The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) first introduced the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) in January 2020.
The model was developed to address concerns over the increasing number of cyberattacks on DoD contractors, which pose a threat to national security.
CMMC is designed to assess and enhance the cybersecurity capabilities and practices of defense contractors by establishing five levels of certification requirements that must be met before they can bid on contracts.
Since its introduction, the CMMC framework has undergone several changes and updates, including the release of version 2.0 in March 2021, which expanded its scope beyond defense contractors to include all federal government agencies that handle sensitive information.The evolution of CMMC reflects an ongoing effort by the government to protect sensitive data from potential cyber threats while ensuring that companies meet stringent cybersecurity standards.