Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business

End-to-end cybersecurity, built for the mission.

Full-spectrum cybersecurity, from strategy and architecture to operations, compliance, OT/ICS, and secure AI, plus IT consulting, for government agencies and regulated industries. Led by a U.S. Air Force veteran with nearly 25 years securing IT, OT, and cloud environments across defense, energy, and manufacturing.

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~25 yrsin cybersecurity & IT
USAFveteran, 2002–2008
IT · OT · Clouddefense, energy & manufacturing
CISSP · CISMcertified security leader

What we do

Services

Security Architecture & Strategy

Enterprise security architecture, standards, guardrails, and multi-year roadmaps aligned to mission and risk tolerance.

vCISO / Deputy CISO Advisory

Fractional security leadership: program scoping, priorities, budget input, and executive and board risk reporting.

Zero Trust

Zero Trust maturity assessments, roadmaps, and phased implementation across identity, devices, network, and data.

Identity & Access (IAM/PAM)

Access governance, privileged access reviews, just-in-time access, and phishing-resistant passwordless MFA.

Cloud Security (Azure / AWS)

Cloud security architecture, CNAPP, CSPM/CWPP, SaaS posture management, and automated alert-to-ticket pipelines.

Security Operations & Incident Response

SIEM/XDR optimization, IR planning, executive tabletop exercises, and breach response support.

Vulnerability & Exposure Management

Risk-based vulnerability programs, remediation governance, patch automation, and attack surface reduction.

Risk Assessments & GRC/Compliance

NIST 800-53, RMF/STIG, CMMC readiness, ISO 27001, and CIS benchmarks: gap assessments and audit support.

OT / ICS Security

Industrial network segmentation, secure remote access, and ICS/SCADA security controls for manufacturing and energy.

Data Protection & DLP

Data classification, DLP, information protection, and insider risk programs.

Secure AI Adoption & Optimization

AI use policies, data guardrails, and risk assessments so teams adopt AI tools safely and productively.

IT Consulting & Infrastructure

Infrastructure, endpoint, and network design and hardening, plus modernization planning.

Security assessments

Know where you stand.

Independent, vendor-agnostic assessments that turn uncertainty into a clear, prioritized plan.

Cybersecurity Program / Maturity Assessment

Benchmark your program against the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.

Zero Trust Readiness Assessment

Measure maturity across identity, devices, network, applications, and data.

Microsoft 365 / Azure Security Assessment

Find unused license value, misconfigurations, and quick wins.

Cloud Security Posture Assessment

Review Azure and AWS configurations, workloads, and SaaS exposure.

OT / ICS Security Assessment

Assess segmentation, remote access, and ICS controls in industrial environments.

Identity & Access Assessment

Evaluate IAM/PAM, privileged access, MFA coverage, and access reviews.

AI Readiness & AI Security Assessment

Evaluate data guardrails, AI use policies, and risk before you scale AI.

Compliance Gap Assessment

NIST 800-53, NIST 800-171, CMMC readiness, and ISO 27001 gap analysis.

Every assessment includes
  • Detailed findings
  • Risk-ranked remediation roadmap
  • Executive briefing
Request an assessment

Featured service

Get the most out of your Microsoft license.

Many organizations pay for Microsoft 365 E3/E5 security features they never fully turn on. We map what you own, close the gaps, and put it to work, often before you buy another tool.

Identity: Entra ID

Conditional Access, PIM, and passwordless MFA. Proven: migrated 500+ apps to Entra ID, saving $1M+ a year.

Data: Purview

DLP, information protection, and insider risk. Proven: DLP program blocking 1,500+ exfiltration attempts a month.

Detection: Defender XDR & Sentinel

Unified detection, SIEM tuning, and response automation, plus Intune device compliance.

Cloud: Defender for Cloud

Azure posture and workload protection. Proven: automated 5,000+ monthly Azure security alerts and cut response time by 88%.

Request a Microsoft security review

About

Veteran-led. Mission-focused.

Portrait of Cory Zaner, founder of Hawkcrest Cyber
Cory Zaner, FounderCISSP, CISM | U.S. Air Force Veteran

Hawkcrest Cyber was founded by Cory Zaner, a Senior Enterprise Architect specializing in security architecture and a U.S. Air Force veteran. As a Network Systems Manager and Staff Sergeant (2002–2008), Cory led a team securing satellite and UAV communications systems and was named Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year.

He then spent five years in defense, engineering DoD cyber infrastructure for ISR systems under RMF/STIG at a major aerospace and defense contractor. For more than a decade since, he has served as a lead security architect at a Fortune 500 company in the energy and chemical industry, coordinating with the CISO and cybersecurity directors across GRC, security operations, cloud security, and OT, shaping a multimillion-dollar security budget, and leading roughly 50 people through cross-functional influence. His work spans Zero Trust, identity, cloud security, OT/ICS protection, data loss prevention, incident response, and GRC for an enterprise of 10,000+ users.

Hawkcrest brings that same discipline to every engagement: clear communication, accountable execution, and security that serves the mission.

Credentials

Certifications & Education

CISSP (ISC2)CISM (ISACA)CCNA (Cisco)VMware VCPCitrix CCPCompTIA Security+CompTIA Network+CompTIA A+

Frameworks: NIST 800-53 Rev. 5 · RMF/STIG · ISO 27001 · CIS Level 2 · Zero Trust

For government buyers

Capabilities

Company

Hawkcrest Cyber LLC
Spring, Texas

Socioeconomic status

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB certification pending)
Texas VetHUB certification pending

UEI / CAGE

UEI: Pending
CAGE: Pending

NAICS codes

541512 Computer Systems Design Services
541519 Other Computer Related Services
541690 Other Scientific & Technical Consulting
541611 Administrative & General Management Consulting

Get started

Request a Service

Let's talk about your mission.

Tell us about your project, contract vehicle, or security challenge.

cory@hawkcrestcyber.com