The Big Blog

Supply chain security remains a critical challenge for organizations operating in the defense industrial base and other regulated sectors. Cyber threats, foreign influence, counterfeit components, and weak cybersecurity practices at any tier can compromise sensitive information and mission systems. Effective management of these risks requires both rigorous assessment of suppliers and the disciplined contractual transfer of requirements, commonly known as flow-down. NIST Speci

For years, much of the discussion surrounding Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) has focused on assessment preparation, documentation, and implementing the technical safeguards required by NIST SP 800-171. Those remain essential components of compliance, but another challenge is quickly emerging that could have an even greater impact on the Defense Industrial Base. As CMMC requirements begin appearing in contracts, organizations will not only need to demonstrat

Under CMMC, a prime contractor must flow the applicable safeguarding and certification requirements down to every subcontractor, at any tier, whose systems will process, store, or transmit Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Suppliers that handle neither, and subcontracts solely for commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) items, are outside the flow-down. Which requirements flow depends on the information type: FCI triggers the