CMMC Level 2 Compliance — Tested, Not Just Documented.
Most CMMC consultants check your documentation. We check your defenses. Pen test-validated compliance readiness for defense contractors handling CUI.
75% of defense contractors think they're compliant. About 1% actually are.
CMMC Phase 2 enforcement begins November 2026. After that date, defense contractors without certification lose access to DoD contracts requiring CUI handling.
Most companies have done a self-assessment. Most believe they pass. Then the C3PAO shows up, tests the controls — not just reviews the paperwork — and finds what a checklist never could.
A failed assessment costs $50,000–$100,000 in reassessment fees, remediation, and timeline resets. Plus the signal it sends to every prime you work with.
The gap isn't documentation. It's the distance between what you think your controls do and what they actually do under pressure.
We don't just document controls. We break them.
Every CMMC consultant on the market will walk through 110 controls, write your SSP, build your evidence package, and prepare you for the C3PAO. That work is necessary. It's not sufficient.
Deep Woods adds the layer nobody else provides: an OSCP-certified penetration test scoped specifically to your CUI boundary. We attempt to access, exfiltrate, or compromise your controlled unclassified information using the same techniques a real adversary would use.
If we can't get through, neither can the assessor. If we can get through, you just saved yourself a failed assessment — and we show you exactly what to fix.
The pen test is scoped to your CUI boundary — not your whole enterprise, just the systems that matter for CMMC. Every finding maps directly to the NIST 800-171 control it violates, with remediation guidance specific to your environment.
The pen test report becomes evidence of due diligence for your compliance package.
Four stages. One outcome. You pass.
Gap Assessment
Evaluate your environment against all 110 NIST 800-171 controls. Identify what's in place, what's missing, and what's documented versus what's real. Deliver a prioritized gap report with a clear remediation roadmap.
- Full 110-control evaluation
- CUI boundary scoping
- Prioritized findings and remediation roadmap
- Executive summary briefing
Penetration Test
Adversarial testing scoped to your CUI boundary. We attempt to access controlled information using real attack techniques. Every finding maps to the specific NIST 800-171 control it violates.
- CUI-boundary scoped offensive testing
- Manual exploitation — not just vulnerability scanning
- Findings mapped to NIST 800-171 controls
- Demonstrates real-world impact of control failures
- Out-of-scope observations documented separately
Remediation Support
Fix what's broken. We assist with control implementation, policy development, SSP documentation, and evidence collection. Hands-on guidance — not a binder of recommendations.
- Control implementation guidance
- SSP and POA&M development support
- Policy and procedure documentation
- Evidence package preparation
- Staff training on CUI handling procedures
Pre-Audit Validation
Mock C3PAO assessment before the real one. Verify every control passes examination, interview, and test. The formal assessment becomes confirmation, not discovery.
- Mock assessment mirroring C3PAO methodology
- Examine, interview, and test against all 110 controls
- Final gap resolution
- C3PAO audit coordination support
Start where you are.
Readiness Check
Find out where you stand before committing to full compliance.
- 110-control evaluation
- CUI boundary scoping
- Prioritized gap report
- Remediation roadmap
- Executive briefing
Readiness + Proof
Know where your gaps are AND whether your defenses actually hold.
- Everything in Readiness Check
- CUI-boundary penetration test
- Manual exploitation, not just scanning
- Findings mapped to NIST 800-171 controls
- Real-world impact demonstration
Full Compliance
All four stages — gap assessment through pre-audit validation.
- Everything in Readiness + Proof
- Remediation support
- SSP and POA&M development
- Evidence package preparation
- Mock C3PAO assessment
- Audit coordination support
What Defense Contractors Ask
Is a penetration test required for CMMC Level 2?
Not explicitly. But CMMC requires that controls are implemented and functioning. The C3PAO doesn't just review documentation — they examine, interview, and test. A pen test is the only way to know your controls survive testing before the assessor runs theirs. You're not paying for a requirement. You're paying to not fail a $50,000+ assessment.
How long does this take?
Gap assessment delivered in 2–3 weeks. Pen test delivered in 2–3 weeks. Full compliance readiness — including remediation — typically takes 4–8 months depending on your starting posture. We compress the front end by finding real gaps first, not just documenting what you tell us.
How is this different from other CMMC consultants?
Most CMMC consultants document your controls and prepare your evidence package. That work is necessary — and we support it. What we add is adversarial validation. We attempt to break through your defenses the way a real threat would. If your controls hold, you have proof. If they don't, you know exactly what to fix before the C3PAO arrives. Nobody else in this market is OSCP-certified and scoping pen tests specifically to the CUI boundary.
What if I've already done a self-assessment and think I'm compliant?
Then a pen test is the fastest way to confirm it. If you're right, we validate your posture and you go into the C3PAO assessment with confidence. If you're wrong, we just saved you a failed assessment and months of delay. Either way, you know for certain.
What happens to findings outside the CUI boundary?
Anything we observe outside the CMMC scope goes in a separate "Additional Observations" section — documented but not tested, not billed. That section becomes the basis for a separate enterprise penetration test engagement if you want it. No scope creep. No surprise invoices.
Do you perform the C3PAO assessment?
No. Deep Woods is a consultant, not a C3PAO. We prepare you to pass the assessment. The C3PAO is a separate, independent third party. We coordinate with them on your behalf during the audit process.
The deadline doesn't negotiate. Your readiness can.
Schedule a free 30-minute CMMC briefing. No sales pitch — just a clear-eyed look at where you stand and what it takes to get compliant before November 2026.