Industry Reactions to Pentagon Suspending CMMC Phase 2: Feedback Friday

Industry professionals broadly agree that the suspension pauses third-party CMMC audits but not the underlying legal obligation to protect CUI. The post Industry Reactions to Pentagon Suspending CMMC Phase 2: Feedback Friday appeared first on SecurityWeek .

The article reports that the Pentagon has suspended CMMC Phase 2, pausing the rollout of mandatory third‑party certification audits while a 60‑day review rethinks the contractor‑cybersecurity framework.[1][4][6] Industry commentators emphasize that although external CMMC audits are on hold, defense contractors still retain legal and contractual obligations to protect Federal Contract Information and Controlled Unclassified Information under FAR, DFARS 252.204‑7012, and NIST SP 800‑171 self‑assessment regimes.[2][3][5] From a RealGround perspective, this is a compliance and governance issue: organizations using or building AI systems in the defense supply chain must align their AI security controls, documentation, and attestations with unchanged CUI protection requirements, even as formal certification timelines are revised. Practically, AI and data leaders should treat the pause as an opportunity to tighten AI security policies and SSPs around CUI handling, reinforce self‑assessment evidence for AI‑enabled workflows, and prepare governance structures that can adapt quickly when a revised CMMC or adjacent oversight regime is introduced.