Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1475010
66 SMT007 MAGAZINE I AUGUST 2022 Article by Divyash Patel MX2 TECHNOLOGY If you influence IT decisions at your work- place, you need to hear this. If you make the decisions, you need to listen, not just hear: Unless you start acting on CMMC compli- ance now, you are putting yourself at a disad- vantage—one that will take much more time to correct than you might expect. ink of me as a spokesperson for the indus- try I represent: we are concerned about you. From what I've heard and seen over the last few months, too many of you are listening to suppliers, upstream and downstream partners, or other business owners on how seriously to take CMMC. As a result, far too much wishful thinking is guiding decision-making. So, listen to the experts. The CMMC 2.0 Countdown: Will You Be Ready When the Clock Hits Zero? e DoD says we can expect CMMC 2.0's final rules in March 2023. Given the delays, rollbacks, and revisions that have character- ized the program's rollout to this point, I'd be very surprised if they miss this deadline. Sixty days aer the rules come out, CMMC certifica- tion will be a non-negotiable requirement for manufacturers in any part of the DoD's supply chain. Sixty days is not enough time to prepare. I recently spoke with the IT director of a com- pany I know well. is individual is very much aware that CMMC is coming, and that DoD business represents a fairly significant portion of the company's revenue. He also knows that, to get compliant in time, his company needs to