SECURE ==CUI ENCLAVE & ZERO-TRUST ARCHITECTURE==
Protect Sensitive Data ==By Design==
Handling Controlled Unclassified Information requires more than tools and policies, it requires architecture. Organizations that scatter CUI across their entire environment face expanding compliance scope, increased risk, and audit complexity. At IHI, we design and implement secure enclaves and zero-trust environments that reduce scope, simplify compliance, and strengthen resilience.
*Our Approach:*
Architecture That ==Reduces Risk & Scope==
IHI's Secure Architecture framework is designed to create defensible, auditable environments that protect CUI while minimizing compliance burden and operational friction. We isolates CUI within defensible boundaries, implements identity-centric access controls, and applies zero-trust principles that assume breach and verify continuously. The result is a security architecture that protects sensitive data while enabling operational efficiency.
The IHI Secure Architecture Process
1. CUI Scoping & Data Flow Analysis
Identify where CUI lives, how it moves, and which systems, users, and processes interact with it.
2. Boundary Definition & Segmentation Design
Architect secure enclaves that isolate CUI from general enterprise systems, reducing compliance scope and attack surface.
3. Zero-Trust & Access Control Implementation
Deploy identity-centric controls, least-privilege access, and continuous verification across the protected environment.
4. Validation & Compliance Alignment
Validate architecture against NIST 800-171 and CMMC requirements, ensuring audit readiness and operational sustainability.
Designing ==Defensible Boundaries==
CUI Enclave Architecture
- CUI Boundary Definition & Segmentation: Clearly defined boundaries that isolate sensitive data from general enterprise systems, reducing what's in scope for compliance.
- Network Segmentation & Micro-Segmentation: Architecting network controls that restrict lateral movement and contain potential breaches within isolated zones.
- Secure Data Flow Design: Mapping and controlling how CUI enters, moves through, and exits your environment to maintain chain of custody and auditability.
- Cloud & Hybrid Enclave Design: Secure architecture patterns for cloud-native, hybrid, and on-premises environments that meet compliance requirements.
- Endpoint & Device Security Baselines: Hardened configurations for endpoints that access CUI, ensuring consistent security posture across the environment.
Implementing ==Zero-Trust Principles==
Identity-Centric Security Architecture
- Zero-Trust Architecture Design: Security architecture that assumes breach, verifies continuously, and grants access based on identity, context, and risk, not network location.
- Identity & Access Management (IAM): Hardened authentication mechanisms, multi-factor authentication, and centralized identity governance aligned to least-privilege principles.
- Privileged Access Management: Controls for administrative and elevated access that reduce risk from compromised credentials and insider threats.
- Continuous Monitoring & Logging: Architecting visibility into user behavior, access patterns, and security events to support both operations and audit requirements.
Security Architecture Built for Compliance and Operations
Reduced Compliance Scope
Isolated enclaves that minimize which systems fall under CMMC and NIST 800-171 requirements.
Improved Visibility & Control
Clear boundaries and centralized access controls that simplify security management and audit response.
Modern Cloud Alignment
Architecture patterns that work with cloud-native, hybrid, and on-premises environments.
Operationally Sustainable
Designs that balance security requirements with how your teams actually work.
Ready to ==design a secure environment==?
Let's Architect Your CUI Enclave
Whether you're establishing a new secure environment or re-architecting existing systems to reduce scope and strengthen protection, IHI delivers secure architecture that supports compliance and operational resilience.