Level 2 · System and Information Integrity
SI.L2-3.14.6
Monitor Communications for Attacks
Attack monitoring should cover systems and both inbound and outbound communications relevant to the scope.
Official reference
The requirement
Monitor organizational systems, including inbound and outbound communications traffic, to detect attacks and indicators of potential attacks.
DoD CMMC Assessment Guide, Level 2, version 2.13. SI.L2-3.14.6; requirement and objectives, printed page 258 ↗
Assessment objectives
What must be established
Determine if each applicable objective is satisfied. The labels below follow the cited DoD assessment guide.
- [a]
the system is monitored to detect attacks and indicators of potential attacks;
- [b]
inbound communications traffic is monitored to detect attacks and indicators of potential attacks; and
- [c]
outbound communications traffic is monitored to detect attacks and indicators of potential attacks.
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.
GAVII Cybersecurity assessment approach
Connect the objective to the evidence
Connect detection coverage to the architecture and threat scenarios. Alert volume alone does not establish that important attack paths can be observed.
Assessment focus: objectives [a], [b], [c]. Use the methods together; a single example does not establish every objective.
Examine
Inspect monitoring architecture, sensor or log coverage, detection logic, and investigation records.
Interview
What could reveal an outbound exfiltration attempt as well as an inbound attack?
Demonstrate or test
Trace a benign simulated indicator or sanitized historical case from detection through review and escalation.
Evidence gaps to look for
- Monitoring covers only inbound perimeter traffic.
- A cloud or internal path is absent from detection coverage.
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: 5
If this requirement is NOT MET, deduct 5 points 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 has a deduction greater than 1 point and does not qualify for the limited encryption exception. 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 ↗SI.L2-3.14.6; requirement and objectives, printed page 258. 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 3.14.6. February 2020, updated January 2021.
- NIST SP 800-171A ↗Assessment procedure 3.14.6. 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.