Why Persistent Data Protection Is Becoming Mission-Critical for Government and Defense Operations

As military operations, government agencies, and critical infrastructure providers adopt increasingly decentralized operating models, traditional perimeter-based cybersecurity strategies are struggling to keep pace. Sensitive and classified data now routinely traverses allied command centers, remote tactical environments, disconnected field operations, and third-party partners, often across networks that lack consistent or unified security controls.

Kiteworks is responding to this challenge by integrating the Trusted Data Format (OpenTDF) into its Private Data Network, delivering persistent, file-level protection that remains intact regardless of where data travels or how it is accessed. The approach shifts the security paradigm from network-centric defenses to embedded, data-centric control—an evolution that aligns with the real-world operational demands of defense and government environments.

The Limits of Perimeter-Based Protection

Conventional data security models depend heavily on network boundaries—firewalls, VPNs, and segmented internal systems—to safeguard sensitive information. However, once a file moves beyond the perimeter, control rapidly diminishes. Data can be copied, forwarded, or stored in unsecured environments without meaningful oversight or enforcement.

This presents a particularly acute risk for:

• Military intelligence sharing across allied and joint task forces

• Interagency collaboration involving classified or controlled data

• Remote monitoring of critical infrastructure assets and sensor networks

“Organizations operating in high-security environments face a fundamental challenge: how do you maintain control over sensitive data after it leaves your systems?” said Yaron Galant, Chief Product Officer at Kiteworks. “Traditional security models break down because the protection doesn’t travel with the data. Our implementation of OpenTDF changes that dynamic entirely.”

Embedding Security Directly Into the File

At the core of Kiteworks’ solution is the OpenTDF framework, which embeds encryption and attribute-based access control (ABAC) directly into each file. This allows organizations to define granular policies specifying:

• User clearance level

• Organizational role

• Geographic access boundaries

• Time-based usage restrictions

• Mission-specific need-to-know parameters

For example, intelligence classified as Top Secret can be configured to remain accessible only to authorized personnel operating within defined regions and time windows—even if the file is copied, forwarded, or stored outside the originating environment.

Because protection persists at the data level, files remain secure when shared across agencies, systems, or disconnected environments—a scenario increasingly common in modern defense and infrastructure operations.

Access Validation and Compliance Accountability

Kiteworks’ OpenTDF implementation includes a Key Access Service (KAS) and a Policy Enforcement Point (PEP), which work together to authenticate recipients and validate access permissions before allowing file decryption. Every interaction with protected data is logged, creating a detailed audit trail to support compliance and reporting requirements.

This architecture supports alignment with regulatory and governance frameworks, including:

• CMMC

• FedRAMP

• FISMA

• HIPAA

Users access secured files through the standard Kiteworks interface, preserving operational familiarity while integrating advanced protection capabilities. The solution also complements Kiteworks’ broader secure data exchange platform, including its FedRAMP High Ready status.

Sector-Specific Applications

While the solution is purpose-built for defense and national security use cases, its applicability spans several high-risk sectors:

Military and Defense
Secures intelligence and operational data transmitted from deployed units, unmanned systems, and forward operating bases to centralized command centers, ensuring access is limited to verified, cleared personnel.

Government and Public Sector
Enables controlled sharing of sensitive information across departments, contractors, and partner agencies while maintaining oversight and auditability.

Critical Infrastructure
Protects telemetry and operational data from remote facilities such as power grids, pipelines, transportation networks, and water treatment plants.

Healthcare
Supports secure exchange of patient data and research materials in compliance with HIPAA requirements.

Financial Services
Safeguards transaction data shared with regulatory authorities and partner institutions through fine-grained access controls and tracking.

Advancing a Data-Centric Security Model

According to Galant, the industry is witnessing a fundamental shift in how security must be applied.

“The organization-level security perimeter has dissolved,” he said. “Security must no longer live at the edge of the network. It must live inside the data itself. Kiteworks TDF makes encryption, access policy, and compliance inherent attributes of every file.”

By embedding security directly into the data object, organizations gain assurance that sensitive information remains protected even in fragmented, collaborative, and disconnected operational environments; conditions that are now the norm across defense and government sectors.

As digital transformation continues and threat surfaces expand, persistent file-level security is transitioning from a differentiator to an operational requirement for institutions where system failure, data loss, or unauthorized disclosure carries mission-level consequences.