DoD-standard data security for a leading GCC cyber security provider

Starting point

Our client, one of the region's leading cyber security providers, needed a data-security posture defensible against the most demanding customers in its pipeline — including sovereign and defence buyers requiring alignment to US Department of Defense standards (NIST SP 800-171, CMMC concepts), international standards (ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27701, ISO/IEC 27017/18) and multiple national regulations in the markets it serves. The existing model had been assembled organically as the business grew and could not evidence, at auditor grade, how sensitive customer data was classified, protected, monitored and disposed of end-to-end.

What we did

We ran a full diagnostic of the current state — data flows, systems, third parties, controls and evidence — mapped against every applicable standard in one traceable control matrix. From there we designed a new data-security operating model with clear ownership across the CISO, DPO, legal, product and operations functions; a redesigned organization with the roles, headcount and skills required to operate it; and a complete process framework covering classification, access, encryption and key management, DLP, secure development, third-party risk, incident response and secure disposal. We then managed the end-to-end implementation — technology deployment, policy rollout, training and independent readiness assessments — until each control was live and evidenced.

“One control matrix. Every standard. Evidence produced once — and defensible in front of the most demanding buyer in the pipeline.”

Why it worked

Two design choices carried the programme. First, one control matrix mapped to every standard — so a single implemented control satisfied DoD, ISO and national requirements simultaneously, and audit evidence was produced once. Second, the operating model was built for the way the client actually delivered work — engineers, MSSP shifts, customer-embedded teams — rather than a generic corporate template that would have been ignored in practice.