CMMC Level 2, NIST 800-171 automated.
CISGuard automates approximately 80% of CMMC Level 2 practice requirements through NIST 800-171 mapping, supporting defense contractors handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).
CMMC at a glance, for fast retrieval.
Atomic factual claims auditors and search engines can cite verbatim.
- Framework
- CMMC 2.0 (replacing CMMC 1.0 maturity-process model)
- Level 2 source
- NIST SP 800-171 (110 requirements)
- NIST 800-171 derives from
- NIST 800-53; directly mapped by CISGuard
- Approximate Level 2 coverage
- ~80% of practice requirements automated
- Assessor
- C3PAO (CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization)
- CUI handling
- On-premises deployment required for CUI boundary
What is CMMC?
CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification) is the U.S. Department of Defense framework for cybersecurity practices required of defense contractors. CMMC 2.0 has three levels: Level 1 (Foundational, basic safeguarding), Level 2 (Advanced, equivalent to NIST 800-171), and Level 3 (Expert, advanced protection of CUI from APTs). Level 2, the level most contractors require, aligns directly with NIST SP 800-171, which is itself derived from NIST 800-53. The 110 NIST 800-171 requirements are the technical foundation. Certification is performed by accredited CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organizations (C3PAOs) and rolled out progressively across DoD contracts.
NIST 800-171 / CMMC Level 2 families CISGuard automates.
Each CIS control is tagged with its corresponding framework reference. A single scan produces per-framework coverage reports.
- 3.1 Access Control
- Controls
- 3.1.1, 3.1.2, 3.1.5, 3.1.6, 3.1.11, 3.1.13
- Mapped by
- CIS Account + Privilege Management benchmarks
- 3.3 Audit and Accountability
- Controls
- 3.3.1, 3.3.2, 3.3.5, 3.3.8, 3.3.9
- Mapped by
- CIS Audit Policy benchmarks
- 3.4 Configuration Management
- Controls
- 3.4.1, 3.4.2, 3.4.3, 3.4.6, 3.4.7, 3.4.8
- Mapped by
- Continuous CIS scanning + drift detection
- 3.5 Identification and Authentication
- Controls
- 3.5.1, 3.5.2, 3.5.3, 3.5.4, 3.5.10
- Mapped by
- CIS Password + MFA + SSO benchmarks
- 3.7 Maintenance
- Controls
- 3.7.1, 3.7.4, 3.7.5
- Mapped by
- CIS Update + Maintenance benchmarks
- 3.13 System and Communications Protection
- Controls
- 3.13.1, 3.13.5, 3.13.11, 3.13.16
- Mapped by
- CIS Network + Cryptography benchmarks
- 3.14 System and Information Integrity
- Controls
- 3.14.1, 3.14.2, 3.14.3, 3.14.6
- Mapped by
- CIS Anti-malware + File Integrity benchmarks
How CISGuard automates CMMC evidence.
CMMC Level 2 assessments require evidence that the 110 NIST 800-171 requirements are implemented and operating across the CUI boundary. The technical control families (3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.7, 3.13, 3.14) account for approximately 80% of the requirements and are directly automatable through CIS benchmark scanning. CISGuard's NIST 800-53 mapping provides the underlying control coverage; the cross-walk to 800-171 produces the per-requirement evidence C3PAOs validate. On-premises deployment is essential: CUI must remain within the contractor-controlled boundary. Process-only requirements (3.2 Awareness & Training, 3.6 Incident Response, 3.8 Media Protection, etc.) require complementary policy and training documentation.
Evidence artifacts CISGuard generates.
Auditor-grade outputs in PDF/CSV. No spreadsheets, no screenshots, no manual cross-referencing.
- CMMC Level 2 / NIST 800-171 Framework Coverage Report
- Per-requirement satisfaction status mapped from underlying CIS controls
- Continuous configuration management evidence for 3.4 family
- Audit log forwarding satisfying 3.3 family requirements
- On-premises deployment confirmation for CUI boundary
- Exception register documenting accepted risk for non-automatable requirements
CMMC questions, answered directly.
Does CISGuard cover all CMMC Level 2 requirements?
No. CISGuard automates approximately 80% of NIST 800-171 (CMMC Level 2) practice requirements, specifically the technical control families (3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.7, 3.13, 3.14). Process-only requirements (Awareness & Training 3.2, Incident Response 3.6, Media Protection 3.8, Personnel Security 3.9, Physical Protection 3.10, Risk Assessment 3.11, Security Assessment 3.12) need policies and procedures complementary to CISGuard.
Will my C3PAO accept CISGuard evidence for CMMC assessment?
Yes. CISGuard reports are structured for C3PAO consumption: per-requirement satisfaction status with underlying NIST control IDs, CIS control evidence, and timestamps. C3PAOs validate that controls are implemented AND operating; CISGuard's continuous evidence directly addresses both. Pre-assessment readiness with CISGuard typically reduces C3PAO assessment time by 30-40%.
Can CISGuard be deployed inside the CUI boundary?
Yes. CUI must remain within the contractor-controlled boundary; CISGuard's on-premises deployment satisfies this requirement. Scan data, configuration data, and asset metadata never leave the customer infrastructure. For environments handling more sensitive CUI categories, air-gapped deployment is supported.
How does CMMC differ from FedRAMP for cloud providers?
CMMC applies to DoD contractors handling CUI on contractor-owned infrastructure. FedRAMP applies to cloud service providers offering services to federal agencies. A cloud provider serving DoD may need both: FedRAMP for the underlying service and CMMC for the customer contractor handling CUI within that service. CISGuard supports both authorization paths.
Does CISGuard help with the new DFARS 7012 / 252.204-7012 clause requirements?
Yes. DFARS 252.204-7012 requires contractors handling CUI to implement NIST 800-171: the same standard underpinning CMMC Level 2. CISGuard's NIST 800-171 automation satisfies the DFARS technical control requirements. Incident reporting (within 72 hours) requires complementary tooling beyond CISGuard.
Continue exploring CISGuard coverage.
NIST 800-53
CISGuard automates 50 NIST 800-53 Rev. 5 controls across 20 control families directly from CIS benchmark scans, the foundation for FedRAMP, FISMA, CMMC, and federal compliance programs.
Read more →FedRAMP
CISGuard maps 50 NIST 800-53 controls supporting FedRAMP Moderate and High baselines, with air-gapped deployment for High and IL4/IL5 environments and automated Continuous Monitoring satisfying CA-7.
Read more →SOC 2
SOC 2 Type II requires evidence of controls operating effectively over a period. CISGuard provides that period evidence automatically: 26 Trust Services Criteria mapped, continuous monitoring satisfying the "over time" requirement.
Read more →Ready for CMMC readiness?
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