The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is currently undergoing a formal rulemaking process that can take up to 24 months to finish, but now is the time to start understanding the impacts if you aren’t CMMC compliant. This way you’ll have the runway you need to become so by the time legislation goes into effect.  

In reality, it’s a bad idea to put off CMMC compliance until the last minute because the road to compliance can be long and unpredictable. Those who embark on it late and fail to align their cybersecurity with one of the three CMMC maturity levels in a timely manner can suffer severe consequences. 

CONSEQUENCES OF NOT BEING CMMC COMPLIANT  

Department of Defense (DoD) contractors and subcontractors that handle Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) can face several unpleasant consequences if they fail to comply with the CMMC.  

Inability to Bid on DoD Contracts 

The main purpose of the CMMC is to enhance the cybersecurity posture of the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) by requiring its members to implement more than 110 practices across 14 security domains for the protection of FCI and CUI.  

Any DoD contractor or subcontractor that doesn’t implement all the practices required by the relevant CMMC level can lose its ability to bid on some or all DoD contracts.  

For example, a contractor that has implemented only the 17 practices applied at maturity level 1 wouldn’t be able to bid on contracts that require CMMC level 2 or level 3 compliance—only level 1 contracts would be available.  

Loss of Revenue or Even Business Closure 

In 2021, the federal government spent about $637 billion on contracts, up from $586 billion in 2019. With the current Russia-Ukraine war showing no signs of slowing down, it’s safe to assume that the total spend will be even higher this year.  

Proactive contractors that take the steps necessary to be among the first to become CMMC compliant will be rewarded with more profitable contracts than ever before, while those who postpone it may lose revenue and, as a result, be forced to close their doors.  

What’s more, it’s possible that the government will eventually expand CMMC beyond the DoD because other government organizations are exposed to the same dangerous threats as everyone else, so it’s best to be ahead of the game.  

Increased Exposure to Cyber Threats  

Like hyenas hunting for prey, cybercriminals seek weak targets because they like to achieve the biggest results for the least amount of effort.  

Compliance with the two higher CMMC levels can serve as a powerful deterrent to cyber attacks because they guarantee good cyber hygiene. On the other hand, non-compliance can attract cybercriminals and increase the overall exposure to threats like malware, phishing, and zero-day attacks. 

START WITH CMMC PREPARATION NOW 

Depending on where you are now, CMMC requirements may take some effort to implement, but that’s nothing compared with the consequences that await those who don’t manage to comply with it in time.  

That’s why we strongly recommend all DoD contractors and subcontractors start preparing right now so they have all the required practices in place before CMMC becomes a contractual requirement. If you need any help assessing where you are today and where you need to go, just contact us.