Wayland Pearce

CMMC readiness is no longer optional for DoD contractors in 2025. Many organizations understand the requirements, but struggle with implementation, documentation, and evidence that actually stands up during assessment. We just published a practical guide that explains: • What CMMC readiness really means today • Common gaps that cause failed assessments • How to align NIST 800-171 with real-world environments • How to prepare faster without overspending If your organization handles CUI or supports DoD contracts, this is a must-read. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gQg9gyrG If you’re unsure where you stand, we also offer a free consultation to help you understand next steps clearly. #CMMC #CMMCReadiness #NIST800171 #DoDContractors #CybersecurityCompliance #FederalContracting #DefenseIndustry #Microsoft365Security

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If you sell into the DoD supply chain, CMMC 2.0 isn't optional anymore. Level 2 means 110 controls from NIST SP 800-171. Self-attestation gets you to the starting line. C3PAO assessment gets you certified. The companies failing this aren't failing on the controls. They're failing on the evidence — System Security Plan that doesn't match reality, POA&M with no closure dates, gap analysis from 18 months ago. RealCISO maps your posture against 800-171 directly, tracks remediation against each control, and keeps your SSP and evidence in sync. When the C3PAO walks in, you're not scrambling. You're handing them a binder. #CMMC #DoD #NIST800171 #DefenseContractor

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Passed your CCNA… and still can’t get hired? It’s not because the cert doesn’t work. It’s because most people use it wrong. In this episode, I break down the biggest mistakes people make after passing CCNA: • Applying for roles they’re not ready for • Targeting the wrong job titles • Jumping to CCNP too fast • Quitting the job search too soon Your cert opens the door. Your strategy gets you through it. 🎯 Get in the door first… then navigate back to networking. #CCNA #ITCareer #Networking #BreakIntoTech #TechJobs

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CompTIA just released their new Security AI+ certification on Feb 17th. What are folks' thoughts? Is this something worth studying for and obtaining? I'm curious because AI is clearly the direction the world is heading, and I believe understanding how it connects to cybersecurity is important. Has anyone looked into it yet? What's your take? I want to hear from the community. #Cybersecurity #AI #CompTIA #SecurityPlus #CareerDevelopment

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What does it take to forge Mission-Ready Cyber Leaders? At the 20th Annual AFCEA OKC Cyber & Tech Forum, I had the honor of presenting on how WGU is creating pathways for Active duty, Veterans, Dependents & Civilian professionals in cybersecurity. I shared how our Bachelor's and Master's in Cybersecurity & Information Assurance programs include industry certifications that industry demands. From WGU Academy single courses to our open skills library, we're meeting service members where they are in their careers. What makes WGU different? Our competency-based education model allows military learners to accelerate through material they already know while diving deep into new skills. This approach creates real pathways to opportunities not just degrees on paper. To our military community: your experience is valuable, and the right education can amplify that value in the cyber workforce. #MilitaryEducation #Cybersecurity #Veterans

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Happy Monday LinkedInville! We made it through another weekend and we are hitting the ground running with some new #unpopularopinion: “The ‘#cybertalent shortage’ isn’t real. It’s a hiring bias problem. Everyone in cybersecurity has heard it: “We have a talent shortage. Millions of unfilled jobs!” Be it from the media or right here on social media. But when you peel back the layers, it’s not about missing people...it’s really about broken hiring systems. Let's break it down "barney-style" 1. Job Descriptions Written by Unicorn Hunters - We advertise jobs for “junior analysts” that ask for 5 years of Splunk, 10 years of a programming language that has only existed for 5, and...of course a CISSP. - What we’re really saying: “We want a fully trained, battle-tested operator for entry-level pay.” - These roles go unfilled not because the talent doesn’t exist, but because the expectation is delusional. 2. Credential Gatekeeping and Fetishism - Degrees, certs, and alphabet soup are used as proxies for skill. - Demanding advanced level certifications before someone ever gets their first SOC job. Translation: “We won’t train you. We only hire finished products.” Instead of testing skill, we test résumés. That’s not shortage; it’s self-sabotage. 3. Systemic Bias - “Culture fit” =is often code for looks like us, thinks like us. - Veterans get ignored because their experience doesn’t map neatly to HR buzzwords, even though they defended networks under fire because they don’t have the “right letters.” - Bootcamp grads and self-taught hackers who live and breathe the work because they don’t have a bachelor’s in cybersecurity and didn't follow the traditional path. - Neurodiverse talent? Often written off because they don’t interview like salespeople. - Women, people of color, and career changers are regularly told they’re “not ready” while less capable insiders get promoted. - That isn’t a pipeline problem...it’s bias, disguised as standards. 4. Pay & Retention Problems - We underpay people and then act shocked when they bounce to vendors or FAANG for 2x the money. - Burning people out with 24/7 on-call, low pay, and no career path isn’t a shortage...it’s churn plain and simple. - Many “open roles” exist only because companies can’t keep the people they already had. 5. Leadership Denial - Boards love to parrot “millions of unfilled jobs” because it absolves them of accountability. - It’s easier to say “there aren’t enough people” than to admit “we refuse to train, mentor, or pay them.” - We keep chasing frameworks and buzzwords instead of fixing the obvious: our hiring and retention processes aren't just broken, they are completely shattered. BL: The cyber talent shortage is a myth. What we really have is a courage shortage in leadership. Leadership willing to break bias, invest in training, and build real career paths. #unpopularopinionguy

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DoD contractors: Are you CMMC fluent? If you're still unclear about the relationship between DFARS and NIST 800-171 —or what role a C3PAO plays in the ecosystem—this blog is for you Megin Kennett CCP breaks down core definitions and acronyms behind CMMC compliance so you can prepare with clarity and confidence. 🗣️ 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼. R𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗻𝗼𝘄: https://cstu.io/cc166a #GovCon #CMMC #Cybersecurity #ComplianceMadeSimple #NeoSystem

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Peraton Wins NETCOM Global Cyber Center Contract To Strengthen Army’s Cyber Defenses ==>> https://lnkd.in/ew57ZPWU Peraton | Steven Schorer | Ravi Dankanikote

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Week 7 of MSSA is complete. This week we began PowerShell. There was a lot to unpack in a single week, and fortunately we are far from finished with this topic. We started with cmdlet structure and syntax, along with learning how to effectively use the built-in help features. From there, we moved into variables, arrays, WMI versus CIM, and querying data. PowerShell is an area I want to become far more proficient in. It will take time, but the utility is absolutely worth the effort. This weekend I began putting in that additional time, using PowerShell to manage my home lab environment. I focused on AD DS management tasks such as quickly building organizational units and performing bulk user creation within a domain. Applying the concepts outside the classroom reinforced how powerful automation can be in improving efficiency and consistency. Beyond the technical work, each Friday we continue to speak with Microsoft employees to better understand their roles and responsibilities. Since one of the positions I’m particularly interested in is Cloud Solutions Architect, I’ve appreciated that several of the mentors have CSA experience. These conversations have been extremely valuable, especially as I try to better understand the relationship between a CSA and the customer. My career has taught me the importance of building strong partnerships through understanding needs, establishing trust, and exercising influence effectively. It was encouraging to hear how CSAs are positioned to serve as proactive, educational, and trusted advisors. For those of you who have served as a CSA, or worked with one, what capability or mindset do you believe most consistently drives success in the role? #MSSA #Microsoft #EnterpriseIT #VeteransInTech

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Two more TryHackMe rooms down today — Biblioteca and Mnemonic — both medium difficulty, both with kill chains worth breaking down. But first: passed CompTIA A+ Core 2 this afternoon. Core 1 was Monday. Two exams in five days. That one felt good. Then I got back on the keyboard. Biblioteca was a clean demonstration of how layered a simple web app can be: 🔹 SQL injection on the login form to bypass authentication 🔹 sqlmap to dump the database and extract plaintext credentials 🔹 Password reuse to move laterally between users 🔹 Python library hijacking via SETENV in a misconfigured sudo entry to escalate to root The sudo entry looked completely harmless — run this one Python script, nothing else. But SETENV meant I could set PYTHONPATH, redirect the import to my own fake library, and own the box the moment the script ran. A reminder that "restricted" sudo entries aren't always as restricted as they appear. Mnemonic was a different animal entirely: 🔹 FTP enumeration and brute force for initial access 🔹 A password-protected zip cracked with john 🔹 An SSH private key buried in one of ten decoy FTP directories 🔹 A custom image-based cipher to recover the next user's password — except the key image had changed since the room was built in 2020, breaking the tool entirely 🔹 The fix: find the GCD of all encoded values to mathematically recover the original encryption key I'm not going to pretend I had all the answers. I got kicked off the box by an IDS countdown timer at one point. 😂 But that's part of it — the stumbles teach you things the clean path never would. The big takeaway across both rooms: tools fail. Enumeration beats automation. And understanding WHY something works matters more than knowing THAT it works. Onward. 🚀 #TryHackMe #CompTIA #CyberSecurity #PenetrationTesting #EthicalHacking #CTF #NeverStopLearning

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🚧 Friday Reflection: Building Connections & Learning New Paths 🏗️ First off a big shout out to Chaze Patrick, MPA, SHRM-CP from INvets for the great conversation and for the work being done to connect veterans with meaningful opportunities. Always grateful for those who help bridge the gap between military experience and civilian careers. This week I had the opportunity to attend a hiring event where I learned more about construction project management. One of the highlights was speaking with a Project Manager from The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. The conversation gave me real insight into how leadership, scheduling, and risk management play out on the ground in large scale construction projects. It was eye opening to see how closely the skills I have honed in project management, risk mitigation, and leading cross functional teams align with the world of construction projects. What stood out most is that whether it is in aviation, defense, IT, or construction success still comes down to the same fundamentals: ✔️ Clear communication ✔️ Strong leadership ✔️ Staying on time and on budget ✔️ Building trust with your team It reminded me that careers much like construction projects are about laying strong foundations, adapting to challenges, and building something that lasts. 👉 I would love to hear from my network: What is one skill you have carried from one industry to another that surprised you in how valuable it was? #ProjectManagement #Leadership #ConstructionManagement #ProgramManagement #CareerTransition #VeteranLeadership #MilitaryToCivilian #FridayMotivation #FridayReflection #RiskMitigation #Teamwork #CareerGrowth #DigitalTransformation #Networking #BuildingTheFuture #HiringEvents #ProfessionalDevelopment #INvets

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Remote? Hybrid? Cleared? Yep… it’s complicated 😅 But agencies are shifting. 2026 = more hybrid roles, tighter controls, and smarter secure-remote setups. #ClearedCareers #SecurityClearance #HybridWork #FutureOfWork #DefenseJobs

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In the last 24 hours I have seen multiple posts articulating two unique perspectives on IT and cybersecurity. The first was from someone with many years of experience and certifications. Their stance is if you don't have years of experience and the certifications to go with them you are of little value to those fields. The second was written from the perspective of a recent graduate. They pointed out the difficulty in landing a job because a number of "entry level" positions require years of experience and certifications. The post culminated with the million-dollar question of how to gain entry level experience if you can't land a position advertised as entry level. In my opinion, if you don't see the value in hiring aspiring professionals with an education you are selling yourself, your team, and the customer short. Should they be filling managerial positions, no. Should they fall under a mentor who can guide them in applying what they learned to real world situations, yes. Those same aspiring professionals you try to convince aren't good enough are the ones willing to meet the challenges of tomorrow. If you are in a managerial/lead position you have an inherent responsibility to build your team for the future. If you are an aspiring professional, you need to be realistic in your job search. Yes, you have a higher level of knowledge in those fields, but you are not landing a $200k position the day you graduate. If you aren't trying to gain some type of experience in home labs or volunteer opportunities, you are hurting yourself. Both sides need to be more realistic. Gatekeeping does not professionalize the workforce. Unwillingness to start at the bottom and build that IT portfolio does not inspire confidence in perspective employers. When you do land that position you need to hit the ground running and work on skill sets during off hours. Leads need to be willing to mentor and treat mistakes as learning opportunities.

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