Mapped to NIST 800-171 Requirement: 3.13.13
CMMC Assessment Objective: SC.L2-3.13.13[c]
What This Control Means
This is the implementation checkpoint.
You must demonstrate that:
• Boundary control technologies (firewalls, proxies, VPNs, etc.) are installed, configured, and operational
• Monitoring tools (IDS/IPS, SIEM, cloud-native monitoring) are actively inspecting and alerting on traffic
• Systems handling CUI are protected at ingress, egress, and inter-system boundaries
Documentation alone is not enough—you must show live protections are working.
Why It Matters
If boundary controls and monitoring aren’t active:
• CUI could leave your environment undetected
• Attackers could enter unnoticed
• Monitoring gaps could cause compliance failures or security breaches
• You’ll fail technical assessment portions of CMMC or DFARS reviews
Defense without active enforcement is defense in name only.
How to Implement It
1. Confirm Active Boundary Devices
• Verify firewalls and gateways are online and inspecting traffic
• Confirm boundary ACLs and routing rules are enforced
2. Validate Monitoring is Live
• Check that IDS/IPS tools are:
◦ Capturing traffic
◦ Generating logs
◦ Alerting on suspicious activity
• Ensure SIEMs or logging tools are aggregating boundary traffic logs
3. Test Communications Paths
• Attempt unauthorized access or simulate incident scenarios
• Confirm systems detect and block unauthorized communications
4. Review Monitoring Coverage
• Ensure cloud, VPN, and remote access points are monitored—not just on-premises perimeters
Evidence the Assessor Will Look For
• System dashboards or screenshots showing live firewall and IDS/IPS operations
• Sample traffic logs proving monitoring activity
• Alert summaries from monitoring tools
• Incident records showing action taken based on boundary alerts
• Live demonstrations of active control and monitoring (e.g., packet capture, firewall deny logs)
Common Gaps
• Boundary protections deployed but disabled or unmonitored
• Only internet traffic inspected—no internal or cloud boundary coverage
• IDS/IPS installed but not tuned or alerting
• Logs collected but never reviewed
How Cuick Trac Helps
Cuick Trac supports this requirement by:
• Tracking operational status of boundary control and monitoring tools
• Logging activity at all perimeter points, including cloud and hybrid environments
• Providing alerts on control failures, gaps, or suspicious traffic detection
• Linking live monitoring activities to your SSP and incident response documentation
• Keeping your boundary protections active, tuned, and auditable
With Cuick Trac, your perimeter defenses aren’t just a line on a network diagram—they’re alive, enforced, and monitored 24/7.
Final CTA
The best perimeter control is the one that’s running—and watching—right now.
Schedule a Cuick Trac demo to monitor your system boundaries in real time and protect your CUI with confidence.