Specialized Asset

Specialized Asset is a distinct category in the CMMC Level 2 scoping model for assets that are difficult or impossible to assess through normal means. The category includes: Government Furnished Equipment (GFE), Internet of Things (IoT) devices, Operational Technology (OT) systems, Restricted Information Systems, and test equipment.

Specialized Assets are documented in the SSP and the asset inventory but are not subject to the full set of NIST SP 800-171 requirements in the same way as standard Information Systems. Instead, the contractor describes how each specialized asset is protected through compensating controls and physical isolation.

A C3PAO will review the specialized asset list and the compensating controls. This category is often abused — contractors trying to declare ordinary workstations as 'specialized' to avoid full assessment will be challenged.