CMMC vs NIST - GRC & TrustCloud community (2024)

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• anna

  Participant

  2 months, 2 weeks ago

  See Also

  Post-Quantum Cryptography FIPS Approved | CSRC

  The biggest differences between the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (NIST-CSF) and the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) lie in their purpose, scope, and level of rigour.
  1. Purpose and Scope:
  The NIST-CSF is a set of non-mandatory guidelines developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to help organizations manage and improve their cybersecurity posture. It provides a flexible framework that can be customized based on an organization’s risk management needs. The NIST-CSF is not specific to any industry or sector.
  On the other hand, the CMMC is a mandatory certification program introduced by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). It is designed to assess and enhance the cybersecurity practices of defense contractors and subcontractors who handle federal contract information (FCI) or controlled unclassified information (CUI). The CMMC applies specifically to organizations working with DoD contracts and has different levels of certification based on the sensitivity of the information they handle.
  2. Level of Rigour:
  The CMMC is generally considered more rigorous than the NIST-CSF in several ways. Firstly, compliance with the NIST-CSF is voluntary, whereas CMMC compliance is mandatory for organizations seeking DoD contracts involving FCI or CUI. By 2026, all defence contractors will be required to achieve CMMC certification.
  Additionally, the CMMC incorporates requirements and controls from various existing cybersecurity standards, including NIST SP 800-171 and some access controls from NIST SP 800-172. This means that CMMC compliance encompasses a broader range of security practices compared to the NIST-CSF.
  3. Cloud Compliance:
  Both the CMMC and NIST-CSF have specific requirements for cloud compliance. However, companies using cloud services need to ensure that their definition of cloud compliance meets the more stringent requirements of federal agencies. This means that organizations may need to go beyond the requirements outlined in the NIST-CSF when it comes to cloud compliance if they want to meet the standards set by the CMMC.
  In summary, while both the NIST-CSF and CMMC are cybersecurity frameworks, they differ in terms of purpose, scope, and level of rigour. The NIST-CSF provides voluntary guidelines for organizations to manage cybersecurity risks, while the CMMC is a mandatory certification program specifically for defence contractors working with DoD contracts. The CMMC is also more rigorous, incorporating requirements from various cybersecurity standards.

• Shweta Dhole

  Participant

  2 months, 3 weeks ago

  Does TrustCloud support both the NIST-CSF and CMMC frameworks?

  • anna

    Participant

    2 months, 2 weeks ago

    Yes, we offer CMMC and NIST CSF out-of-the-box. Please contact your customer success representative to discuss rates and implementation.

• Satya Moutairou

  Participant

  6 months ago

  The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (NIST-CSF) and the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) are both cybersecurity frameworks, but they have some significant differences in terms of scope, purpose, and implementation. Here are the key differences between NIST-CSF and CMMC:

  1. Scope and Applicability:
  – NIST-CSF: The NIST-CSF is a voluntary framework developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) primarily for critical infrastructure sectors. It provides a set of guidelines, best practices, and standards to help organizations manage and improve their cybersecurity posture.
  – CMMC: The CMMC is a mandatory framework developed by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) specifically for organizations participating in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). It requires contractors and subcontractors to achieve a certain level of cybersecurity maturity to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in DoD contracts.

  2. Maturity vs. Framework Approach:
  – NIST-CSF: NIST-CSF is organized around a flexible framework that allows organizations to assess and improve their cybersecurity practices based on five core functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. It provides a high-level framework for risk management and cybersecurity practices, allowing organizations to customize its implementation.
  – CMMC: CMMC is structured as a maturity model with five levels of increasing cybersecurity maturity. It specifies a set of cybersecurity practices and processes across 17 domains, ranging from basic cyber hygiene (Level 1) to advanced practices (Level 5). Organizations must achieve the appropriate CMMC level depending on the sensitivity of the information they handle.

  3. Compliance and Certification:
  – NIST-CSF: NIST-CSF does not have a formal certification or compliance program. Organizations can use the framework as a guide to assess their cybersecurity posture, develop improvement plans, and demonstrate due diligence to stakeholders.
  – CMMC: CMMC introduces a mandatory certification process for organizations in the DIB. To bid on DoD contracts, organizations must be certified by an accredited third-party assessor at the appropriate CMMC level. Certification verifies the organization’s implementation of the required cybersecurity controls and practices.

  4. Focus on Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI):
  – NIST-CSF: NIST-CSF provides a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity risk management but does not specifically address the protection of CUI. It is applicable to a wide range of industries and sectors.
  – CMMC: CMMC places a specific emphasis on protecting CUI, which includes sensitive defense information and other data shared with organizations within the DIB. The focus is on safeguarding this information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or loss.