Cybersecurity

Six Pillars of Digital Transformation

Protects systems, data, and missions through Zero Trust principles, resilience, and continuous risk management across all domains.

  • Moves security from a "perimeter wall" to a pervasive architectural layer.
  • Ensures mission continuity even during active threat environments.
  • Essential for CISOs, Risk Officers, and Mission Architects.
Back to Framework Explore ODXA
Mission outcomes delivered through integrated digital capabilities Mission Solutions & Capabilities Architectural integration aligns tradeoffs, design decisions, and cross-pillar dependencies Architectural Integration Tradeoffs • Alignment • Design Decisions Cloud, DevOps, emerging compute, and decentralized platforms enabling portable execution everywhere Ubiquitous Computing Edge Computing enables data processing and decision-making closer to where data is generated to support low-latency, resilient, and mission-critical operations. Edge Computing Artificial Intelligence enables systems to learn, reason, and assist decision-making through data-driven models embedded across digital and operational workflows. Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity protects systems, data, and missions through Zero Trust principles, resilience, and continuous risk management across all domains. Cyber Security Data Management governs how data is collected, integrated, secured, and used to drive insights and decisions across the enterprise. Data Management Advanced Communications provides secure, resilient connectivity enabling data, systems, and people to operate as an integrated whole. Advanced Comms Strategic Domain Organizational Domain Process Domain Digital Domain Physical Domain

Core Capability

Protecting systems, data, and missions through Zero Trust principles, resilience, and continuous risk management across all five ODXA domains.

Definition

Short Definition: Cybersecurity protects systems, data, and missions through Zero Trust principles, resilience, and continuous risk management across all domains.

Long Definition: Cybersecurity ensures that digital transformation efforts remain secure, trustworthy, and resilient in the face of evolving threats. This pillar emphasizes architectural security, identity, access control, monitoring, and incident response rather than point solutions. Within ODXA, cybersecurity is foundational and pervasive—strategy establishes risk posture, organizational structures define accountability, processes enforce controls and response, digital platforms embed security services, and physical systems protect infrastructure and operational assets.

This Pillar Is

  • Zero Trust: Never trust, always verify, regardless of network location.
  • Mission Resilience: The ability to operate through an attack, not just prevent it.
  • Continuous Management: Moving from "compliance audits" to real-time risk visibility.

This Pillar Is Not

  • A Bolt-on Tool: Security cannot be successfully added at the end of a project.
  • Just "IT's Problem": Security is a shared organizational responsibility.
  • Perfect Prevention: It is about managing risk, not achieving 0% probability.
“Cybersecurity is the pervasive architectural layer that protects every decision, system, and mission outcome.”
MISSION SYSTEMS ENTERPRISE DATA DISTRIBUTED WORKLOADS IDENTITY VERIFY RESILIENT PERVASIVE ZERO TRUST FABRIC Continuous Risk Management • Adaptive Defense • Architectural Security

In the ODXA framework, Cybersecurity is the Perimeterless Shield. It ensures that regardless of the Physical Domain constraints or the Digital Domain platforms, the mission remains resilient against evolving threats.

GEAR Integration & Architect's Map

Cybersecurity is the pervasive architectural layer that protects every decision, system, and mission outcome within the GEAR system.

FORGE Methodology in Cybersecurity

Architects use FORGE to transform security from a perimeter-based product to an enterprise-wide architectural philosophy.

Stage Architect's Focus Key Artifacts
Find Identify identity gaps, shadow IT, and hidden regulatory mandates. Trust Boundary Map, Compliance Matrix
Observe Analyze data flows, unified authentication gaps, and active threat signals. Security Telemetry Report
Reconcile Align risk appetite with technical constraints and Zero Trust principles. Zero Trust Roadmap
Ground Root security in existing identity providers and hardened infrastructure. Secure Landing Zone Spec
Enhance Augment capability via automated response, pervasive encryption, and adaptive defense. Incident Response Playbook

Cybersecurity Dimensions Map

How the Four Dimensions are secured and aligned for enterprise resilience.

Dimension Cybersecurity Play Example Check
People Security hygiene upskilling and social engineering awareness. Do employees recognize phishing attempts in real-world tests?
Process DevSecOps integration and automated compliance auditing. Is security scanning embedded in every CI/CD pipeline?
Policy Data protection mandates and "Security-by-Design" rules. Are security guardrails enforced automatically in IDEs?
Technology IAM systems, encryption-at-rest, and SIEM/SOAR platforms. Does our IAM support phishing-resistant MFA across all apps?

Cybersecurity-Domain Intersection

Architect's checklist for aligning Cybersecurity across O-DXA domains.

Domain Security Requirement Verification Point
Strategic Define Risk Tolerance and Mission Assurance priorities. Verify security budget aligns with asset criticality.
Organizational Empower the CISO and define accountability for breaches. Check for clear ownership of security controls in the field.
Process Integrate automated incident response playbooks. Verify regularity of Disaster Recovery/BCP drills.
Digital Deploy unified IAM and Service Mesh architectures. Check for end-to-end encryption across multi-cloud paths.
Physical Ensure supply chain integrity and site access control. Verify Hardware Root of Trust (TPM) on all edge nodes.

System-of-Systems Context

Enabling Ubiquitous Computing

Allows workloads to move safely between cloud and on-prem by making security "Identity-bound" rather than "Location-bound."

Enabling Advanced Comms

Provides the encryption and integrity checks that allow data to flow over unencrypted or contested network paths.

Dependency on Data Management

Requires precise Data Tagging and classification to know which security controls to apply to which assets.

Dependency on AI

Relies on Artificial Intelligence to process the millions of security logs generated daily to find the "needle in the haystack" threat.

When to Start Here

Start with Cybersecurity if you are suffering from "Audit Exhaustion" or if security concerns are currently the primary reason your organization is afraid to innovate or move to the cloud.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Zero Trust just for the Cloud?

No. Zero Trust is an architectural philosophy that applies to On-Premises, Edge, and Cloud. It assumes the network is compromised and verifies every request regardless of origin.

How does security impact developer velocity?

Through the Process Domain (DevSecOps). By automating security checks, you actually *increase* velocity because you find and fix issues in minutes rather than weeks.

What is the biggest risk to Cybersecurity?

The Organizational Domain (People). Most breaches occur through social engineering or misconfigurations, not high-tech zero-day exploits. Culture is your primary defense.

The Six Pillars

Framework Overview

The ODXA Domains

Learn ODXA Structure

Continue Your Journey

Browse all DTA episodes organized by domain and pillar to see architectural guidance in practice.

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Next Steps on Your Transformation Journey

Use the Six Pillars as a common language between business leaders, architects, and operators. From here you can dive into pillar pages, listen to interviews, or explore ODXA in depth.

The Six Pillars

Explore the foundational technical capabilities that enable digital transformation, from AI to advanced communications.

Execution Pillars Overview

The ODXA Domains

Navigate the structural layers of the enterprise to align strategy, people, processes, and technology.

Map Domain Structure

Transformation Dimensions

Understand how to balance the critical dimensions of People, Process, Policy, and Technology in every initiative.

Understand Dimensions

FORGE Methodology

Apply our active methodology to Find, Observe, Reconcile, Ground, and Enhance your transformation efforts.

Apply the Practice

Continue Your Journey

Browse all DTA episodes organized by aspect to see architectural guidance in practice.

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