Sum IT Up: CMMC News Roundup

CMMC Level 2 Assessment: What to Expect (Insights from 100 assessments)

This week we sit down with a C3PAO who has completed over 100 CMMC Level 2 assessments. We chat cost, timeframe, assessor backlogs and the most common issues facing defense contractors. Register for Summit 7 Live: https://www.summit7.us/s7live GAO Report (2026): https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-107955 GAO Report (2021): https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-104679

Monthly Cyber AB Town Hall Recap (March)

We are back at it again with another rundown of the Cyber AB's monthly town hall and there sure was a lot of valuable information distributed during the meeting. Join us for this episode of we discuss some of the key information dished out this month and weigh on any impact it may have on the CMMC Program. Things like: • Milestones achieved by the program this month! • Why was the new DoW CIO talking to Armed Services committees? • How is the ecosystem growing? • What to expect in the CAICO transfer to ISACA. And so much more...Tune in to find out! Cyber AB TH Replay's: https://cyberab.org/News-Events/Town-Hall ISACA Website: https://www.isaca.org/

The CMMC November 2026 Deadline Is a Myth (Here’s What’s Actually Happening)

Everyone is talking about a “November 2026 deadline” for CMMC Level 2. There's just one problem… it's not real. In this episode, we break down what the CMMC rule actually says about Phase 2, what really happens starting in November 2026, and why most contractors are misunderstanding the rollout. If you're in the defense industrial base, this is the clarity you need to plan your timeline the right way. Key topics: • What Phase 2 actually means • When Level 2 requirements apply (and when they don't) • Why this isn't a mass certification deadline • How to think about your real CMMC timeline • Stop chasing phantom deadlines and start focusing on the contracts that matter. Register for Summit 7 Live: https://www.summit7.us/s7live PALT: https://youtu.be/C50UXJyz4PA?si=ySn1oIS4FaK4Si9f 32 CFR 170.3: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-32/section-170.3 Jan 2025 memo: https://dodprocurementtoolbox.com/uploads/DOPSR_Cleared_OSD_Memo_CMMC_Implementation_Policy_d26075de0f.pdf

GAO Gave CMMC a 95%... Then Called It a Problem

GAO's latest report on CMMC sounds cautious. They warn about external risks, ecosystem constraints, and gaps in DoD's strategy. But that framing misses the bigger story. Since the 2021 report, CMMC has gone from a fragmented concept to a functioning system. The ecosystem exists. Training exists. Small business support is working. So why does the report feel so negative? In this episode, we break down where GAO is right, where they're overstating the risk, and why the real story is the program's quiet but meaningful progress. Register for Summit 7 Live: https://www.summit7.us/s7live GAO Report (2026): https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-107955 GAO Report (2021): https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-104679

75% of the CMMC Assessment Guide Isn’t Requirements

Most defense contractors assume everything written in the CMMC Level 2 Assessment Guide is a requirement. But that's not actually how the framework works. In this episode we break down the structure of the assessment guide and explain why roughly 75% of the document is explanatory text, not normative requirements. You'll learn: Where the real requirements come from in NIST SP 800-171 How verification procedures in NIST SP 800-171A become assessment objectives Why discussion sections and examples are informative, not prescriptive Understanding the difference between requirements, assessment objectives, and explanatory guidance can help contractors avoid unnecessary controls, reduce documentation overhead, and simplify CMMC compliance. CMMC Assessment Guides: https://dodcio.defense.gov/cmmc/Resources-Documentation/ NIST SP 800-171: https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/171/r2/upd1/final NIST SP 800-171A: https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/171/a/final