NetApp ONTAP Becomes First Enterprise Storage Platform to Receive Validation from NSA for Security and Encryption

NetApp ONTAP recognized by the US National Security Agency for data-centric security capabilities that make it easier for organizations to protect their data

NetApp® (NASDAQ: NTAP), a global, cloud-led, data-centric software company, today announced that NetApp ONTAP, the world’s leading storage operating system, is the first enterprise storage and data management platform to achieve Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) validation for a data-at-rest (DAR) capability package. With this, organizations across the globe can benefit from NetApp ONTAP’s robust security capabilities to protect customers’ information on-premises and in remote locations from foreign actors, ransomware attacks or other data loss threats they may face.

A cybersecurity program led by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), CSfC is a key component of the organization’s commercial cybersecurity strategy. CSfC validates commercial IT products that have met the highest level of strict encryption standards and rigorous security requirements for both hardware and software solutions. Recently, the NSA has recommended that federal agencies hosting secret or top-secret data utilize storage solutions that have been CSfC validated.

“This unique achievement is an example of innovation in commercial technology addressing critical national security issues,” said Admiral Michael S. Rogers USN (Ret.), former Director, National Security Agency (NSA) and Chief, Central Security Service (CSS).

Companies are facing more threats to their data and ultimately their business than ever before. IT consulting firm, Accenture, recently shared the results of its State of Cybersecurity Resilience 2021 report, which found that there were on average 270 attacks per company over this year, a 31 percent increase from 2020. Additionally, 81 percent of chief information security officer (CISO) respondents said that “staying ahead of attackers is a constant battle and the cost is unsustainable.”

With this CSfC validation, organizations can expect NetApp ONTAP to:

• Allow agencies and enterprises to natively store top secret data, confidently and reliably
• Save time by making it easier to buy pre-approved solutions, reducing audits and limiting the processes required to move or store data securely
• Offer cost savings via reduced monitoring, lowering physical data transport and logistics costs, and providing the cost optimal solution for storing data
• Protect data at both hardware and the software layer for enhanced cyber-resilient data-centric security – a key component to zero-trust security architectures

NetApp has been in the data protection business for nearly 30 years and is a leading data storage and management supplier to federal government, delivering storage innovation and data solutions, including data encryption, both in-flight and at rest, compliance, and protection. The latest release of ONTAP enables enterprises to use machine learning to protect against cyber-attacks with integrated preemptive detection and accelerated data recovery.

“Organizations today know that data security is paramount, whether they operate in the public or private sector,” said Michelle Rudnicki, Vice President, US Public Sector at NetApp. “With NetApp’s world-class data security capabilities and this CSfC validation, government organizations as well as companies in highly regulated industries like financial services, healthcare, energy or any organization with valuable intellectual property can be reassured that their most sensitive data is secure with NetApp ONTAP.”