CMMC Compliance Is a Wake-Up Call for MSPs and MSSPs

The Department of Defense’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is reshaping expectations for both MSPs and MSSPs serving the defense industrial base, CRN reports. For many providers, the program represents more than a new set of compliance checkboxes, it demands a shift in how security services are delivered, documented, and audited. As contractors scramble to meet these new requirements, service providers will be expected to lead the way or risk losing relevance in a high-stakes market.

MSPs, in particular, face dual pressure. Not only must they assist clients in aligning with CMMC’s strict security controls, but they must also scrutinize their own internal posture. For firms offering detection, response, and managed compliance services, this means ensuring every tool, process, and partner is vetted to avoid unintentional exposure or noncompliance.

The opportunity is significant, especially for MSPs with deep technical expertise. Services like risk assessments, security architecture reviews, zero trust implementation, and incident response can all be packaged around CMMC readiness. But providers can’t deliver what they haven’t internalized. Documentation, auditability, and process maturity are no longer nice-to-haves, they’re required to even play in this space. Those who fall short risk being shut out of federal supply chains or causing compliance failures for their clients.

Most critically, many MSPs and MSSPs may already be supporting companies that fall under CMMC requirements without knowing it. Defense subcontractors aren’t always aware of their obligations, and by the time the DoD begins enforcement through contracts or prime contractor mandates, it may be too late to prepare. For security providers, now is the time to assess their client base, upgrade internal practices, and rethink go-to-market strategies. CMMC isn’t just a regulation—it’s a test of operational and security maturity across the managed services ecosystem.