CMMC 2.0 is the US Department of Defense cybersecurity standard with three levels. Level 2 requires 110 practices aligned with NIST SP 800-171 for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Any UK company working on US DoD contracts must achieve CMMC certification to maintain contract eligibility and participate in the US defense supply chain.

Consumer tools lack the enterprise-grade security controls required for CMMC 2.0 compliance. They have limited security controls, compliance gaps, and data residency issues. Kiteworks provides FedRAMP Moderate authorised security, supports 90% of CMMC 2.0 Level 2 requirements out-of-the-box, offers comprehensive audit trails, and includes zero-trust architecture with customer-owned encryption keys – capabilities that consumer platforms simply cannot deliver for defense contractors.

CUI requires specific handling requirements throughout its lifecycle – at rest, in use, and in transit. Kiteworks automatically enforces CUI protection policies with centralized management, granular access controls, comprehensive audit logging, and encrypted communications. This ensures compliance with both NIST 800-171 requirements and UK data protection laws.

Kiteworks PDN strengthens data sovereignty, and offers flexible deployment options including UK-based private cloud, on-premises, or hybrid solutions. This allows British companies to maintain compliance with UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, and other British regulations while meeting stringent US CMMC 2.0 requirements for their American defense contracts.

CMMC 2.0 implementation will begin once the 48 CFR rule is finalized – expected before fall 2025 (Note: Timeline subject to final 48 CFR rule publication by the US DoD) – with a phased rollout over three years. Level 2 requires third-party assessments by CMMC Third Party Assessor Organizations (C3PAOs) every three years. Kiteworks provides built-in assessment support with pre-built reports and comprehensive audit trails to streamline the certification process.

Kiteworks seamlessly integrates with common UK business systems including Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Active Directory, Outlook, and other enterprise applications. The API-first architecture ensures compatibility with existing UK IT infrastructure while providing the security controls necessary for US defense work.

British firms without CMMC 2.0 certification will be excluded from US defense contracts, losing access to substantial American defense contract value. This affects not just prime contractors but also UK suppliers and subcontractors throughout the transatlantic defense supply chain, potentially impacting billions in UK-US defense trade.

With Kiteworks supporting nearly 90% of Level 2 requirements out-of-the-box and eight years of FedRAMP Moderate authorization, UK companies can accelerate their compliance timeline from years to months. Our platform eliminates the need to implement and integrate multiple security tools, dramatically reducing time-to-compliance for UK defense contractors.