NIST 800-171 guides.
Every PolicyCortex article on NIST 800-171 — practical, cited guidance for defense contractors navigating CMMC reform, Phase I self-assessments, and NIST 800-171 obligations.
- POST-01
CMMC Phase II Is Suspended: What Defense Contractors Still Have to Do
The Department of War suspended CMMC Phase II on July 13, 2026, but kept Phase I self-assessments, NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 enforcement, and DFARS 252.204-7012 obligations in place.
Jul 13, 2026 7 MIN CMMC · Phase II · SPRS - POST-02
The $507K LOGZONE Settlement: Your SPRS Score Is Now False Claims Act Evidence
DOJ settled with a defense contractor that posted a 110 SPRS score and later received a -170 government assessment. Phase II is paused, but the risk of an unsupported score remains.
Jul 1, 2026 9 MIN SPRS · False Claims Act · LOGZONE - POST-03
CMMC Level 2 Requirements in 2026: The Complete Guide for Defense Contractors
CMMC Phase II is suspended, but the 110-requirement NIST 800-171 Rev. 2 baseline, Phase I self-assessments, and DFARS safeguarding obligations remain active.
Mar 17, 2026 14 MIN CMMC · CMMC Level 2 · NIST 800-171 - POST-04
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-05
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-06
Cloud Misconfiguration Statistics 2026: What's Actually Breaking Defense Contractor Environments
Data-driven analysis of cloud misconfiguration patterns across the Defense Industrial Base - top finding categories, specific failure modes, and what the numbers tell us about effective remediation.
Feb 10, 2026 8 MIN cloud misconfiguration statistics 2026 · CMMC assessment failures · cloud security findings - POST-07
NIST 800-171 Rev 3: Key Changes and How to Prepare
NIST SP 800-171 Revision 3 brings significant changes to the security requirements for protecting CUI. Here’s what changed and what it means for your compliance program.
Jan 14, 2026 NIST 800-171 · compliance · CUI - POST-08
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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