The United States’ ability to protect and defend itself against current and future threats depends on our capacity to collaborate securely with mission partners. All too often, however, a lack of proper controls prevents our Defense agencies and allies from being able to share critical information for fear that information will be compromised.
It’s a challenge that our military has grappled with for years. But with tensions rising throughout the world and the pillars of democracy threatened, it’s one we must solve. Now.
Fortunately, that’s exactly what John and Will Ackerly, the co-founders of Virtru, are doing. They have developed a technology that focuses on protecting not the networks that data traverses, but the data itself. Through their data protection solutions, they are meeting the challenges of de-perimeterized security, helping to define the market for Zero Trust Data Access (ZTDA) that will safeguard our most valuable and confidential assets and intelligence.
Virtru’s Trusted Data Format (TDF) is an ODNI-approved standard that allows government agencies to easily encrypt data, essentially making it self-protecting. Once protected, the data can quickly and securely be shared with interagency and coalition partners, while maintaining control over the data everywhere it’s stored and shared.
This type of innovative thinking, with an eye toward the good of the country, is why our organization, MC2, is one of the primary investors in Virtru’s recent $60 million Series C funding, and why I have recently joined the Company’s Board of Directors. This funding will allow John, Will, and the rest of the talented Virtru team to accelerate growth and continue doing what they do best: create effective and frictionless ways to secure and share data.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked closely with John and Will for several years and have seen their passion for data protection firsthand. John worked at The White House on 9/11, and Will at the NSA in its aftermath. While at the NSA, Will developed TDF, which today serves as the leading data control standard for both the DoD and the IC.
Given growing market demand for Zero Trust Data Access (ZTDA) solutions and the clear opportunity for Virtru within the government market, we see great things on the horizon for Virtru. We are thrilled to partner with them on this journey and look forward to seeing what Virtru will deliver next to protect our nation and its data.
Michael Chertoff was recently appointed to Virtru’s board of directors. Mr. Chertoff served as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from 2005 to 2009, and he is the co-founder and executive chairman of MC2 and The Chertoff Group. Mr. Chertoff provides high-level strategic counsel to corporate and government leaders on a broad range of security issues, from risk identification and prevention to preparedness, response and recovery.
