Everyone keeps saying there aren't enough CMMC assessors. The data tells a very different story.

In this episode we break down actual assessment capacity using the current number of certified assessors, DoD's rollout estimates, and capacity growth rates across the ecosystem.

How quickly is the ecosystem scaling toward future demand targets of 16,000 and even 25,000 assessments per year?

Turns out the real bottleneck isn't assessor capacity at all.

...

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

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:

• Changes in ecosystem engagement?

• Do we have enough steps are in the T3 process?

• Has certification output increased? 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/

T3 Inquiries (older than 6 months): https://dowcio.war.gov/CMMC/Contact/

L3Harris Missile Solutions recently sent a letter informing their suppliers that they will need to achieve CMMC Level 2 (C3PAO) Status by July, 30th 2026. Two weeks later, L3Harris announced that they had been awarded a new contract for the Army Tactical Missile System.

Coincidence? We think not.

Not only do subcontractors need to provide their Level 2 certification, they also need to provide their Level 2 assessment report.

This week we talk about whether this is an anomaly or a sign of things to come.

Register for Summit 7 Live: https://www.summit7.us/s7live

L3Harris Letter: https://www.summit7.us/blog/l3harris-supply-chain-notice

Primes can't waive CMMC: https://youtu.be/haVzS8j7Qz4?si=F2RICMKbCNRu-1uh

CMMC CAP (PDF): https://cyberab.org/Portals/0/CMMC%20Assessment%20Process%20v2.0.pdf

NIST SP 800-171 Revision 3 has been out for two years.

DFARS 252.204-7012 says to use the most current version.

So why are defense contractors still using Revision 2?

Because they're supposed to.

In this episode, we break down the temporary rule that overrides the DFARS clause and keeps the entire ecosystem aligned on Revision 2.

We cover:

• What a class deviation actually is and why it matters

• Why DoD had to pause the shift to Revision 3

• How CMMC rulemaking controls the transition

• And when Revision 3 will realistically start showing up in contracts

Bottom line: contractors aren't behind. The rules haven't changed yet.

.......

Register for Summit 7 Live: https://www.summit7.us/s7live

171r3: https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/171/r3/final

DFARS 7012 deviation (PDF): https://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/policy/policyvault/USA001074-24-DPC.pdf

32 CFR 170: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-32/subtitle-A/chapter-I/subchapter-G/part-170

Class deviation podcast: https://youtu.be/voziZRAMvv4?si=3xHm7I_gIeQTQxLf

Class deviation press release: https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3763953/department-of-defense-issues-class-deviation-on-cybersecurity-standards-for-cov/

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

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/

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'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

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

Iranian cyber actors are targeting the Defense Industrial Base.

So does CMMC actually help?

In this episode, we mapped 130 real-world techniques used by five Iranian threat groups to the controls behind NIST SP 800-171 using the MITRE ATT&CK framework.

Here is what the data shows:

• 100% of techniques are detectable

• 68% are mitigated with preventative controls

• Just a handful of core controls drive most of the defensive impact

We also examine what that means for Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification and why 800-171 remains a strong floor for protecting CUI.

But there is a gap. Only about half of the relevant NIST SP 800-53 that mitigate known Iranian techniques are represented in the 800-171 baseline.

If you are a defense contractor, this episode will show you what compliance actually buys you and where you may need to go further.

Register for Summit 7 Live: https://www.summit7.us/s7live

MITRE ATT&CK: https://attack.mitre.org/

Mappings Explorer: https://ctid.mitre.org/projects/mappings-explorer

CISA Alert: https://www.cisa.gov/topics/cyber-threats-and-advisories/advanced-persistent-threats/iran

NIST SP 800-53: https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/53/r5/upd1/final

NIST SP 800-171: https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/171/r2/upd1/final