Defense Contractor: ISO 27001 Certification & CMMC Readiness
How a defense manufacturer achieved ISO 27001 certification while building a CMMC Level 2 compliance foundation — protecting CUI across 3 facilities.
The Challenge
A mid-size defense manufacturer needed ISO 27001 certification to satisfy prime contractor requirements while simultaneously preparing for CMMC Level 2 assessment.
Prime contractor mandating ISO 27001 within 8 months — non-negotiable contract requirement
Handling CUI (Controlled Unclassified Information) across 3 facilities with no formal ISMS
IT infrastructure had grown organically with no security architecture documentation
CMMC Level 2 assessment scheduled for following year — needed to build foundation now
Budget constraints required maximizing overlap between ISO 27001 and NIST 800-171 controls
Our Approach
Designed an integrated Information Security Management System that simultaneously satisfied ISO 27001 Annex A controls and mapped to NIST SP 800-171 / CMMC Level 2 practices.
Phase 1: Dual-Framework Gap Assessment (Month 1)
Conducted combined ISO 27001 / NIST 800-171 gap assessment. Mapped 93 ISO 27001 Annex A controls against 110 NIST 800-171 requirements. Identified 70% overlap, targeting shared implementation to reduce effort.
Phase 2: ISMS Architecture & Risk Assessment (Months 2-3)
Built ISMS scope covering all CUI-handling systems across 3 facilities. Conducted formal risk assessment per ISO 27001 clause 6.1.2. Created Statement of Applicability mapping both frameworks.
Phase 3: Control Implementation (Months 3-6)
Implemented technical controls (MFA, encryption, network segmentation, endpoint protection). Deployed administrative controls (policies, training, incident response plans). Established physical security improvements at all 3 facilities.
Phase 4: Certification & CMMC Prep (Months 7-8)
Conducted internal audit program. Achieved ISO 27001 certification. Generated CMMC readiness report showing 94% of Level 2 practices already satisfied through ISO 27001 implementation.
Results & Impact
Achieved ISO 27001 certification on the first attempt while establishing a 94% CMMC Level 2 compliance foundation — all within 8 months.
First-attempt certification with no major non-conformances and only 2 observations
Only 7 CMMC-specific practices remaining, primarily around CUI marking and NIST-specific audit requirements
Uniform security posture across all locations handling controlled information
No security incidents or breaches in 12 months post-certification
Additional Outcomes
“The dual-framework approach saved us 6+ months of effort. We got ISO 27001 certified and walked out with a clear, short path to CMMC Level 2. Our prime contractor was impressed.”
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