Georgia Southern’s Talon Secure Earns CMMC Level 2 Certification

Georgia Southern University announced that its Talon Secure research environment has earned Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2, receiving a perfect assessment score with no deficiencies across 14 security categories. The certification demonstrates that the environment has met applicable cybersecurity requirements for handling protected information within the scope of the assessment. For government contractors, the result is relevant when evaluating universities and other research organizations that may support defense-funded work involving controlled or otherwise protected information.

The certification creates a potential pathway for Georgia Southern researchers to participate in Department of War-funded projects that require CMMC Level 2 protections. The university may be considered as a research partner or subcontractor by prime contractors, research institutions, and other organizations pursuing applicable defense work. This is a capability signal rather than a procurement announcement: the source identifies no specific solicitation, contract, grant, or award associated with the certification.

For primes and prospective research collaborators, Talon Secure’s status may help inform due diligence on the security environment supporting a proposed project. Contractors can assess whether the certified environment aligns with a particular effort’s requirements, including the type of information involved and the applicable contract clauses and cybersecurity obligations. CMMC Level 2 certification alone does not establish eligibility for every Department of War or Department of Defense opportunity, nor does it replace project-specific review of scope, partner responsibilities, or other requirements.

Georgia Southern’s security leadership emphasized that the assessment addressed operational practice as well as documented controls. Chief Information Security Officer Nic Carroll said: “The assessment confirmed our protections are followed in practice, not just written down, and that is what gives our researchers an environment they can trust.” That distinction can matter to contractors assessing university research environments: a documented security program and evidence that protections are implemented are both relevant considerations when deciding whether a partner can support work involving protected information.

• Georgia Southern University’s Talon Secure earned CMMC Level 2 certification.
• The assessment produced a perfect score and identified no deficiencies across 14 security categories.
• The certification may support participation in Department of War-funded research requiring the applicable protections.
• Georgia Southern could be considered as a research partner or subcontractor on qualifying defense-funded projects.
• Prime contractors and research institutions can evaluate Talon Secure when identifying university partners for work involving protected information.
• The certification is not evidence of a specific solicitation, contract, grant, or award; none was identified in the source.
• CMMC Level 2 status does not automatically qualify the university or a project for every Department of War or Department of Defense opportunity.
• Contractors should verify that the environment’s certification and project arrangements match the requirements of the specific effort.
• Carroll described the assessment as confirmation that protections are followed in practice, not merely documented.