The Big Blog

For more than a decade, Edward Snowden has been portrayed by many as a lone whistleblower exposing illegal domestic spying. In a recent Bytes & Brew  episode , Steven Bay, Snowden’s former manager at NSA, offers a different perspective; one grounded not in operational reality, not politics. And that’s where the lessons for CMMC begin. Separation of Duties: What Snowden Actually Had Access To Bay explains something that rarely makes headlines: NSA operates under strict separat

Executive summary QED Enterprises, Inc. , a Stafford, VA-based government contractor founded in 2007, pursued CMMC Level 2 certification early, well ahead of broad Phase 2 enforcement, after leadership concluded CMMC would become a gating requirement across the defense supply chain. Working with Cape Endeavors, QED built and operationalized an assessment-ready compliance program and achieved CMMC Level 2 certification with a perfect score, demonstrating full implementation of

As CMMC enforcement moves from policy to practice, defense contractors are facing a simple but uncomfortable reality: choosing the wrong CMMC consultant can cost more than doing nothing at all . The right consultant shortens timelines, reduces scope, and produces defensible outcomes. The wrong one leaves you with shelfware policies, fragile enclaves, and assessment-day surprises. This guide focuses on what actually matters when evaluating a CMMC consultant , based on how asse

On December 18, 2025, the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (FY 2026 NDAA) (P.L. 119-60) was signed into law.^[1] While the Act addresses a broad range of national defense priorities, several provisions are directly relevant to cybersecurity obligations across the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). Most notably, the FY 2026 NDAA explicitly references the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) framework and reinforces Congress’s expectation that Depart

In today's interconnected defense industrial base, defining and protecting your CMMC Boundary  is more critical than ever. The CMMC Boundary  is the clearly scoped set of systems, assets, people, facilities, and processes that handle, process, store, or transmit Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or Federal Contract Information (FCI). It serves as the foundation for achieving Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) compliance. As Dr. Georgianna Shea, a season

Understanding Annual and Triennial Assessment Requirements The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program establishes standardized requirements for assessing and validating the cybersecurity posture of organizations within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). Despite the formalization of the program in regulation, confusion remains regarding when a self-assessment is sufficient and when an independent assessment conducted by a Certified Third-Party Assessment Org

Featuring insights from former U.S. Attorney Zach Terwilliger on Bourbon & Bytes CMMC Compliance has officially entered a new era—one where cybersecurity claims aren’t merely checked for accuracy, but examined with prosecutorial intensity. In a recent episode of Bourbon & Bytes , Terry McGraw sat down with Zach Terwilliger , Managing Partner of Vinson & Elkins’ Washington, D.C. office and former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to unpack a sobering reality:

Why Self-Built CMMC Enclaves Fail In the world of defense contracting, achieving compliance with the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is essential for handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). A key component in this process is the CMMC enclave—a secure, isolated environment designed to protect CUI from unauthorized access and cyber threats. However, many organizations, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), opt to build their own C

In our latest Bourbon & Bytes  episode, Mackenzie Eaglen laid out a reality that too few people in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) are willing to confront: China’s real military investment isn’t just large—it likely eclipses U.S. spending, potentially reaching $1 trillion annually. And a disturbing portion of that advantage comes not from innovation… …but from us . Specifically: from stolen U.S. data, U.S. designs, U.S. R&D, and U.S. intellectual property siphoned out of

Insights from Terry McGraw (CEO, Cape Endeavors) & Clark Rahman (Associate Director, PNG Cyber) Cyber Defense isn’t just about tools and dashboards — it’s about mindset. During a recent EC-Council fireside chat, Army veterans Terry McGraw and Clark Rahman unpacked how military experience directly strengthens today’s Cyber Defense mission. No slides. No buzzword bingo. Just two veterans who’ve operated in both worlds: combat zones and corporate networks. Cyber Defense as a War

In the defense and national-security world, few compliance topics create more confusion—or more unintentional violations—than Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Both involve sensitive information. Both impose strict requirements. Both can burn your organization to the ground if mishandled.

In the fast-paced world of defense contracting, compliance with the Department of Defense (DoD) regulations is crucial. The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) has become the standard for protecting sensitive information. For defense contractors, establishing a CMMC enclave isn't just a strategic decision but a necessity. This article will discuss why CMMC enclaves are the best option for DoD contractors, covering their benefits, implementation strategies, and t

CMMC and the End of Passwords: Why Passkeys Are the Future of Cybersecurity and Compliance

In a recent episode of The Cyber Minute, Terry McGraw, CEO of Cape Endeavors, addressed a timely and often misunderstood topic in the defens