Georgia Tech's Shield Research Environment Earns Top Rating in Federal Cybersecurity Assessment
Georgia Tech’s secure research enclave, Shield, has achieved Level 2 Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) following a Certified Third-Party Assessor Organization (C3PAO) assessment. This positions the Institute among a select group of organizations with independently validated cybersecurity controls designed to safeguard Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and support defense-related research. Shield received the Supplier Performance Risk System’s highest rating of 110, meeting all 110 CMMC-required security practices.
The assessment evaluated Shield against CMMC Level 2 requirements, a framework established by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to protect sensitive information. The review examined cybersecurity processes and controls across multiple domains, including access control, incident response, configuration management, system security, and risk management.
"Strong research depends on strong operational foundations,” said Bill Dracos, Georgia Tech’s chief Research operations officer. “This certification validates the systems, processes, and partnerships we've built across Georgia Tech to safeguard sensitive information, support our researchers, and ensure we remain a trusted partner for government-sponsored research."
As federal sponsors continue to place greater emphasis on cybersecurity, institutions conducting DoD-related research must demonstrate their ability to protect sensitive information. The successful assessment provides additional assurance to sponsors, partners, and researchers that Georgia Tech has implemented the security controls necessary to support this work.
"Completing the CMMC assessment is a significant milestone for Georgia Tech," said Joe Lewis, associate vice president for Information Technology and chief information security officer. "Earning a perfect score reflects months of planning, collaboration, and dedication from teams across the Institute that worked together to build and maintain a secure research environment that meets rigorous federal requirements."
In 2025, the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research, in partnership with the Office of Information Technology's Cybersecurity department, launched the Shield initiative to support research projects involving CMMC and requiring enhanced cybersecurity measures. Shield provides researchers and principal investigators with a secure, functional platform for conducting sponsored research involving CUI, while meeting DoD security requirements.
The C3PAO assessment outcome strengthens Georgia Tech's ability to support existing DoD-sponsored research and compete for future opportunities that require compliance with federal cybersecurity standards.
"This achievement demonstrates Georgia Tech's dedication to research excellence, cybersecurity, and compliance," Lewis added. "It reflects the commitment of teams across the Institute to building secure research capabilities that support both our researchers and our sponsors."