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NEW 48 CFR Proposed Ruling Published by DoD

The Federal Register has published a proposed 48 CFR ruling "Assessing Contractor Implementation of Cybersecurity Requirements (DFARS Case 2019-D041)" This proposed ruling would amend the DFARS to incorporate contractual requirements related to the CMMC program. Public comments will be accepted for 60 days after the date of publication in the Federal Register. Link | Download

NEW eResilience article on cyber assurance for prime contractor bidding teams

A new Contract Management magazine article from eResilience discusses supply chain cyber compliance risk and explores issues and strategies that prime contractors should be aware of when sharing CUI with suppliers and subcontractors. This article appeared in the August 2024 issue of Contract Management magazine, published by the National Contract Management Association. Used with permission. Link | Download

NEW Briefing: Appropriate Use of CUI in the DoD

The DoD Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security (I&S) released a set of briefing slides providing information on DoD implementation of the CUI program. Link | Download

NEW Department of Defense (DoD) Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Cybersecurity (CS) Activities

The DoD released a final rule that revises eligibility criteria for the voluntary DIB Cybersecurity Program, allowing all contractors who handle CDI (DoD CUI) to benefit from bilateral information sharing, which was previously available only to cleared contractors. This ruling also replaces the need for a Medium Assurance Certificate to access the DIBNet portal for cyber incident reporting by allowing registration for DIBNet access through the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (PIEE).  Link | Download

NEW eResilience article on supply chain cyber compliance risk published in September issue of NCMA Contract Management Magazine

The September 2023 issue of Contract Management magazine features an article from eResilience focused on supply chain cyber risk management.  Download (NCMA members can view the article online by logging in to see the complete September issue at  "https://ncmahq.org/Web/Web/Insights/Contract-management-Magazine.aspx")   This article appeared in the September 2023 issue of Contract Management magazine, published by the National Contract Management Association. Used with permission.

NEW Initial Public Draft: NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 (Draft)

NIST has released the initial public draft of SP 800-171 Revision 3, which includes updates to the security requirements and families, updated tailoring criteria, and other enhancements. Link | Download

DoD Cybersecurity: Enhanced Attention Needed to Ensure Cyber Incidents Are Appropriately Reported and Shared

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report indicating multiple areas that need improvement in the DoD Cyber Incident Reporting process. Highlights: Link | Download Full Report: Link | Download

Contractual Remedies to Ensure Contractor Compliance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement Clause 252.204-7012

The DoD has circulated this Memo to contracting officers to remind them of contractor cyber compliance requirements and emphasize penalties that can be levied against non-compliant contractors. Link|Download

DoD CIO taking over CMMC program

The DoD has announced that the DoD CIO will be taking over the responsibility for the CMMC program, effective immediately. The office formerly responsible for CMMC (CISO, USD A&S), will be disestablished, and CMMC implementation will continue under the direction of the DoD CIO.  Link | Download

CMMC 2.0: Level 1 Self-Assessment Guide

The DoD has released the new Assessment Guide for CMMC 2.0 Level 1. This document provides guidance for companies to correctly perform their Level 1 self-assessments, which must be conducted annually, reported to SPRS, and affirmed by a senior company official when contracts require CMMC 2.0 Level 1.   Link | Download

CMMC 2.0 Model and Scoping Guidance

The DoD has released details of the new CMMC 2.0 Model, along with scoping guidance for Level 1 "Foundational" and Level 2 "Advanced" certification, as well as a CMMC 2.0 Artifact Hashing Guide.
  • CMMC 2.0 Model:  Link |Download
  • CMMC 2.0 Level 1 Scoping: Link |Download
  • CMMC 2.0 Level 2 Scoping: Link |Download
  • CMMC 2.0 Artifact Hashing Tool User Guide: Link |Download

CMMC 2.0 Announced

The DoD has announced an update to the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program. CMMC 2.0 will incorporate many important changes to the planned implementation of CMMC. Link  

Department of Justice Announcement of new initiative to enforce DoD Cybersecurity Regulations

The DoJ has announced a new civil cyber-fraud initiative that will use the False Claims Act to enforce DoD cybersecurity regulations. Link

CMMC Level 1 and Level 3 Assessment Guides

The CMMC Assessment Guide for Level 3 provides information about the assessment objectives and types of evidence that assessors will need to review in order to validate the successful implementation of CMMC practices and processes.                 Link| Download (Level 1)         Link |  Download (Level 3)

DRAFT NIST 800-172 “A” Assessment Guidance Released

NIST has released the draft version of its assessment guide for NIST 800-172 (Formerly NIST 800-171B) Link | Download

DoD CUI Awareness and Marking Brief

The DoD has cleared a briefing from November 2020 on CUI Awareness and Marking for public release. These slides provide good information about how CUI is identified and marked. Link | Download

Limited Dissemination Control (LDC) Markings: Quick Reference Guide

The DoD has released a list of the new Limited Dissemination Control (LDC) Markings and descriptions of what each marking means. Link | Download

NIST SP 800-172 “Enhanced Security Requirements for Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information: A Supplement to NIST Special Publication 800-171”

NIST 800-172 prescribes enhanced security requirements designed to further protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) from advanced persistent threats by protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of that information on nonfederal information systems associated with critical programs or high value assets.  This publication does not replace NIST SP 800-171, but creates additional security requirements that will need to be implemented for selected systems. Link | Download

Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Assessing Contractor Implementation of Cybersecurity Requirements (DFARS Case 2019-D041)

The DoD has issued an interim rule to amend the DFARS cybersecurity regulations to implement a DoD Assessment Methodology and Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMMC) framework in order to assess contractor implementation of cybersecurity requirements and enhance the protection of unclassified information within the DoD supply chain. (Comments on the interim rule should be submitted in writing on or before 60 days after date of publication in the Federal Register.) LinkDownload

DRAFT – NIST SP 800-172 (Formerly known as “171B”)

Enhanced security requirements for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information: A supplement NIST SP 800-171 (Final public draft)  Link |Download

Update: NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment Methodology Version 1.2.1

The DoD has released an update of its NIST SP 800-171 Assessment Methdology, introducing the ability for the DIBCAC to perform remote "virtual" assessments at the Medium and High Confidence level due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Basic assessments will still be self-reported by contractors, and the subtractive, weighted scoring system is still in place.  Link | Download

DoD Instruction 5200.48 Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) (March 6,2020)

This new DoD Instruction document establishes an official DoD CUI registry and associated DoD-wide policies, responsibilities, and procedures for CUI. Link | Download

NIST SP 800-171 Revision 2/Final, Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Systems and Organizations (February 21, 2020)

This is the final release of NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, which supersedes the previous SP 800-171 Rev.1. Revision 2 includes minor editorial changes but does not change the basic or derived security requirements.  Link | Download

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Version 1.0 Released (January 31, 2020)

The DoD has released the official version of CMMC v1.0. This document is effective immediately and provides clarification on what the requirements will be for each level of CMMC certification.
DoD CMMC Model Main Documentation V1.0:  LinkDownload

Updated DoD Instruction 8582.01 (December 9, 2019)

The newly updated DoD Instruction 8582.01 replaces the previous version issued June 6th, 2012. This instruction comes from the office of the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense, to establish policies, assign responsibilities, and provide directions for managing security on all non-DoD systems that store or process any non-public DoD information, including CUI Link |Download

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) DRAFT Version 0.7 (December 6, 2019)

Version 0.7 of the draft CMMC is a complete model that includes all levels from 1 through 5, along with appendices that provide clarifications and discussion points. Link | Download

Memorandum: NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment Methodology v1.0 (November 14, 2019)

This Memo and associated document describes the new DoD Assessment Methodology that includes both a scoring system to establish an overall score based on the number of requirements that have been successfully implemented, as well as a confidence rating of Basic, Medium, or High depending on the type of assessment / attestation conducted in determining the score. Link | Download
    • NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment Methodology v1.0 Document: Link | Download

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) DRAFT Version 0.6 (November 7, 2019)

This is the most recent draft of the CMMC, taking into account industry feedback that was received by DoD after releasing CMMC Draft version 0.4 for public comments in September 2019. Link | Download

2019 NDIA Cybersecurity Report – “Beyond Obfuscation: The Defense Industry’s Position within Federal Cybersecurity Policy” A Report of the NDIA Policy Department (October 2019)

This 2019 report provides analysis and results from NDIA cybersecurity surveys, indicating that attacks are common, the supply chain is vulnerable, and there is widespread non-compliance throughout the DIB. Link | Download  

Memorandum: Change 18-08 of the Navy Marine Corps Acquisition Regulation Supplement (NMCARS) (September 6, 2019)

This memo from the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Acquisition and Procurement) announces immediate changes to the NMCARS, requiring the inclusion of Annex 16 in the statements of work of solicitations, contracts, and task or delivery orders when the DON Program Manager, Program Executive Officer, or Chief of Naval Research, in coordination with the Resource Sponsor, determines that the risk to a critical program and/or technology warrants its inclusion. Link | Download
    • Complete Updated NMCARS Incorporating Change 18-08 (September 6, 2019) Download
        • Excerpt from the NMCARS Change 18-08 describes potential penalties for cybersecurity non-compliance: Download
        • Annex 16 of the NMCARS adds enhanced cybersecurity requirements for selected programs: Download

Audit of Protection of DoD Controlled Unclassified Information on Contractor-Owned Networks and Systems DoDIG-2019-105 (July 23, 2019)

The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) released an audit report regarding the protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) on contractor networks. The audit found that DoD contractors did not consistently implement DoD-mandated system security controls for safeguarding Defense information. Link | Download
    • Brief Results: Link

DCMA Contractor Purchasing System Review (CPSR) Guidebook (June 14, 2019)

This is the most recent update of the DCMA Guidebook for auditors conducting Contractor Purchasing System Review (CPSR). APPENDIX 24, starting on Page 97, includes instructions to evaluators on how to assess contractor compliance with DFARS / NIST Cybersecurity regulations and requires contractors to demonstrate how they are tracking and assessing the compliance of their suppliers. Link | Download

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CCMC) Website (June 2019)

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD(A&S)) launched a website that hosts additional background on the proposed CMMC, including a list of FAQs. Link

MITRE Report: Deliver Uncompromised – A Strategy for Supply Chain Security and Resilience in Response to the Changing Character of War (August 2018)

“Deliver Uncompromised” is an Advisory Document for the United States Government that provides insight and recommendations relating to the security of the defense industrial base, touching a range of topics including legislation and regulation, policy and administration, acquisition and oversight, programs and technology. The Deliver Uncompromised report recommends establishing security as the “4th Pillar” of defense acquisition, equal in importance to cost, performance, and schedule. Download