Altius IT delivers independent IT security audits for federal agencies, defense contractors, federal systems integrators, professional services firms, and policy institutions across Washington DC and the National Capital Region. Our auditors evaluate IT infrastructure spanning federal information systems, FedRAMP-authorized cloud environments, CUI enclaves, and contractor IT estates against NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-171, FedRAMP, CMMC, FISMA, and HIPAA frameworks.
Washington DC's IT landscape is shaped by federal Authority to Operate (ATO) requirements, classified and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) handling obligations, and the convergence of contractor corporate networks with sensitive government data. Federal agencies, defense contractors, and federal systems integrators must defend systems that span on-premise GovCloud environments, FedRAMP-authorized SaaS, and traditional contractor IT. All under continuous monitoring expectations. Our IT security audit is designed to address this complexity, with specific attention to the NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-171, FedRAMP, CMMC, and DFARS 252.204-7012 controls that govern the National Capital Region.
We audit server configurations and endpoint hardening against CIS, DISA STIG, and NIST 800-53 benchmarks. For DC defense contractors and federal systems integrators, this includes evaluating servers handling CUI, GovCloud workloads, and engineering environments processing ITAR-controlled data, where misconfiguration can trigger DFARS reporting obligations and jeopardize cleared facility status. We assess whether your hardening baselines align with the ATO documentation submitted to your agency authorizing official.
Our auditors evaluate your patch management lifecycle with attention to the constraints unique to federal contractors and agencies. Cleared facilities and classified enclaves often run on extended support cycles. ATO-bound systems have configuration baselines that cannot be changed without re-authorization. Continuous monitoring (ConMon) reporting under FedRAMP and FISMA requires evidence of vulnerability cadence. We assess how your patching program meets these federal expectations while preserving system authorization.
We assess encryption configurations, access control models, audit logging, and data integrity controls across your database environment. For agencies and contractors storing CUI, ITAR-controlled technical data, or HIPAA-protected NIH research records, we verify that database security meets NIST SP 800-171 requirements for access enforcement, audit and accountability, and media protection. And that audit trails will withstand IG, OIG, or DCMA review.
Our audit covers AWS GovCloud, Azure Government, Microsoft 365 GCC and GCC High, and commercial AWS, Azure, and GCP environments, evaluating IAM policies, storage configurations, network security groups, encryption settings (FIPS 140-2/3 validated), and logging. We assess whether your cloud environment matches the FedRAMP authorization boundary documented in your SSP, whether shared responsibility model gaps have introduced control failures, and whether ConMon evidence is being collected and retained for the required three years.
We perform a thorough review of your Microsoft 365 security posture, including Entra ID configuration, conditional access policies, MFA enforcement (PIV/CAC where required), Defender for Office 365 rules, DLP policies for CUI markings, SharePoint sharing controls, and audit log retention. For contractors holding GCC High tenants and agencies operating GCC environments, we validate that data residency, encryption, and administrative boundaries align with FedRAMP High and DoD Impact Level requirements.
We verify backup procedures, test restoration capabilities, and validate offsite and cloud backup configurations. For contractors processing CUI and agencies running mission systems, recovery time and recovery point objectives must align with the System Security Plan (SSP) and Contingency Plan (CP) on file with your authorizing official. Our audit validates that backup strategies satisfy NIST 800-53 CP family controls and that backup media handling meets MP-family CUI marking and protection requirements.
Our audit evaluates MFA implementation, privileged access management, role-based access controls, and identity governance. Federal agencies and cleared contractors face HSPD-12 PIV/CAC requirements, FIPS 201 derived credentials for mobile, and least-privilege expectations under NIST 800-53 AC family controls. We assess whether your access architecture meets these federal requirements, supports separation of duties for cleared personnel, and produces the audit trails examiners and IG offices expect.
We review EDR deployment coverage, antivirus configurations, device management policies, and mobile security controls. The DC contractor and agency workforce includes cleared personnel on classified workstations, hybrid workers accessing CUI environments, federal employees using GFE, and consultants on BYOD. Each of these endpoint categories requires tailored protection that our audit evaluates against the specific threat models. Including supply chain compromise of the SolarWinds variety and spearphishing campaigns targeting federal employees.
We evaluate change management, incident response readiness, security awareness training, and vendor risk management processes. Contractors subject to DFARS 252.204-7012 must report cyber incidents to DoD within 72 hours; FedRAMP authorized providers must notify their agency PMO and the FedRAMP PMO; FISMA-covered systems have ongoing reporting obligations to OMB and CISA. Our audit identifies the process gaps that create ATO findings, CMMC assessment failures, and contract performance risk before your assessor or contracting officer does. Learn more about our cybersecurity audit methodology.
Washington DC's federal agencies, defense contractors, and federal systems integrators face overlapping FISMA, FedRAMP, NIST, and CMMC requirements and the most sophisticated nation-state threat actors in the world. Altius IT provides the independent, certified audit expertise needed to navigate ATO processes, CMMC readiness, and continuous monitoring obligations.
No vendor ties. Recommendations aligned solely with your risk tolerance and business goals.
Led by experts with a Ph.D. in Computer Science, CISA certification, and industry leadership experience.
Thorough 360-degree review covering your technology, people, and processes.
Every engagement includes follow-up support to ensure vulnerabilities are properly mitigated.
Washington DC is home to the federal civilian and defense agencies, the intelligence community, and the contractor base that supports them. Including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, BAE Systems, Booz Allen Hamilton, SAIC, Leidos, CACI, and ManTech. This concentration of national security data and policy decision-making makes the National Capital Region the most heavily targeted metropolitan area in the United States for APT operations. Threat actors run sustained spearphishing campaigns against federal employees and cleared contractor staff, exploit supply chain compromises in the model of SolarWinds, and probe contractor networks for ITAR-controlled technical data and CUI. Our cybersecurity audit evaluates how well DC organizations defend against these nation-state-grade threats.
Federal agencies must comply with FISMA, OMB Circular A-130, and the NIST SP 800-53 control set tied to their Authority to Operate (ATO). Cloud services serving federal customers must achieve FedRAMP Moderate, High, or DoD Impact Level authorization. Defense contractors face NIST SP 800-171, DFARS 252.204-7012 cyber incident reporting, and rolling CMMC certification requirements. ITAR-regulated companies must satisfy export control technical data protections. Healthcare and biotech organizations near the NIH campus operate under HIPAA, the Privacy Act of 1974, and federal research data agreements. Altius IT's compliance audit addresses the specific frameworks applicable to each part of the federal ecosystem.
An independent IT security audit from Altius IT gives DC organizations a defensible, evidence-based assessment of their security posture. For agencies and FedRAMP providers, our findings and remediation roadmap support ATO maintenance and continuous monitoring obligations. For defense contractors preparing for a CMMC assessment, our report documents the current state of NIST 800-171 implementation and the SSP/POA&M evidence needed for assessor review. Our Auditor Opinion Letter provides CISA-certified attestation that your security controls have been independently validated, supporting agency responses, prime contractor flowdowns, and customer confidence. Learn more about our team.
Altius IT serves organizations throughout the National Capital Region, including the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia (Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Reston, Tysons Corner, Crystal City, Rosslyn, McLean, Herndon, and Chantilly), and Maryland (Bethesda, Silver Spring, Rockville, College Park, Gaithersburg, Frederick, and Annapolis), as well as organizations operating at the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, the K Street corridor, the NIH campus, and the Federal Triangle. Our IT security audits are conducted both remotely and on-site, and we provide network security audits for federal facilities, contractor SCIF-adjacent networks, FedRAMP-authorized cloud workloads, and corporate offices across the region.