How to Start Cleaning Up for CMMC Compliance
- principia RAID
- Mar 23, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 6, 2025
Getting ready for CMMC doesn’t mean burning your entire security program to the ground.
But it does mean getting intentional about how your organization handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and proving that you’ve put the right protections in place.
Think of it like spring cleaning—except instead of dust bunnies and old cables, you’re dealing with access controls, system boundaries, and evidence collection.
Here’s where to start, and how to do it without feeling like you're drowning in compliance jargon:
1. Know Where Your CUI Lives (Yes, Actually Know)
If you ask your team where CUI lives and get vague answers like “the shared drive… probably,” that’s a red flag.
Before you can protect CUI, you need to identify it, label it, and map it across your systems. Start by asking:
Who receives CUI?
Where is it stored?
Who has access to it and who shouldn’t?
2. Educate Yourself on CMMC before the Auditor Has to.
Too many organizations wait until the last minute or until a prime contractor or auditor tells them what they need to know. That’s a mistake.
Understanding CMMC early helps you scope your environment correctly, align your controls, and avoid expensive rework later.
Start by reviewing the official documentation and guidance from the Department of Defense’s CMMC program here:
It’s the best place to find accurate, up-to-date information straight from the source.
3. Clean Up Access Controls and MFA
Want to make fast progress?
Review user accounts
Remove old or unused access
Turn on multi-factor authentication for everything
Ensure admin accounts aren’t being used for daily work
These may sound basic, but they are foundational CMMC requirements and the kinds of things assessors ask about early.
4. Treat Documentation Like a Security Control
We get it, no one loves writing policies. But in the world of CMMC, if you didn’t write it down, it didn’t happen.
Create a working System Security Plan (SSP) and begin building your Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) for any gaps. Even if you’re not 100% compliant yet, showing a plan in motion is far better than having nothing.
Don’t overthink it. Your documentation doesn’t have to be perfect (yet) it just has to exist and reflect what you’re actually doing.
5. Build Momentum, Not Burnout
CMMC readiness doesn’t happen in a sprint. Focus on one area at a time and build repeatable habits across your team.
Remember, compliance is a reflection of good security and the sooner you start, the easier it is to show maturity when it counts.
Spring is the season for cleanup and fresh starts. Use this time to lay the groundwork for real, measurable progress toward CMMC compliance.
Want help getting your house in order? The principia/RAID team is here to walk you through the messy middle.
