FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Aerospace and Manufacturing
- Backup and Recovery
- Cloud and Infrastructure
- CMMC
- Defense Contractors
- Endpoint Monitoring
- Financial Institutions
- Framework Consulting
- Healthcare
- Helpdesk
- IT Consulting
- IT Strategy
- Managed Services
- Microsoft 365
- Policy Development
- Security Assessments
We provide 100% US-based support from a team with a security-first, compliance-driven mindset. Our focus on regulated industries means we understand the strict requirements around data protection, uptime, and regulatory compliance — and we build those priorities into every service we deliver.
No. Our services are modular, allowing you to choose only what your business needs. We’ll help you design a tailored plan that supports your operations without paying for unnecessary extras.
We work with compliance frameworks like CMMC, NIST 800-171, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS. Our process includes thorough discovery, risk assessments, and proactive monitoring to keep your IT environment aligned with regulatory requirements.
Never. All support is handled by our in-house, US-based team. This ensures clear communication, faster resolution times, and a deep understanding of US regulatory environments.
Most tickets are acknowledged within minutes and resolved as quickly as possible, depending on severity. Critical issues receive immediate escalation to senior engineers.
Yes. We regularly partner with internal IT teams to provide additional expertise, tools, and resources — whether that’s handling day-to-day monitoring or supporting specialized compliance projects.
Yes. We provide around-the-clock monitoring of your systems and networks to detect and address issues before they impact your business. Our US-based support team is available 24/7 for critical issues.
Yes. We deliver periodic reports covering system health, performance metrics, and security status so you have full visibility into your IT environment and compliance posture.
We take a compliance-first approach, aligning IT strategy with recognized frameworks and standards such as CMMC and NIST SP 800-171, while also helping organizations meet regulatory requirements like HIPAA. This ensures your IT roadmap is both secure and audit-ready, reducing risk while enabling long-term business growth.
Yes. We provide compliance consulting and readiness assessments that map your environment against required frameworks and regulations. Whether it’s preparing for a CMMC assessment, implementing NIST 800-171 controls, or ensuring HIPAA compliance in healthcare, we identify gaps, build remediation plans, and supply documentation auditors expect.
No. While we specialize in supporting compliance-heavy industries such as defense contractors, healthcare, finance, and critical infrastructure, our consulting and strategy services also benefit growing businesses of all kinds. Every company faces IT and cybersecurity challenges, and our expertise in cloud, network, and cybersecurity strategy helps organizations scale securely.
We build layered cybersecurity strategies that combine endpoint protection, identity management, email and domain security, backup and disaster recovery, and network monitoring. Our approach is guided by industry best practices, frameworks like NIST, and vendor partnerships with Microsoft, Cisco, Palo Alto, Fortinet, and others.
In addition to compliance consulting, we provide cloud migration services, IT infrastructure modernization, OT/IT consulting for critical environments, networking solutions, and Microsoft cloud strategy. Our consultants help you design, implement, and manage technology solutions that reduce cost, improve performance, and support secure business growth.
We align technology planning with your long-term goals. That means designing scalable cloud and network infrastructure, implementing compliance frameworks early, and building security controls that grow with your organization. As your business evolves, we adjust your IT roadmap so you’re always prepared for new compliance requirements and emerging threats.
NIST 800-171 is a standard that defines security controls for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). CMMC builds on NIST 800-171 by adding a certification program that requires organizations to demonstrate compliance through third-party or government-led assessments.
Any contractor or subcontractor in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) that handles CUI or FCI will need to meet CMMC requirements. This includes manufacturers, IT vendors, logistics companies, and service providers in the DoD supply chain.
Level 1 applies to companies handling only FCI.
Level 2 applies to most contractors handling CUI and maps directly to NIST 800-171.
Level 3 applies to a small number of organizations supporting the most sensitive DoD programs.
Most contractors will need Level 2 certification.
Timelines vary based on your current posture. Some organizations may be audit-ready in a few months, while others may need 12–18 months to close gaps, upgrade infrastructure, and complete documentation. Firethorne provides control trackers, remediation runbooks, and leadership reporting to keep your roadmap on track.
Without certification, you may lose eligibility for existing DoD contracts and be blocked from bidding on new opportunities. Non-compliance also increases the risk of security breaches, fines, and reputational damage.
Yes. We offer two engagement models:
Managed Services – We take full responsibility for IT operations and compliance management.
Project-Based Consulting – We provide structure, roadmaps, and remediation guidance while your IT team executes.
Organizations must maintain artifacts like System Security Plans (SSPs), Plans of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms), policies, procedures, and evidence of technical controls. Firethorne helps create and manage these documents so you’re audit-ready.
Yes. CMMC is not a one-time event. We provide continuous monitoring, compliance updates, and security management to ensure you stay aligned with evolving requirements.
Many firms provide generic scans or one-time reports. Firethorne delivers compliance-driven security assessments mapped directly to frameworks like CIS, NIST, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and ISO 27001. Each engagement includes a remediation roadmap and live compliance tracker, giving leadership real-time visibility.
No. All of our services are delivered by a 100% US-based team. This ensures accountability, industry expertise, and protection of sensitive data throughout the assessment process.
Yes. Every Firethorne assessment comes with a prioritized gap analysis and a remediation item checklist for things to do now, next, and later. These tools show exactly what needs to be addressed, who owns each task, and how to demonstrate compliance during an audit.
Absolutely. We offer flexible engagement models. If you have an internal IT staff, we can deliver assessments as a co-managed engagement. If you prefer, Firethorne can provide fully managed services, where we handle both IT operations and compliance.
Yes. We focus on industries where compliance is mission-critical, including defense contractors, aerospace, healthcare, finance, and critical infrastructure. Our assessments are tailored to the specific regulatory and security challenges these industries face.
Yes. Firethorne bridges the gap between cybersecurity best practices and compliance frameworks. We identify technical vulnerabilities while ensuring policies, documentation, and processes are aligned with audit requirements.
Framework consulting helps organizations align their IT systems, policies, and documentation with established standards such as NIST 800-171, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and CIS Controls. Firethorne provides expert guidance to interpret requirements, close compliance gaps, and prepare for audits.
A framework (like NIST, ISO, or CIS) provides structured best practices for cybersecurity and compliance. A regulation (like HIPAA or DFARS) is a legal requirement that may reference or rely on frameworks. Firethorne helps you align with both, ensuring security and audit readiness.
The right framework depends on your industry and contractual obligations. For example, defense contractors require NIST 800-171/CMMC, healthcare organizations must follow HIPAA, financial firms typically need PCI-DSS or SOX, and global businesses often adopt ISO 27001. Our consultants guide you to the frameworks that best fit your needs.
Yes. We create and refine compliance documentation, including System Security Plans (SSPs), POA&Ms, HIPAA policies, PCI procedures, and CIS benchmark checklists, so your evidence and policies are audit-ready.
We offer both. Firethorne provides advisory consulting to support your IT staff or can take on project-based remediation. We also offer managed compliance services, where we handle ongoing monitoring, updates, and framework alignment.
CIS Controls and Benchmarks provide a baseline for security hardening and are often used alongside frameworks like NIST or ISO. Firethorne helps organizations implement CIS best practices to reduce cyber risk and strengthen compliance posture.
Frameworks like CMMC, NIST 800-171, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, ISO 27001, and CIS Controls require documented evidence of how your organization manages security. Even if controls are in place, without policies you cannot prove compliance to auditors. Policies demonstrate that your security practices are intentional, repeatable, and enforceable.
Yes. Many organizations already have policies in place, but they may be outdated or incomplete. Firethorne reviews your current documentation, compares it against framework requirements, and updates it to ensure you are aligned with the latest standards and audit expectations.
We create and refine a wide range of compliance documents, including System Security Plans (SSPs), Plans of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms), access control policies, incident response procedures, encryption standards, and HIPAA- or PCI-specific policies. Every document is tailored to your environment and frameworks.
Policies are only effective if they can be followed. Firethorne works with your IT staff and leadership to make sure documents reflect actual workflows, processes, and technologies in use. This ensures they are practical for daily operations as well as compliant.
Absolutely. Firethorne’s deliverables are audit-ready documentation packages. Each policy is mapped directly to framework requirements, organized for easy review, and accompanied by supporting evidence when necessary. This gives you confidence heading into assessments or audits.
Yes. Frameworks evolve, contracts change, and risks shift. Firethorne provides ongoing policy review and maintenance services to keep your documentation current, ensuring you remain compliant and reducing the risk of last-minute audit surprises.
No. Microsoft 365 provides the tools needed for compliance — such as MFA, conditional access, encryption, logging, and retention — but they must be configured and managed correctly. Firethorne ensures these features are aligned with frameworks like CMMC, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and ISO 27001 so your environment is audit-ready.
Features like Defender for Office 365, conditional access, and data loss prevention (DLP) require Microsoft 365 Business Premium, E5, or equivalent licensing. Firethorne helps organizations identify the right licensing mix to maximize compliance readiness while controlling costs.
Microsoft provides resiliency but not long-term backups. Deleted emails and files may only be recoverable for a limited time. Firethorne implements cloud backup and recovery solutions for Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams to ensure compliance with business continuity and data retention requirements.
Microsoft 365 features like MFA, log retention, role-based access, Intune compliance policies, and auditing align directly with CMMC and NIST 800-171 controls. Firethorne configures these features to ensure proper enforcement and provides reporting to demonstrate compliance during audits.
Yes. With the right configuration, Microsoft 365 supports HIPAA requirements such as encryption, DLP, and retention policies. Firethorne ensures Protected Health Information (PHI) is handled securely across Exchange, Teams, and OneDrive.
Firethorne offers both. We provide project-based hardening for organizations that need a one-time compliance-focused configuration and ongoing management services for businesses that want continuous monitoring, reporting, and optimization.
Antivirus blocks known malware, while endpoint monitoring provides continuous visibility, behavioral detection, and compliance reporting. With Firethorne, endpoint monitoring includes EDR and MDR to stop advanced threats and prove compliance during audits.
Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) detects suspicious behavior and can automatically contain threats. Managed Detection & Response (MDR) adds a human layer — Firethorne’s US-based SOC analysts investigate alerts, validate real threats, and take action to protect your business.
Endpoint monitoring aligns with frameworks like CMMC, NIST 800-171, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and ISO 27001. It provides audit logs, patch status verification, and documented incident response — all evidence auditors require.
Yes. Firethorne monitors desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices, ensuring your full device fleet is covered and compliant with regulatory requirements.
Clients receive regular compliance-ready reports that detail endpoint health, patch compliance, detected threats, and incident response actions. These reports help leadership track risk and provide auditors with required evidence.
No. All MDR services are delivered by Firethorne’s 100% US-based SOC team. This ensures accountability, faster response, and reduced compliance risk compared to offshore monitoring providers.
Absolutely. Continuous monitoring combined with EDR and MDR capabilities helps detect ransomware activity early, isolate infected devices, and provide forensic data for recovery and compliance documentation.
No security measure can make an organization completely unhackable. Cyber threats are constantly evolving, and even the strongest defenses can be tested. What endpoint monitoring and MDR do provide is the best possible protection and response capability — continuous visibility, rapid containment, and compliance-ready documentation. With Firethorne’s US-based SOC team, you minimize risk, detect threats faster, and recover with audit-ready evidence, giving your business the strongest possible defense posture while staying compliant.
No. Microsoft provides resiliency but not long-term backup. Deleted emails or files may only be recoverable for a limited time. Firethorne provides independent backups for Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams, ensuring compliance and recovery beyond Microsoft’s native retention.
Compliance frameworks such as CMMC, HIPAA, and ISO 27001 expect evidence of working backups, not just backup jobs. We recommend quarterly test restores at minimum, combined with documented DR runbooks and tabletop exercises to prove recoverability.
We provide immutable, S3-compatible storage with flat, predictable pricing and no hidden egress fees. Combined with compliance reporting and recovery testing, our backups are designed for audit readiness, not just cheap storage.
Yes. Firethorne is tool-agnostic. We can manage and improve your current platform, add immutable off-site copies, and implement compliance-aligned reporting and recovery testing.
Frameworks like CMMC, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and ISO 27001 require documented data availability, retention, and recovery capabilities. Firethorne ensures backups include encryption, immutability, retention schedules, and recovery tests, with reports mapped directly to control families.
Immutability prevents alteration or deletion only during the defined retention period. This ensures ransomware or insider threats can’t wipe your backups, while still allowing normal lifecycle management after the retention window ends.
No solution makes an organization completely unhackable or immune to failure. What Firethorne provides is resilience — layered backups, immutable storage, and documented recovery processes that minimize downtime, reduce risk, and prove due diligence during audits.
No. All Firethorne helpdesk services are provided by our 100% US-based team. This ensures accountability, reduces compliance risks tied to offshore support, and gives your employees consistent, high-quality service.
Yes. All end-users and endpoints under management receive unlimited helpdesk support. This flat-rate model ensures predictable costs and guarantees that no employee hesitates to request help when they need it.
Frameworks like CMMC, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and ISO 27001 require documented processes for user access, system maintenance, and incident handling. Firethorne’s helpdesk ensures every ticket is logged, resolved securely, and documented in a way that provides audit-ready evidence.
In addition to standard workstation and networking support, Firethorne provides assistance for Microsoft 365, Teams, ERP, CRM, and industry-specific applications. During onboarding, our technicians are trained on your environment so we can support business-critical tools effectively.
Our helpdesk operates with SLA-driven response times and clear escalation paths. Critical issues are addressed immediately, while routine requests are resolved quickly to minimize downtime.
Yes. As part of onboarding, we conduct a discovery and training process where our technicians learn your business-specific applications, workflows, and compliance requirements. This ensures support is not only fast but also tailored to your environment.
No solution can make any business 100% unhackable, but Firethorne’s helpdesk provides security-first resolutions and audit-ready documentation. Every action taken by our team is designed to minimize risk, enforce compliance controls, and strengthen your overall security posture.
Technology and compliance requirements evolve too quickly. A static long-term plan becomes outdated within months. Firethorne’s Do Now, Do Next, Do Later approach delivers a flexible, living roadmap that adapts as your business, threats, and regulations change.
Every stage of the roadmap is mapped to frameworks like CMMC, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, ISO 27001, and NIST 800-171. This ensures that immediate priorities address compliance gaps, while future phases prepare your business for upcoming requirements and audits.
Firethorne can validate, adjust, and strengthen your existing roadmap. We often work alongside internal IT teams to co-manage priorities, layering in compliance requirements and realistic budgeting to ensure your plan is actionable.
Roadmaps are living documents. We recommend quarterly reviews, or sooner if compliance deadlines, regulatory updates, or major business changes occur. This keeps your strategy current and cost-effective.
Yes. One of the biggest advantages of our Do Now, Do Next, Do Later model is making IT planning budget-friendly. Leadership gains visibility into near-term costs while also preparing for long-term investments without being overwhelmed.
Both. Firethorne builds roadmaps in a way that bridges technical and executive priorities. We translate complex IT strategy into clear, non-technical roadmaps that leadership can understand and act on.
No. Firethorne is vendor-agnostic and evaluates whether cloud, on-premises, or hybrid is the right approach for your business. Our goal is to design environments that are secure, cost-effective, and aligned with compliance obligations — not to push a single vendor’s agenda.
Every infrastructure engagement includes compliance mapping. We tie technical decisions directly to frameworks like CMMC, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, ISO 27001, and NIST 800-171, ensuring that security controls and documentation are in place for audits.
Yes. We often use a “Do Now, Do Next, Do Later” roadmap to phase modernization. This allows us to address urgent gaps first, then plan larger upgrades over time, making the process budget-friendly and realistic.
We support on-premises systems, private cloud, public cloud, and hybrid environments. Whether you’re running virtualized workloads, hybrid identity models, or multi-cloud storage, we design strategies that fit your requirements.
Yes. Firethorne can either design and hand off infrastructure to your internal IT team, or provide full ongoing management. Continuous monitoring, patching, and reporting ensure your environment stays secure and compliant.
Yes. Many regulated industries rely on OT systems like SCADA and ICS. We specialize in OT/IT network segmentation, monitoring, and compliance alignment, ensuring both sides of the environment are secure and audit-ready.
The Department of Defense requires contractors who handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) to meet CMMC certification. Without compliance, contractors may lose eligibility for new contracts. Firethorne helps you prepare with gap assessments, roadmaps, and remediation support to ensure you’re ready for audit.
We map your IT systems and processes against the 110 NIST 800-171 controls, identifying gaps and providing remediation plans. This includes updating your System Security Plan (SSP) and Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) so your documentation is accurate and audit-ready.
DFARS 252.204-7012 requires defense contractors to safeguard CUI and report cyber incidents within 72 hours. Firethorne helps implement the required security controls, set up reporting processes, and ensure your infrastructure meets DFARS requirements.
Yes. We work with both subcontractors and primes who may already have in-house IT. Firethorne can provide co-managed support, where we handle compliance alignment, monitoring, and documentation while your internal team manages day-to-day IT.
Yes. For contractors handling International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) data, we ensure systems are isolated, access is restricted to US persons, and documentation meets ITAR requirements.
No. All of our services are provided by a 100% US-based team. Offshore outsourcing can introduce compliance risks for defense contractors, which is why Firethorne keeps all support and consulting domestic.
No provider can guarantee certification, but Firethorne gives you the tools, documentation, and remediation support to ensure you are audit-ready. Our structured process is built around aligning your systems to NIST 800-171 controls and CMMC requirements.
Many aerospace and manufacturing firms handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) as part of Department of Defense contracts. CMMC certification is becoming a requirement to win or maintain these contracts. Firethorne helps companies prepare with gap assessments, remediation plans, and audit-ready documentation.
We design segmented network architectures that isolate production equipment from corporate IT systems, implement access controls, and deploy continuous monitoring to protect both CAD design data and plant-floor devices. This approach supports compliance with NIST 800-171, DFARS, and export control requirements while avoiding production downtime.
Yes. We design and manage hybrid cloud and wide-area networks that securely connect offices, production plants, and design centers. Our solutions include centralized identity management, secure remote access for engineers, and site-to-site backup strategies, all mapped to compliance frameworks.
Absolutely. Compliance is not a one-time project. Firethorne offers managed IT services, security monitoring, and regular compliance reviews to ensure your systems remain aligned with CMMC, NIST 800-171, DFARS, and other applicable regulations as standards evolve.
Yes. For manufacturers handling ITAR-controlled designs or export-restricted data, we implement US-person access controls, encryption, and audit-ready documentation to meet regulatory expectations.
Yes. All consulting, monitoring, and helpdesk support is provided by our 100% US-based team, reducing supply chain risk and supporting compliance with ITAR and DFARS restrictions.
Yes. We frequently work alongside in-house teams to share responsibility for compliance and day-to-day IT operations, giving your staff support while ensuring regulatory alignment.
Most healthcare providers must comply with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act). Some organizations also need to follow NIST 800-53, state privacy laws (such as CCPA or Texas Medical Privacy Act), and security frameworks like CIS Controls for cybersecurity best practices.
We perform HIPAA-aligned risk assessments, strengthen technical safeguards (such as encryption, access control, and secure backups), and create or refine privacy and security policies. Every engagement includes audit-ready documentation to help you satisfy OCR or state audit requirements.
Yes. We design segmented network architectures that protect EHR systems, PACS imaging servers, and connected medical devices while maintaining fast access for clinicians. Our monitoring tools detect unauthorized access and provide continuous compliance reporting.
Absolutely. Firethorne offers managed IT services, 24×7 monitoring, patch management, and periodic risk analyses to maintain continuous HIPAA and HITECH compliance as technology and regulations evolve.
Yes. We frequently provide co-managed services, where Firethorne handles compliance oversight, monitoring, and security improvements while your in-house team manages day-to-day operations.
No. All consulting, monitoring, and support are provided by our 100% US-based team, helping you maintain HIPAA and ITAR compliance and eliminating supply-chain risk.
Yes. We design secure cloud and hybrid environments for EHR and practice management platforms, implementing encryption, identity management, and HIPAA-aligned access controls to protect ePHI during and after migration.
We align technology and policies with key regulations such as GLBA (Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act) Safeguards Rule, PCI-DSS, SOX, FINRA cybersecurity guidelines, NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), and relevant state privacy laws. Our approach ensures that your systems and documentation are ready for regulatory examinations.
We perform detailed risk assessments, create or update policies, and provide audit-ready documentation mapped to each applicable framework. Our evidence packages include control mappings, incident response plans, and continuous monitoring reports to simplify examiner reviews.
Yes. We frequently provide co-managed services, where Firethorne handles compliance oversight, 24×7 monitoring, and reporting while your internal team manages daily IT operations.
Absolutely. We design and support secure network architectures, encryption, and access controls that meet PCI-DSS standards for protecting cardholder data, along with ongoing monitoring to maintain certification.
Yes. All assessments, consulting, and managed IT services are performed by our 100% US-based team, reducing supply-chain risks and supporting compliance with GLBA and state privacy requirements.
Yes. We design hybrid and private cloud solutions that incorporate encryption, multi-factor authentication, detailed logging, and identity management to meet GLBA and PCI-DSS controls while ensuring high availability.
Yes. Firethorne offers 24×7 security monitoring, patch management, and periodic risk analyses to keep your institution aligned with evolving regulations, ensuring that changes in technology or law never put your compliance status at risk.