# DoD Reassesses CMMC Phase 2 Requirements

The Department of Defense has paused CMMC Phase 2 requirements while reviewing options to reduce compliance barriers, leaving federal contractors and defense industrial base companies with uncertainty about compliance planning. The accompanying commentary argues that organizations should complement periodic assessments with continuous operational cybersecurity controls, including CUI scoping, access reviews, change control, incident-response playbooks, and automated monitoring with human oversight.

- Contractors can use the pause to reassess how they scope and protect CUI, review access, and manage system changes as part of day-to-day security operations.
- Companies supporting DoD should account for uncertainty around Phase 2 planning while maintaining operational security readiness; the signal does not establish a new compliance deadline or requirement.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 21, 2026

### Government Entities
- Department of Defense (DoD)

### Vendors
- Secureframe ()

### Sources
- [
        Cybersecurity awareness must extend beyond passwords and phishing to become truly operational - Federal News Network](https://federalnewsnetwork.com/commentary/2026/10/cybersecurity-awareness-must-extend-beyond-passwords-and-phishing-to-become-truly-operational) - Federal News Network