Data security innovator GuardWare has launched the encryption software suite PROTECT that it says can persistently protect sensitive data while in use. The software allows data to flow securely up and down the supply chain and be destroyed by the document owner at any time as needed. PROTECT is the outcome of a collaborative project between GuardWare and UNSW researchers, supported by funding from Defence Trailblazer to uplift cyber resilience by protecting data itself.
Defence industry and the manufacturing sector run on design. The intellectual property (IP) at the heart of operations is often stored in unstructured data files, which include engineering or Computer Aided Design (CAD) files, sensor data, source code, office files, project management files and videos. In practice, much of this sensitive material remains unencrypted and unprotected — often sitting on a designer’s desktop. This puts them at serious risk of data theft when the login credentials of “trusted users” are compromised. The risks are increasing as AI-based phishing become more sophisticated and easier for unskilled threat actors to use against large and small organisations.
“We are in an ‘Asymmetric Threatscape’ environment where hackers don’t need to break in — they simply log in,” said Rizwan Mahmood, CEO & co-founder of GuardWare.
Until now, there has been no way to encrypt unstructured data at the individual file level while in use. Protection of sensitive data currently relies on best intent, blind trust, audit report KPIs and contract penalties. This leaves data vulnerable to hostile actors, and ASIO has indicated foreign actors stole over $2 billion in IP from Australian firms in 2024.
GuardWare’s PROTECT is an encryption software suite based on Data-Centric Security (DCS) technology. Unlike traditional perimeter and network defences, which collapse once credentials are compromised or insider risks emerge, PROTECT closes this critical gap by securing the data itself. It has been designed to protect official sensitive data across the whole Defence supply chain, reinforcing Australia’s sovereign capability in cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing supply chains.
The software suite supports persistent file encryption in-use, meaning that files remain encrypted during editing, not just at rest or in transit. In the event of a system breach, data owners with PROTECT are safeguarded as any stolen or lost data is worthless. They also have control over data through revoking access or deleting files anywhere in the world
Encryption is also quantum-resilient, providing future-proof protection aligned with Defence and national security standards.
“We’ve built a scalable solution that keeps each individual file encrypted everywhere – on endpoints, in the cloud, across supply chains – without disrupting the way engineers, designers, and staff work,” said Mahmood.
Defence Trailblazer’s Technology Development & Acceleration (TDA) program provided funding and academic expertise from Professor Salil Kanhere and Dr Sushmita Ruj from UNSW Sydney for the unstructured data resilience project, which has culminated in the development of the PROTECT software suite.
“The first stage of the project was investigating the latency and efficiency challenges of protecting unstructured data through file-wrapping encryption, the findings of which have been incorporated into the product code,” said Professor Kanhere. “A key focus was ensuring that persistent encryption can operate at scale without introducing noticeable delays in file access, editing, or transfer. By addressing computational overheads early, we aimed to deliver a solution that provides strong security guarantees while remaining seamless and practical for end users.”
“The second stage of the project, planned for 2026, looks beyond individual files to the entire supply chain,” said Professor Kanhere. “We are designing mechanisms to seamlessly integrate encryption keys from multiple providers, enabling Defence and Primes to retain end-to-end control over their information assets.”
The goals of the project are aligned with the Defence Strategic Review goal of resilience within Australia’s defence supply chain. The project also supports Defence’s push to post-quantum encryption by providing a sovereign file encryption solution.
“Looking ahead, this will not only harden supply chains against compromise but also pave the way for scalable, post-quantum ready solutions that can adapt to future operational demands across Defence and critical industries,” said Professor Kanhere.
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