While headlines highlight a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, the Department of Defense (DOD) has warned that the cyber war is still raging—especially against the U.S. Defense Industrial Base (DIB). A recent memo from the DOD Chief Information Officer (CIO) urges every defense contractor, regardless of size, to tighten cybersecurity controls immediately.

This article distills that memo into clear, actionable guidance aligned with CMMC, NIST SP 800-171, and DFARS requirements, so aerospace manufacturers, CNC shops, and IT providers alike can strengthen defenses fast.

Why Cyber Operations Continue After a Ceasefire

• Cyber campaigns face far less public scrutiny than kinetic warfare.

• Nation-state actors leverage proxy hacker groups to hide attribution.

• Critical supply-chain targets—especially smaller subcontractors—often have weaker security controls.

The DOD’s memo signals elevated threat activity despite diplomatic developments, making proactive compliance non-negotiable.

Key Takeaways from the DOD CIO Memo

1. CMMC & NIST 800-171 Are Not Optional – They are minimum security baselines.

2. Small and Mid-Sized Businesses Are Explicitly Named – Primes aren’t the only targets.

3. Immediate Action Required – Waiting for CMMC to appear in a contract clause is a recipe for breach-and-report headlines.

4. Four Priority Areas – Reduce hack risk, detect threats early, be incident-ready, and secure recovery.

Who Must Comply—and Why It Matters

If your organization handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or contributes parts, software, or services that flow into a prime contractor—or directly into a DOD program—you are in scope. Non-compliance risks include:

• Loss of existing contracts

• Disqualification from future bids

• Mandatory breach disclosure and legal exposure

The Four-Phase Action Plan

1. Reduce the Risk of Getting Hacked

• Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

  • Remote access

  • Internal network logins

  • All admin and privileged accounts

• Patch Early, Patch Often

  • Prioritize the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) list.

• Shut Down Unused Ports & Services

  • Disable legacy remote-desktop ports and insecure protocols.

• Harden Your Cloud Environments

  • Follow CISA Cloud Security Guidance for M365, AWS, Azure, or any SaaS handling CUI.

• Leverage Free Federal Resources

  • CISA Cyber Hygiene services

  • NSA Cyber Collaboration Center

  • DC3-DIB Collaborative Information Sharing Environment (DCISE)

2. Detect Threats Early

• Centralize Log Collection & Monitoring

  • Deploy a security information and event management (SIEM) tool—or prove an equivalent manual process.

• Maintain Up-to-Date Endpoint Protection

  • Verify antivirus signatures update successfully across every workstation and server.

• Audit Third-Party Access

  • Review vendor remote connections, least-privilege rules, and contract clauses for security obligations.

3. Be Ready for an Incident

• Document an Incident Response (IR) Plan

  • Define roles, decision trees, legal/comms procedures, and cyber-insurance coordination.

• Run Table-Top or Live Drills

  • Validate that alerts route correctly, backups restore, and leadership can act under pressure.

4. Recover Quickly from an Attack

• Test and Isolate Backups

  • Store copies offline or in immutable cloud vaults; perform routine restores.

• Prepare Operational Technology (OT) Fallbacks

  • Ensure critical CNC or PLC processes can run in manual or “island mode” if the network is compromised.

Your Weekly Compliance Checklist

1. Verify MFA across remote, internal, and admin logins.

2. Apply patches from the KEV list within prescribed timelines.

3. Run a backup-restore test and confirm off-network copy integrity.

4. Review log and SIEM alerts for anomalies.

5. Update SPRS score—aim for 110—and close any identified gaps.

Free Tools & Reference Links

• DOD CIO Cybersecurity Memo

• CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog

• CISA Cloud Security Guidance

• CISA Cyber Hygiene Services

• NSA Cyber Collaboration Center

• DC3-DCISE Portal

A political ceasefire may pause missiles, but it rarely slows malicious packets. The DOD’s memo is a clear directive: harden your cyber posture now—or risk mission failure and contract loss later. Implement the four-phase action plan, leverage free federal resources, and get expert help if you’re short on time or talent.

Stay compliant, stay secure, and keep your competitive edge in the defense supply chain.