CMMC guides.
Every PolicyCortex article on CMMC — practical, cited guidance for defense contractors navigating CMMC Level 2 and NIST 800-171 before the November 10, 2026 deadline.
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The $507K LOGZONE Settlement: Your SPRS Score Is Now False Claims Act Evidence
On June 18, 2026, DOJ settled with a defense contractor whose self-reported SPRS score of 110 turned out to be -170. Here's what the LOGZONE case means for every contractor affirming a score before the November 2026 CMMC deadline.
Jul 1, 2026 9 MIN SPRS · False Claims Act · LOGZONE - POST-02
CMMC Level 2 Requirements in 2026: The Complete Guide for Defense Contractors
CMMC Phase 2 enforcement begins November 2026. This guide breaks down every requirement - 110 NIST 800-171 controls, C3PAO assessment process, timelines, costs, and what happens if you're not certified.
Mar 17, 2026 14 MIN CMMC · CMMC Level 2 · NIST 800-171 - POST-03
The Safety Sandwich: How PolicyCortex Gives AI Safe Write Access to Cloud Environments
Giving AI autonomous write access to production cloud environments sounds dangerous. It is - without the right architecture. Here's the three-layer system we built to make it safe enough for defense contractor environments.
Mar 17, 2026 9 MIN AI cloud governance · safety architecture · OPA - POST-04
CMMC Level 2 Compliance Costs: The Complete Breakdown for 2026
Most defense contractors budget for the C3PAO assessment and forget about everything else. Here's the full cost picture - including the hidden line items that blow budgets and how automation changes the math.
Mar 10, 2026 10 MIN CMMC · compliance cost · C3PAO - POST-05
NIST 800-171 Cloud Compliance: The Practical Guide for AWS, Azure, and GCP
Implementing NIST 800-171 in cloud environments is fundamentally different from on-premises. This guide maps every control family to specific AWS, Azure, and GCP configurations - with the technical detail C3PAOs actually examine.
Mar 10, 2026 12 MIN NIST 800-171 · cloud compliance · AWS - POST-06
The Alert Queue That Never Empties: Why CSPM Visibility Isn't Enough
Your CSPM tool is finding everything. Your queue is growing anyway. The math on why detection without closed-loop remediation is a compliance liability, not an asset.
Mar 4, 2026 8 MIN CSPM · cloud security · alert fatigue - POST-07
CMMC Phase 2 Timeline: What Defense Contractors Must Do Before November 2026
CMMC Phase 2 enforcement starts November 2026. Here's the exact timeline, what changes at each milestone, and the month-by-month action plan to get certified before contracts require it.
Mar 3, 2026 10 MIN CMMC · Phase 2 · timeline - POST-08
The CMMC Level 2 Self-Assessment Trap (And How to Avoid It)
Most defense contractors who submit optimistic SPRS scores don't realize they're creating legal exposure, not just compliance risk. Here's what C3PAOs actually examine - and why documentation rarely matches cloud reality.
Feb 18, 2026 9 MIN CMMC · self-assessment · NIST 800-171 - POST-09
CMMC 2.0: What Defense Contractors Need to Know
The CMMC program is officially active with assessments underway. Here’s a practical guide for contractors navigating the requirements.
Nov 20, 2025 CMMC · defense contractors · compliance
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