Today, the Department of Defense announced the strategic direction of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program, marking the completion of an internal program assessment led by senior leaders across the Department.

The enhanced “CMMC 2.0” program maintains the program’s original goal of safeguarding sensitive information, while:

• Simplifying the CMMC standard and providing additional clarity on cybersecurity regulatory, policy, and contracting requirements;
• Focusing the most advanced cybersecurity standards and third-party assessment requirements on companies supporting the highest priority programs; and
• Increasing Department oversight of professional and ethical standards in the assessment ecosystem.

Together, these enhancements:

• Ensure accountability for companies to implement cybersecurity standards while minimizing barriers to compliance with DoD requirements;
• Instill a collaborative culture of cybersecurity and cyber resilience; and
• Enhance public trust in the CMMC ecosystem, while increasing overall ease of execution.

“CMMC 2.0 will dramatically strengthen the cybersecurity of the defense industrial base,” said Jesse Salazar, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Policy. “By establishing a more collaborative relationship with industry, these updates will support businesses in adopting the practices they need to thwart cyber threats while minimizing barriers to compliance with DoD requirements.”

The CMMC program includes cyber...

Read Full Story: https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2833006/strategic-direc...