Sicurezza dei dati nel cloud
e conformità
per lo sviluppo
dell'elettronica

The relationship between the two is symbiotic:

• Strong security measures help you achieve compliance 
• Compliance frameworks provide structured approaches to implementing security
• Both are necessary for a comprehensive approach to data protection

For electronics design teams, this distinction matters because different industries have varying compliance requirements. Defense contractors may need to meet CMMC or ITAR compliance requirements, medical device manufacturers must comply with FDA and EMA regulations, and companies handling European customer data need to adhere to GDPR standards. 

Cloud-based tools offer significant cloud security compliance advantages by providing built-in controls and documentation capabilities that streamline these compliance processes as they maintain strong security.

On-Premises Security: Traditional Control

On-premises security puts your data and security infrastructure entirely within your organization's physical control. Your team manages dedicated servers, hardware security modules, and all associated security infrastructure within your facilities.

Advantages:

• Physical control over all IT infrastructure containing your design data
• No reliance on internet connectivity for access to local files
• Complete customization of security configurations to your specifications
• Potentially beneficial for specialized compliance scenarios with strict data residency requirements

Cloud Data Security: Advanced Protection

Cloud-based data security leverages specialized providers' expertise and infrastructure to protect your design data, typically delivering enterprise-grade security at a fraction of the cost of building equivalent systems in-house.

Advantages:

• Advanced encryption methods with state-of-the-art protection protocols
• Geographic redundancy across multiple secure data centers
• Centralized security management with comprehensive access controls
• Automated updates and security patches without disruption
• Detailed activity logs and audit trails for tracking access
• Simplified secure collaboration for distributed teams
• Lower total cost of ownership for most organizations
• Rapid scalability to accommodate growing teams and projects
• Superior disaster recovery and business continuity capabilities

Enhanced Cloud Data Security Through Centralization

Traditional design environments disperse data across local workstations, shared drives, and email attachments, making a larger surface area to secure. Cloud collaboration platforms consolidate your design data into a centralized, secure environment with:

• Comprehensive encryption both in transit and at rest
• Unified access controls applied consistently across all design assets
• Real-time monitoring for suspicious activities or unauthorized access attempts
• Controlled sharing that maintains security when collaborating with partners
• Detailed audit trails documenting access and modification

This centralization significantly reduces vulnerabilities compared to traditional file-sharing methods and enables security teams to implement stronger protections around a single controlled environment.

Mitigating Growing Cyber Threats

The threat landscape for electronics design teams has grown increasingly dangerous. According to cybersecurity research, the financial implications of cyber incursions are staggering. In 2025, the cost of cybercrime is projected to hit $10.5 trillion annually and shows no sign of slowing down. (Yes, that’s trillions, not billions.) The manufacturing industry has been particularly affected, with ransomware attacks more than doubling in recent years.

High-profile attacks continue to demonstrate vulnerabilities across sectors. For example, Communications & Power Industries (CPI), which serves the US Department of Defense and DARPA, experienced a ransomware attack that encrypted their data and led to a widespread system shutdown affecting thousands of computers. Despite general advice against paying ransoms, CPI was forced to pay $500,000, highlighting the dire circumstances companies face during such breaches. Similarly, Semikron, a German power electronics manufacturer with 3,000 employees across 24 subsidiaries globally, suffered a cyberattack resulting in partial encryption of their IT systems and files.

Cloud security platforms help address these threats through:

• Continuous security updates and patches without disrupting workflows
• Advanced threat detection utilizing artificial intelligence and pattern recognition
• Automated backups enabling rapid recovery from ransomware attacks
• Geographic redundancy that protects business continuity even during localized disasters
• 24/7 expert security monitoring for emerging threats

Streamlined Compliance Management 

Regulatory compliance requirements continue to evolve and expand, creating significant administrative burdens for electronics design teams. Cloud collaboration tools simplify compliance through built-in controls aligned with major regulatory frameworks and automated documentation capabilities. They ensure consistent application of security policies across all design data while providing simplified auditing with comprehensive activity logs, ultimately reducing the administrative overhead needed to maintain compliance.

Enabling Secure Collaboration Without Boundaries 

Cloud collaboration tools transform productivity by removing barriers while upholding strong security protections. They allow teams to access designs securely from anywhere, simplify onboarding processes, and enable controlled sharing with external partners. Teams benefit from real-time design reviews with managed stakeholder access and robust version control that prevents conflicts and protects data integrity throughout the collaborative process.

Cost Optimization Through Shared Resources

Data security in the cloud delivers significant cost advantages over traditional approaches by offering:

• Elimination of expensive on-premise security infrastructure
• Reduced need for specialized security personnel
• Predictable subscription-based pricing aligned with actual usage
• Minimized downtime and business disruption from security incidents
• Lower environmental impact through shared resources

Real-World Impact

The move to cloud collaboration tools delivers measurable benefits for electronics design teams. Improved collaboration reduces design cycle times, while significantly reducing the risk of intellectual property theft. Teams gain improved visibility into design progress and project status, enhance their adaptability to evolving security threats, and build greater resilience against disruptions ranging from cyber attacks to natural disasters.

Transitioning a design team to a cloud-based development environment requires thoughtful implementation. The following best practices will help your organization protect your intellectual property while promoting efficient collaboration.

Establish Robust Cloud Data Protection Measures

Cloud security ultimately centers on protecting your valuable intellectual design property.

• Ensure data encryption at rest and in transit using industry-standard methods
• Implement secure file-sharing processes for collaboration with external partners
• Establish version control and backup procedures to prevent data loss
• Create data retention and deletion policies aligned with business requirements

Monitor and Respond to Security Events

Effective security requires constant vigilance and the ability to respond quickly to potential threats.

• Implement comprehensive logging of all system and user activities
• Integrate with Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools
• Establish automated alerts for suspicious activities
• Create and test incident response procedures for potential security breaches
• Conduct regular security reviews to identify and address emerging risks

Manage Third-Party Risk

Cloud environments often involve multiple providers, each requiring appropriate security scrutiny.

• Conduct thorough vendor security assessments before implementation
• Review vendor compliance certifications relevant to your industry
• Establish security requirements in vendor contracts with clear responsibilities
• Perform periodic reassessments of vendor security practices
• Develop contingency plans for potential vendor security incidents

Plan for Business Continuity

Cloud environments offer superior resilience but still require robust continuity planning.

• Test backup and restoration capabilities regularly
• Create disaster recovery procedures specific to cloud environments
• Establish alternate access methods for critical operations during outages
• Document recovery time objectives for different systems and data
• Conduct periodic tabletop exercises to validate continuity plans

With thoughtful implementation of these best practices, electronics design teams can create comprehensive and collaborative cloud development environments that deliver superior security and align controls with specific business requirements and risk profiles.

Real protection requires specialized tools for cloud-based collaboration. The Altium 365 cloud platform offers the Organizational Security Package with integrated tools that bridge the gap between robust security and efficient collaboration. 

Cloud Infrastructure Security

The foundation of cloud security begins with the underlying infrastructure that hosts your design data.

• Multi-region deployment provides geographic redundancy across independent data centers to ensure availability and performance while maintaining appropriate data residency.
• Security-hardened infrastructure includes industry-leading cloud providers (like AWS) with comprehensive physical and network security.
• Vulnerability scanning identifies and addresses potential weaknesses before they can be exploited.
• Third-party penetration testing validates security effectiveness through simulated attacks.

The Altium 365 cloud platform employs a distributed architecture across multiple AWS regions with multi-availability zone storage services. This approach eliminates single points of failure while ensuring data remains accessible even during localized disruptions. The platform is built with security-driven development practices that include extensive architecture reviews, dependency scanning, code reviews, and dynamic application security testing.

Monitoring and Cloud Security Compliance Tools

Maintaining visibility into system activity is essential for both security and compliance purposes, including: 

• Comprehensive event logging to track user actions and system events.
• SIEM integration API to connect with existing security information and event management systems.
• Automated compliance reporting to simplify regulatory documentation.
• Real-time alerting for unusual or suspicious activities.

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

Integrated Collaboration Tools with Built-In Security

Beyond infrastructure and access controls, modern cloud security solutions incorporate specialized applications that maintain security throughout the design workflow.

• Design review applications accelerate the review process while maintaining security controls. These tools track feedback in real time, monitor reviewer progress, and create permanent records for audit.
• Project management integration with Jira synchronization maintains security while streamlining task management. Bi-directional synchronization between design and project management platforms eliminates manual updates across systems and reduces errors.
• Event monitoring tools track detailed information for each system event, providing essential visibility for both security monitoring and compliance documentation.

The transition to cloud-based security represents a shift in how electronics design teams protect their intellectual property. Organizations that embrace this approach gain enhanced protection and improved resilience against disruptions, streamlined compliance processes, and the ability to collaborate securely across geographic boundaries. 

As the threat landscape continues to evolve, cloud security platforms provide the agility to stay ahead of emerging risks while supporting the collaborative workflows that drive innovation in electronics design.