Eliminating security compliance overhead through systematic automation.
Ben Cornelius founded Cornelius Digital Solutions after spending a decade observing the same pattern: defense contractors spending $300,000-500,000 annually on security compliance tasks that could be automated for $40,000-60,000.
U.S. Marine Corps (2014-Present)
Marine Corps officer with extensive experience in cybersecurity operations, systems engineering, and compliance implementation across classified environments. Currently serving as Space Operations Officer in the Reserve.
Defense Contractor (2021-Present)
Led cybersecurity architecture and compliance automation projects for Department of War clients. Contributed to team recognized as MDA Cybersecurity Team of the Year.
In 2023, while consulting for a 180-person aerospace contractor spending $380,000 annually on security compliance, Ben conducted time-motion analysis of their security team:
• 60% of time: Repetitive tasks (scanning, patching, reporting)
• 20% of time: Meetings and coordination
• 15% of time: Actual security judgment
• 5% of time: Training
The realization: They were paying for judgment but receiving mostly execution—execution that automation handles more consistently.
He designed an automated compliance system, implemented it in 10 weeks for $95,000, and reduced their annual security costs to $56,000 while improving audit performance from 3 findings to 0 findings.
The contractor saved $324,000 annually. The CEO asked: "Why doesn't everyone do this?"
The answer: Most contractors don't know it's possible. Security consulting firms benefit from ongoing dependency. Industry inertia assumes "security requires security people."
Cornelius Digital Solutions exists to challenge that assumption.
We design systematic compliance programs that eliminate security staffing overhead.
Compliance problems are consistency problems, not security problems. Humans excel at judgment; automation excels at consistency. Defense contractors need both, but they're currently paying for judgment and receiving mostly execution.
Our Solution: Automate the 87% of compliance work requiring perfect consistency. Retain strategic security judgment on fractional/advisory basis for the 13% requiring human expertise.
Our Promise: Same audit outcomes. Fraction of the cost. Self-sufficient operations.
We've eliminated $7.2M in security staffing costs across 23 defense contractors while maintaining 100% CMMC and RMF audit pass rates.
Typical Engagement:
• Assessment: 2 weeks (current state analysis)
• Design: 4 weeks (systematic compliance architecture)
• Implementation: 8 weeks (deployment and testing)
• Training: 2 weeks (knowledge transfer)
• Result: 87% cost reduction, self-sufficient operations
We serve: 50-500 employee defense contractors spending >$200,000 annually on security compliance who want to eliminate that overhead permanently.
Colorado Springs, Colorado
We're based in Colorado Springs because it's the center of U.S. defense space operations: Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain, and Fort Carson. Our proximity to major defense installations and contractors gives us deep understanding of the defense industrial base compliance landscape.
For strategic compliance advisory:
Ben Cornelius, Principal
mission@corneliusdigitalsolutions.com
(256) 738-3629
Cornelius Digital Solutions is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).