The cyber security model certification (CMMC) is the Department of Defense’s main mode of safeguarding the country’s sensitive data. This framework provides the foundation for cybersecurity protocols and procedures that all organizations that handle this information must adhere to.
The framework mainly helps to secure controlled unclassified information throughout the vast supply chain that is connected to the DoD.
With this important responsibility, it is essential that the CMMC has recovery and protection protocols in place in the case that data becomes lost or corrupted due to unforeseen circumstances or other potential causes. This is the main responsibility of the CMMC’s recovery domain.
It helps to ensure the safety of data backups and helps organizations understand all of the ways in which this data can be vulnerable. These recovery practices range from protecting the secondary data itself to ensuring the resilience of third-party data centers that may be used in this process as well.
The CMMC Recovery Domain
The tasks that are put forth by the CMMC help to provide a basis for those organizations handling sensitive information to keep their processes running and their data safe. These practices help to ensure that companies can continue to fulfill their objectives and perform their tasks in the case of an accident or interruption. These protocols include frameworks for how companies can quickly recover after a cyber attack, disruption to service or other interruption to normal functioning and data security.
Having a recovery plan in place is a vital step for companies that operate with sensitive data. Interruptions, connection issues, cyber-attacks and other events happen all the time, and the data these companies house is too important to not have a plan in place. This makes it essential for companies to strive to meet the requirements for the CMMC 2.0 updates as well as the general practices.
CMMC Recovery Domain Practices
The main CMMC recovery practices involve maintaining backups and the continuity of sensitive data storage within in-house facilities as well as third-party providers’ facilities.
The CMMC recovery domain’s main practices in this area include:
Routine Backups and Maintenance
Maintaining backup systems and ensuring that they are properly set up and ready to be switched on in the event of an accident is crucial for the success of these protocols. In order to ensure that data is never lost in the case of an emergency, there is a specific timeline that must be followed and ready to be utilized in these cases.
The proper backup schedule for your information systems depends on the unique nature of your infrastructure. These backup protocols are often required to be both prepared and regularly tested to confirm validity. This helps to ensure that these backup protocols are reliable and ready to go.
Protect Confidentiality of the Backup Storage Devices
The data that is backed up in these separate locations in order to ensure continuity is equally sensitive and requires security as well. These extra stores of data are favorite targets of cyber criminals due to their assumption that it will be less guarded.
This makes it important for organizations and cybersecurity operators to treat backup CUI as if it were the main data. Access to these stores of data should be given on a needed basis and kept to a very minimal group of administrators.
Cloud backup systems, file transfer protocol services and network-attached storage devices are the most common tools used for these purposes. Most of these tools have rigorous security protocols attached, or the capability to apply your own organizational security to them. Lastly, it is also important to keep physical security in place in these facilities and monitor all access to the location of storage.
Ensure Safety of Data Processing Facilities
Most recovery protocols associated with CMMC-related data involve some sort of processing center or payment center that manages financial transactions. These partner data storage facilities should be equally scrutinized in order to ensure that they have, at a minimum, equal standards to your own facilities.
There are NIST guidelines in place (NIST SP-800-63-3) that address identity proofing and identity security guidelines that can be helpful when completing this step of the review process.
Ensure Compliance with CMMC Recovery Protocols
Protecting the data associated with your recovery protocols is just as important as protecting the original source of data. This is why the CMMC places the utmost importance on ensuring that relevant organizations are able to properly enact protocols that protect backup data and facilities properly.
For more information on how to develop your unique recovery protocols or to determine the most efficient route of action for your organization, contact our team today.