Zero Trust Architecture · BC/DR Architecture · Secure CI/CD Pipeline Integration
· Enterprise Security Transformation Advisory.
Strategic security architecture for organisations building secure infrastructure
from the ground up — or rebuilding after discovering the gaps.
Services
Security architecture is not a document — it's a set of decisions that determine how resilient, recoverable, and defensible your organisation is when things go wrong.
01 / ARCHITECTURE
End-to-end design or independent review of an organisation's security architecture — covering network segmentation, identity and access architecture, data protection controls, application security integration points, cloud security design, and alignment to NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and SABSA. Produces a current-state gap assessment and prioritised architecture roadmap.
02 / ZERO TRUST
Design and implementation advisory for Zero Trust Architecture aligned to NIST SP 800-207. Covers identity verification strategy, device health validation, least-privilege access enforcement, micro-segmentation design, continuous monitoring architecture, and policy engine selection and configuration — with a phased implementation roadmap suited to your current technology environment.
03 / BC/DR
Technical architecture for business continuity and disaster recovery — translating BC/DR strategy into actual infrastructure. Covers replication topology design, failover automation, backup architecture, cloud DR environments (active-passive, active-active), RTO/RPO alignment, runbook development, and tested recovery procedures. Aligned to ISO 22301.
04 / DEVSECOPS
Shift-left security integration across the software development and delivery lifecycle — from developer workstation to production deployment. Covers SAST/DAST tool integration, dependency and container scanning, infrastructure-as-code security, secrets management architecture, and automated security gates that block vulnerable code from reaching production without slowing delivery teams.
05 / ADVISORY
Strategic advisory for security leadership teams undergoing enterprise-scale transformation — cloud migration, digital transformation, post-merger integration, or post-incident security rebuilds. Covers security programme design, team structure alignment, toolchain rationalisation, security operating model design, and board-level risk communication.
06 / CLOUD
Security architecture design for cloud-native and hybrid environments across AWS, Azure, and GCP. Covers landing zone security design, IAM architecture, network security topology, data classification and protection controls, workload security, and cloud security posture management (CSPM) tooling strategy — aligned to the relevant cloud provider's Well-Architected Security Pillar.
Zero Trust Architecture
Zero Trust is not a product — it's an architectural philosophy. The traditional perimeter model assumes everything inside the network is safe. ZTA assumes breach and enforces verification at every access request, regardless of network location.
Implementation is phased and pragmatic — not a rip-and-replace exercise. The engagement starts with your current identity, network, and access architecture and builds a roadmap that moves you toward ZTA maturity without disrupting operations.
Every user, service account, and workload identity is verified continuously — not just at login. MFA, conditional access policies, and risk-based authentication form the first enforcement layer.
Access decisions incorporate device compliance status — patch level, EDR status, certificate validity, and configuration drift. Unhealthy devices receive reduced or no access regardless of valid credentials.
Access is granted at the minimum scope required for the task, for the minimum time needed. Just-in-time (JIT) and just-enough-access (JEA) patterns are designed into the access architecture.
Network segments are divided at the workload level — preventing lateral movement even when an attacker has initial access. East-west traffic is inspected and controlled, not assumed safe.
Security posture is monitored continuously — not at point-in-time. Behavioural analytics, access logs, and telemetry feed a policy engine that can revoke access dynamically when anomalies are detected.
ZTA is a journey, not a switch. The engagement produces a phased roadmap with measurable maturity milestones — from initial assessment to full ZTA posture — prioritised by risk reduction impact.
Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery
Most organisations discover their BC/DR gaps during the incident, not before it. Architecture-first resilience means your recovery procedures are tested, your failover is automated, and your RTO/RPO targets are achievable — not aspirational.
BC/DR Planning & Policy Development
The foundational layer — defining what the organisation needs to recover, in what order, and within what timeframes. Aligned to ISO 22301 Business Continuity Management.
BC/DR Architecture Design & Implementation
Translating BC/DR strategy into actual technical infrastructure — so recovery is automated, tested, and achievable within defined RTO/RPO targets when it matters.
DevSecOps & Secure CI/CD
Security bolted on at the end of a delivery pipeline creates friction, delays, and missed vulnerabilities. Shifting security left means catching issues at the point where they are cheapest to fix — in the developer's IDE, not in production.
Plan
Code
Build
Test
Deploy
Operate
DevSecOps advisory builds on the Application Security consulting practice — SAST, DAST, secure code review, and threat modelling are the tools; DevSecOps is the operating model that makes them part of every delivery cycle rather than a one-time event. View AppSec Consulting →
Engagement Models
Security architecture advisory does not fit a single delivery model. The right format depends on the scope, urgency, and whether your team needs a one-time design or ongoing strategic support.
Defined scope, defined timeline, defined deliverable. Suited to: architecture reviews, Zero Trust roadmaps, BC/DR design, or DevSecOps pipeline builds with a clear start and end.
Ongoing monthly advisory — a fixed number of hours per month for strategic guidance, architecture review of in-progress work, and security leadership support. Suited to organisations without a full-time security architect.
Embedded part-time security architecture function — joining your leadership team on a fractional basis. Suited to scaling organisations that need senior security architecture input without a full-time hire.
Independent expert review of an existing architecture design or security programme. Produces an objective assessment with gaps, risks, and recommendations — useful before major investment decisions or regulatory audits.
Frameworks & Standards
Architecture built on recognised frameworks reduces re-work, aligns with regulatory expectations, and gives leadership confidence that decisions are grounded in globally accepted security engineering principles.
Zero Trust
The definitive US federal standard for Zero Trust Architecture design. Used as the primary reference framework for all ZTA engagements.
Security Management
The updated Cybersecurity Framework covering Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover functions. Used for security programme design and gap assessment.
Information Security
International standard for information security management systems. Architecture recommendations are aligned to Annex A controls and support ISO 27001 certification readiness.
Business Continuity
International standard for business continuity management systems. BC/DR planning and architecture engagements are aligned to ISO 22301 requirements and terminology.
Enterprise Architecture
Sherwood Applied Business Security Architecture — a risk-driven enterprise security architecture framework used for end-to-end security architecture design from business context to technical implementation.
Threat Intelligence
Used for threat-informed architecture decisions — designing detective and preventive controls that map to known adversary TTPs relevant to the organisation's industry and geography.
What You Receive
Architecture engagements produce documentation that drives decisions — not reports that sit on a shelf.
Documented analysis of the existing security architecture — what is in place, what is missing, and where the highest-risk gaps are relative to your threat model and compliance requirements.
Detailed design of the target security architecture — network topology, identity architecture, data flow diagrams, control mapping, and technology recommendations — in a format suitable for implementation teams.
A sequenced, prioritised roadmap from current state to target state — with each phase scoped by risk reduction impact, resource requirements, and dependencies. Board and CISO presentation-ready.
Where required — security policies, architecture standards, and design principles documentation that governs how the architecture is implemented and maintained over time.
Structured briefing session with security, IT, and business leadership to walk through findings, architecture decisions, and roadmap priorities — ensuring alignment before implementation begins.
Checkpoint review during or after implementation to validate that the architecture has been realised as designed — identifying deviations, unintended gaps, and configuration drift before they become vulnerabilities.
Common Questions
Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) is a security model based on the principle of "never trust, always verify" — eliminating implicit trust from any network zone, user, or device. Implementation follows NIST SP 800-207 and covers identity verification, device health validation, least-privilege access enforcement, micro-segmentation, and continuous monitoring. Engagements begin with a current-state assessment and produce a phased ZTA roadmap aligned to your existing technology environment — not a rip-and-replace exercise.
BC/DR planning covers policy creation, business impact analysis, recovery strategy definition, RTO/RPO target setting, and documented response procedures — the "what and when" of recovery. BC/DR architecture design translates those plans into actual technical infrastructure — replication topology, failover automation, backup architecture, cloud DR environments, and tested recovery runbooks. Both services are available independently or as a combined engagement aligned to ISO 22301.
A Security Architecture Design & Review engagement covers the end-to-end security posture of an organisation's technology environment — network segmentation, identity and access architecture, data protection controls, application security integration points, cloud security design, and alignment to frameworks such as NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and SABSA. The output is a current-state gap assessment, target-state architecture design, and a prioritised implementation roadmap.
DevSecOps integrates security controls into every stage of the software development and delivery lifecycle — shifting security left from post-deployment testing to design and development. Secure CI/CD pipeline integration covers SAST tool integration, dependency scanning (SCA), container image scanning, infrastructure-as-code security checks, secrets management architecture, and automated security gates that prevent vulnerable code from reaching production. The goal is making security a natural part of delivery, not a blocker to it.
Security Architecture advisory is designed for CISOs, CTOs, Heads of IT, and security leadership teams at enterprise organisations undergoing digital transformation, cloud migration, regulatory compliance programmes, or post-incident security rebuilds. Engagements are available as project-based work, advisory retainers, or fractional security architecture support — depending on the organisation's needs and internal capability.
Yes. Security architecture advisory and consulting engagements are available fully remotely and onsite globally. Architecture review, Zero Trust roadmapping, and BC/DR planning engagements are well-suited to remote delivery with structured workshops conducted virtually. Onsite delivery is available for stakeholder alignment workshops and architecture deep-dive sessions — internationally.
Ready to Start
30-minute consultation. We'll discuss your current architecture posture, the problem you're trying to solve, and whether there's a fit — before anything is formalised.
Available globally · Remote & onsite · Project-based · Advisory retainer · Fractional