January 15, 2026  As CMMC enforcement accelerates across the Defense Industrial Base, many organizations default to a familiar response: buy technology.

• Deploy a SIEM
• Turn on multi-factor authentication
• Upgrade endpoint protection

While these investments may be necessary, they are not sufficient. CMMC is not a technology problem — it is the disciplined management, governance, and continuous improvement of cybersecurity as an operational program aligned to NIST SP 800-171.

Under the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), assessors are not simply verifying implementation. They are evaluating whether cybersecurity and compliance operate as a managed program — defined, governed, measured, and sustained within the organization.

CMMC more closely resembles established management system frameworks such as:

• ISO 9001
• ISO/IEC 27001
• AS9100

These frameworks emphasize defined processes, leadership accountability, repeatability, documented evidence, and continuous improvement. Technology supports that system — it does not define it.

Organizations that succeed with CMMC treat cybersecurity as a program of record, aligned to executive oversight, disciplined risk management, and measurable operational performance.

Organizations that approach CMMC as a tool acquisition initiative often find themselves months into effort with significant activity — and limited progress.

The shift in mindset is critical: CMMC is not about installing controls. It is about operating them with discipline and governance.

Why RSI?

Many organizations recognize that CMMC is more than a technical deployment. Fewer understand how to structure it as a managed program.

RSI builds cybersecurity as a disciplined operational function aligned to your existing frameworks — whether ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO/IEC 27001 or other quality focused framework.

We define your CUI boundary, establish governance, align executive accountability, and implement a structured execution roadmap designed to produce measurable outcomes — not prolonged advisory cycles.

If your organization requires a cybersecurity program capable of withstanding formal assessment scrutiny, RSI provides the structure and execution discipline to make that happen.

Contact us at info@riverstonesolutions.com