Secure Electronics
Design Data with
GovCloud

How GovCloud Evolved to Meet Cloud Compliance Needs

The origins of GovCloud date back to 2011, and the platform continues to evolve over time by:

• Providing a secure environment for ITAR-controlled data
• Addressing comprehensive FedRAMP High requirements
• Adding DoD SRG IL4/5 capabilities for defense applications
• Implementing cross-domain security boundary solutions 
• Introducing dual-region architecture for disaster recovery
• Expanding compliance requirements maintenance

GovCloud provides a compliance-ready environment needed for digital transformation. Teams can use modern cloud capabilities instead of air-gapped networks while maintaining strict access controls and compliance documentation required by regulations.

How GovCloud Differs From Standard Cloud Infrastructure

While standard commercial cloud environments offer significant security capabilities, GovCloud goes further by implementing the additional controls specifically required by government and regulated industry standards:

• Personnel Access: Limited to US persons only, with background checks
• Physical Location: All infrastructure resides on US soil
• Data Sovereignty: Complete isolation from foreign influence
• Enhanced Encryption: FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic modules
• Chain of Custody: Comprehensive audit trails and evidence collection
• Compliance Documentation: Pre-configured for accelerated compliance

These specialized controls allow teams to collaborate securely on sensitive projects that previously required completely isolated environments.

While GovCloud was initially developed with defense contractors and government agencies in mind, it is applicable far beyond these traditional use cases. Any organization dealing with CUI, export-controlled technical data or intellectual property that requires enhanced protection can benefit from the specialized security controls and cloud compliance capabilities of GovCloud.

Beyond Defense: Industries Leveraging GovCloud

A broad spectrum of organizations now utilize GovCloud to secure their most sensitive data:

• Aerospace & Space Technology Companies: Organizations developing satellites, launch systems, and advanced aviation technologies
• Research Institutions: Universities and labs handling export-controlled research data
• Energy & Utilities: Companies operating critical infrastructure with stringent security requirements
• Healthcare & Life Sciences: Organizations managing sensitive medical research
• Manufacturing: Companies with valuable intellectual property and technical data that could be targeted for theft
• State & Local Government: Agencies with sensitive data that require enhanced protection

When Standard Cloud Security Isn't Enough

Organizations that don't have explicit regulatory requirements may still find significant value in GovCloud's enhanced security capabilities when protecting high-value intellectual property:

• Targeted Development Programs: Projects with significant competitive advantage that require enhanced protection
• Cutting-Edge Research: Early-stage innovation that could be subject to economic espionage
• Advanced Materials Development: Novel materials with potential dual-use applications
• Supply Chain Protection: Preventing unauthorized access to critical technical specifications
• Pre-Patent Innovations: Creating security before formal intellectual property protections are in place

For teams developing cutting-edge technologies, GovCloud adoption hinges on balancing intellectual property value against specialized security benefits. Many organizations find these enhanced protections worth the investment, especially given the many sophisticated threats targeting valuable technical data.

For electronics design teams working with controlled technical data, understanding the distinction between the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR) is essential for implementing appropriate security controls and compliance measures. While both regulatory frameworks govern exports from the United States, they differ in scope, controlling agencies, and specific requirements.

International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)

ITAR controls the export and temporary import of defense articles, technical data, and defense services as defined in the United States Munitions List (USML).

Administered by the U.S. Department of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), ITAR specifically targets:

• Military equipment and components
• Technical data related to defense articles
• Defense services, including design, development, and maintenance of military items
• Space-related technologies with military applications
• Technical designs, blueprints, and documentation for controlled items

ITAR covers circuit boards, components, and design files for military applications defined in the USML. This includes technical data containing detailed design methodology, engineering analyses, and manufacturing know-how for controlled items.

Export Administration Regulations (EAR)

EAR governs the export of "dual-use" items – those with both commercial and military or proliferation applications – as well as purely commercial items.

Administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), EAR controls are organized around the Commerce Control List (CCL), which categorizes items based on:

• Technical parameters
• Potential end-use concerns
• Country restrictions
• Proliferation concerns
• National security considerations

Electronics designs may fall under EAR control when they involve advanced capabilities like high-performance computing systems, specialized telecommunications equipment, sensors, navigation systems or other technologies with potential dual-use applications.

Key Differences That Impact Electronics Design Teams

Understanding the distinctions between these regulatory frameworks helps design teams implement appropriate security controls:

Presumption of Control

• ITAR: All items are controlled until specifically excluded
• EAR: Most commercial items are not controlled unless specifically included in the CCL

Technical Data Controls

• ITAR: Any technical data related to a defense article is controlled
• EAR: Controls focus on specific technical parameters and end-use

Cloud Storage Requirements

• ITAR: Requires strict access controls limited to US persons only
• EAR: Requirements vary based on classification and destination

License Requirements

• ITAR: Default position requires licenses for exports to almost all foreign nationals
• EAR: License requirements depend on commodity, destination, end-user, and end-use

Penalties for Violations

• ITAR: Up to $1 million per violation and 20 years imprisonment
• EAR: Up to $1 million per violation and 20 years imprisonment, with mitigation for voluntary self-disclosure

Determining Which Regulations Apply to Your Designs

Electronics developers must carefully evaluate when their work falls under ITAR or EAR regs:

ITAR-Controlled Design Examples

• Circuit boards specifically designed for missile guidance systems
• Electronic components custom-designed for military aircraft
• Control systems for naval defense systems
• Technical data detailing the design of military communications equipment

EAR-Controlled Design Examples

• High-performance computing systems exceeding certain thresholds
• Specialized encryption implementations
• Advanced telecommunications equipment
• Sensors with specific technical parameters
• Night vision components with specified capabilities

When working with potentially controlled technical data, design teams should implement a classification process that includes:

• Detailed technical evaluation against USML categories
• Assessment against CCL parameters, if not ITAR-controlled
• Documentation of classification determinations
• Regular review as designs evolve
• Consultation with export compliance experts for ambiguous cases

Compliance Implications for Cloud-Based Design Environments

For electronics design teams, the classification of technical data has direct implications for how design files can be stored, shared, and accessed in cloud environments:

• ITAR-controlled designs must be maintained in environments that restrict access to US persons only, with appropriate technical and administrative safeguards to prevent unauthorized access. This typically requires specialized ITAR-compliant cloud services like GovCloud, with strict access controls.
• EAR-controlled designs may require varying levels of protection depending on their specific classification on the Commerce Control List. While some EAR items can be stored in standard commercial cloud environments with appropriate security controls, more sensitive technologies may require specialized environments.

Altium 365 GovCloud provides the specialized infrastructure and security controls needed to support cloud compliance when working with ITAR and EAR-controlled technical data. By keeping your electronics designs in an environment built specifically for regulated information, teams can collaborate efficiently while maintaining the strict access controls required by export regulations.

Implementing effective protection for intellectual property and CUI requires a comprehensive approach that addresses people, processes, and technology. Organizations working with sensitive electronic design data should consider these essential practices.

Establish Comprehensive Classification

The foundation of effective protection begins with clearly identifying which information requires enhanced security controls:

• Develop explicit classification criteria that map to regulatory frameworks
• Document classification decisions with clear rationales
• Train team members on proper data handling
• Implement regular reviews as designs evolve
• Create clear indicators within documents and systems

Implement Strong Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Controlling who can access sensitive design data is essential:

• Enforce strong authentication, including multi-factor authentication
• Implement role-based access control aligned with job responsibilities
• Verify US person status for users accessing ITAR-controlled data
• Conduct regular access reviews to identify and remove unnecessary permissions
• Document all access decisions for audit purposes

Configure Security Boundaries

Creating secure boundaries around sensitive data helps prevent unauthorized access:

• Implement IP whitelisting to restrict access to known network locations
• Deploy security groups with default-deny postures
• Monitor for anomalous patterns that could indicate unauthorized access
• Deploy FIPS-validated encryption for data at rest and in transit

Establish Data Protection Controls

Preventing unauthorized data movement requires dedicated controls:

• Implement data loss prevention tools to monitor for sensitive content
• Control file movement based on classification
• Establish break-glass procedures for legitimate export requirements
• Audit all data movement across security boundaries

Enable Secure External Collaboration

Many electronics projects require collaboration with external partners while maintaining strict access controls:

• Implement contract flow-down provisions for compliance requirements
• Establish secure enclaves for controlled data sharing
• Define explicit handling requirements for external partners
• Maintain audit trails of all external access

Validate Security Controls

Ongoing validation helps maintain an effective security posture:

• Perform vulnerability assessments of all environments
• Conduct penetration testing to validate security effectiveness
• Review security architecture as technology evolves
• Test disaster recovery capabilities to ensure data availability

Protecting export-controlled data and IP in electronics design requires specialized secure collaboration tools. GovCloud electronics design collaboration tools deliver the infrastructure, architecture, and monitoring needed for robust protection throughout the design process, while maintaining efficient teamwork.

Secure Cloud Infrastructure

The foundation of GovCloud security begins with the underlying environment for your design data.

• US-based deployment ensures all data remains exclusively on US soil, as required by ITAR and other regulations governing controlled unclassified information
• Security-hardened infrastructure utilizes FedRAMP High-authorized infrastructure with comprehensive physical and network security
• Personnel controls restrict operational access to US citizens, maintaining compliance with the strictest regulatory requirements
• Sovereignty protections prevent foreign influence through comprehensive isolation from standard commercial environments

Advanced-Data Protection Mechanisms

Robust security tools implement multiple layers of protection for your design data.

• End-to-end encryption protects data both in transit (using TLS 1.2 protocols) and at rest (using FIPS 140-2 validated encryption)
• Comprehensive access controls only allow authorized users to access sensitive design information
• Secure multi-tenancy architecture isolates each workspace with standalone database schemas, preventing cross-contamination between environments
• Automated backup systems with point-in-time recovery capabilities safeguard against data loss

These protections enable teams to collaborate effectively while maintaining strict control over who can access and modify design intellectual property.

Granular Workspace Controls

GovCloud security tools provide fine-grained control over your design collaboration environment.

• Workspace creation management controls who can establish new workspaces
• IP whitelisting limits access to specific network locations
• Personal space restrictions prevent unauthorized data transfers
• Group management applies standardized access settings across teams

These controls enable you to implement the principle of least privilege effectively, limiting access to what team members specifically need for their roles.

Advanced Compliance Tools

Maintaining visibility into system activity is essential for both data security and compliance purposes.

• Comprehensive event logging tracks user actions and system events
• SIEM integration API connects with existing security information and event management systems
• Automated compliance reporting simplifies regulatory documentation
• Real-time alerting notifies security teams of unusual or suspicious activities

These capabilities provide the visibility needed to detect potential security issues early while generating the documentation required for compliance audits.

Secure Design Review and Collaboration

Beyond a secure environment and access controls, modern GovCloud solutions incorporate specialized applications that maintain security throughout the electronic development workflow:

• Design review applications accelerate the review process while maintaining security controls. These tools reduce the risk of design errors and product recalls by tracking feedback in real time, monitoring reviewer progress, and creating permanent records for audits.
• Project management integrations like Jira synchronization maintain security while streamlining task management. Bi-directional synchronization between design and project management platforms eliminates manual updates across systems, reducing errors while maintaining data integrity.
• Technical data control provides granular visibility into who accessed what information and when, creating the audit trails required by ITAR and EAR export control regulations.

Specialized GovCloud security and compliance tools help electronics design teams meet regulatory requirements while enhancing collaboration.