks Simplify and Deliver Rapid CMMC 2.0 Compliance
Join the Kiteworks Discord Server and Connect With Like-minded Professionals for CMMC 2.0 Compliance Support
Join the Kiteworks Discord Server and Connect With Like-minded Professionals for CMMC 2.0 Compliance Support
CMMC 2.0 Rulemaking Procedure and the False Claims Act
CMMC 2.0 Rulemaking Procedure and the False Claims Act
Kiteworks Enhances Security and Compliance for Research Organizations and Universities
Kiteworks Enhances Security and Compliance for Research Organizations and Universities
The time to act is now with CMMC 2.0 phased implementation right around the corner