DFARS

DFARS Cybersecurity Compliance

The FAR is the government-wide rulebook for federal buying. The DFARS is DoD's supplement to it, and five DFARS clauses carry most of the cybersecurity obligations for defense contractors.

By Doug Majewski, President, Athena Consulting Group, LLC · Last reviewed: October 19, 2026

DFARS 252.204-7012: safeguarding covered defense information

Requires adequate security for covered defense information, which means implementing NIST SP 800-171, and reporting cyber incidents to DoD through DIBNet within 72 hours of discovery (252.204-7012).

DFARS 252.204-7019: notice of NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment requirements

A solicitation notice: to be considered for award, you need a current NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment posted in SPRS, not more than 3 years old (252.204-7019).

DFARS 252.204-7020: NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment requirements

The contract clause behind the assessment: you must give the government access for Medium and High assessments, and flow the clause down to subcontractors (252.204-7020). Under DoD's current class deviation, contracting officers may use DFARS 252.240-7997 for this requirement instead; check your contract.

DFARS 252.204-7021: CMMC level requirements

Puts CMMC in the contract: you must hold the CMMC status at the level the contract requires and flow the requirement down (252.204-7021).

DFARS 252.204-7025: notice of CMMC level requirements

A solicitation notice that tells offerors which CMMC level the work requires (252.204-7025).

What to do next

Read Sections I and K of each solicitation. Compare 7012 and 7021, check the current CMMC status, and calculate your SPRS score.

Frequently asked questions

What is DFARS?

The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, DoD's supplement to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).

What is the difference between FAR and DFARS?

The FAR applies to all federal agencies. The DFARS adds DoD-specific rules, including the cybersecurity clauses 252.204-7012, 7019, 7020, 7021 and 7025.

How fast must I report a cyber incident under DFARS 7012?

Within 72 hours of discovery, through DIBNet (DFARS 252.204-7012).

Further reading

Related Athena pages and authoritative external references.

Ready to act on this?

Run the free Quick Score, then walk through the Assessment Pack.