On November 10, 2025, the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Phase 1 officially begins, marking a milestone moment for the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) and the thousands of organizations entrusted with protecting our nation’s most sensitive information.
This launch marks more than the next step in compliance. It’s the start of a new era of cybersecurity accountability and operational resilience. For years, the defense community has discussed what “good” cybersecurity looks like. Now, with CMMC entering implementation, those discussions are turning into measurable action.
CMMC Phase 1 signals the transition from readiness assessments to certified execution. Defense contractors will now be required to demonstrate, not just attest, that they have the controls, policies, and documentation in place to safeguard Federal Contract information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).
This is where preparation pays off. Organizations that have spent the last year strengthening their posture, closing gaps, and aligning with National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-171 (rev.2) are now positioned to lead by example. Those that are just beginning must act with urgency and purpose, because the era of “check-the-box” compliance is over.
Cybersecurity has evolved beyond being an IT function. It’s a strategic differentiator in federal contracting. CMMC certification will increasingly define who can compete and who can’t. It will determine which companies are trusted to handle sensitive defense data and which are not yet ready.
For prime contractors, Phase 1 also introduces new responsibilities to ensure their supply chains meet CMMC standards. That means deeper collaboration, more transparent partnerships, and a collective approach to securing every link in the defense ecosystem.
As we enter this first phase, the focus for many organizations will be:
Success in CMMC Phase 1 will set the tone for Phases 2 and 3, where certification requirements expand and enforcement deepens across the DIB.
This is a defining moment for defense industry leaders, cybersecurity professionals, and technology partners. The goal isn’t just to achieve certification. It’s to raise the collective bar for national defense security.
CMMC Phase 1 isn’t just the start of compliance. It’s the start of commitment: A commitment to protecting the mission, our warfighters, and the data that underpins U.S. defense innovation.
Now is the time to turn that commitment into certification. Learn how Coalfire Federal guides defense contractors through official CMMC Level 2 assessments.
Travis Goldbach is a cybersecurity and compliance leader with 20 years of experience driving growth and go-to-market strategy for federally regulated industries. He currently leads Coalfire Federal’s unified GTM strategy and previously guided AWS toward CMMC certification while helping customers advance secure, scalable compliance in the cloud.
