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Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) has bounced back and is poised to become a high-growth training offering in 2022. In this newsletter, we cover what has occurred in the past few months and how CMMC training will quickly become one of the hottest classes in your portfolio.
Jim Gabalski
VP, Sales and Marketing
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CMMC Is Back in Full Swing
by Jon O'Keefe, Technology Education Jedi
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“Reports of CMMC’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.” -Mark Twain, probably.
 And just like that, the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is back in full swing. As many of you may remember, in November of 2021, the Department of Defense (DoD) put a pause on CMMC 1.0 and announced a new version, CMMC 2.0, with an uncertain timeline. That timeline for CMMC 2.0 has accelerated with some great news for anyone interested in training on this critically important topic.
First, the complexity of the source material has been lessened. With CMMC 2.0, there are fewer levels and fewer controls to consider, and while the topics covered in the class are still critical, the systems are arguably easier to understand. This means the course will now have a broader audience within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) of 350,000 organizations. Whereas before, the CMMC CCP class was aimed at individuals who wanted to go on to be assessors, now CCP speaks to a wider audience including:
- Employees of Organizations Seeking CMMC Certification (OSCs)
- Information Technology (IT) and cybersecurity professionals
- Regulatory Compliance Officers
- Legal and Contract Compliance professionals
- Management professionals
- Federal employees
- Candidate CMMC Assessment team members
That is a huge list of potential training candidates that will need CMMC 2.0 training. Also, the CMMC-AB has lowered the suggested requirements for training candidates from CISSP and similar certifications to those who hold base-level IT certifications.
All of this is great news for you! With the scope of training now reaching a wider base of individuals, you will have more opportunities to sell CMMC 2.0 training than you would have under CMMC 1.0. The time is NOW to invest in offering the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification to your clients before someone else does.
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OSCs Are Easily Found
by Jim Gabalski, VP, Sales and Marketing
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 An OSC is an Organization Seeking Certification. If you follow any news on CMMC, you will hear this acronym often. An organization seeks CMMC certification to protect or earn a purchasing contract with the Department of Defense (DoD), and I suspect in the not too distant future, to win or maintain a purchasing contract with any federal government entity. Without a certificate of compliance, an organization will lose eligibility as a DoD supplier. So, they need training and a lot of it.
While the DoD does not publish a complete list with names and addresses, it’s not too hard to find organizations with contracts.
Here is a simple three-step process:
- Visit https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/.
- Find the search box which is very visible on the right-hand side of the page.
- Type the name of the company that you are working with in the search box and hit Enter.
What you will see is a series of results for any contracts that have been awarded with that company’s name in it. If results appear, you can stop right there as you know that your target company has been awarded a contract and is going to need to become CMMC-certified. If you dig a little deeper into the types of awards, you can gain some insight into the type of CUI (Controlled Unclassified Information) they are likely handling and how sensitive it might be. You’ve found an OSC! Try it with Raytheon and you will see how it works—many awards will appear.
If no results appear, try different names associated with your target company. The government uses legal names so make sure you are not using a DBA (Doing Business As) name. If all else fails, just ask. Most companies either have an agreement or are seeking an agreement with the federal government, but they may not have been awarded a contract yet—these will be most eager to become trained in CMMC. Keep in mind that CMMC compliance only applies to organizations that do business or seek doing business with the Department of Defense. For now, at least. So, ask about the DoD first and then extend the conversation to other paths for doing business with the federal government including GSA and FSS. We’ll cover those if/when CMMC becomes applicable, but all government contractors/suppliers need to enhance cybersecurity, so don’t shy away from the conversation.
Once you have found an OSC, the CMMC conversation will take off! And so will your training opportunities.
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CertNexus CFR-410: Prepare IT Professionals with Skill that CMMC 2.0 Requires
by Jim Gabalski, VP, Sales and Marketing
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CMMC 2.0 is designed to align with NIST 800.171. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is focused on creating critical measurement solutions and promoting equitable standards, with an emphasis on use of technology. Special Publication 800-171 provides requirements for protecting the confidentiality of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) which is what CMMC is all about.
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CertNexus COO
and Product Officer
Megan Smith Branch
introduces
CFR-410 in this video.
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Cybersecurity is the responsibility of every technical professional within an organization that is required to be CMMC compliant. CertNexus' CyberSec First Responder® - 410 validates personnel skill across all five (5) areas of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. CFR-410 aligns with the compliance requirements of SP 800-171 including Incident Response, Audit and Accountability, and Risk Assessment. This certification is a must-have for any IT Professional tasked with supporting a CMMC compliance program.
CFR is the most holistic, vendor-neutral, intermediate-level certification program approved by the Department of Defense and accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). A student achieving this certification will have the training and skills to identify breaches quicker, protect against future incidents, defend against potential threats, respond when incidents occur, and recover data that is breached.
Learn more about CFR-410 by downloading an outline and providing your customers with more information using the CertNexus CFR-410 sell sheet.
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Download the CertNexus CFR-410 Marketing Kit
by Jim Gabalski, VP, Sales and Marketing
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CFR-410 is here! CertNexus has developed several valuable assets to help you start selling CFR-410.
In the CertNexus CFR-410 marketing kit, you'll find:
- Social media images to pique your followers' interest.
- An email template to share with your student network.
- A sales sheet to share with students during prerequisite courses—with space to add your contact information.
- A video that can be shared on your own site and social media.
- A PowerPoint deck with information you can share with clients.
Download the CertNexus CFR-410 marketing kit.
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CMMC 2.0: We'll Be Ready. Here's What You Need to Know.
by Nancy Curtis, VP, Content
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 As one of the few Licensed Partner Publishers with CMMC-AB Approved Training Material (CATM), Logical Operations was excited to learn from the CMMC Accreditation Body (AB) that the Department of Defense (DoD) approved the CMMC Model 2.0 version of the Certified CMMC Professional (CCP) exam blueprint. We went right to work with our distinguished team of SMEs to make required additions and revisions to our popular CCP curriculum to align it with Model 2.0 and the new blueprint!
There are a couple of gates to pass through before we can release updated CCP CATM:
- The DoD must approve the CMMC-AB’s Model 2.0 version of the CMMC Assessment Process (CAP) document. The CAP is the reference source for a significant portion of the required course coverage.
- With the updated CAP in hand, we hope to submit updated content for the required accreditation review early in Q2.
- We don’t yet know the process or timeline for courseware re-accreditation. Our goal is to get updated pre-release materials in your hands for your preparation when we submit for review - or even before.
So look for Model 2.0 CCP curriculum coming soon! And stay tuned for more: the CMMC-AB has also recently released the Certified CMMC Assessor (CCA) blueprint, so it won’t be long before we’ll get cracking on CCA courseware as well.
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CCP Is Foundational Cybersecurity
by Tamara Hagen, Instructional Designer
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 Because CMMC Model 2.0 is essentially a subset of the Model 1.0 standard, Logical Operations’ updated Certified CMMC Professional (CCP) curriculum will be even easier to deliver and will appeal to an even broader audience than before.
We see the new CCP as a foundational course in the field of IT and cybersecurity because it is centered around NIST SP 800-171, which provides a strong baseline for protecting sensitive information, whether it is your company’s proprietary information or the government’s.
The CMMC-AB suggests that the CCP course is right for:
- Prospective assessors and assessment team members
- Cybersecurity and technical consultants
- Planning and implementation staff within Organizations Seeking CMMC Certification (OSCs):
- IT and cybersecurity professionals
- Regulatory, legal, and contract compliance officers
- Operational managers
- Organizational leaders
- Federal employees
In other words – almost anyone who plays a role in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) can benefit from the CCP 2.0 course.
You’ll likely see these changes in the CCP course once we align it with Model 2.0:
- Updated content about the redesigned levels in the CMMC Model.
- New content about the modified program requirements and timelines.
- New content about self-assessments and third-party assessments.
- New content about preparing an OSC for assessment by fostering a culture of cybersecurity.
- Expanded content about the Level 1 practices that will include coverage of the assessment objectives needed to confidently self-attest compliance.
- New content on the updated CMMC documentation - assessment guides, scoping guidance, and the artifact hashing tool user guide.
- New content about plans of actions and milestones (POA&Ms).
- Updated content about the phases in the CMMC Assessment Process (CAP).
What won’t change are all the great qualities that have already made the LO curriculum so popular throughout the CMMC training community:
- The focus on presentation materials, student engagement, and instructor support.
- Rich instructor slide decks with detailed delivery suggestions.
- A student courseware manual featuring:
- Searchable replicas of all the presentation slides.
- Scripted interactive activities.
- A complete Glossary and Index.
- An exam-mapping document to help students coordinate their exam preparation.
The updates to the CCP course will make it a foundational cybersecurity resource for both OSC teams looking to implement CMMC requirements and for future assessment team members and assessors. It will provide the knowledge and tools to help validate CMMC compliance, whether it is in preparation for a self-assessment report to the DoD or for an assessment by a C3PAO.
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Don't Stop Believin' in CMMC 1.0
by Nancy Curtis, VP, Content
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 Keep up your momentum with existing CMMC training! We’ve been thrilled with the popularity of Logical Operations’ current Certified CMMC Professional (CCP) during this interim period. We know it’s because you and your students recognize its value and relevance.
Because CMMC Model 1.0 is a superset of CMMC Model 2.0, the Certified CMMC Professional (CCP) courseware offers great benefits to the huge numbers of planners, implementers, and consultants who will be prepping organizations for CMMC.
And it’s also great for prospective certified CMMC professionals and future assessors. Taking this version of the course will give them even more information, context, and background to help them do their jobs. And taking the course now is risk-free for your learners, because the CMMC-AB will be providing complimentary online bridge training between now and the release of the Model 2.0-aligned exams.
So keep filling those classrooms, and don’t stop believing in the power and potential of CMMC!
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| Latest Product Highlights |
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Content Revisions
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Logical Operations revises student and instructor materials based on technical changes, customer feedback, and our own assessment of necessary changes. The revision notes for the most recent updates are below as well as posted on the Content Revisions page. Use this page as a resource to quickly access and view all revision details for any of our recent course updates.
Reminder: When viewing a product on the store, check the Revision Information tab to see the summary description of the most recent revision for that product at any time.
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Syndicus NACON and Logical Operations to Launch Cybersecurity Recruiting Center of Excellence
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 John SciandraFounder andCEOSyndicus NACON |
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Syndicus NACON and Logical Operations have announced a strategic partnership to create a cybersecurity training and placement program called Cybersecurity Recruiting Center of Excellence (CRCE). The focus is on developing and placing IT professionals with cybersecurity skills necessary to safeguard critical infrastructure for organizations of all types, especially those impacted by new regulations designed to protect sensitive government information.
“We developed CRCE, the Syndicus NACON Cybersecurity Recruiting Center of Excellence, to recruit outstanding candidates and match them with best-fit employers,” said Lt. John Sciandra (Retired), Founder and CEO of Syndicus NACON. “When those candidates need training, the Syndicus NACON Cyber Academy (SNCA) provides the upskilling service that prepares them to address the cybersecurity needs of our CRCE clients. We are proud to partner with Logical Operations and CertNexus to be the content provider for SNCA.”
Read the full press release.
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Register for the CMMC Tech Talk on March 8
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Join Jedi Jon's next Tech Talk about CMMC to learn more about the training opportunities that CMMC presents and what you can do now to start taking advantage of those opportunities.
He'll cover:
- A brief background on CMMC 2.0
- Target organizations and job titles
- Common questions to start with
- Overcoming objections
Register for the CMMC Tech Talk now.
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Invite Your Clients to the DX Tech Talk on February 22
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Not sure how to start the conversation about digital transformation with your clients? Looking for additional content to share with them? Let us help! We're holding an exclusive digital transformation Tech Talk for students on Tuesday, February 22.
Invite your clients to this 30-minute Tech Talk with Jedi Jon so they can learn about digital transformation and how proper training in specific digital topics can make the difference between a successful organization and one that lives on only in a Google search.
Register your clients for the Tech Talk now and download this sample email template that you can edit as you see fit, and then send to your clients.
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February 2022 Instructor Excellence Award: Beverlee Frazier
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Beverlee Frazier
Microsoft CertifiedTrainer (MCT)New Horizons Tampa Bay |
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Beverlee Frazier is a seasoned instructor at New Horizons of Tampa Bay with 20+ years of experience. Her skills cover a wide array of topics including Desktop Applications, ITIL, DevOps, Scrum Master, and she is also a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). She takes great pride in being an outstanding instructor with a keen focus on preparing adult learners for success in the corporate world through computer training.
Before becoming an instructor, Beverlee graduated college with a management degree. After graduation, she took a job in a sales role selling computers for nearly four years. Beverlee was a natural on the showroom floor and making the big sale was important to her. But what she enjoyed most about her sales role was the feeling she got when she was able to help people understand how computers work. She loved the social interaction those experiences brought her and really enjoyed the fact that she was helping people learn - making a difference in their lives. Moving on from that role, Beverlee interviewed at a training facility for a sales role, but was told that she seemed like a perfect fit for the teaching job they had open. “I’m so glad that I was given that advice because I took it, and the rest is history.” Accepting that role as an instructor meant taking her newfound passion for educating to new heights, and she couldn’t have been more excited to begin that journey.
Beverlee owes her continued love of teaching to her students, who she says inspire her every day. “I still get excited. Every morning when we get started, I just enjoy it and try to take the technical stuff and put it in plain English. I really try to help my students connect with the topics they are learning about on a deeper level.” Beverlee takes pride in the fact that she helps people move their careers forward. “Sometimes I’m teaching individuals that are currently unemployed, sometimes I’m teaching veterans, and then you've got the professionals. In each of those cases, I'm helping people better themselves and enhance their earning potential. I find it inspiring and I don't hope to ever do anything else.”
Beverlee is an accomplished instructor but has also faced a common obstacle most instructors have dealt with these past few years - moving from in-person to teaching virtually. “When the COVID-19 pandemic began, I did not have any comfort level in using virtual classroom technology. I'm such a people person and I feed off my students’ expressions and energy.” Committed to making the adjustment, Beverlee focused on the positive aspects of virtual training including the convenience of instructing from home and being able to take breaks more frequently - a key to a successful virtual training event. “Now that I’ve mastered it, if I had to choose between teaching in-person or virtual, I would choose virtual because of the flexibility it provides for my students and for me.”
As for her plans for the future, Beverlee has decided to expand her instructional skills well beyond her current portfolio. “I spent a year putting a lot of study and effort into Scrum and DevOps. All of the work I put in to really learn about those two topics is just now starting to pay off in the classroom.” In addition to that, 2022 is going to be about solidifying her teaching expertise. “All of my classes are prepped and I am ready to teach, but I plan to go back and strengthen my presentations. Additionally, I am going to focus on Business Intelligence training topics because I truly find them fascinating.”
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February 2022 Instructor Excellence Award: Jarrett Heintz
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Jarrett Heintz
Dark Web CouncilMember andBootcamp InstructorTraining Camp
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Jarrett Heintz is an expert Dark Web Instructor, Dark Web Council Member, and Bootcamp Instructor working with The Training Camp. He enjoys helping others dive deep into topics in the world of IT, especially challenging topics like the Dark Web. In addition to helping his students develop their comfort and confidence, his passion is growing his own knowledge and value. “I love working with people and talking about the stuff I love, growing my own skills, and being able to make a living in the process.”
After years of having an interest in computers, Jarrett decided to take a 2-week bootcamp course and discovered that not only did he really like the format for certification and education, but he was also really interested in having a greater role in it. “I chatted with the instructor who was teaching the bootcamp course I was taking, and he mentioned that they're always looking for new instructors. Within a few months, I was transforming my interest in IT into an educational role.” According to Jarrett, teaching is somewhat of a family business, and coming from a long line of educators, he had always hoped he would end up teaching in some capacity.
Jarrett was thriving in his role as an instructor when three years ago, he became a member of the Dark Web Council. The Dark Web Council consists of Cybersecurity professionals looking to educate other Cybersecurity professionals on the positive uses of the Dark Web. “The group was trying to find their voice and they had a great premise with great ideas, but they were missing the last piece of the puzzle - a teachable class. They invited me in to add that missing piece. Over the next year and a half, we took all their great ideas, the collective experience of the group, and created powerful classes.” The Dark Web Council aims to show defenders how to leverage the Dark Web into a vital facet of a risk management strategy. “It is designed to help shine a light on those dark corners of the web. It is important for professionals and organizations to understand the Dark Web so that they can use it to their advantage," says Jarrett. When it comes to his involvement in Dark Web training, the more he puts into it, the more he wants to learn. His (and the Dark Web Council team’s) goal is to make people aware of the inherent dangers facing their data.
When asked about the future, Jarrett says he is focused on continuing his work with the Dark Web Council and advancing the training. Jarrett explains that the field of IT is ever-changing and that always keeps him busy. “The beauty of IT, and with information security specifically, is that we're always a couple of days away from something new and different. It's a moving target. Being able to stay involved with information security topics, development of training material, and training delivery is exciting and fun. It's so volatile and requires constantly being plugged into the latest and greatest. That volatility is what keeps me interested. I'm in awe of technology. I'm still amazed by what we can do with technology. I have an ongoing childlike wonder with it all."
Jarrett is a Master Dark Web Instructor and one of a few in the world that teaches CDWA which prepares students for CDWA Certification.
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Submit Your Instructor Nominations for March
 We're recognizing instructors who have reached key milestones and made a meaningful impact in the training world. Do you want to nominate an instructor who you feel deserves to be recognized in the next Logically Speaking? Visit the Instructor Spotlight page to get more insight into what the Instructor Spotlight is all about.
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Free CyberSec First Responder 410 Digital Instructor Kit and Train the Trainer Video
by Jon O'Keefe, Technology Education Jedi
 CFR-410 is here! Calling ALL INSTRUCTORS who hold at least one of the following certifications:
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+)
- EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
You are eligible to receive a free CyberSec First Responder (CFR-410) digital instructor kit that includes a Train the Trainer video. Prepare to offer CFR alongside any of the certifications listed above.
You can also get a 25% discount on the CFR exam voucher.
To qualify for this offer you must:
- Hold one of the certifications listed above in good standing
- Have taught a class on that certification within the last 12 months
- Contact JediJon@logicaloperations.com with proof of 1 and 2
We can’t wait for you to check out the newest version of CFR-410 and start offering it to your students this year!
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Three Tips to Help with Distractions
by Jon O'Keefe, Technology Education Jedi
One of the biggest challenges with teaching online is keeping students from getting distracted. Here are three tips for keeping student distraction to a minimum:
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Ask lots of questions. Students should be engaged every 7-10 minutes in an online class at a minimum. This means asking all the students questions they can reasonably answer. Sometimes these questions should directly relate to the content you are teaching, and other times they may just be quick check-in questions to make sure your students haven’t picked up their phones. Students want engagement, and they need more of it in an online class.
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Use a variety of content. It is harder for students to focus on the person over the screen in an online class, so keep their attention by using interesting slides, music, clips from videos, activities, and other fun resources.
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Address the “elephant in the room” at the beginning of class. If you ignore the fact that your students might get distracted, they will definitely get distracted. Plan lots of breaks for your class and tell your students the break schedule, then ask them to close their other browser windows and put their phones away.
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Keeping distractions to a minimum is a challenge, but with the right techniques, it is possible to run an engaging online class that keeps students interested. If you are interested in learning more about these tips, the Modern Classroom Certified Trainer (MCCT) program can help you elevate your online classes and keep your students engaged from start to finish. And, MCCT is pre-approved by the ATD Certification Institute to offer educational programs that can be used towards initial eligibility and recertification of the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) and Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) credentials.
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Kim Alvarez Joins the Client Services Team
by Chandra Foster, VP, Global Client Services
Client Services has added a new member to its team! Kim Alvarez comes to us with 8 years of experience working with customers at Logical Operations and our sister company, CertNexus. She brings a wide range of skills including advanced product knowledge, problem-solving, and leadership. We are excited to have her on our team.
Call or email Kim now for more information on our product offerings located at store.logicaloperations.com.
Chandra Foster
VP, Global Client Services
assist@logicaloperations.com
1-800-456-4677 option 2
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Jeff Bobzin: A Father, a Friend, a Fan
1979 - 2022
by Chandra Foster, VP, Global Client Services
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Logical Operations lost one of our own in January. Jeff Bobzin, Operations Manager, lost his battle with cancer at age 42. He was a dedicated employee of Logical Operations for 22 years. We are mourning the loss of not only a co-worker but of a friend.
Jeff tackled his illness like he did his job, with confidence and a can-do attitude. He was the calm force behind making the production team so stream-lined and effective. Jeff was well respected among his team and coworkers.
What we remember most about Jeff is he was a diehard Los Angeles Dodgers fan. He never missed a game and wore his jersey proudly. One of his dreams was to go to the World Series, which he did in 2018. He supported his team no matter what happened, he carried this support over to his job and his family.
Jeff had two beautiful children who adored him and a loving wife of 15 years. They were his whole world and he enjoyed bringing them to work, which was probably not a thrill for them, but it was for us. His children will carry on with their dad’s strength and courage that he embodied throughout his life.
Logical Operations will never forget Jeff, he was one of the finest men we’ve known. He was a leader, a fighter, a supporter, and a friend. We will miss you, Jeff, but your memory will never be forgotten.
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Join the 
