What this requirement asks
Monitor security controls on an ongoing basis to ensure the continued effectiveness of the controls.
This is a CMMC Level 2 requirement in the Security Assessment family, drawn from NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2. An assessor evaluates it objective by objective — every objective below must be supported by evidence, not just described in a policy.
Assessment objectives (1)
- 3.12.3[a] — security controls are monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure the continued effectiveness of those controls
What an assessor examines
Examine:
- Security planning policy
- organizational procedures addressing system security plan development and implementation
- procedures addressing system security plan reviews and updates
- enterprise architecture documentation
- system security plan
- records of system security plan reviews and updates
- other relevant documents or records
Interview:
- Personnel with security planning and system security plan implementation responsibilities
- personnel with information security responsibilities
Test:
- Organizational processes for system security plan development, review, update, and approval
- mechanisms supporting the system security plan
Evidence that defends it
Show closure and progress
Check your readiness
Score this requirement against your own environment with the Level 2 self-assessment checklist, or estimate your SPRS score with the free CMMC compliance tool. Self-reported answers are planning signals only — they do not establish a verified or assessor-accepted result.