Educational Information Only
This page provides general educational information about cybersecurity laws and regulations. It does not constitute legal advice, legal interpretation, or a substitute for professional legal counsel. Laws change frequently. Always consult a qualified attorney and verify current requirements directly from official government sources before making compliance decisions. DecipherU is not a law firm and does not provide legal services.
Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (Cybersecurity Requirements)
DFARS clause 252.204-7012 requires defense contractors to implement cybersecurity controls from NIST SP 800-171 and report cyber incidents to DoD within 72 hours. This regulation applies to all defense contracts involving Covered Defense Information (CDI). It flows down to subcontractors at all tiers in the defense supply chain.
Quick Reference
Key Requirements
DFARS 252.204-7012(b)(2)(ii)(A)
Contractors must implement NIST SP 800-171 security requirements on covered contractor information systems
DFARS 252.204-7012(c)(1)
Report cyber incidents to DoD within 72 hours of discovery via the DIBNet portal
DFARS 252.204-7012(c)(3)
Preserve images of affected information systems and all relevant monitoring data for 90 days after incident reporting
How Does DFARS Cyber Affect Cybersecurity Careers?
GRC analysts at defense contractors spend significant time on DFARS compliance and NIST 800-171 gap assessments. Incident responders must maintain capabilities to meet the 72-hour reporting requirement and 90-day evidence preservation. Security engineers implement and maintain the 110 NIST 800-171 controls.
How Does DFARS Cyber Affect Cybersecurity Sales?
DFARS compliance drives purchases of SIEM, endpoint security, encryption, and GRC platforms by defense contractors. Sales teams should understand how their products map to specific NIST 800-171 control families. Smaller defense subcontractors often need managed security services to achieve compliance.
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Read the full text of DFARS Cyber at the official source: https://www.acquisition.gov/dfars/252.204-7012-safeguarding-covered-defense-information-and-cyber-incident-reporting.html
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DFARS Cyber in cybersecurity?
DFARS clause 252.204-7012 requires defense contractors to implement cybersecurity controls from NIST SP 800-171 and report cyber incidents to DoD within 72 hours. This regulation applies to all defense contracts involving Covered Defense Information (CDI). It flows down to subcontractors at all tiers in the defense supply chain.
How does DFARS Cyber affect cybersecurity careers?
GRC analysts at defense contractors spend significant time on DFARS compliance and NIST 800-171 gap assessments. Incident responders must maintain capabilities to meet the 72-hour reporting requirement and 90-day evidence preservation. Security engineers implement and maintain the 110 NIST 800-171 controls.
What are the penalties for DFARS Cyber non-compliance?
Contract termination, False Claims Act liability, debarment
Educational Information Only
This page provides general educational information about cybersecurity laws and regulations. It does not constitute legal advice, legal interpretation, or a substitute for professional legal counsel. Laws change frequently. Always consult a qualified attorney and verify current requirements directly from official government sources before making compliance decisions. DecipherU is not a law firm and does not provide legal services.
Sources
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Cybersecurity law and regulation summaries are educational plain-language descriptions, not legal advice. Statutes, regulations, and enforcement guidance change frequently. Consult qualified legal counsel and verify against the official published text before relying on any summary for compliance or career decisions.