Level 2 · Access Control
AC.L2-3.1.22
Control Public Information
Public-release control must operate before publication and after an accidental disclosure.
Official reference
The requirement
Control CUI posted or processed on publicly accessible systems.
DoD CMMC Assessment Guide, Level 2, version 2.13. AC.L2-3.1.22; requirement and objectives, printed page 63 ↗
Assessment objectives
What must be established
Determine if each applicable objective is satisfied. The labels below follow the cited DoD assessment guide.
- [a]
individuals authorized to post or process information on publicly accessible systems are identified;
- [b]
procedures to ensure CUI is not posted or processed on publicly accessible systems are identified;
- [c]
a review process is in place prior to posting of any content to publicly accessible systems;
- [d]
content on publicly accessible systems is reviewed to ensure that it does not include CUI; and
- [e]
mechanisms are in place to remove and address improper posting of CUI.
MET requires evidence that all applicable objectives are satisfied. Final, approved evidence is needed. A NOT APPLICABLE determination needs a scope-based basis and is equivalent to MET for scoring. Enduring exceptions and temporary deficiencies have specific conditions under 32 CFR 170.24; they are not a general permission to defer implementation.
Included Level 1 coverage · FCI
AC.L1-b.1.iv: Control Public Information
Public information handling needs authorized publishers, release review, and a correction process.
Level 2 includes Level 1 safeguarding coverage. This is the FAR-based Level 1 assessment context mapped into the 110-requirement library, not an additional Level 2 requirement.
Control information posted or processed on publicly accessible information systems.
DoD CMMC Assessment Guide, Level 1: AC.L1-b.1.iv; requirement and objectives, printed page 20 ↗
Level 1 assessment objectives and guidance
Determine if:
- [a]
individuals authorized to post or process information on publicly accessible systems are identified;
- [b]
procedures to ensure [FCI] is not posted or processed on publicly accessible systems are identified;
- [c]
a review process is in place prior to posting of any content to publicly accessible systems;
- [d]
content on publicly accessible systems is reviewed to ensure that it does not include [FCI]; and
- [e]
mechanisms are in place to remove and address improper posting of [FCI].
Review websites, public repositories, and publicly shared files for the risk of exposing FCI. Prepublication review and later content review serve different purposes.
Examine
Examine publisher authorizations, review procedures, release records, and removal instructions.
Interview
Who reviews content before publication, and who can remove an improper public posting?
Demonstrate or test
Walk a fictional document through review and show how a mistaken posting would be removed and addressed.
Level 1 evidence gaps
- Review covers the website but not public file links.
- Nobody is assigned to inspect existing public content.
Level 1 has no weighted deduction. All applicable requirements must be fully implemented; the self-assessment is MET or NOT MET in its entirety.
Level 1 does not permit a POA&M. CAP P.11 addresses Level 2 certification planning, not a mandatory on-site rule for Level 1 self-assessments. Choose evidence and observations adequate to evaluate the actual physical environment and applicable objectives.
- DoD CMMC Assessment Guide, Level 1 ↗AC.L1-b.1.iv; requirement and objectives, printed page 20
- 32 CFR 170.24: Assessment findings and scoring ↗170.24(b) and (c)(1)
- 32 CFR 170.21: POA&M eligibility and closeout ↗170.21(a)(1) and (b)
- FAR 52.204-21: Basic safeguarding ↗52.204-21(b)(1)(iv)
GAVII Cybersecurity assessment approach
Connect the objective to the evidence
Identify authorized publishers and the review process for websites, public repositories, and other public systems. Include a workable removal and response process.
Assessment focus: objectives [a], [b], [c], [d], [e]. Use the methods together; a single example does not establish every objective.
Examine
Review publisher authorizations, release approvals, public-content review records, and improper-posting procedures.
Interview
Who can publish, who checks for CUI, and who can remove material quickly when a problem is discovered?
Demonstrate or test
Walk a sanitized sample through prepublication review, then demonstrate the removal workflow without publishing sensitive information.
Evidence gaps to look for
- The public website is checked but public file links or repositories are omitted.
- Content approval is informal and unrecorded.
GAVII Cybersecurity’s examples illustrate ways to examine, interview, and test. They are not a mandatory artifact list or a guarantee of an assessment result. Combine methods and address every applicable objective in the actual scope.
Assessment constraints
Scoring and POA&M eligibility
Score: 1
If this requirement is NOT MET, deduct 1 point from the Level 2 maximum of 110. The deduction applies to the requirement, not separately to each objective.
Scoring rule ↗POA&M: Not eligible
This requirement is explicitly excluded by 32 CFR 170.21(a)(2)(iii); it cannot be deferred on the POA&M used for Conditional Level 2 status.
POA&M rule ↗Conditional Level 2 requires a score of at least 88 out of 110 and satisfaction of every eligibility condition. A 1-point requirement is not automatically eligible. The permitted POA&M must be closed through the appropriate closeout assessment within 180 days of the Conditional CMMC Status Date. An operational remediation plan does not confer Conditional Status.
Assessment planning
Location and observation
Not specifically listed in CAP P.11
This requirement is not specifically listed in CAP P.11. That does not establish that remote assessment is sufficient: the Lead CCA and C3PAO determine an adequate approach for the actual scope and evidence.
CAP §P.11, pages 10–11 ↗Check the source
References and related requirements
- DoD CMMC Assessment Guide, Level 2 ↗AC.L2-3.1.22; requirement and objectives, printed page 63. 2.13, September 2024.
- 32 CFR 170.24: Assessment findings and scoring ↗170.24(b) and (c)(2). Current electronic Code of Federal Regulations.
- 32 CFR 170.21: POA&M eligibility and closeout ↗170.21(a)(2) and (b). Current electronic Code of Federal Regulations.
- NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 ↗Requirement 3.1.22. February 2020, updated January 2021.
- NIST SP 800-171A ↗Assessment procedure 3.1.22. June 2018.
- Cyber AB CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) ↗P.11, printed pages 10-11; Level 2 certification assessment-location planning. 2.0, December 2024.
Program timing and contract applicability can change independently of these requirements. Check current DoD program notices and your solicitation or contract before making a compliance decision. Open the official DoD resource hub.