Mapped to NIST 800-171 Requirement: 3.14.5
CMMC Assessment Objective: SI.L2-3.14.5[a]
What This Control Means
You must know and document what protects your systems from malware, including:
• Viruses
• Worms
• Ransomware
• Spyware
• Trojans and backdoors
Malware protection mechanisms should cover endpoints, servers, mobile devices, and cloud environments where CUI exists.
Why It Matters
Without strong malware protections:
• CUI could be stolen, encrypted (ransomware), or corrupted
• Malware infections could spread across your network undetected
• You’ll fail compliance assessments that require endpoint and network protection
• Incident response efforts will be reactive instead of proactive
Malware is still the #1 vector for major breaches—this control is critical.
How to Implement It
1. Identify Malware Protection Tools Examples:
• Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) platforms (e.g., CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Microsoft Defender)
• Antivirus/antimalware agents
• Email and web filtering services
• Network security solutions (e.g., sandboxing gateways, IDS/IPS)
2. Define Protection Scope
• Systems to cover:
◦ Endpoints (laptops, desktops, mobile devices)
◦ Servers (on-premises and cloud-hosted)
◦ Email systems
◦ File storage platforms
• Include both traditional infrastructure and cloud/SaaS environments
3. Document Key Features
• Real-time scanning
• Behavioral detection and heuristics
• Scheduled scans
• Quarantine and remediation capabilities
• Integration with SIEMs for alert correlation
4. Assign Responsibility
• Identify personnel or vendors responsible for maintaining malware protection systems and reviewing alerts
Evidence the Assessor Will Look For
• Inventory of malware protection tools mapped to systems and platforms
• SSP entries describing malware protection strategies
• Product documentation or screenshots of malware protection configurations
• Security policies requiring installation and enforcement of malware protection
• Logs showing malware scans, detections, and remediation activities
Common Gaps
• Malware protection only installed on a subset of systems
• Mobile devices and cloud platforms left unprotected
• Antivirus installed but no real-time scanning or alerting enabled
• No documentation describing malware protection coverage or maintenance
How Cuick Trac Helps
Cuick Trac supports this requirement by:
• Tracking malware protection tools deployed across your CUI-related environment
• Documenting system coverage, tool configurations, and responsible personnel
• Logging detection and remediation events tied to CUI systems
• Linking malware protection activities to your SSP, risk register, and compliance reports
• Alerting on systems missing malware protections or reporting failures
With Cuick Trac, your malware defense isn’t just active—it’s visible, managed, and documented.
Final CTA
Malware doesn’t stop evolving—your protections shouldn’t either.
Schedule a Cuick Trac demo to map and manage your malware defenses and keep your CUI systems secure.