Security Leadership Forged Under Real Pressure
Fourteen years defending systems where failure wasn't an option — aboard a submarine, inside the Department of Defense, and now for enterprise manufacturing. I bring that same discipline to your business as a hands-on cybersecurity consultant — including getting companies CMMC and NIST 800-171 ready to compete for federal and defense contracts.
Steven Linne // Founder
Fourteen Years, Three Environments, One Standard.
Every role has centered on the same question: how do you protect systems that genuinely cannot afford to fail? Here's where that question has taken me.
U.S. Navy — Submarine IT
Managed IT and communications systems aboard a fast-attack submarine, where every system is mission-critical and there's no calling in a specialist mid-patrol. Redundancy and discipline weren't best practices — they were doctrine.
Cybersecurity Contractor — U.S. Air Force
Spent seven years developing cybersecurity programs for Department of Defense systems, working inside NIST and the broader frameworks that protect national security infrastructure at scale.
Cybersecurity Program Development — Harris Company
Now building the cybersecurity program for a billion-dollar construction, HVAC, and manufacturing company — translating defense-grade discipline into practical protection for industrial and operational environments.
Security Leadership, Sized to Your Business
Most companies don't need a full-time security executive — they need the expertise on demand. That's the gap I fill.
CMMC & Government Contract Readiness
Gap assessments, remediation planning, and System Security Plans (SSPs) built against CMMC and NIST 800-171 — so you can bid on DoD and federal contracts, not just watch competitors win them.
Ongoing Security Advisory
Ongoing strategic security leadership — policy, risk oversight, and board-level reporting — without the cost of a full-time executive hire.
Cybersecurity Program Development
Build a program from the ground up, aligned to NIST CSF, ISO/IEC 27001, or CIS Controls — matched to your size, industry, and actual risk.
Risk & Compliance Assessments
A clear-eyed gap analysis against the frameworks and regulations that matter to your business, with a prioritized roadmap — not just a checklist.
Ready To Bid On Government Contracts?
If your business could pursue DoD or federal work but hasn't — or if a prime contractor has told you compliance is coming — CMMC and NIST 800-171 are usually the one thing standing in the way. I get you audit-ready.
Gap Assessment
A clear-eyed look at where you stand against CMMC Level 1/2 and NIST 800-171 — what's already covered, what isn't, and what it will take to close the gap.
Remediation & Documentation
Prioritized remediation planning plus the System Security Plan (SSP) and POA&M documentation assessors and primes expect to see.
Assessment Support
Ongoing support to keep you compliant, and guidance through an eventual C3PAO assessment when you're ready to certify.
Compliance is the floor, not the goal. My job is making sure your business is actually secure — and can prove it.
Let's Talk About Your Risk.
Whether you need ongoing security advisory, a one-time assessment, help standing up your first cybersecurity program, or CMMC/NIST 800-171 readiness to win government contracts, I'd like to hear about what you're working with.
Minnesota
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SDVOSBService-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) — SBA Certified