CMMC Has a Lot in Common With Going to Court

Sometimes in life you end up in front of a judge. Maybe it's a teacher. Maybe it's a referee. Maybe it's a real courtroom.

The first two might not change your life much. The last one can.

And if you knew you were going to court, you'd prepare. You'd gather your evidence. You'd line up the people who can back up your story. You'd make sure you can clearly explain what happened.

That is exactly why the legal system has discovery: time to gather the documents, witnesses, and facts that support the case.

CMMC assessments have a lot in common with that.

The Contractor's Version of Discovery

A CMMC assessment may not be as life-changing as a courtroom, but for a contractor, the outcome can absolutely affect the business.

Before an assessment, the company has to do its own version of discovery:

• Where does CUI flow through the business?
• Who touches it?
• What systems process it?
• What evidence exists to prove controls are operating as intended?

For some organizations, that discovery is fairly straightforward. For others, it is a grind. Multiple divisions. Different processes. Limited visibility. No one really knowing how the whole thing fits together.

Evidence Is the Biggest Piece

And then there is the biggest piece of all: evidence.

Evidence is what supports your position when challenged. Someone says you didn't pay a bill. The receipt proves you did. Someone says a package was never delivered. The photo at the front door says otherwise.

CMMC is no different. When an assessor challenges a requirement, the organization needs to be able to say:

• Here is what we do.
• Here is the process.
• And here is the evidence that proves it.

People Matter Too

In a courtroom, witnesses support the story. In a CMMC assessment, the right personnel do the same thing. They explain how the company actually operates, not just what the policy says on paper.

A control that looks complete on paper still has to hold up when the person who runs it is asked to walk through it. The strongest assessments pair clear documentation with people who can speak to how the work really gets done.

The Real Question

So the real question is this: How important is DoD business to your company's bottom line?

Is it important enough to do the hard work of discovery? To gather the evidence? To have the right people ready to support the story?

Because when assessment day comes, that preparation is what shapes the outcome.

The verdict will tell.

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BomberJacket Networks is a CyberAB Authorized C3PAO. We help defense contractors prepare for and navigate CMMC assessments with the discovery, documentation, and evidence that hold up under scrutiny.