Cybersecurity Requirements: What You Need to Bid For Federal Government Contracts

contractors on laptop

According to Info Security, more than four out of five defense contractors said they experienced a cyber incident with three out of five claiming business loss as a result. Federal contractors are no strangers to cyber troubles as cyber criminals see them as high-value targets due to the sensitive information they possess.

This increasing threat is one of the reasons that cybersecurity requirements have become more and more stringent. Don’t fall behind and miss out on government contracts. Here is what you need to know about keeping up to date with cybersecurity requirements for federal contractors.

1. NIST 800-171

As cyber threats rise, so does the need for federal contractors to stay compliant. Cybersecurity for government contractors is of the utmost importance which is why compliance frameworks have been implemented.

The NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) 800-171 is a cybersecurity framework for protecting controlled unclassified information (CUI). It requires contractors to implement cybersecurity controls in 14 key areas of cybersecurity to cover all their bases and leave them out of the statistic.

2. CMMC 2.0

The CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification) 2.0 is a new cybersecurity certification that was created by the Department of Defense (DoD). It goes further than the NIST 800-171 and seeks to raise cybersecurity standards for federal contractors. The impressive part? It requires contractors to go through rigorous cybersecurity evaluations to become certified such as implementing cybersecurity processes and practices.

When it comes to cybersecurity for government contractors, no precaution is too much.

2. DFARS

The Department of Defense’s cybersecurity regulation, DFARS (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement), applies to all federal contractors and subcontractors who work with the US Department of Defense.

To ensure your data and information is safe, DFARS requires contractors to adhere to cybersecurity regulations and training for employees.

Cybersecurity Requirements Contractors Need to Be Aware Of

Staying compliant when it comes to cybersecurity for government contractors is no joke. The common pattern that occurs in all cybersecurity requirements for federal contractors are best practices that are necessary to stay safe.

But compliance doesn’t stop at following these regulations. To maintain it, you must implement safe practices such as:

  • Multi-factor authentication – secure access to systems
  • Antivirus and endpoint protection – protect against malicious software
  • Access control – regulate who has access to sensitive data

These cybersecurity requirements are of the utmost importance. Don’t miss out on federal contracts because of cybersecurity compliance issues. Stay up to date and take all necessary measures to protect yourself from cyber threats with the help of cybersecurity for government contractors.

Stay Compliant with Full Send Networks

Full Send Networks is here to help you stay compliant with cybersecurity regulations and bid for federal government contracts. Our team of cybersecurity experts will handle all the heavy lifting so you can focus on what matters most: winning those contracts.

So don’t miss out on your chance to get a federal contract. Keep cybersecurity compliance top of mind and stay ahead of the game with Full Send Networks! Contact us today to talk to one of our experts.