Partnership strengthens software security posture and enables faster deployments for defense environments

RapidFort, the fastest growing cybersecurity company securing the global software supply chain, has partnered with Defense Unicorns, a veteran-owned defense tech startup, to scale and strengthen its container infrastructure while accelerating deployment of its secure runtime platform for defense missions, Unicorn Delivery Service (UDS). By leveraging RapidFort’s platform and Curated Near-Zero CVE Images, Defense Unicorns achieved a near-zero CVE state across the UDS platform, accelerated delivery, enhanced compliance, and optimized deployment without the overhead of building internal hardening pipelines.

“RapidFort’s experience within classified environments and collaborative approach has made them a trusted partner in helping us deliver secure, reliable software to the teams who need it most, without slowing down mission-critical deployments,” said Rob Slaughter, CEO of Defense Unicorns. “Their curated images, FIPS-validated modules, and hands-on support enabled our teams to meet compliance requirements effortlessly while accelerating delivery.”

Like many organizations delivering software in classified environments, Defense Unicorns faced the challenge of hardening software containers at scale, without delaying delivery. This prompted them to make a “build vs. buy” decision and, after evaluating multiple options and the current ecosystem of secure container vendors, they selected RapidFort as the most effective partner to meet their operational and security goals.

RapidFort and Defense Unicorns addressed these challenges by:

• Eliminating over 98% of critical and high CVEs in the UDS Core platform compared to upstream images.
• Delivering FIPS-validated modules across all 32 UDS Core images to support deployments in compliance-sensitive environments.
• Reducing image sizes by a total of 140MB (5.9%), accelerating deployment in low-bandwidth and tactical edge environments.
• Providing engineering collaboration to support fast turnaround on FIPS-compliant builds and resolve emerging issues.
• Enabling Defense Unicorns to harden containers for its proprietary products, such as the UDS Registry, an OCI-compliant registry launched in June 2025.

“Security and speed are equally mission-critical in defense environments, but for many companies, achieving both can feel impossible,” said Mehran Farimani, CEO of RapidFort. “By leveraging RapidFort’s platform and Curated Near-Zero CVE Images, Defense Unicorns proved that it’s possible to accelerate the delivery of secure, compliant software, without compromising mission readiness.”

RapidFort, available through Platform One, Tradewind Marketplace, AWS Marketplace, Microsoft Azure Marketplace, Google Cloud Marketplace, Carahsoft, and now Azul provides organizations with a reliable and efficient pathway to secure their software supply chain. For more information about the RapidFort platform, please visit: https://www.rapidfort.com/

To get started using UDS with RapidFort’s Curated Near-Zero CVE Images to securely deliver software for national security missions, reach out to Defense Unicorns at hello@defenseunicorns.com or https://defenseunicorns.com/contact-us.

About RapidFort

RapidFort offers a cybersecurity platform that streamlines and secures modern infrastructure. Their innovative approach allows organizations to continuously monitor and minimize their software attack surface, ultimately improving their security posture and operational efficiency. RapidFort empowers development and security teams with a free tier and free community images, making it easy to get started with secure software development. Learn more about RapidFort at https://www.rapidfort.com/.

About Defense Unicorns

Defense Unicorns is a veteran-owned defense tech startup founded in 2021 to make software a strategic deterrent for the U.S. Department of Defense. They build innovative technical solutions to securely develop and deploy mission software across cloud, on-premises, and tactical edge environments. ‘Defense Unicorns’ is trusted by the operators of some of the most critical systems in the world, including the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, and Space Force. Learn more about Defense Unicorns at https://defenseunicorns.com/.

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