The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) is a U.S. export control law that restricts the handling, sharing, and transfer of defense-related technical data and articles listed under the United States Munitions List (USML).
Organizations that design, manufacture, maintain, or support defense systems must ensure that sensitive technical data never becomes accessible to unauthorized individuals, including foreign persons, external suppliers, or unsecured systems.
ITAR violations can lead to severe penalties: multi-million-dollar fines, loss of export privileges, and long-term reputational damage. Because of this, companies are now searching for stronger, data-centric security models that protect sensitive information wherever it moves.
Drawings, CAD models, specifications, test results, and supplier communications move across:
This creates visibility gaps, and every movement is a compliance risk.
Firewalls, network DLP, access controls, and VPNs help, but:
ITAR explicitly prohibits unauthorized foreign-person access, even inside the same facility or team.
Their large size, proprietary formats, and specialized workflows make them harder to classify, track, and control with traditional tools.
The core requirements for data protection include:
A data-centric strategy is no longer optional. It is the only reliable way to ensure compliance in dynamic, hybrid cloud environments.
Fasoo’s data-centric security platform is designed for environments where compliance, visibility, and persistent protection are critical.
Use this quick checklist to assess your current readiness:
Data Identification & Classification | |
|---|---|
Have you identified all ITAR-controlled technical data and documentation across repositories? | |
Do you classify CAD and engineering files properly as controlled technical data? | |
Is classification applied consistently (not left to user discretion)? | |
Access Control & User Verification | |
Is access strictly limited to verified U.S. persons? | |
Are automated controls in place to enforce “no foreign national access”? | |
Do you have audit logs proving compliance for each file and user action? | |
Data Protection & Encryption | |
Is ITAR data encrypted at rest, in transit, and in use? | |
Does protection persist even after files leave your network or are shared externally? | |
Can you remotely revoke access at any moment? | |
Monitoring & Lifecycle Visibility | |
Do you track file-level activity across email, cloud, endpoints, downloads, and external collaboration? | |
Can you identify improper access, unauthorized locations, or unusual behaviors instantly? | |
Do you maintain complete audit trails for every ITAR data touchpoint? | |
Sharing & External Collaboration | |
Can you enforce ITAR rules with contractors, suppliers, and manufacturing partners? | |
Do you prevent unauthorized resharing, printing, screenshots, or local saves? | |
Do you control access automatically when partners change roles or agreements end? | |
Incident Response & Enforcement | |
Do you have automated policy controls that detect and block ITAR violations before they occur? | |
Can you immediately lock down or expire sensitive files during an incident? |
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Glossary
The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) are a set of U.S. government rules that control the export, import, and transfer of defense-related articles, services, and technical data listed on the United States Munitions List (USML).
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ITAR applies to technical data, blueprints, CAD designs, schematics, manuals, software code, test results, and any information related to defense articles listed under the U.S. Munitions List (USML). IF a file contains design details, manufacturing instructions, or performance characteristics of a defense-related item, it is likely ITAR-controlled.
Not necessarily. ITAR does not prohibit cloud storage, but it requires that only authorized U.S. persons have access to the controlled data, whether the data is in on-prem storage, cloud servers, or collaboration platforms. Because cloud storage increases data movement, organizations must enforce persistent file-level protection to ensure controlled access at all times.
The most common causes include:
Email, cloud drives, and unmanaged file transfers introduce compliance risks. To share data securely, organizations need:
DLP tools help detect data movement, but they cannot maintain control once files are:
To meet ITAR requirements, DLP must be complemented with data-centric, persistent protection like Fasoo Enterprise DRM (FED), which ensures only authorized individuals can access controlled files, wherever they travel.
CAD files are difficult to secure due to their proprietary formats and complex workflows. Fasoo Enterprise DRM (FED) automatically encrypts CAD data at creation, enforces granular access control, applies dynamic watermarks, and prevents unauthorized screen capture or export, making it ideal for aerospace, defense manufacturing, and engineering environments that must comply with ITAR.
Even accidental exposure may constitute an ITAR violation and result in significant penalties. A preventive strategy (persistent file protection, access restrictions, and continuous monitoring) minimizes the chances of unintentional disclosure.
Fasoo Data Radar (FDR) automatically discovers and classifies ITAR-sensitive data across endpoints, servers, cloud storage, and collaboration tools. This is especially valuable for organizations with large volumes of engineering artifacts and multiple teams working on defense-related programs.
Yes. Engineering teams increasingly use GenAI tools for design generation, documentation, and analysis. Uploading or pasting ITAR-controlled data into external AI systems can cause unauthorized exposure. Fasoo AI-R DLP helps prevent regulated files from entering AI tools by monitoring content and blocking risky actions in real time.
A data-centric security model, where the file carries its own security policy, is the most effective approach. It ensures:
This is why many aerospace & defense organizations adopt Fasoo’s data-centric security platform as the foundation for their ITAR compliance programs.
