
The 72-Hour Clock: What SMB Defense Contractors Must Do After a Breach
You just discovered a breach. Systems are down. Data may be compromised.
Your first instinct? Wipe the machines and get back online.
Stop. That instinct could end your federal contracts.
For SMB defense contractors, a cyber incident triggers two simultaneous crises. The first is the attack itself. The second, and often more damaging, is a compliance failure caused by improper incident response. Federal incident reporting requirements under CMMC, FISMA, and DFARS are not suggestions. They are contractual obligations with hard deadlines, forensic standards, and serious consequences for non-compliance.
Here is what the 72-hour clock actually demands of you.


