Virtru's Data Security Platform and products are powered by the Trusted Data Format (TDF), an open standard designed to enforce object-level access control. This ensures that sensitive data remains protected and under the owner's control, no matter where it is created or shared.
/TDF-Military.webp)
The Trusted Data Format (TDF) revolutionizes data security by embedding granular, policy-driven protections directly into data objects. Just as Kubernetes transformed application architecture with microservices, TDF brings "micro-security" to data, enabling precise control and protection no matter where the data travels.
TDF is an open data encoding and metadata standard that binds security policies to individual data objects, such as files, emails, or streaming content. These policies dictate who can access the data and under what conditions, ensuring persistent control. Encryption can be optionally applied, depending on the level of security required by the policy.
By integrating seamlessly with tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft SharePoint, and Salesforce, TDF enhances data security without disrupting productivity, enabling businesses to collaborate confidently in a zero-trust environment.
/blog%20-%20versatile%20TDF/Versatile%20TDF%20Blog.webp)
TDF binds policies—such as who can access the data and under what conditions—to metadata that travels with the data. This persistent connection ensures that data remains fully under the owner's control, even as it moves across systems and users. Owners can dynamically adjust policies to expand, restrict, or revoke access at any time.
Just as Kubernetes orchestrates microservices for modular, scalable applications, TDF acts as a "micro-security orchestrator," embedding policies and encryption directly into individual data objects. This ensures data remains secure across workflows, offering flexibility and governance that drive innovation.
TDF excels in enabling Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC), where data attributes and user or system attributes are evaluated to determine access. Policies are dynamically enforced, and encryption can be applied as required to meet compliance and security standards.
By integrating with popular collaboration tools, TDF allows secure data sharing while maintaining workforce productivity, turning data security into a business enabler.
Ackerly knew he couldn’t prevent mass surveillance—but he could at least try to shield people’s information. So he founded a company, Virtru, based on a technology he invented to sheathe individual pieces of data with encryption. He called his creation the Trusted Data Format, or TDF. It makes it dramatically harder for anyone — a private hacker, a foreign state, or one’s own government — to pilfer what users want to protect.
Luke O'Brien
Fortune Magazine, 40 Under 40: "The Anti-Hacker"
The TDF standard powers a wide range of data protection scenarios across public and private sectors.
The original open standard, hosted by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, provides a robust framework for binding metadata and policies to sensitive data.
Virtru’s open-source implementation of TDF offers developers SDKs and tools to build custom data-centric security solutions, available on GitHub.
Designed for the U.S. intelligence community, this variant maps policies to established data releasability standards, ensuring compliance with classifications like "Top Secret" or "Releasable to Allied Nations."
Built on OpenTDF, the Virtru Data Security Platform underpins a wide range of SaaS and on-premises solutions.
Virtru makes it easy to bind granular policies to TDF-protected data for attribute-based access control (ABAC). These policies can be changed at any time.
Define, manage, and dynamically enforce fine-grained access control policies.
As collaborators request access to protected data, TDF leverages existing accounts through federated identity and authentication frameworks such as OpenID, OAuth and SAML, to enable seamless access.
TDF enables the encryption and decryption of very large files—up to 1 TB—including streaming files – making it easy to protect and share a wide range of content across domains.
For those working in airgapped or on-prem environments, TDF-enabled clients can generate TDF-protected files without an internet connection. The offline-created TDF can be sent to anyone via offline methods, or when the device is back online.
Configure and manage connections to external ldPs, and define policy around identity.
6,100 CUSTOMERS TRUST VIRTRU FOR DATA SECURITY AND PRIVACY PROTECTION.
