By Heidi Patrick and Lauren Shaffer
Introduction: A Milestone in Cybersecurity Excellence
As autumn settles in, Seiso is proud to spotlight the critical role we play in guiding organizations through their Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) journey. Our Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) experts and technical advisors partner with customers to achieve CMMC Level 2 certification by navigating every step of the process—from readiness assessments and control implementation to documentation, evidence development, and audit preparation.
This approach reflects Seiso’s deep-rooted expertise in cybersecurity governance and reinforces our commitment to building resilient, CMMC-compliant frameworks that not only meet federal standards but stand up to rigorous assessment scrutiny.
What Is CMMC Level 2 and Why Does it Matter?
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) framework ensures that contractors working with the Department of Defense (DoD) can properly safeguard Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).
CMMC Level 2 aligns with the NIST SP 800-171 requirements and supports compliance with DFARS 252.204-7012. It requires organizations to implement and maintain 110 security practices across 14 domains and to demonstrate not only technical controls, but also documentation, policy enforcement, and verifiable evidence of consistent cybersecurity practices.
For DoD contractors, achieving CMMC Level 2 demonstrates maturity, accountability, and readiness to handle sensitive information—a reflection of a proactive, security-first culture rather than mere compliance.
Preparing for the Journey: Setting the Foundation
CMMC certification requires planning, coordination, and clear leadership. Seiso’s GRC teams provide structured support to help organizations through the process by offering:
- Gap Analysis & Scoping – Conducting stakeholder interviews, documentation reviews, and system walkthroughs to assess current maturity, identify gaps, and determine alignment with Level 2 requirements.
- Roadmap Creation – Building a prioritized implementation roadmap that balances risk, cost, and operational impact, with defined deliverables for each control family.
- Training & Awareness – Delivering tailored training sessions for leadership, IT staff, and end users to foster company-wide understanding of CMMC expectations, responsibilities, and behavioral requirements.
Implementing Controls and Policies: Turning Requirements into Reality
To help organizations achieve and maintain CMMC Level 2 compliance, our GRC teams translate the 110 practices into operational, audit-ready controls that strengthen overall cybersecurity posture. Our support typically includes:
- System Security Plan (SSP) Development: Creating and maintaining a living SSP that accurately reflects the environment, documents control implementation and describes how controls are sustained over time.
- Policies & Procedures Implementation: Drafting, refining, and operationalizing policies across areas such as access control, configuration management, incident response, and auditing to align with CMMC requirements.
- Technical Controls Enablement: Advising and supporting implementation of security controls including MFA, centralized logging and monitoring, vulnerability management, and secure configuration baselines.
- Evidence Development & Readiness: Organizing and preparing audit-ready evidence such as —training records, policies, screenshots, and configuration logs—mapped to each CMMC requirement.
Progress is tracked through a centralized GRC dashboard to provide leadership and assessors with clear visibility into implementation status and certification readiness.
Lessons Learned from the CMMC Level 2 Journey
Every certification journey brings forward lessons that shape how we guide organizations through the process:
- Start evidence collection early. Gather documentation, logs, and screenshots in advance reduces stress and rework at assessment time.
- Demonstrate technical depth. Assessors will confirm real-world implementation of controls, especially within CUI-handling environments.
- Plan for evolving interpretations. CMMC is still maturing, and some requirements may vary slightly across assessment teams, so controls should be implemented defensibly.
- Prepare for the “day-of” assessment. Mock interviews and walkthroughs build confidence and ensure consistent, accurate responses during assessor questioning.
Early coordination with any Managed Service Provider (MSPs) is also essential to avoid delays and ensure technical ownership is aligned from the start.
Common Roadblocks (and How to Overcome Them)
Many organizations underestimate the level of effort required to operationalize CMMC Level 2 controls in a way that is defensible during audit. The most common issues we see include unclear system boundaries for CUI environments, policies and procedures that exist in name only but are not current or enforced, monitoring tools that are configured but not actively reviewed, and an overreliance on managed service providers with the assumption that compliance is outsourced by default. The reality is that achieving certification — and sustaining it — depends on strong governance: clearly assigning ownership for each control, maintaining documented and repeatable processes, scheduling regular evidence and log reviews, and ensuring leadership remains actively engaged in risk and compliance oversight rather than treating CMMC as a one-time project.
What This Means for Our Customers—and the Road Ahead
Achieving CMMC Level 2 certification opens new opportunities: access to DoD contracts, improved cybersecurity posture, and greater industry credibility. But more importantly, it establishes a culture of continuous improvement.
CMMC Level 2 isn’t the finish line—it’s a foundation for long-term cyber resilience. Mature organizations use this process to:
- Strengthen vendor-risk management and asset visibility
- Establish repeatable incident response and change management workflows
- Integrate risk metrics into executive decision-making
- Build a security-first culture across IT, operations, and leadership
The true reward isn’t just compliance—it’s confidence: the assurance that systems can withstand threats, meet DoD requirements, and evolve with the cybersecurity landscape.
For those beginning their journey, our advice is simple:
Start now, take it one control at a time, and focus on progress—not perfection.
Conclusion: Building Confidence Through Compliance
Organizations aiming for CMMC Level 2 certification don’t have to navigate the process alone. Seiso’s GRC teams’ partner with companies throughout the entire journey — from early gap analysis and scoping, to control implementation and documentation, all the way through assessment readiness and assessor engagement.
Whether the goal is to achieve certification or to strengthen cybersecurity maturity in preparation for future requirements, we help organizations approach CMMC with confidence, clarity, and control.
Phase 1 of the CMMC rollout is expected to begin November 10th and will continue over the next three years, gradually integrating CMMC 2.0 requirements into defense contracts. Organizations that begin preparation now will be in a significantly stronger position as enforcement phases in.
Ready to begin your CMMC journey?
Contact Seiso’s GRC team today to schedule a consultation and start building a stronger, more compliant cybersecurity program.
Get in touch to simplify your highly regulated industry security compliance journey.
