Commonwealth Assurance Engineering. Sovereign Security Architecture for the Australian Government.

We don’t just read the ISM; we engineer it. From Essential Eight hardening to Agency Authorization, we build the sovereign trust architecture required to sell to the Commonwealth.

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Why bladestack.io?

Beyond the Checkbox. Sovereign Logic.

Every compliance firm claims they can help you with ISO/IEC 27701. Most of them treat it as a "search and replace" exercise, taking your ISO 27001 Information Security Management System (ISMS) and pasting the word "Privacy" next to "Security." They hand you a bloated Statement of Applicability (SoA) that conflicts with your engineering reality and leave you to figure out how to distinguish between a PII Controller and a PII Processor in a microservices architecture.

We take a different approach. bladestack.io is an advisory firm staffed by engineers who understand that ISO 27701 is an architectural extension, not just a documentation patch. We don't just write policies; we engineer the Privacy Information Management System (PIMS) into your existing stack. We analyze your data flows to determine exactly where you act as a Controller versus a Processor. We refactor your ISMS to seamlessly inherit privacy controls without duplicating overhead. We build the technical evidence pipelines that satisfy accredited auditors.

Our clients don't hire us for templates. They hire us because they need a PIMS that functions in a high-velocity engineering environment. You can't satisfy Clause 7 requirements if you don't know which database tables hold PII. You can't manage processor obligations if your vendor governance is purely paper-based. We deliver technical privacy advisory from people who understand both the International Standard and your production environment.

Differentiators

Same Industry. Different DNA.

Advisory-only. Engineer-led. Integrated Architecture. Here's what those words actually mean.

Advisory-Only. No Audit Conflict.

We do not perform IRAP assessments. bladestack.io operates exclusively on the advisory side. When your IRAP assessor arrives, we're not the ones grading your work. This matters because advisory firms that also perform assessments face an inherent tension: they benefit when you fail and need remediation, then re-assessment. Our incentive structure is simple. We succeed when you achieve authorisation on the first attempt. We coordinate with your selected IRAP assessor, prepare your team for their methodology, and position your documentation to answer their questions before they ask them.

ISM Control Implementation, Not Template Distribution

Most consultancies deliver a gap report identifying missing controls, then leave implementation to your team. We deploy the controls. When ISM-0974 requires application control preventing unauthorized code execution, we configure AppLocker policies and deploy them via Intune. When ISM-1055 requires multi-factor authentication resistant to phishing, we implement FIDO2 security keys with Azure AD Conditional Access policies. The gap between "you need this control" and "this control is operating effectively" is where most IRAP programs stall. We close that gap with engineering, not documentation.

Classification-Aware Architecture

ISM controls are tagged by classification applicability. A control marked "P" applies to PROTECTED systems. A control marked "OS" applies to OFFICIAL:Sensitive. Your architecture must scale controls appropriately to your target classification, not over-engineer for classifications you don't handle or under-engineer for data you do. We design systems with classification awareness built into the architecture: data flow constraints, encryption boundaries, access control tiers, and logging granularity that align to your actual data classification requirements. This prevents the common failure mode of building a PROTECTED architecture when you only handle OFFICIAL:Sensitive, wasting effort and budget.

Essential Eight Engineers, Not Auditors

The Essential Eight Maturity Model defines four levels (ML0 through ML3) across eight mitigation strategies. Government procurement increasingly requires demonstrated maturity at specific levels. Most firms audit your current state and document gaps. We implement the strategies. Application control with Microsoft Defender Application Control policies. Patch automation with ConfigMgr or Intune compliance policies. MFA with phishing-resistant authenticators. Macro restrictions with Attack Surface Reduction rules. Admin privilege restriction with tiered access models and just-in-time elevation. We deploy these controls, validate their effectiveness, and prepare evidence for formal E8 assessment.

Cross-Platform Fluency

AWS, Azure, and GCP each offer native security controls that map differently to ISM requirements. AWS Config rules validate control configurations. Azure Policy enforces ISM PROTECTED compliance domains. GCP Organization Policy constraints restrict resource configurations. We know where each platform's native capabilities satisfy ISM controls and where gaps require additional tooling. When you inherit controls from a CSP's IRAP-assessed services, we validate that inheritance applies to your specific classification level and document it in your Cloud Controls Matrix. Platform fluency eliminates the common mistake of assuming CSP compliance flows automatically to your workloads.

Authorising Officer Ready

The authorising officer grants ATO based on documented acceptance of residual risks. Your Security Assessment Report and Cloud Controls Matrix must communicate clearly: what controls are implemented, how they're implemented, what risks remain, and why those risks are acceptable. Most documentation fails because it's written for compliance analysts, not decision-makers. We structure documentation for authorising officer consumption: executive summaries that frame residual risk in business terms, technical annexes that satisfy IRAP assessor scrutiny, and risk acceptance statements that enable informed decisions. The authorising officer should understand exactly what they're approving.

Service Lines

Choose your blade.

Flexible engagement models to suit your mission. From strategic advisory to fully managed platforms.

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IRAP · Advisory Service Components

For organizations preparing for IRAP assessment, navigating ISM control requirements, or seeking authorisation from Australian government entities

IRAP advisory is not a one-time gap assessment. It's continuous expert guidance through a complex authorization journey. The ISM updates quarterly, requiring ongoing control realignment. Each government agency applies different risk tolerances. IRAP assessors interpret guidance with varying degrees of strictness. Essential Eight maturity expectations layer additional requirements on procurement decisions.

Our advisory services embed senior engineers alongside your team throughout the IRAP preparation lifecycle. We scope your assessment boundary, determine ISM control applicability for your target classification, coordinate with your selected IRAP assessor, and prepare documentation that satisfies both assessor scrutiny and authorising officer decision-making. We don't hand you a report and disappear. We work alongside you until you achieve authorisation.

  • IRAP Readiness Assessment Before committing to a full IRAP engagement, you need clarity on scope, effort, and timeline. Our readiness assessment delivers that clarity. We analyze your target classification level, identify applicable ISM controls using the current CCM applicability guidance, baseline your Essential Eight maturity across all eight strategies, and map your existing controls to ISM requirements. The output is a prioritized remediation roadmap with effort estimates, not a generic gap list. You'll understand exactly what's required to achieve your target classification and whether your timeline and budget align with that reality.
  • Fast-Track IRAP Advisory Skip the Readiness/Gap Analysis Report. Government contract deadlines don't accommodate standard timelines. Fast-Track advisory compresses the engagement without sacrificing depth. We integrate discovery into the engagement, bypassing a formal readiness assessment report in favor of continuous gap identification and remediation guidance. Parallel workstreams address multiple control domains simultaneously. Daily coordination replaces weekly checkpoints. The same senior engineers, the same technical rigor, delivered on an accelerated schedule. This option suits organizations that have already committed to IRAP and need expert guidance immediately, not after a multi-week assessment phase.
  • IRAP Advisory Engagement This is the core advisory service: continuous expert guidance from readiness through ATO. We participate in ISM control selection and tailoring decisions. We guide implementation approaches that satisfy control intent while fitting your architecture. We coordinate with your IRAP assessor, preparing evidence packages and anticipating their assessment methodology. We draft CCM sections that accurately document control implementation and shared responsibility inheritance. We prepare authorising officer briefing materials that frame residual risk in decision-ready terms. Throughout the engagement, we monitor ISM updates and adjust guidance as ASD releases new control requirements. The endpoint is ATO, not a deliverable handoff.
  • IRAP Program Recovery Complex programs encounter obstacles. Assessors identify unexpected gaps. Authorising officers reject risk acceptance statements. Internal teams lose momentum. We stabilize and accelerate stalled IRAP programs. We analyze root causes: were controls incorrectly scoped, inadequately implemented, or poorly documented? We prioritize remediation based on assessor findings and authorising officer concerns. We re-engage the assessment process with corrected approach and refreshed evidence. Program recovery isn't about assigning blame for past decisions. It's about identifying what's actually wrong and fixing it efficiently.

Every advisory engagement produces documentation ready for IRAP assessor consumption and authorising officer decision-making. We don't deliver recommendations that require translation into action. We deliver artifacts that directly support your authorisation.

Includes:

  • ISM control applicability matrix
  • Essential Eight gap analysis
  • IRAP assessment scope recommendation
  • Remediation roadmap with effort estimates
  • Authorising officer briefing materials
  • Risk acceptance framing
  • Assessment coordination support
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IRAP · Enjinia Blade Division

For organizations that need ISM controls implemented, Essential Eight maturity achieved, or cloud architecture aligned to classification requirements

The gap between identifying a control requirement and operating that control effectively is where most IRAP programs fail. Gap reports document what's missing. Engineering services close the gaps. When ISM-0843 requires restricting access to cryptographic keys, we configure Azure Key Vault access policies with role-based access control and log key operations to Log Analytics. When ISM-1234 requires centralizing security event logs, we deploy Microsoft Sentinel analytic rules aligned to Essential Eight detection requirements.

Our engineering team implements ISM controls, deploys Essential Eight strategies, and configures cloud platforms to operate at your target classification level. We don't advise on implementation. We execute it.

  • ISM Control Implementation ISM control implementation is hands-on engineering work. We configure identity and access management controls: Conditional Access policies, Privileged Identity Management, role definitions aligned to least-privilege principles. We deploy encryption: customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault, AWS KMS key policies with appropriate rotation, TLS configurations meeting ISM cryptographic requirements. We instrument logging and monitoring: security event collection, retention policies meeting ISM-0859 requirements, alerting rules for security-relevant events. We harden operating systems and applications per ASD hardening guidance and vendor security baselines. Each control is implemented, validated, and documented with evidence suitable for IRAP assessor review.
  • Fast-Track ISM Engineering When contract deadlines compress timelines, sequential remediation isn't viable. Fast-Track engineering deploys multiple control domains in parallel. Identity controls, encryption configuration, logging infrastructure, and application hardening proceed simultaneously with dedicated engineering resources on each workstream. We bypass formal gap assessment reports in favor of continuous discovery integrated with implementation. Daily standups coordinate dependencies across workstreams. The same technical depth, compressed into the timeline your contract requires.
  • Technical Remediation Rescue Some implementations require more than incremental fixes. Architectural decisions made early in a program can create systemic issues: network segmentation that doesn't isolate classification boundaries, logging configurations that miss security-relevant events, access control models that can't enforce least-privilege principles. Remediation rescue addresses fundamental issues. We analyze root causes, redesign affected architecture components, re-implement controls on corrected foundations, and update documentation to reflect the actual implementation. This isn't patch work. It's reconstruction with the architecture done correctly.
  • Cloud Controls Matrix Engineering The Cloud Controls Matrix documents how each ISM control is implemented: by your organization, inherited from your CSP, or shared between both. When you inherit controls from AWS's or Azure's IRAP-assessed services, that inheritance must be validated for your specific classification level and documented with precision. We complete CCM technical sections with implementation evidence: configuration screenshots, policy exports, architecture diagrams showing control boundaries. We document shared responsibility with the granularity authorising officers require: which specific controls you inherit, which you implement, and how the interfaces between CSP and customer controls operate. The CCM becomes a technical artifact that survives assessor scrutiny, not a compliance checkbox.

Every engineering deliverable is built to survive IRAP assessor validation and authorising officer questions. We implement controls that operate effectively, not controls that exist only on paper.

Includes:

  • ISM control configurations with validation evidence
  • Essential Eight strategy deployment
  • Azure/AWS/GCP security architecture aligned to classification
  • CCM technical sections with implementation detail
  • Logging and monitoring deployment (Sentinel, CloudWatch, Chronicle)
  • Encryption and key management configuration
  • Access control matrices and policy exports
  • System security plan technical contributions
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IRAP · bladeRAMP Managed Services

For organizations that need ongoing ISM alignment, Essential Eight monitoring, and reassessment cycle management

IRAP compliance isn't a point-in-time achievement. The ISM updates quarterly, introducing new controls and modifying existing ones. Your configuration baseline drifts as systems change. Essential Eight maturity degrades as patching falls behind or access controls accumulate exceptions. Reassessment occurs every 24 months, requiring refreshed evidence and updated documentation.

Managed compliance operations maintain your security posture continuously. We track ISM updates and identify control deltas that affect your implementation. We monitor Essential Eight maturity and flag drift before it becomes a reassessment finding. We prepare your organization for 24-month reassessment cycles with refreshed evidence and updated CCM documentation.

  • Continuous ISM Alignment The ISM updates every quarter. Each release can introduce new controls, modify existing control language, or change applicability markings. We track every ISM release against your implemented controls. When ASD introduces new requirements, we analyze impact: does this control apply to your classification level? Does your current implementation satisfy the updated language? What remediation is required? You receive quarterly alignment reports documenting any deltas and prioritized remediation recommendations. Your security posture stays current with ASD guidance, not frozen at your last assessment.
  • Essential Eight Monitoring Essential Eight maturity drifts. Patching windows get missed. Application control exceptions accumulate. MFA bypass approvals grow. Backup validation lapses. We instrument continuous monitoring for E8 maturity indicators. Azure Policy compliance dashboards track control effectiveness. Automated alerts flag maturity degradation before it becomes systemic. Quarterly maturity reports document your current state across all eight strategies. When your next government procurement requires demonstrated ML2, you have current evidence, not stale assessment documentation.
  • Reassessment Preparation IRAP assessments occur at least every 24 months, or when significant changes affect your security posture. Reassessment preparation isn't a six-month scramble. It's a managed process integrated into ongoing operations. We maintain your evidence repository with current artifacts. We track changes that affect your CCM documentation and update it continuously. We coordinate IRAP assessor engagement well before the 24-month deadline. We refresh authorising officer briefing materials with current risk posture. When reassessment arrives, you're prepared, not panicking.

Compliance degrades without active management. Managed operations maintain the posture you achieved at initial authorisation and prepare you for ongoing reassessment cycles.

Includes:

  • ISM update tracking and impact analysis
  • Essential Eight maturity dashboards
  • Evidence repository management
  • IRAP assessor scheduling and coordination
  • CCM version control and update management
  • Change impact analysis
  • Periodic authorising officer updates
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IRAP · Essential Eight Acceleration

For organizations that need to achieve specific Essential Eight maturity levels for government contract requirements

Government procurement increasingly mandates specific Essential Eight maturity levels. ML1 is table stakes for many contracts. ML2 is required for sensitive data handling. ML3 is expected for critical infrastructure. The Essential Eight Maturity Model defines specific technical requirements at each level: application control preventing execution in user-writable directories, patching within defined timeframes, MFA resistant to specific attack techniques.

We implement the eight strategies at your target maturity level. Not auditing. Implementation. Application control policies deployed via Intune. Patching automation configured in ConfigMgr. MFA with phishing-resistant authenticators enrolled across your workforce. When your government contract requires demonstrated ML2, we build it.

  • E8 Maturity Assessment Before implementation, you need baseline clarity. We validate your current maturity level across all eight strategies using ASD's standardized assessment outcomes: Effective, Ineffective, Alternate Control, or No Visibility. We identify gaps to your target maturity level with specific remediation requirements. The assessment uses ASD's Essential Eight assessment methodology, including technical validation with tools like E8MVT where applicable. Output is a gap-to-target report with implementation effort estimates, not a generic maturity scorecard.
  • E8 Maturity Uplift Uplift is technical implementation. Application control: we configure Microsoft Defender Application Control (MDAC) or AppLocker policies, deploy via Intune, validate enforcement in user-writable directories. Patching: we configure WSUS, ConfigMgr, or Intune compliance policies with scanning and remediation windows aligned to ASD timeframes. MFA: we deploy phishing-resistant authenticators (FIDO2 security keys, Windows Hello for Business), configure Conditional Access policies requiring MFA strength. Macro restrictions: we configure Attack Surface Reduction rules blocking macros from internet-downloaded files in untrusted locations. Admin privilege restriction: we implement tiered access models, configure Privileged Access Workstations, deploy just-in-time elevation with PIM. Each strategy is implemented to your target maturity level and validated for effectiveness.
  • E8 Assessment Preparation When formal E8 assessment is required, we prepare evidence packages aligned to ASD's assessment methodology. Each control has documented implementation evidence. Validation testing confirms effectiveness. Exception documentation explains any alternate controls and their compensating effect. Your formal assessment proceeds with complete evidence, not last-minute scrambling.

Essential Eight maturity is increasingly a procurement prerequisite, not an optional enhancement. We implement the strategies that satisfy contract requirements.

Includes:

  • Maturity baseline report across all eight strategies
  • Gap-to-target remediation plan
  • Application control policy deployment
  • Patching automation configuration
  • MFA with phishing-resistant authenticators
  • Privilege access architecture
  • Macro restriction policies
  • Backup validation procedures
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IRAP · International Expansion

For organizations pursuing both Australian government and international markets with coordinated compliance strategy

Organizations serving Australian government clients often pursue US federal (FedRAMP), UK government (Cyber Essentials Plus), or international (ISO 27001) markets simultaneously. ISM controls overlap significantly with NIST 800-53 and ISO 27001 Annex A, but gaps exist. Control language differs. Evidence formats differ. Assessment methodologies differ.

We map frameworks, identify reusable evidence, and design architectures that satisfy multiple compliance requirements simultaneously. Your security investment works across markets, not requiring reconstruction for each jurisdiction.

  • Cross-Framework Control Mapping We map your ISM control implementation to NIST 800-53 controls (for FedRAMP alignment) and ISO 27001 Annex A controls (for ISO certification). The mapping identifies: controls satisfied by your IRAP implementation, controls requiring additional implementation, and evidence that can be reused across frameworks. ISM-0843 (restricting cryptographic key access) maps to NIST SC-12 and ISO A.10.1.2. Your Azure Key Vault configuration satisfies all three with a single implementation. We identify these overlaps and gaps systematically, enabling efficient cross-framework compliance.
  • Dual-Framework Architecture When you pursue IRAP PROTECTED and FedRAMP Moderate simultaneously, architecture decisions affect both programs. We design systems that satisfy both frameworks' requirements from initial architecture. Data residency constraints for IRAP (Australian data centers) align with FedRAMP's US data residency requirements for different data sets. Encryption standards meeting ISM cryptographic requirements also satisfy NIST cryptographic module requirements. Access control models satisfying ISM least-privilege principles also satisfy NIST AC-6. Dual-framework architecture eliminates rework by designing once for multiple compliance targets.
  • Multi-Market Authorization Strategy Coordinated assessment timing reduces effort and cost. IRAP assessment evidence informs FedRAMP SSP documentation. FedRAMP 3PAO findings identify gaps applicable to both frameworks. ISO 27001 surveillance audits validate controls relevant to all three. We coordinate assessment calendars, manage evidence repositories that serve multiple frameworks, and sequence assessments to maximize evidence reuse. Your compliance investment compounds across markets rather than duplicating.

Your security architecture should satisfy multiple markets, not require rebuilding for each jurisdiction. We design for international compliance from the start.

Includes:

  • ISM to NIST 800-53 control mapping
  • ISM to ISO 27001 Annex A mapping
  • Gap analysis across frameworks
  • Unified evidence repository
  • Coordinated assessment calendar
  • Multi-framework SSP structure
  • International market prioritization
We don't just chase controls. We build a narrative of trust.

The Sovereign Assurance Lifecycle.

IRAP authorization isn't a single assessment event. It's a structured journey from understanding your data classification requirements through implementing controls, documenting shared responsibility, coordinating with IRAP assessors, and engaging authorising officers for ATO decisions.

Each phase builds on the previous, and skipping phases creates gaps that surface during assessment.

Our approach mirrors the authorization lifecycle defined in ASD's Anatomy of a Cloud Assessment and Authorisation guidance.

We move systematically from scope determination through implementation, documentation, and authorisation.

The endpoint isn't a deliverable handoff. It's an authorised system operating at your target classification level.

00.

PHASE 0: Discovery & Sovereign Scoping

For organizations with aggressive timelines requiring compressed delivery without compromised quality.

Every IRAP engagement begins with classification clarity. What data will your system store, process, or communicate? What's the highest classification level: OFFICIAL, OFFICIAL:Sensitive, PROTECTED? Classification determines ISM control applicability. Controls marked "P" don't apply if you only handle OFFICIAL:Sensitive data. Controls marked "OS" are irrelevant if you handle non-classified data only.

We analyze your data flows and determine the correct classification level. We scope the assessment boundary: which systems, which services, which cloud infrastructure falls within your IRAP assessment. We identify your target Essential Eight maturity level based on government contract requirements. We map the authorising officers you'll need to engage for ATO decisions. This phase produces clarity on scope, effort, and timeline before significant investment begins.

  • Data classification analysis across all system components
  • ISM control applicability determination for target classification
  • Assessment boundary definition (systems, services, infrastructure)
  • Essential Eight target maturity level identification
  • Authorising officer mapping for target government entities
  • Preliminary timeline and effort framework

Phase 0 delivers a scoping document that defines your assessment boundary, target classification, applicable ISM controls, and realistic timeline. You proceed with full clarity on what the IRAP journey requires.

01.

IRAP · Gap Analysis and Remediation Planning

Identify what's missing and build a realistic path to close it

With classification and scope established, we analyze your current control implementation against ISM requirements. This isn't a checklist exercise. We validate whether your existing controls satisfy the intent of each applicable ISM control, not just whether documentation claims they exist. Azure Policy compliance states show what's configured, but not whether configurations meet ISM-0123 requirements for password complexity. We validate effectiveness, not existence.

Essential Eight maturity baseline uses ASD's standardized assessment outcomes. We identify your current maturity level across all eight strategies and gaps to your target level. CCM preliminary mapping documents how controls will be satisfied: implemented by your organization, inherited from CSPs, or shared.

The output is a prioritized remediation roadmap with realistic effort estimates. Quick wins that close gaps with minimal effort are sequenced early. Complex remediation requiring architecture changes is planned with appropriate timeline. You understand exactly what's required and whether your schedule accommodates it.

  • ISM control gap validation (effectiveness, not just existence)
  • Essential Eight maturity baseline across all eight strategies
  • CCM preliminary mapping (implement, inherit, shared)
  • Remediation effort estimation with resource requirements
  • Risk-based prioritization aligned to authorising officer concerns
  • Quick-win identification for early momentum

Phase 1 delivers a prioritized remediation roadmap with effort estimates, E8 maturity baseline, and preliminary CCM mapping. You proceed to implementation with a clear plan, not a generic gap list.

02.

IRAP · Advisory & Implementation

Build the controls, configure the systems, document the evidence

Implementation is engineering work. We configure ISM controls in your cloud platforms: Azure Policy assignments, AWS Config rules, GCP Organization Policy constraints. We deploy Essential Eight strategies: application control policies via New-CIPolicy for WDAC, patching compliance policies in Intune with @odata.type": "#microsoft.graph.windows10CompliancePolicy", MFA with Conditional Access grant controls requiring authentication strength.

Documentation parallels implementation. Each control has evidence: configuration exports, policy screenshots, architecture diagrams showing data flows through control boundaries. CCM sections are completed with implementation detail sufficient for IRAP assessor validation. SSP contributions document system architecture, security controls, and residual risks. Shared responsibility documentation clarifies exactly which controls you inherit from CSPs and which you implement.

Implementation and documentation proceed together because evidence is a byproduct of proper implementation, not a separate workstream.

  • ISM control implementation with validated configurations
  • Essential Eight strategy deployment across all eight strategies
  • CCM completion with implementation evidence
  • Evidence collection integrated with implementation (not after)
  • SSP sections documenting architecture and controls
  • Shared responsibility model documentation with control boundaries

Phase 2 delivers implemented controls with validated configurations, a completed CCM with evidence, and SSP contributions ready for IRAP assessor review. Your system operates at target classification requirements.

03.

IRAP · Assessment Coordination and ATO

Navigate the IRAP assessment and authorising officer engagement

With controls implemented and documented, we coordinate the IRAP assessment. We support assessor selection if you haven't already engaged one. We prepare your team for assessment methodology: what evidence assessors typically request, how they validate control effectiveness, what documentation format they prefer. We anticipate common findings and address them before assessment begins.

During assessment, we support evidence delivery and finding response. When assessors identify gaps, we prioritize remediation and provide corrective action evidence. Post-assessment, we prepare authorising officer engagement: briefing materials that frame residual risks in business terms, risk acceptance statements that enable informed decisions, ATO packages that satisfy agency requirements. The engagement continues until authorisation is granted, not until a report is delivered.

  • IRAP assessor selection support and engagement
  • Assessment preparation (evidence packaging, team readiness)
  • Assessment support (evidence delivery, finding response)
  • Finding remediation with corrective action evidence
  • Authorising officer briefing preparation
  • Risk acceptance framing and ATO package completion

Phase 3 delivers a completed IRAP assessment, remediated findings, and authorising officer briefing materials. Your ATO package is ready for submission and approval.

IRAP · Certified. Authorised to Operate

Your system is cleared to handle Australian government data at your target classification level

The engagement endpoint is Authority to Operate. Your Security Assessment Report documents the IRAP assessor's findings. Your Cloud Controls Matrix demonstrates ISM control implementation with shared responsibility clarity. Your authorising officer has accepted residual risks based on informed briefing. Your system is authorised to handle Australian government data at your target classification level.

From here, multiple paths extend:

  • Managed Compliance Operations Maintain your security posture with quarterly ISM alignment and reassessment preparation
  • Essential Eight Advancement Progress from ML1 to ML2 or ML2 to ML3 for expanded contract eligibility
  • International Expansion Leverage your IRAP investment toward FedRAMP or ISO 27001 for multi-market presence
  • Periodic Reassessment Prepare for 24-month reassessment cycles with current evidence and refreshed documentation

The outcome is an authorised system with documented controls, accepted residual risks, and a clear path forward for maintaining compliance posture and expanding market reach.

Ready to Navigate Australian Government Security Requirements?

Let's discuss your IRAP assessment timeline, target classification level, and the path to authorisation. Our engineers understand ISM controls at the implementation level, not just the documentation level.