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Checklist: How to Prepare for a CMMC 2.0 Assessment

April 27, 2023

5 minutes

CMMC checklist

Do you know how to prepare for a CMMC 2.0 assessment?

This checklist will help you know what to do before a CMMC 2.0 assessment so you can be sure to get the most out of it and set your business up for compliance success in the future.

Access your file by filling out this form

What is a CMMC Assessment?

A CMMC assessment is a comprehensive exam of an organization’s cybersecurity maturity and is a critical step in becoming CMMC certified. An assessment helps businesses learn more about their current cybersecurity system and learn what they need to reach the level they need to obtain contracts with the Department of Defense.

The assessment itself digs deep into business systems to assess the strength of your current cybersecurity infrastructure and what you’ll need to add, improve, and implement before contacting a CMMC-certified assessor to obtain official compliance.

Why Do Businesses Need to Prepare for a CMMC Assessment?

As stated above, the assessment is a critical step in the CMMC compliance process. The assessment is so important because it helps organizations discover more about their systems, what they have, what they need, and what is still necessary to obtain and improve before potentially wasting time, effort, and money by working with a CMMC assessor before you are ready.

It’s typically done by an experienced managed security services provider (MSSP) like DOT Security because having an expert eye is crucial to ensure nothing is overlooked or misunderstood about the process.

Preparing for a CMMC 2.0 Assessment

In May of 2023, CMMC 2.0 requirements will begin to appear in DoD contracts and could be fully implemented in every contract by October 2025. This means businesses, even if compliant by the 1.0 rules and regulations, must assess their compliance again to ensure they are up to date with the 2.0 requirements.

Luckily, most of the differences between CMMC 1.0 and 2.0 are minimal for most businesses. The primary changes are that the levels have actually decreased, but the controls within each have been adjusted and streamlined.

Additionally, the way assessments work has changed. For example, level 1 used to require a third-party assessment, but now it can be an annual self-assessment. So, in that instance, it’s easier for businesses to prove compliance. But, for level 2, what used to be no required assessment is now a triennial third-party assessment, and for level 3, a government-led triennial assessment is now required.

cmmc 1.0 vs. 2.0 levels

Though most of the actual controls have remained the same, the DoD has simplified the CMMC levels to help businesses more easily understand the regulations and to help them become more secure. But how the assessments work has changed significantly. To help you prepare for them, fill out the form above to download our checklist and see exactly what you should do to be as prepared as possible.

This checklist is the perfect tool to help make sure you don’t skip any steps in the process and get a full look at your current cybersecurity maturity and what you need to implement in the future to become compliant with the necessary level of CMMC you require.