CMMC Step 3: How Defect Implementation Support Can Fix Security Gaps

Have you already identified your federal contract information (FCI) or controlled unclassified information (CUI) to establish a CUI boundary and determine your CMMC level?

Did you perform a gap analysis to measure your current cybersecurity defenses against the required CMMC Level 2 NIST SP 800-171 controls to learn what security weaknesses you have within your environment?

If so, then the next step in your CMMC compliance journey is to discover what remediation tools you need to fix those identified security flaws.

If the holes in your organization’s security defenses aren’t closed, those gaps could come to light during your CMMC assessment, delaying certification or even putting your Department of Defense (DoD) contracts at risk. 

In this article, we’ll explore what implementation support is and how Kelser can help your business resolve deficiencies found in your CMMC gap analysis.

With this information, you’ll be able to properly plan and budget for the support and resources you need to satisfy compliance so that you can continue doing business with the DoD.

What Is Implementation Support? 

If you've already established a CUI boundary and completed your gap analysis, you now know the security flaws you’ll need to fix in order to get certified, which will allow you to keep your DoD contracts or win new ones.

Related Article: How To Find CUI Within Your Environment & Set A CUI Boundary For CMMC

You’ve now reached a critical moment.

Implementation support is where we transform your gap analysis from a static document into tangible steps toward becoming CMMC compliant and achieving certification.

This is an essential part of the compliance process. If you don’t examine your existing security defenses against the CMMC NIST requirements, then you won’t know what to fix.

The security measures you put in place could be insufficient or irrelevant to the specific controls you need to satisfy, leading to costly delays and unnecessary remediation.

With years of experience expertly guiding clients through the regulatory compliance process across various industries, Kelser can help streamline your compliance journey by pinpointing your security gap targets.

Instead of simply handing you a checklist of security shortcomings that you need to address, we work directly with your in-house IT department to ensure that you implement the right security measures to effectively safeguard FCI and CUI within your organization’s data, policies, systems, and processes.

Keep in mind that we can help you set a scope, or boundary, for CUI and FCI in Step 1 of the CMMC certification journey. We can also perform a gap analysis to highlight the exact areas where your security measures fall short.

This will allow you to narrow your remediation focus to just those areas within your environment that store, process, or transmit CUI. You won’t need to implement these security measures throughout your entire organization.

Assessment level requirements:

• Level 1 (Foundational Level) – companies that handle or will handle FCI. These businesses need to meet basic cyber hygiene requirements taken from the Federal Acquisition Register (FAR).
  
  
• Level 2 (Advanced Level) – companies that handle CUI. These companies must satisfy 110 cybersecurity practices identified in NIST SP 800-171.
  
  
• Level 3 (Expert Level) – businesses at this level must meet the most stringent security requirements, including the requirements of the previous two levels plus others found in NIST 800-172.

What Can You Expect With Implementation Support From An IT Services Provider?

Implementation support is where we turn ideas into action. Working in the role of your CMMC consultant, we can provide expert regulatory insight and cybersecurity guidance to ensure you implement the right security controls to become compliant.

The three core components of implementation support are:

1. Remediation

We collaborate with your internal teams, offering cybersecurity expertise and strategic guidance for corrective actions and necessary security controls to put in place across your systems, policies, and procedures. 

For example, if your gap analysis determined that you lack proper physical controls to restrict access to your local data center, corrective measures could include installing barriers, locks, and doors using biometric scanners or key fobs.

Or, if you don’t have a secure method for backing up important data, our implementation support can advise you on different secure backup solutions so you understand your options and can choose the one best suited for your business

2. Defect Resolution Log

We record each CMMC security gap, monitor the remediation progress, and keep a running log of what’s been resolved and what still needs attention. 

By documenting security weaknesses and carefully tracking your resolution progress, we ensure that you have a detailed record to present to auditors, if needed.

Since private, certified third-party assessment organization (C3PAO) assessors and federal auditors (Level 3) can interview your team on the security tools and implementation methods used, this gives you key evidence of exactly what security measures were adopted to fix any problems identified in your CMMC gap analysis.

3. Ongoing Advisory and Support

Once you’ve completed this step, we won’t leave you hanging.

You’ll get regular check-ins, advice and ongoing guidance to ensure that the work stays aligned with your CMMC level, timeline, and business goals. 

This step keeps your remediation efforts moving forward, ensures nothing falls through the cracks, and helps you stay on track for getting certified.  

Why Does Implementation Support Matter?

Implementation support transforms what could appear to be a confusing jumble of technical compliance jargon and puts it into tangible, real-world solutions for your business.

Without this step, your gap analysis is just a list of security problems. With it, you have a concrete action plan to address security risks within your scope so you can become CMMC compliant.

This step helps you: 

• Resolve security weaknesses highlighted in your gap analysis as measured against the CMMC requirements for your level. 
  
  
• Minimize risk and reduce the chances of audit failure or compliance delays. 
  
  
• Streamline the process and receive ongoing support so implementation becomes smoother, faster, and more cost-effective. 
  
  
• Gain peace of mind knowing that you won’t have to go through the process alone; we’ll be there to provide support and guidance every step of the way.
  
  

What Results Can You Expect From The CMMC Implementation Support Phase? 

By the end of the implementation support phase, you will have achieved real, measurable progress toward CMMC certification. 

At this point, you can expect to have completed the following: 

Closed Compliance Gaps:

The security deficiencies identified in your CMMC gap analysis are resolved with evidence of implementation following best practices. 

By remediating these weaknesses, you can now prove that you organization is doing everything it can safeguard FCI and/or CUI that you store, process, or transmit.

Stronger Security Posture:

Another benefit of implementation support is that your environment is more secure. With support that’s tailored to your business, you can strengthen your security defenses to fight against ever-lurking bad actors.

Related Article: How Zero Trust Can Streamline NIST & CMMC Compliance For Your Business

This means that your data, devices, software, and systems—regardless of whether they’re housed locally within your on-site data center or cloud-based—will be protected in line with the CMMC security controls for your level.

Readiness for Certification:

Once you’ve implement the recommended security solutions, you’ll be in a strong position to move into the final stages of preparation with confidence, knowing you’ve addressed all the security issues that could keep you from getting certified. 

The Bottom Line With Implementation Support Following A Gap Analysis

Having read this article, you now know what defect implementation support is and why it’s such a critical part of your CMMC journey. This step is where your security and compliance efforts start to take real shape. 

With more than 40 years of experience providing IT services to clients throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts, Kelser has the technical expertise and regulatory knowledge to collaborate with your team and deliver expert corrective solutions for your organization.

If you’re unsure where to begin or want expert support to keep things moving in the right direction, we’re here to help.

Our team will work alongside yours to make sure every CMMC security gap is closed, every compliance requirement is met, and nothing falls through the cracks. This will help you avoid any last-minute compliance issues that could throw a wrench into your certification process.

Reach out when you’re ready. We’ll help you get on track and move forward in your CMMC certification journey with confidence so you can retain your existing DoD contracts or become eligible for new ones.