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Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO)

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is a U.S. government initiative that standardizes security assessments, authorizations, and continuous monitoring for cloud services used by federal agencies.

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  • What is a Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO)?

What is a Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO)?

A Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) is an independent organization accredited by the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Accreditation Body (CMMC-AB) to conduct official assessments of defense contractors seeking CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification) compliance. These assessments determine whether an organization meets the required cybersecurity maturity level necessary to handle Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in accordance with Department of Defense (DoD) requirements.

C3PAOs are responsible for evaluating an organization's implementation of CMMC practices and processes based on CMMC 2.0 requirements. They conduct thorough security assessments, document findings, and provide recommendations to the CMMC-AB, which ultimately grants certification. 

To become a C3PAO, an organization must undergo rigorous training, meet specific security and compliance requirements, and be listed in the CMMC Marketplace as an accredited assessment body. Their role is critical in ensuring that defense contractors comply with the necessary cybersecurity controls to protect sensitive federal data from cyber threats.