The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certificate (CMMC) is a government-led cybersecurity framework designed to enhance the security posture of Department of Defense (DoD) contractors and suppliers.
Getting CMMC certified is a requirement for any organization that has an ongoing DoD contract or wants to pursue one in the future. However, achieving CMMC certification benefits your organization beyond just fulfilling contractual obligations.
In this guide, we’ll outline the seven key benefits of CMMC certification and discuss how valuable it can be for organizations of all sizes.
Why should you comply with the CMMC?
All organizations, regardless of size, location, and industry, must achieve CMMC certification if they currently work with the DoD or plan to become contractors or subcontractors in the future.
The CMMC was created to ensure the comprehensive protection of organizations within the Defense Industrial Database (DIB). It prescribes specific cybersecurity practices all organizations within its scope must implement, which helps strengthen safety within the supply chain and safeguard both the DoD and the sensitive information shared between contractors and suppliers.
Failing to comply with CMMC can have serious consequences for organizations. Depending on the severity of the violation, this can result in the loss of existing DoD contracts, ineligibility to bid on future DoD projects, and, in the case of major violations, even legal consequences.
When bidding on DoD contracts, organizations must accurately affirm CMMC compliance, as false claims can lead to violations under the False Claims Act. If an organization falsely affirms meeting the criteria, it may face fines or other legal consequences due to misrepresentation.
{{cta_withimage27="/cta-blocks"}} | CMMC compliance checklist
7 core benefits of CMMC compliance
Beyond being a mandatory requirement for DoD contractors and subcontractors, CMMC offers several business advantages. Here are the seven most significant benefits:
- Enhanced security posture
- Implementation of industry-standard security frameworks
- Expanded business opportunities
- Effective risk management
- Improved operational continuity
- Increased security assurance
- Streamlined compliance program
1. Enhanced security posture
One of the most important benefits of achieving CMMC certification is improving your organization's security posture, as the need for stronger security frameworks today is more critical than ever.
Cyberattacks are increasing in both frequency and sophistication, with global ransomware attacks rising by 11% in 2024. The financial impact of breaches also continues to grow, with the average breach costing $4.88 million per incident.
By implementing CMMC, your organization can take a proactive approach to security, ensuring it meets industry standards designed to address modern cyber threats.
As part of the compliance process, you will need to evaluate your organization's current controls and practices to determine how they align with CMMC requirements.
Some of the key activities that you will need to perform as a part of the CMMC assessment process include:
- Access reviews
- Risk assessments
- Incident response reviews
- Technical security checks (vulnerability scans, penetration testing, etc.)
By going through these comprehensive reviews, your organization can better understand its security posture, allowing you to allocate resources more efficiently and remediate any gaps the assessment points to.
Depending on your organization's required certification level, you will have to complete annual affirmations (Levels 2 and 3) or reapply for certification. This ensures your security posture remains aligned with the latest best practices as well as evolving cybersecurity threats.
2. Implementation of industry-standard security frameworks
CMMC practices include controls from well-known security frameworks, such as NIST SP 800-171 R2 and NIST SP 800-172. These define strict cybersecurity requirements for handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and other sensitive data. They serve as the basis for CMMC’s security controls, ensuring consistent protection of sensitive data across all contractors and subcontractors in the supply chain.
Aside from the frameworks it is based on, CMMC also overlaps with several other authoritative security standards, including:
The alignment with multiple security standards means that while working on CMMC certification, your organization can implement the most effective security controls from each and ensure more comprehensive coverage.
3. Expanded business opportunities
Getting CMMC certified can drive business growth and open new opportunities, even if you haven’t yet pursued a DoD contract. It opens the door for your organization to work with the U.S. government and can provide access to its extensive network of contractors.
Even if you’re not seeking a DoD contract, CMMC certification is a notable competitive advantage. The certificate provides proof of comprehensive security measures to potential collaborators.
Holding the certificate can also help you expedite deal cycles. Being certified means that your organization meets CMMC criteria, which reduces the risk assessment burden and minimizes the need for extensive security questionnaires.
To secure internal buy-in and justify the investment in CMMC certification, you should align its benefits with your organization’s strategic goals. If your company plans to expand to new industries, CMMC can provide a competitive advantage by showcasing a commitment to cybersecurity.
4. Effective risk management
CMMC places a strong emphasis on risk management, helping you understand and manage your organization’s risk profile. As a part of the CMMC certification process, organizations must identify and address several key risks, including:
- Poorly designed or executed business processes
- Accidental but harmful employee actions, such as accidentally disclosing or modifying information
- Intentional malicious actions of people inside and outside the organization
- Failure of systems to perform as intended
Third-party risk management is another critical aspect of the CMMC. It strengthens the overall security ecosystem across the supply chain and protects organizations from risks introduced by external vendors and service providers.
5. Improved operational continuity
The practices required by CMMC help your organization mitigate disruptive security issues and recover more effectively from realized cyber threats, ensuring minimal downtime and business loss.
The program achieves this by emphasizing both preventive and curative measures, such as:
While the upfront cost of implementing CMMC may be significant, it may result in considerable long-term savings. The program’s measures help reduce the risk of cyber incidents and accelerate recovery, minimizing potential financial and reputational losses for your organization.
Another benefit of being proactive with implementing the latest security standards, such as CMMC 2.0 or NIST CSF 2.0, means you will be better prepared for future regulatory changes instead of risking last-minute compliance workflows and potential operational disruptions.
6. Increased security assurance
CMMC has three certification levels, each based on the type of information an organization handles. Each level has specific security requirements and validation methods that organizations need to meet to achieve CMMC compliance:
- Level 1: Organizations need to do a self-assessment with annual resubmissions for certification.
- Level 2: Depending on the type of CUI handled, Level 2 certification may require a self-assessment or a third-party assessment done by a CMMC Third-Party Assessor Organization (C3PAO). The certificate lasts for three years, but organizations must affirm compliance annually.
- Level 3: Requires the Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center (DIBCAC) to carry out the assessment. As with Level 2, the certificate lasts for three years with annual reaffirmations.
During the process, auditors will review several assessment objects, including various documents, mechanisms, and activities.
Third-party validation provides an objective affirmation that your organization meets the in-scope criteria for achieving CMMC certification. This demonstrates increased confidence in your organization’s security posture, which can strengthen trust with the DoD and other partners.
A third-party assessment requires you to collect extensive documentation. When done manually, this process can be time-consuming and can place a burden on your compliance team, requiring them to go through emails, screenshots, and disparate systems. However, leveraging automation tools can make this process more efficient.
{{cta_withimage27="/cta-blocks"}} | CMMC compliance checklist
7. Streamlined compliance program
Achieving CMMC certification will not only help your organization meet DoD requirements but can also help with other regulatory obligations due to considerable overlaps the program has with other authoritative standards.
Many practices required by standards like SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA overlap with CMMC—the takeaway is that if you are already compliant with them, you may have a head start on getting CMMC certified.
On the other hand, the overlap introduces the risk of possible duplicative workflows. As these regulations require thorough assessments, organizations may waste time and resources on reviewing controls that already meet criteria or implementing redundant security measures across different frameworks.
A best practice here is for organizations already managing compliance tasks, such as financial audits, to integrate CMMC requirements into their existing processes, reducing redundant work and improving their overall security posture.
Another way to avoid these challenges is by leveraging a centralized compliance tracking system to document implemented controls and map requirements to the practices and measures your organization already has in place.
CMMC compliance streamlined with Vanta
Vanta is a leading trust management platform that helps your organization become CMMC-compliant in a time- and resource-efficient manner. It provides clear guidance and resources to minimize ambiguity and automates up to 50% of manual workflows through its dedicated CMMC product.
Leveraging a platform like Vanta is particularly important for small and medium-sized businesses and resource-constrained organizations that may lack the internal expertise or capacity to manage CMMC compliance alongside their current workflows.
Vanta’s robust CMMC product comes with various features that streamline CMMC compliance, including:
- Out-of-the-box support for all certification levels, with prescriptive guidance across controls, policies, and documents
- Automated evidence collection supported by 375+ integrations
- Automated gap assessments
- A centralized dashboard to address compliance priorities
- Centralized tracking and continuous monitoring of CMMC requirements
- Pre-mapped security controls aligned to NIST SP 800-171 and NIST SP 800-172
If you’re pursuing Level 2 or 3 certification, you can leverage Vanta’s partner network to find a Cyber AB-accredited C3PAO to guide you through the certification process.
Schedule a custom demo to get an overview of how Vanta can streamline your CMMC compliance journey.
{{cta_simple33="/cta-blocks"}} | CMMC product page
A note from Vanta: Vanta is not a law firm, and this article does not constitute or contain legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. When determining your obligations and compliance with respect to relevant laws and regulations, you should consult a licensed attorney.
7 practical benefits of achieving CMMC certification
Looking to automate up to 50% of the work for CMMC?
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certificate (CMMC) is a government-led cybersecurity framework designed to enhance the security posture of Department of Defense (DoD) contractors and suppliers.
Getting CMMC certified is a requirement for any organization that has an ongoing DoD contract or wants to pursue one in the future. However, achieving CMMC certification benefits your organization beyond just fulfilling contractual obligations.
In this guide, we’ll outline the seven key benefits of CMMC certification and discuss how valuable it can be for organizations of all sizes.
Why should you comply with the CMMC?
All organizations, regardless of size, location, and industry, must achieve CMMC certification if they currently work with the DoD or plan to become contractors or subcontractors in the future.
The CMMC was created to ensure the comprehensive protection of organizations within the Defense Industrial Database (DIB). It prescribes specific cybersecurity practices all organizations within its scope must implement, which helps strengthen safety within the supply chain and safeguard both the DoD and the sensitive information shared between contractors and suppliers.
Failing to comply with CMMC can have serious consequences for organizations. Depending on the severity of the violation, this can result in the loss of existing DoD contracts, ineligibility to bid on future DoD projects, and, in the case of major violations, even legal consequences.
When bidding on DoD contracts, organizations must accurately affirm CMMC compliance, as false claims can lead to violations under the False Claims Act. If an organization falsely affirms meeting the criteria, it may face fines or other legal consequences due to misrepresentation.
{{cta_withimage27="/cta-blocks"}} | CMMC compliance checklist
7 core benefits of CMMC compliance
Beyond being a mandatory requirement for DoD contractors and subcontractors, CMMC offers several business advantages. Here are the seven most significant benefits:
- Enhanced security posture
- Implementation of industry-standard security frameworks
- Expanded business opportunities
- Effective risk management
- Improved operational continuity
- Increased security assurance
- Streamlined compliance program
1. Enhanced security posture
One of the most important benefits of achieving CMMC certification is improving your organization's security posture, as the need for stronger security frameworks today is more critical than ever.
Cyberattacks are increasing in both frequency and sophistication, with global ransomware attacks rising by 11% in 2024. The financial impact of breaches also continues to grow, with the average breach costing $4.88 million per incident.
By implementing CMMC, your organization can take a proactive approach to security, ensuring it meets industry standards designed to address modern cyber threats.
As part of the compliance process, you will need to evaluate your organization's current controls and practices to determine how they align with CMMC requirements.
Some of the key activities that you will need to perform as a part of the CMMC assessment process include:
- Access reviews
- Risk assessments
- Incident response reviews
- Technical security checks (vulnerability scans, penetration testing, etc.)
By going through these comprehensive reviews, your organization can better understand its security posture, allowing you to allocate resources more efficiently and remediate any gaps the assessment points to.
Depending on your organization's required certification level, you will have to complete annual affirmations (Levels 2 and 3) or reapply for certification. This ensures your security posture remains aligned with the latest best practices as well as evolving cybersecurity threats.
2. Implementation of industry-standard security frameworks
CMMC practices include controls from well-known security frameworks, such as NIST SP 800-171 R2 and NIST SP 800-172. These define strict cybersecurity requirements for handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and other sensitive data. They serve as the basis for CMMC’s security controls, ensuring consistent protection of sensitive data across all contractors and subcontractors in the supply chain.
Aside from the frameworks it is based on, CMMC also overlaps with several other authoritative security standards, including:
The alignment with multiple security standards means that while working on CMMC certification, your organization can implement the most effective security controls from each and ensure more comprehensive coverage.
3. Expanded business opportunities
Getting CMMC certified can drive business growth and open new opportunities, even if you haven’t yet pursued a DoD contract. It opens the door for your organization to work with the U.S. government and can provide access to its extensive network of contractors.
Even if you’re not seeking a DoD contract, CMMC certification is a notable competitive advantage. The certificate provides proof of comprehensive security measures to potential collaborators.
Holding the certificate can also help you expedite deal cycles. Being certified means that your organization meets CMMC criteria, which reduces the risk assessment burden and minimizes the need for extensive security questionnaires.
To secure internal buy-in and justify the investment in CMMC certification, you should align its benefits with your organization’s strategic goals. If your company plans to expand to new industries, CMMC can provide a competitive advantage by showcasing a commitment to cybersecurity.
4. Effective risk management
CMMC places a strong emphasis on risk management, helping you understand and manage your organization’s risk profile. As a part of the CMMC certification process, organizations must identify and address several key risks, including:
- Poorly designed or executed business processes
- Accidental but harmful employee actions, such as accidentally disclosing or modifying information
- Intentional malicious actions of people inside and outside the organization
- Failure of systems to perform as intended
Third-party risk management is another critical aspect of the CMMC. It strengthens the overall security ecosystem across the supply chain and protects organizations from risks introduced by external vendors and service providers.
5. Improved operational continuity
The practices required by CMMC help your organization mitigate disruptive security issues and recover more effectively from realized cyber threats, ensuring minimal downtime and business loss.
The program achieves this by emphasizing both preventive and curative measures, such as:
While the upfront cost of implementing CMMC may be significant, it may result in considerable long-term savings. The program’s measures help reduce the risk of cyber incidents and accelerate recovery, minimizing potential financial and reputational losses for your organization.
Another benefit of being proactive with implementing the latest security standards, such as CMMC 2.0 or NIST CSF 2.0, means you will be better prepared for future regulatory changes instead of risking last-minute compliance workflows and potential operational disruptions.
6. Increased security assurance
CMMC has three certification levels, each based on the type of information an organization handles. Each level has specific security requirements and validation methods that organizations need to meet to achieve CMMC compliance:
- Level 1: Organizations need to do a self-assessment with annual resubmissions for certification.
- Level 2: Depending on the type of CUI handled, Level 2 certification may require a self-assessment or a third-party assessment done by a CMMC Third-Party Assessor Organization (C3PAO). The certificate lasts for three years, but organizations must affirm compliance annually.
- Level 3: Requires the Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center (DIBCAC) to carry out the assessment. As with Level 2, the certificate lasts for three years with annual reaffirmations.
During the process, auditors will review several assessment objects, including various documents, mechanisms, and activities.
Third-party validation provides an objective affirmation that your organization meets the in-scope criteria for achieving CMMC certification. This demonstrates increased confidence in your organization’s security posture, which can strengthen trust with the DoD and other partners.
A third-party assessment requires you to collect extensive documentation. When done manually, this process can be time-consuming and can place a burden on your compliance team, requiring them to go through emails, screenshots, and disparate systems. However, leveraging automation tools can make this process more efficient.
{{cta_withimage27="/cta-blocks"}} | CMMC compliance checklist
7. Streamlined compliance program
Achieving CMMC certification will not only help your organization meet DoD requirements but can also help with other regulatory obligations due to considerable overlaps the program has with other authoritative standards.
Many practices required by standards like SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA overlap with CMMC—the takeaway is that if you are already compliant with them, you may have a head start on getting CMMC certified.
On the other hand, the overlap introduces the risk of possible duplicative workflows. As these regulations require thorough assessments, organizations may waste time and resources on reviewing controls that already meet criteria or implementing redundant security measures across different frameworks.
A best practice here is for organizations already managing compliance tasks, such as financial audits, to integrate CMMC requirements into their existing processes, reducing redundant work and improving their overall security posture.
Another way to avoid these challenges is by leveraging a centralized compliance tracking system to document implemented controls and map requirements to the practices and measures your organization already has in place.
CMMC compliance streamlined with Vanta
Vanta is a leading trust management platform that helps your organization become CMMC-compliant in a time- and resource-efficient manner. It provides clear guidance and resources to minimize ambiguity and automates up to 50% of manual workflows through its dedicated CMMC product.
Leveraging a platform like Vanta is particularly important for small and medium-sized businesses and resource-constrained organizations that may lack the internal expertise or capacity to manage CMMC compliance alongside their current workflows.
Vanta’s robust CMMC product comes with various features that streamline CMMC compliance, including:
- Out-of-the-box support for all certification levels, with prescriptive guidance across controls, policies, and documents
- Automated evidence collection supported by 375+ integrations
- Automated gap assessments
- A centralized dashboard to address compliance priorities
- Centralized tracking and continuous monitoring of CMMC requirements
- Pre-mapped security controls aligned to NIST SP 800-171 and NIST SP 800-172
If you’re pursuing Level 2 or 3 certification, you can leverage Vanta’s partner network to find a Cyber AB-accredited C3PAO to guide you through the certification process.
Schedule a custom demo to get an overview of how Vanta can streamline your CMMC compliance journey.
{{cta_simple33="/cta-blocks"}} | CMMC product page
A note from Vanta: Vanta is not a law firm, and this article does not constitute or contain legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. When determining your obligations and compliance with respect to relevant laws and regulations, you should consult a licensed attorney.
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