Certified. Assessed. Contract-Ready.
CMMC 2.0 is now enforced in DoD contract solicitations. USX Cyber's GUARDIENT® platform and C3PAO-authorized assessment team get defense contractors to Level 2 certification — and keep them there.
CMMC 2.0: The Defense Department's Mandatory Cybersecurity Standard
CMMC stands for Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification — the DoD's framework for ensuring that all defense contractors protect sensitive federal information.
CMMC applies to every company in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) that handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or Federal Contract Information (FCI). If your contract involves either type of data, CMMC compliance is not optional.
The Final Rule became effective in December 2024, meaning CMMC requirements are now actively flowing into new DoD solicitations. Level 2 requires a third-party assessment conducted by a Cyber AB-authorized C3PAO — self-assessment is not accepted at this level.
The stakes are straightforward: non-compliance means losing contracts. Defense primes are requiring CMMC certification from subcontractors before awarding work. Organizations that haven't started the process are already behind.
Three Levels. One Standard for the Defense Supply Chain.
CMMC 2.0 organizes cybersecurity requirements across three tiers — each matched to the sensitivity of the information handled and the risk profile of the program.
Basic Cyber Hygiene
- Basic cyber hygiene practices
- Annual self-assessment with annual affirmation
- Applies to companies handling only Federal Contract Information
- No third-party assessment required
Advanced Cyber Practices
- Full NIST SP 800-171 control implementation
- Triennial third-party assessment by a C3PAO
- Applies to companies handling Controlled Unclassified Information
- System Security Plan (SSP) and POA&M required
- SPRS score submission required
Higher-Level Cyber Practices
- 110 NIST 800-171 practices plus NIST 800-172 enhancements
- Government-led assessment (DCSA)
- Applies to the highest-priority CUI programs
- Reserved for critical defense program contractors
GUARDIENT® Was Built for CMMC. Not Retrofitted to It.
Most compliance platforms were designed for IT ops and adapted to meet compliance requirements. GUARDIENT® was purpose-built around the NIST 800-171 control families from day one — meaning coverage is native, not bolted on.
When you operate inside GUARDIENT®, evidence builds automatically. Your C3PAO won't need to wait for you to pull screenshots.
Automated Control Evidence
Every platform action auto-generates evidence mapped to NIST 800-171 control families. No manual screenshots, no spreadsheet evidence collection.
Continuous Compliance Monitoring
Your CMMC posture is tracked in real time inside Compliance Command. You know your gap count before the assessor does.
Incident Response Coverage
Reactor SOAR handles IR documentation, containment logs, and after-action evidence automatically — covering the full IR control domain.
Access Control & Identity Management
Sentry XDR enforces and logs access control policies across your environment, covering AC and IA control families end-to-end.
Audit-Ready Output
When your C3PAO arrives, your evidence package is already built. GUARDIENT® exports a complete SPRS scoring package and control-by-control evidence map.
From Gap Assessment to C3PAO Certification — We Own the Process.
USX Cyber manages every phase of your CMMC journey — from the first gap assessment through the final C3PAO report. You don't need to coordinate multiple vendors or piece together your own path.
Gap Assessment
We run a full NIST 800-171 gap assessment against your environment. You get a SPRS score and a prioritized remediation plan within 2 weeks. No surprises — just a clear picture of where you stand and what it takes to get certified.
Deliverable: SPRS score + prioritized remediation planOnboard to GUARDIENT®
Your environment connects to the platform. Automated coverage kicks in immediately — typically closing 75%+ of gaps within 30 days. Evidence collection starts from day one.
Typical result: 75%+ of gaps closed within 30 daysRemediation Sprint
Our advisory team works through remaining gaps: policy documentation, missing controls, configuration hardening, and System Security Plan (SSP) completion. Every finding gets an owner and a deadline.
Deliverable: Complete SSP + remediated control setPre-Assessment Readiness Review
Internal mock assessment using the official CMMC assessment guide. We identify and close any remaining findings before the C3PAO arrives. This is the step that separates first-attempt passes from costly reassessments.
Deliverable: Readiness report + closed finding listC3PAO Assessment
We coordinate the official assessment with a qualified C3PAO. Most GUARDIENT® clients pass on the first attempt. Your evidence package is pre-assembled and your team is briefed — no last-minute scrambles.
Result: CMMC Level 2 certificationTwo Ways to Engage. One Path to Certification.
Whether you're starting from scratch or already midway through your CMMC journey, we have an engagement model that fits your timeline and budget.
Get Assessment-Ready
- Gap assessment against NIST 800-171 with full SPRS scoring
- GUARDIENT® platform onboarding and automated coverage
- System Security Plan (SSP) and required policy documentation
- Remediation advisory through all remaining control gaps
- Pre-assessment readiness review and mock assessment
Certification and Beyond
- Everything in the CMMC Readiness Package
- C3PAO coordination and official assessment support
- On-site or remote assessment presence from USX Cyber advisors
- Post-certification continuous monitoring inside GUARDIENT®
- Annual evidence refresh for triennial recertification readiness
- Control drift alerts and remediation advisory year-round
CMMC 2.0 — What You Need to Know
If you handle CUI or FCI — yes. CMMC flows down through the prime contractor to all subcontractors handling covered data. Your prime will require proof of certification before awarding you work. Being a sub does not create an exemption; it creates a deadline set by whoever sits above you in the supply chain.
With GUARDIENT®, most clients are assessment-ready within 60–90 days of onboarding. Timelines vary based on organization size, the number of systems in scope, and your starting posture. Organizations with significant existing gaps or large, complex environments may take longer. The gap assessment we run in week one gives you a clear timeline estimate.
A C3PAO (Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization) is a Cyber AB-authorized company that conducts official CMMC Level 2 assessments. You need one for Level 2 certification — self-assessment is not accepted at Level 2. USX Cyber coordinates the C3PAO engagement as part of our Full Certification Bundle and can recommend qualified assessors aligned with your timeline.
You have the opportunity to remediate and reassess. USX Cyber stays with you through the process — our pre-assessment readiness review is specifically designed to prevent first-attempt failures by surfacing and closing findings before the official assessor arrives. If a finding does emerge during the assessment, we help you document the remediation path and get back in front of the C3PAO as quickly as possible.
For most small-to-mid sized defense contractors, yes. GUARDIENT® provides XDR, SIEM, SOAR, and GRC in one unified platform — replacing the need for separate EDR, log management, incident response, and compliance tools. This consolidation also reduces your attack surface and simplifies the scope of your CMMC assessment environment.
Ready to Start Your CMMC Journey?
Whether you're just discovering the requirement or facing a contract deadline, USX Cyber will meet you where you are. Book a call with our CMMC team and we'll walk you through your current posture, your timeline, and exactly what it takes to certify.
Schedule Your CMMC Assessment