What You Should Know About the Basics of CMMC 2.0 Level 5

Introduction

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is a set of cybersecurity standards developed by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to ensure that companies that work with the government have adequate cybersecurity measures in place. CMMC Level 5 is the highest level of certification in the CMMC model and is designed for companies that handle the most sensitive and classified information. In this article, we will discuss the basics of CMMC Level 5 and what you need to know to achieve compliance.

What is CMMC Level 5?

CMMC Level 5 is the highest level of certification in the CMMC model. It is designed for companies that handle the most sensitive and classified information. CMMC Level 5 requires the implementation of 171 cybersecurity practices. These practices are based on the requirements of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-171.

What are the 171 cybersecurity practices?

The 171 cybersecurity practices are divided into 17 domains, which are the same domains as in CMMC Level 4. However, CMMC Level 5 requires a more rigorous implementation of the practices, and some of the practices have additional requirements. The following are the domains and the number of practices required for each domain:

1. Access Control (AC) - 22 practices
2. Asset Management (AM) - 10 practices
3. Audit and Accountability (AU) - 20 practices
4. Awareness and Training (AT) - 5 practices
5. Configuration Management (CM) - 15 practices
6. Identification and Authentication (IA) - 15 practices
7. Incident Response (IR) - 16 practices
8. Maintenance (MA) - 9 practices
9. Media Protection (MP) - 13 practices
10. Personnel Security (PS) - 13 practices
11. Physical Protection (PE) - 12 practices
12. Recovery (RE) - 7 practices
13. Risk Management (RM) - 22 practices
14. Security Assessment (CA) - 10 practices
15. Situational Awareness (SA) - 11 practices
16. System and Communications Protection (SC) - 33 practices
17. System and Information Integrity (SI) - 21 practices

How to achieve compliance with CMMC Level 5?

To achieve compliance with CMMC Level 5, companies must implement the 171 cybersecurity practices mentioned above. The following are the steps that companies can take to achieve compliance:

1. Identify the scope of the system that requires compliance with CMMC Level 5.
2. Perform a self-assessment to determine the company's compliance with the 171 cybersecurity practices.
3. Identify any gaps and deficiencies and develop a plan to address them.
4. Implement the plan and ensure that all 171 cybersecurity practices are in place.
5. Obtain a third-party assessment to verify compliance with CMMC Level 5.
6. Upload the assessment results to the DoD's Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS).

Conclusion

CMMC Level 5 is a comprehensive cybersecurity framework aimed at protecting the most sensitive information of companies working with the US Department of Defense. Compliance with CMMC Level 5 requires the implementation of 171 cybersecurity practices across 17 domains, and achieving this level of certification is a significant accomplishment that demonstrates a high level of commitment to cybersecurity. To achieve compliance, companies must perform a self-assessment, address any gaps, implement a plan, obtain a third-party assessment, and upload the assessment results to the DoD's SPRS. It is essential to maintain compliance with the 171 cybersecurity practices and continuously improve security measures to stay ahead of evolving threats.