Manufacturing and defense

Manufacturing cybersecurity compliance that keeps lines running

We help manufacturers and defense suppliers meet CMMC and NIST 800-171, protect production networks and recover fast when something breaks. The goal is simple: pass your assessments and keep shipping.

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  • CMMC and NIST SP 800-171 readiness
  • Separation of plant networks from business IT
  • Disaster recovery built for production uptime
Two engineers reviewing data on a manufacturing floor
Engineer working on a laptop at a lit server rack

The challenge

Why manufacturers face more pressure every year

Production depends on networks, controllers and software that were rarely built with security in mind. When ransomware spreads from business IT into the plant, lines stop and orders slip. Designs, formulas and customer data are also valuable to competitors and foreign actors.

Defense suppliers carry an added requirement. The Department of Defense began including CMMC requirements in new contracts in November 2025, with a phased rollout. If you handle Controlled Unclassified Information, you’ll need to show you have implemented the NIST SP 800-171 controls, through self-assessment or a third-party assessment depending on the contract. Primes are also asking their suppliers to prove it.

  • Flat networks where IT and plant systems share a path
  • Older controllers and workstations that are hard to patch
  • Suppliers and integrators with remote access
  • CUI and export-controlled data spread across file shares
  • Little tolerance for downtime during recovery

How we help

Manufacturing cybersecurity services

Every engagement starts with an assessment of your environment and your contracts, then targets the gaps that put production and certification at risk.

CMMC for manufacturers

Gap assessment against NIST SP 800-171, a system security plan, a plan of action and help preparing for self-assessment or a C3PAO assessment.

CMMC and 800-171

OT and IT separation

Network design that segments plant systems from business IT and controls remote access, so an incident in one doesn’t stop the other.

Network design

24/7 managed detection and response

Around-the-clock monitoring of endpoints, network and identity, with analysts who contain threats before they reach production.

Explore MDR

Ransomware protection and recovery

Backup, disaster recovery and cyber recovery retainers designed around your production schedule.

Disaster recovery

Supply chain and vendor risk

A repeatable process to review the suppliers, integrators and service providers that touch your network or data.

Third-party risk

Recurring penetration testing

Human-led testing on a year-round schedule, with segmentation testing to confirm plant networks are isolated.

Penetration testing

Practical guide

Six steps to manufacturing cybersecurity compliance

Whether you are a startup shop or an established supplier, these steps build a program that satisfies customers and assessors and protects production.

1. Assess your risk against a recognized framework

Start with an inventory of systems and data, including plant equipment, then assess them against NIST CSF, NIST SP 800-171 or ISO 27001. The results tell you where to spend first.

2. Write and adopt a security policy

Document roles, responsibilities, acceptable use and the controls you rely on. Keep it short enough that people read it, and update it when your environment or contracts change.

3. Train the people on the floor and in the office

Phishing and social engineering reach every role. Regular training for office and plant staff, including how to report something suspicious, closes one of the most common entry points.

4. Secure your supply chain

Set security requirements for suppliers and integrators, control their remote access and review them on a schedule. Your customers will ask you to do the same for them.

5. Patch and update, including firmware

Keep software and firmware current on devices and machinery where the vendor allows it. Where you can’t patch, segment and monitor those systems closely.

6. Plan for incident response and recovery

Write down how you’ll contain an incident and restore production, then test it. Know how long you can run without each system and design recovery around that.

Regulations and frameworks

Manufacturing and defense frameworks we support

  • CMMC Level 1 and Level 2 readiness
  • NIST SP 800-171 gap assessment and SSP
  • DFARS cybersecurity clause readiness
  • NIST Cybersecurity Framework maturity assessment
  • ISO 27001 readiness
  • Supplier and third-party risk programs
  • Segmentation testing for plant networks
  • Incident response and disaster recovery planning

Case study

Disaster recovery for a major golf manufacturer

After a spin-off from its parent company, a global golf manufacturer needed its own secure, fast network and a disaster recovery design to protect IP, customer data and production, on a tight budget with limited staff.

We re-architected the network while it kept running, designed and deployed a disaster recovery site that can serve as production, and now provide managed network and security services with 24/7 monitoring.

  • A disaster recovery plan that can be enabled in about three minutes
  • Virtually no data loss when the recovery site takes over
  • 24/7 network and security visibility across the business
Read the case study

What clients say

Recurring testing that fits the business

“With Triden Group’s recurring penetration testing, we are able to customize reporting to fit our needs. Triden Group provides the expertise, and we know the expertise will always be there.”

Senior Program Manager, Information Security, global golf manufacturer

FAQ

Manufacturing and CMMC questions

If you hold or pursue Department of Defense contracts or subcontracts, it likely will. Suppliers that handle only Federal Contract Information generally need Level 1, and those that handle Controlled Unclassified Information generally need Level 2. Your contract will state the level required.

NIST SP 800-171 is the set of security requirements for protecting CUI. CMMC is the DoD program that verifies you’ve implemented them, through self-assessment or an independent assessment depending on the contract.

We start by learning how your plant runs and plan changes around your production schedule. Most of the gain comes from segmenting plant networks from business IT, controlling remote access and monitoring traffic between them.

It depends on how many of the 800-171 requirements you already meet and how widely CUI is spread. A gap assessment gives you a clear, prioritized plan and a realistic timeline.

The number of sites, users and systems in scope, how much of the remediation we deliver and whether you add ongoing monitoring. We scope after a short call and quote a fixed price.

Yes. Our guide to cybersecurity compliance walks through the main frameworks and first steps, and our resources page lists our other guides.

Related services

Related services

CMMC and NIST 800-171

Readiness for defense contractors and suppliers.

CMMC

Backup and disaster recovery

Recovery designed around production uptime.

Disaster recovery

Zero trust

Access controls that limit how far an attacker can move.

Zero trust

vCISO and compliance in San Diego

CMMC support for San Diego’s defense supply base.

San Diego

Book a scoping call

Protect production and pass your assessments

Tell us about your plants, your contracts and your timeline, and an advisor will reply by email to set up a conversation.

  • A CMMC and risk starting point for your contracts
  • Engineers who plan work around production

Prefer email? Write to [email protected] or call (858) 712-0040.

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