Not Sure if CMMC Applies to You?
If you handle defense-related drawings, specs, schedules, or contract data—then it likely does.
Take the QuizCMMC Ready Suite: Your Fast Track to CMMC Level 2 Certification
Protect your data—and your revenue. CMMC Ready Suite is a fully managed solution that helps defense suppliers safeguard CUI and prepare for defense contract requirements. With CMMC Level 2 now enforceable under DFARS 252.204-7021, you get a unified environment aligned to all 110 NIST SP 800-171 controls—no IT rebuilds, no consultant chaos. Just a more efficient path to assessment readiness.
Non-compliance isn’t just a cybersecurity risk; it’s a revenue risk. CMMC Ready Suite protects Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). It positions your organization to stay contract-eligible and safeguard your business.
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CMMC 2.0 Compliance: Legal Insights and Practical Solutions
What You’ll Learn:
- What CMMC 2.0 really means for your business—in plain language
- Key risks and timelines you need to know
- How to take practical steps toward compliance with Exostar’s CMMC Ready Suite
- Answers to your questions during an interactive Q&A
Everything You Need to Know About CMMC
Who Is CMMC For?
CMMC applies to organizations in the Defense Industrial Base that store, process, or transmit Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). This isn’t limited to large prime contractors; every tier of the supply chain is included, regardless of size or function.
If you support federal or regulated programs using technical data, drawings, specifications, schedules, bills of material, test results, or contract-related performance information, you are very likely within CMMC Level 2 scope, even if that information is only exchanged occasionally or stored in email, shared drives, or production systems.
- Small businesses are not exempt. Even niche suppliers with only a handful of employees must comply if they handle CUI.
- Indirect exposure counts. You don’t need to be the original creator or owner of CUI. Receiving, storing, or transmitting CUI is enough to bring you into scope.
- Cloud services do not remove the requirement. Your environment must meet the appropriate CMMC requirements.
What Is CMMC?
Think of CMMC as your passport to defense business. The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is the standard for protecting unclassified data for the defense industrial base. CMMC Level 2 is built on the 110 requirements in NIST SP 800-171 and, for many organizations, will require third-party certification. Without it you are unlikely to win defense contracts.
What CMMC Level Am I?
When Do You Need to Be Certified?
As of November 10, 2025, CMMC requirements became enforceable through DFARS 252.204-7021. There isn’t one single deadline for everyone, but contracts will begin requiring CMMC Level 2 at different times. Waiting too long can mean crowded assessor schedules and missed opportunities. Getting ahead now gives you a clear advantage, reduces operational disruption, and helps ensure your defense business continues without interruption.
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Where Does CMMC Apply?
CMMC applies to your entire environment—both in digital and physical environments, where CUI is stored, processed, or transmitted. This includes where you store files, how you collaborate, what devices you use, and how you control access. Exostar simplifies this by moving CUI into a secure, cloud-based enclave designed to limit your assessment boundary. By reducing the scope, you can streamline preparation, minimize disruption, and accelerate readiness for assessment.
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Why Does CMMC Matter?
It’s about more than compliance—it’s about national security and your bottom line.
Foreign adversaries have targeted U.S. defense technology for years, putting national security and allied partners at risk. The US Federal government created CMMC to reduce the loss of sensitive information and strengthen the entire supply chain. Non-compliance may mean losing your defense contracts and potentially millions in revenue. Meeting CMMC standards helps protect your company and contributes to national security.
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How Do You Achieve CMMC Certification?
You can DIY it, but that is slow, complex, and expensive. Exostar makes it simple. Exostar’s CMMC Ready Suite offers a managed solution of all 110/110 control coverage by combining secure infrastructure, automated documentation, and expert services to help you build the evidence, policies, and processes required for successful assessment.
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The Requirement Is Real.
CMMC Level 2 is no longer optional. It’s enforceable in federal-defense contracts as part of the phased rollout that started November 2025. Major primes—including Boeing, RTX, LHM, and Northrop Grumman—are already notifying suppliers to prepare.
The Risk Is Measurable.
If your revenue comes from defense work, that revenue is increasingly at risk. Example: A company generating $20M in defense related revenue must maintain compliance to protect that $20M.
The Right Investment Protects Your Business.
Exostar’s CMMC Ready Suite provides a managed solution to address all 110/110 controls—combining secure infrastructure, automated documentation, and expert services. For as little as $30K annually, you protect millions in revenue and build a defensible foundation for future contract eligibility.
Simple, Predictable CMMC Pricing
Compliance doesn’t have to be complicated or unpredictable. Exostar’s CMMC Ready Suite is offered in three standardized tiers aligned to your company’s size, complexity, and software environment, so you know exactly what you’re getting and what it costs.
Proven workflows and pre-aligned controls reduce time to readiness
Bundled services and predictable pricing eliminate surprise costs
Controls, evidence, and documentation aligned from the start
Secure enclave isolates sensitive data from corporate systems
High-assurance controls aligned to federal security expectations
Accelerates SSPs, policies, and ongoing compliance artifacts
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How Exostar Compares to Other Approaches
| DIY / Build It Yourself | Consultants Only | Exostar | |
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| Purpose-built, managed environment |
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| Endpoints kept out of scope to reduce assessment complexity |
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| FedRAMP-equivalent security |
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| Automated documentation & policy generation |
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| Assessment Support |
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| Fastest path to certification |
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CMMC Terminology & Definitions
CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)
The US Federal government program to make sure all defense contractors meet specific cybersecurity standards. Think of it as the DoD’s “cybersecurity report card,” you must pass to keep or win contracts.
CUI (Controlled Unclassified Information)
Sensitive government information that isn’t classified but still must be protected.
Examples: technical drawings, purchase orders, or supplier data related to defense projects.
If leaked, it could still harm national security or military readiness.
NIST SP 800-171
A set of 110 security requirements published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
These are the “rules of the road” for protecting CUI, and CMMC is built on them.
DFARS Clauses (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement)
Contract rules that require defense contractors to follow specific cybersecurity standards:
- 252.204-7012 → Protects CUI + requires reporting cyber incidents
- 252.204-7019 → Requires a self-assessment of NIST 800-171
- 252.204-7020 → Requires you to post your score in the government’s SPRS system
- 252.204-7021 → Requires CMMC certification at the time of award
Together, these clauses make cybersecurity and CMMC a mandatory condition for doing business with the DoD.
Related Resources
Get on the Fast Track to CMMC Level 2 Certification
Let’s determine your tier and build your path to certification. With a fully managed, outcome-based solution, you streamline your compliance journey and accelerate your assessment readiness, so you can stay focused on running your business.