The Most Time-Consuming Parts of Meeting CMMC Requirements
Every business tackling CMMC compliance requirements quickly realizes that it’s not just about checking off security controls. Some tasks take significantly more time than others, requiring detailed planning, ongoing management, and constant monitoring. What seems like a straightforward process can turn into a months-long effort if the right approach isn’t in place.
CUI Encryption
Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is at the heart of CMMC level 2 requirements, and encryption plays a major role in safeguarding that data. The problem? Implementing strong encryption isn’t as simple as turning on a setting. Businesses must ensure encryption is applied consistently across all data at rest and in transit, following strict compliance guidelines. This means identifying where CUI exists, securing storage locations, and ensuring proper encryption protocols are used in every instance.
Beyond implementation, maintaining encryption compliance is an ongoing challenge. Keys must be managed securely, access controls need to be properly configured, and systems must be regularly tested to confirm that encryption remains effective. Misconfigurations or weak encryption standards can lead to non-compliance, forcing businesses to start from scratch. The process is time-intensive, but without proper encryption, passing a CMMC assessment becomes nearly impossible.
Multifactor Authentication
Implementing multifactor authentication (MFA) is one of the most effective ways to secure user accounts, but making it mandatory across an entire organization can take far longer than expected. CMMC level 2 requirements demand that MFA be enforced for all accounts accessing CUI, yet many businesses struggle with rolling it out systematically. Legacy systems often lack native MFA support, requiring workarounds or costly upgrades. Employees unfamiliar with MFA may resist the extra login steps, leading to delays in full adoption.
Technical implementation is only part of the challenge. Businesses must document MFA policies, train employees, and ensure enforcement across all systems, including remote access and cloud-based applications. Without a structured deployment plan, MFA rollouts can drag on, causing security gaps and compliance risks. The time investment is significant, but skipping MFA isn’t an option under CMMC compliance requirements.
Flaw Remediation
Security flaws are inevitable, but how quickly they’re fixed determines whether an organization meets CMMC assessment expectations. The remediation process is one of the most time-consuming parts of compliance because it requires continuous monitoring, prompt patching, and detailed reporting. Identifying vulnerabilities is just the beginning—businesses must assess the risk level of each flaw, develop a plan for fixing it, and apply patches without disrupting critical operations.
Even after a patch is deployed, verification is required to ensure the issue is fully resolved. This often involves extensive testing, system reconfigurations, and follow-up assessments. Compliance isn’t just about fixing problems; it’s about proving they were addressed correctly. Without a streamlined remediation process, businesses can fall behind on security updates, leading to compliance failures and increased risk exposure.
Vulnerability Scanning
Scanning for vulnerabilities sounds simple, but meeting CMMC requirements means going beyond basic scans. Organizations must conduct regular scans across all systems, networks, and applications to identify weaknesses before they can be exploited. The challenge lies in not just running scans but also interpreting the results, prioritizing risks, and ensuring that vulnerabilities are addressed in a timely manner.
Automated scanning tools can flag thousands of issues, many of which require manual review to determine their actual impact. False positives must be filtered out, and legitimate threats need immediate action. Documentation is another hurdle—businesses must maintain detailed records of each scan, its findings, and the remediation steps taken. This level of scrutiny adds significant time to the process, making vulnerability scanning one of the most resource-intensive compliance tasks.
Incident Response Testing
Having an incident response plan is not enough—CMMC compliance requires businesses to test that plan regularly. Simulating real-world cyber incidents takes time, coordination, and effort. It involves staging attacks, analyzing responses, and identifying weaknesses that need to be addressed. These exercises often require participation from multiple departments, making scheduling and execution a logistical challenge.
After testing, businesses must document every step of the process, from detection to resolution, to prove their response capabilities. Any gaps found during testing must be corrected, which can mean rewriting policies, retraining employees, or upgrading security tools. Because threats evolve, incident response plans must be continuously refined, making this an ongoing time commitment rather than a one-time task.
Document Review
Documentation is one of the most overlooked yet time-intensive parts of meeting CMMC level 1 and level 2 requirements. Businesses must maintain a detailed record of security policies, risk assessments, incident reports, and compliance efforts. These documents must be regularly reviewed, updated, and aligned with changing regulations.
Reviewing documentation isn’t just about checking for accuracy; it’s about ensuring every policy matches the actual security practices in place. Auditors will compare documentation to real-world implementation, and any discrepancies can lead to compliance failures. Businesses often underestimate the effort required to keep documentation current, but without it, passing a CMMC assessment is nearly impossible.
