Legato Security

CMMC Level 2: Origin

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) was created by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in January 2020 in response to growing concerns about cybersecurity threats to the defense industrial base. The framework was developed to ensure that contractors and subcontractors handling sensitive government information, particularly Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), implement adequate cybersecurity practices. CMMC Level 2 specifically aligns with NIST SP 800-171 requirements and was designed to verify that defense contractors have moved beyond self-assessment to demonstrate actual implementation of essential security controls.

Industry Importance and Value

CMMC Level 2 certification is crucial for companies seeking to work with the DoD, as it has become a contractual requirement for bidding on and maintaining defense contracts involving CUI. The certification demonstrates that an organization has implemented comprehensive cybersecurity practices, making it more trustworthy to government agencies and prime contractors. Beyond regulatory compliance, achieving CMMC Level 2 provides competitive advantages in the defense sector, enhances overall cybersecurity posture, and signals to clients that the organization takes data protection seriously. As supply chain attacks become increasingly sophisticated, this third-party validated certification helps ensure the entire defense industrial base maintains a baseline level of security resilience.

SOC 2 Certification Overview

Origin

SOC 2 (Service Organization Control 2) was developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) in 2011 as part of their Service Organization Control reporting framework. It was created to address the growing need for standardized security evaluations as businesses increasingly moved to cloud-based services and outsourced IT operations. The AICPA developed SOC 2 to provide a framework that service providers could use to demonstrate their commitment to protecting customer data across five "Trust Service Criteria": security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.

Industry Value

SOC 2 certification has become a critical trust signal in the technology and service provider industry, particularly for SaaS companies, cloud hosting providers, and data centers. Organizations value SOC 2 compliance because it provides third-party validation that a vendor has implemented appropriate controls to protect sensitive data, reducing the risk and liability associated with outsourcing. For service providers, achieving SOC 2 compliance is often a competitive necessity, as many enterprise customers and partners require it before entering into business relationships. The certification helps streamline vendor security assessments, as clients can rely on the audited report rather than conducting their own lengthy security reviews.