CDA Mission-Based Security Operations is the operational methodology where every security engagement is structured as a defined mission with clear objectives, deliverables, timelines, and measurable outcomes. Unlike traditional managed security services that bill for hours of monitoring, CDA missions produce tangible artifacts -- detections, configurations, policies, assessments -- that the client owns permanently. This approach transforms security from an ongoing expense into progressive capability building.
Missions are drawn from CDA's catalog of 94 defined mission types spanning all six PDM domains. Each mission specifies its objective, required inputs, expected deliverables, estimated hours, minimum operator tier, and the ATT&CK techniques or compliance controls it addresses. Organizations select missions through Field Recon Mission (FRM) assessments that identify their highest-priority gaps. Operators are assigned based on domain expertise and certification level. Mission execution follows standardized workflows while allowing operator judgment for environment-specific adaptation. Deliverables undergo C2 quality rating before acceptance. Completed missions earn Arena points for operators and advance the organization's security posture score.
Traditional security services suffer from misaligned incentives: providers benefit from ongoing dependency while clients need self-sufficiency. Mission-based operations resolve this tension by defining completion criteria that prove capability transfer. Organizations can measure exactly what they received, track cumulative progress across missions, and eventually operate independently as internal capabilities mature through repeated mission execution and knowledge transfer.
Mission-based operations are CDA's core differentiator. The Theater of Operations structures missions into campaigns (C-RECON through C-COMMAND) that progressively build organizational defense maturity. Each mission is a discrete, measurable step toward comprehensive security posture -- not an open-ended retainer that optimizes for vendor revenue over client capability.