Cybersecurity Services for the Defense Industrial Base
If your business sells to the Department of Defense (DoD), directly or through a prime contractor, you are part of the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) and you carry compliance obligations that get audited, enforced, and flowed down through your contracts. APT Security Management helps DoD contractors and subcontractors prepare for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), close the security gaps that hold up assessments, and run the day-to-day defenses that protect Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Engagements use a prepaid token model, so you can scope work to a single project or ongoing support without locking into a long retainer.
The Security Challenges DIB Companies Face
DIB companies face a stack of requirements that civilian businesses do not. CMMC 2.0 sets baseline security practices for any contractor that touches FCI or CUI. The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clause 252.204-7012 requires NIST 800-171 alignment and 72-hour cyber incident reporting. Contractors handling export-controlled technical data also fall under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). These rules do not stop at the prime. They flow down through subcontracts to suppliers of any size.
Most of the gaps we see in DIB environments fall into a few predictable buckets:
Weak Boundary Controls
Flat networks where CUI sits on the same segment as general business traffic, with firewall rules that have not been reviewed in years.
Inadequate Email Security
Phishing is the most common entry point into DIB networks, and many small contractors still rely on default mail filtering with no advanced threat protection.
Poor Evidence Collection
Compliance is not just having a control in place, it is being able to prove the control runs every day. Screenshots, logs, configuration exports, and policy acknowledgments all need to be collected and stored.
Missing or Incomplete Audit Logging.
Endpoints and servers generate logs, but no one collects, retains, or reviews them. CMMC Level 2 requires real audit logging for CUI systems.
No System Security Plan (SSP) or Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M)
These are the two documents an assessor will ask for first. Many contractors do not have them, or have versions that have not been touched since they were drafted.
Mixed Operational Technology and Information Technology Environments
Manufacturers and parts suppliers often run production equipment on the same network as office systems, which expands the attack surface and complicates CUI scoping.
Smaller subcontractors face an additional problem. They often have no dedicated security staff, no NIST 800-171 experience in-house, and a contract clock that does not pause for them to figure it out.
How APT Helps DIB Organizations
APT focuses on the services that move the needle for DoD contractors. We work as an advisory and integration partner. APT is not a Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) and does not perform the official Level 2 assessment. We do the work that gets you ready for it and the work that keeps you defended after.
CMMC Compliance Prep (Level 1 and Level 2)
APT's lead practitioner is a Registered Practitioner (RP) credentialed under the Cyber AB. We run gap assessments, build SSPs and POA&Ms, map your environment against the 17 Level 1 practices or all 110 Level 2 controls, and stay with you through remediation. Whether you are a small sub handling FCI only or a mid-market contractor scoping CUI systems, the engagement is structured to your actual obligation rather than a generic checklist.
Managed Detection and Response (MDR) for CUI Environments
When CUI systems need continuous monitoring, audit logging, and incident response, APT delivers MDR built utilizing vendors like Bitdefender and Sophos. Logs are collected, retained, and reviewed against the controls assessors will check.
Managed Email Security
Phishing is the path of least resistance into a DIB network. APT deploys products like those from Proofpoint to block credential harvesting, business email compromise, and payload-based phishing before it reaches user inboxes.
Operational Technology (OT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Security
For manufacturers and suppliers running production equipment alongside office IT, APT works with vendors like Claroty to map, segment, and monitor OT environments so they do not become the soft entry point into your CUI scope.
Compliance Frameworks We Support
APT helps DIB organizations prepare for and maintain compliance with:
CMMC 2.0 (Level 1 and Level 2)
The core program governing FCI and CUI handling in the DoD supply chain.
NIST 800-171
The control set that CMMC Level 2 is built on. Required for any contractor handling CUI under DFARS 252.204-7012.
DFARS 252.204-7012
The contractual clause that obligates contractors to implement 800-171 and report cyber incidents within 72 hours.
NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)
A useful baseline for contractors who want to mature beyond minimum compliance.
ITAR
For contractors handling export-controlled technical data, we help build the access controls and data handling practices that keep you defensible.
What Working with APT Looks Like
Most DIB engagements start with a gap assessment scoped to your level. You get a written report with control-by-control status, a remediation roadmap, and effort estimates. From there, you decide what to tackle in-house and where you want APT to handle the work. Reporting is delivered through one of three engagement tiers, so an owner-operator at a 12-person machine shop gets a different communication cadence than a 200-person engineering firm with a Chief Information Officer. The token model means you can buy what you need for the next phase without committing to a year-long contract you have not validated yet.
Choose Your Engagement Model
APT delivers services through three engagement models designed to fit different team sizes and communication preferences:
ravenWing
Email updates and scheduled reports. Ideal for small subcontractors with no dedicated IT staff.
ravenGuard
Client portal, role-specific reports, and scheduled meetings. Ideal for growing contractors with internal IT.
ravenSentinel
Custom dashboards, strategy sessions, and embedded coordination with your IT or security lead. Ideal for mid-market primes and contractors with formal security programs.
Not sure which model fits your team? Talk to a strategist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Talk to a Cybersecurity Specialist Who Knows the Defense Industrial Base
Book a free 30-minute consultation. We will review where you stand against CMMC, identify the gaps that need attention first, and give you a clear token estimate for the work ahead.
