How a Defense Contractor Consolidated Seven Authentication Systems Into One

Defense contractors face a credential problem, not just a compliance problem

Aerospace and defense organizations protect some of the most sensitive data in the U.S. economy. The Department of Defense requires contractors that handle Controlled Unclassified Information to meet NIST SP 800-171 controls, with Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) as the assessment layer on top.

For IT teams, that means you must authenticate every entity: privileged users, non-privileged users, devices, applications, and trusted external communities.

The contractor in this story had built up protection over time. Multiple PKI and MFA programs covered different user and device types. Each system had its own admin portal, its own support path, and its own expertise requirements. That patchwork made day-to-day credential work slow and made audit prep harder.

The challenge: seven systems, seven headaches

Large contractors rarely choose fragmentation. It accumulates. One system issues certs for privileged users. Another handles tokens for general staff. A third covers servers and endpoints.

The result in this account:

• Separate portals for users to issue and renew credentials
• Separate support teams for IT to coordinate
• Inconsistent coverage across users, mobiles, desktops, laptops, servers, and cameras
• Extra effort to show consistent controls for NIST and CMMC reviews

The contractor wanted a comprehensive authentication approach that would meet current mandates and hold up as requirements evolve, without adding work for IT or extra steps for users.

The solution: one credential management platform in a private cloud

With Axiad guidance, the contractor deployed Axiad Conductor and moved credential management from on-prem systems to a virtual private cloud. That model gave the team cloud operations without a shared multi-tenant system.

What moved into Conductor:

• Privileged users: FIPS-140 certified hardware tokens and certificates
• Non-privileged users: Hardware tokens on mobile devices and desktops, including TPM-based options
• Devices and machines: Automated certificate issuance for phones, laptops, servers, security cameras, and other network endpoints
• Trusted communities: Secure email signing and encryption for the Federal Bridge to meet DoD collaboration requirements

End users no longer switch between portals to manage credentials. When an issue does arise, there is one clear support path.

The results: from seven to one

After consolidation, the contractor reports:

• 7 authentication systems reduced to 1 unified portal
• One hub for support and credential knowledge across all users and devices
• Secure email and document signing in place for DoD trusted-community requirements
• Higher satisfaction for both IT admins and end users
• Full confidence for upcoming authentication audits tied to NIST and CMMC mandates

IT also reclaimed time. The team spends less effort on upkeep of legacy credential systems and more time on projects that support the business.

What other defense contractors can take from this

If you run separate PKI, MFA, and device cert systems, ask three questions:

1. Can you show consistent authentication controls across users and machines?
2. Do your crypto modules and token methods align to NIST and CMMC expectations?
3. How many portals, vendors, and support queues does a simple credential change touch?

Consolidation does not just reduce cost. It reduces risk. One policy set, one issuance path, and one audit trail are easier to defend than seven variations.

Axiad Conductor brings certificates, hardware tokens, TPM, automated device CA, and Federal Bridge email security into one credential management platform, deployed in a virtual private cloud for defense and federal needs. Learn more about how Axiad supports federal and defense missions on our public sector page.

Next step: Talk to Axiad about a credential assessment for NIST 800-171 and CMMC readiness, or explore our public sector solutions for your agency or program.