How MSPs Help Organizations Meet CUI Compliance Requirements

As the world grows increasingly digital and more companies are adopting a cloud-first IT strategy, government contractors must re-evaluate their cybersecurity strategies. Doing so is essential to ensure that they are taking proper steps to meet their compliance obligations for handling sensitive government data, such as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). This is more important now than ever as the Department of Defense continues to roll out new cybersecurity standards for handling, storing, and transmitting CUI to protect our nation and her secrets.

Unfortunately, for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) within the defense industrial base (DIB), staying on top of this ever-evolving cybersecurity and compliance landscape can feel like an uphill battle. The fact is that many of these organizations have limited IT resources, making it difficult for them to stay updated on, and implement, the latest CUI compliance requirements. Yet, finding a way to do so is essential if you want to maintain your government contracts and avoid potential penalties for non-compliance. The good news is that you do not have to face CUI compliance alone. By partnering with an IT managed service provider (MSP) that lives in the compliance world, you will have expert professionals by your side to support you and ensure that stay and maintain compliant. Keep reading as we explore how working with an MSP can help your organization meet CUI compliance requirements.

The Benefits of Using an MSP for CUI

Navigating CUI compliance requirements can be a complex process for government contractors. Fortunately, partnering with an experienced MSP can help streamline this process. Some of the benefits of using an MSP for CUI compliance include:

• Access to Specialized Expertise: The compliance landscape is complex and constantly evolving, which can make it difficult for SMBs with limited IT resources to keep track of the latest changes. Some MSPs, like Agile IT, not only have expertise in federal compliance frameworks, but they also have the resources to stay current with the latest cybersecurity requirements for government contractors. Working with a compliance and security focused MSP can then help ensure you stay up-to-date on your compliance obligations.

• Smoother Compliance Process: By leveraging their resources and expert knowledge, the right MSP can also help streamline the compliance process. They will provide the guidance and tools necessary to help you implement security protocols, conduct compliance assessments, and develop plans to address any gaps in your security posture, helping you achieve compliance with minimal stress.

• Ongoing Monitoring and Threat Detection: Once they’ve helped you achieve compliance, an MSP’s job isn’t done. They should also provide continuous monitoring and perform regular risk assessments, giving you real-time visibility into your compliance status. This can then allow you to make proactive adjustments to your cybersecurity posture in a timely manner and spot threats before they escalate.

• Scaling: As your business grows, you’ll need to be able to quickly adapt to ensure your CUI is properly protected and you maintain compliance. Yet, this can pose challenges when managing IT in-house, as you may not have the resources to quickly add IT personnel and infrastructure. Alternatively, MSPs offer flexible solutions that can scale as your organization’s needs change, ensuring you’re able to maintain compliance as your company grows.

• Improved Audit Readiness: Working with an experienced MSP can also reduce your administrative burden, as you will have compliance professionals by your side, making sure that you have the security controls and documentation in place to ensure compliance and maintain audit readiness.

• Reduced Compliance Gaps: Compliance gaps can leave you vulnerable to security breaches, and they can put you at risk of losing your federal contracts or facing financial penalties. Fortunately, an MSP can help reduce compliance gaps through regular monitoring and gap assessments. Working with an MSP that can help enhance your cybersecurity posture reduces your risk of data breaches.

MSP Services That Support CUI Compliance

Managed service providers can help government contractors that handle CUI by streamlining the compliance process. However, be cautious as not all MSPs have experience with security and compliance requirements. With their advanced compliance experience and expert knowledge, they help these organizations not only understand their compliance obligations, but they can also help them implement the proper security controls to ensure compliance. Additional MSP services that help support CUI compliance include:

• Endpoint Management
• Access Control and MFA Management
• Alerting and Monitoring
• Backup and Disaster Recovery
• Policy Documentation and Audit Preparation
• Incident Reporting
• and Risk Assessment

Choosing The Right MSP

Working with an experienced MSP is the best way to ensure you’re able to meet your CUI compliance obligations without spreading your team thin and jeopardizing your core business. Yet, as you start the process of partnering with an MSP for CUI compliance, you may find yourself wondering how you can ensure that you choose an experienced MSP who will be able to help you fulfill your compliance obligations. To help get you started, here’s a look at the most important things you should look for in a compliance partner:

• Compliance Experience : Perhaps the most important thing you should look for in any MSP you’re considering partnering with is compliance experience. The fact is that not every MSP works with compliance, making it essential that you take the time to find an MSP with a deep understanding of compliance frameworks such as CMMC, NIST SP 800-171, and DFARS. Make sure that you ask any MSP you’re considering about their compliance experience and what frameworks they’ve worked with, and for how long.

• RPO Status : If you handle CUI as part of a DoD contract, then you’ll likely have to comply with CMMC 2.0. If this is the case, then it is essential that you partner with an MSP that is also a Cyber AB authorized Registered Provider Organization (RPO). RPOs are specifically authorized to help organizations such as yours prepare for CMMC assessment, and can be crucial in streamlining your compliance journey.

• Microsoft Partner Status : If your organization operates in a Microsoft Cloud Environment, then you may be considering migrating to Microsoft GCC or GCC High as part of your compliance journey. Migrating to GCC High can be essential for organizations handling CUI who are subject to CMMC, as it provides advanced security and compliance features necessary to protect your data. However, since GCC High can only be sold by authorized Microsoft partners, you may find it helpful to partner with an MSP that is also an authorized Microsoft AOS-G partner, such as Agile IT.

• US-Based Operations : If your organization handles, or plans to handle, ITAR/EAR data, then you should also make sure that the MSP you are considering working with is located in the US, uses US-based infrastructure, and employs US citizens, as this is essential in order to meet the data-residency requirements of your compliance obligations.

• References : When narrowing down your options, it is also essential that you ask any MSP for references and case studies from other DIB clients with similar compliance needs.

Contact Agile IT for Expert Help Achieving CUI Compliance

Staying on top of the ever-evolving compliance landscape and the latest regulations that organizations handling CUI must adhere to can be overwhelming, particularly for government contractors with limited resources. The good news is that the right compliance partner can help streamline your compliance journey, ensuring your CUI is properly protected.

If you are currently trying to handle all of your CUI compliance needs in-house, the fact is that working with an MSP is likely the most efficient and cost-effective path to compliance without overextending your team. By partnering with Agile IT, you can rest assured that your CUI is being properly protected, reducing your risk of a potentially costly data breach.

Consider contacting us today to learn more about how working with us can help protect your CUI while reducing your overall compliance burden.