CMMC CMMC-CCP Syllabus Exam Questions Answers

Step 1: Review CMMC 2.0 Reforms (Level 1 – Foundational)

As part ofCMMC 2.0, the DoD announced changes toreduce burden and costsfor companies that only handleFederal Contract Information (FCI):

DoD Statement (CMMC 2.0 Overview):

“Level 1 (Foundational) will only require an annual self-assessment, affirming implementation of the 17 FAR 52.204-21 controls.”

✅Step 2: Intent of “Reduced Assessment Costs”

The move to allowself-assessments at Level 1was explicitly designed toeliminate the costof hiring third-party assessors for organizations that only handle FCI.

Level 1 self-assessments are:

Conductedinternally by the OSC,

Affirmed annuallyby a senior company official,

Submitted via SPRS(Supplier Performance Risk System).

❌Why the Other Options Are Incorrect

B. Opt out of CMMC Assessments

✘Incorrect. Organizations must still perform aself-assessmentannually — they cannot opt out entirely.

C. Have assessment costs reimbursed by the DoD

✘No such reimbursement mechanism exists.

D. Pay no more than $500.00…

✘No such fixed cost is set or guaranteed in CMMC documentation.

UnderCMMC 2.0, all companies atLevel 1 (Foundational)are permitted toconduct self-assessmentsannually to demonstrate compliance, supporting the DoD’s goal ofreducing assessment costsfor low-risk contractors.

What is Required in the CMMC Assessment Kickoff and Opening Briefing?

Before starting aCMMC assessment, theLead Assessormust present anopening briefingto ensure that theOrganization Seeking Certification (OSC)understands the assessment process.

Step-by-Step Breakdown:

✅1. Overview of the Assessment Process

The Lead Assessormust explain the CMMC assessment methodology, including:

Theassessment objectives and scope

How theassessment team will review security controls

What to expectduring interviews, testing, and document review

This ensurestransparency and alignmentbetween the assessors and the OSC.

✅2. Why the Other Answer Choices Are Incorrect:

(A) Gathering Evidence❌

Evidence collection is part of the assessment butnot the primary topic of the opening briefing.

(B) Review of the OSC's SSP❌

While theSSP is a key document, reviewing it is part of the assessment,not the kickoff briefing.

(D) Examination of the artifacts for sufficiency❌

Artifact review happens laterin the assessment process,not during the kickoff.

Final Validation from CMMC Documentation:

TheCMMC Assessment Process Guidestates that theopening briefing must include an overview of the assessment process, ensuring the OSC understands the expectations and methodology.

Thus, the correct answer is:

✅C. Overview of the assessment process.

In the CMMC 2.0 framework, the "Advanced" level is synonymous with CMMC Level 2 . The model is designed to be cumulative , meaning each higher level incorporates the requirements of the level(s) below it.

Cumulative Structure : For an organization to achieve a Level 2 Certification, it must demonstrate that it meets all 17 practices from Level 1 (Foundational) plus the additional 93 practices introduced at Level 2, totaling 110 practices (aligned with NIST SP 800-171 ).

Access Control (AC) Domain Breakdown :

Level 1 : Contains 4 AC practices (e.g., limiting system access to authorized users).

Level 2 : Contains 22 AC practices total. This includes the original 4 from Level 1 and 18 additional practices (e.g., controlling the use of privileged functions, limiting unsuccessful logon attempts).

Level 3 (Expert) : This level adds even more practices from NIST SP 800-172 . While Level 3 "contains" Level 2, the question asks specifically about what the Advanced Level (Level 2) contains. Therefore, it contains Level 1 and Level 2 practices.

Why other options are incorrect :

Option A : Level 2 is not just Level 1; it includes the additional NIST 800-171 requirements.

Option B : Level 3 practices are part of the "Expert" level, not the "Advanced" level.

Option D : The "Advanced" level (Level 2) does not include the "Expert" (Level 3) practices.

Reference Documents :

CMMC Model Overview (v2.0/v2.1) : Section 3.2, "Level 2: Advanced," which explicitly states the level consists of the 110 practices from NIST SP 800-171, which includes the Level 1 requirements.

32 CFR Part 170 (CMMC Program Rule) : Defines the mapping of the 14 domains and the cumulative nature of the certification levels.

CMMC Level 2 Assessment Guide : Lists all 22 Access Control practices required for a Level 2 assessment.

In the CMMC 2.0 Model , the "Advanced Level" specifically refers to Level 2 . The CMMC model is designed to be cumulative , meaning each level builds upon the requirements of the levels beneath it.

Cumulative Framework : To achieve a certification at a specific level, an Organization Seeking Certification (OSC) must demonstrate compliance with all practices at that level and all practices from the lower levels.

Access Control (AC) Domain : The Access Control domain is one of the 14 domains in CMMC Level 2. It consists of a total of 22 practices :

Level 1 (Foundational) : Contains 4 basic safeguarding practices (mapped to FAR 52.204-21).

Level 2 (Advanced) : Adds 18 additional practices (mapped to NIST SP 800-171), totaling 22 practices for the AC domain at this level.

Defining "Advanced" : The DoD defines the levels as Level 1 (Foundational), Level 2 (Advanced), and Level 3 (Expert). Therefore, the "Advanced Level" (Level 2) contains the practices from Level 1 and Level 2, but does not include the "Expert" (Level 3) practices, which are derived from NIST SP 800-172.

Why other options are incorrect :

Option A : While it contains Level 1 practices, it also includes Level 2 practices.

Option B : Level 3 is the "Expert" level, which is separate and higher than the "Advanced" level.

Option D : The Advanced level does not reach the requirements of Level 3.

Reference Documents :

CMMC Model Overview (v2.0) : Section 3.2, "Level 2: Advanced," which describes the 110 practices derived from NIST SP 800-171.

32 CFR Part 170 (CMMC Program Rule) : Details the structure of the levels and the requirement for cumulative compliance.

CMMC Level 2 Assessment Guide : Lists all 22 Access Control practices required for a Level 2 assessment, clearly identifying which are carried over from Level 1.

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