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USE CASE

Critical IP Protection

Stop IP Leaks Before They Happen. 

Your critical intellectual property is digital: source code, chip designs, models, and R&D data. That makes it easy to leak. By the time DLP detects leaks, the IP is already gone. Zentera shifts the model from detection to enforcement, using Zero Trust to keep critical IP unreachable by default and accessible only through approved identities and approved methods.

  • Block IP loss, not just detect it (least‑privilege access + enforced transfer controls)
  • Enable secure collaboration for employees, contractors, and partners without expanding network trust
  • Deploy fast as an overlay—no network redesign, no re‑IP, no firewall rule explosion
  • Trusted by leaders like Siemens, Cadence, and Delta Electronics
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How Zentera Protects Critical Intellectual Property

Critical IP has to be accessible to create value—source code, chip designs, models, and R&D data must move between internal teams and trusted partners. That same access is what makes IP easy to leak.

Zentera shifts IP protection from “detect at the edge” to “enforce at the workload.” Virtual Chambers cloak crown‑jewel systems so they’re unreachable by default, then allow access only through approved identities and approved methods.

Legitimate work continues, but leak paths collapse.

Key Outcomes

  • Prevent IP theft by making crown-jewel systems unreachable by default - even from users already "inside" the network.
  • Accelerate secure collaboration with partners and contractors: spin up a project chamber fast, and tear it down cleanly when work ends.
  • Reduce blast radius from insiders and ransomware without slowing engineering workflows or partner onboarding.
  • Enforce least-privilege access with deny-by-default reachability, workload cloaking, and identity-based policy for employees, contractors, and partners.
  • Block common leak paths (copy/paste, in-session file transfer, USB redirection, SSH tunneling/SCP) and require approved, logged transfer channels.
  • Export audit signals to your SIEM/logging stack. See who accessed what, how, and what was blocked.
Rapid Deployment
Zentera architecture diagram
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CMMCv2 ITAR NIST SP800-218 NIST SP800-207
See full architecture

How It Works

1
Assess

Identify the crown‑jewel IP that would materially impact competitiveness if leaked.

Map where IP is stored/processed (repos, file shares, tools and build servers, etc.) and who needs access.


Document required dependencies (IdP/AD, license servers, CI/CD, artifact repos) so protection doesn’t break workflows.

2
Deploy

Add protection without slowing engineering. No network redesign or re‑IP required.

Deploy the Zentera control plane and connect to your IdP to leverage your existing directories/MFA.


Place enforcement where it fits: lightweight agents where supportable and inline/agentless enforcement where needed.

 

3
Define

Turn “who should have access” into enforceable policy, down to the approved access method.

Create a Virtual Chamber around IP workloads and set deny‑by‑default rules for inbound/outbound paths.


Define least‑privilege policies for user/partner access (RDP/VNC/SSH/Web/approved clients) and enable anti‑leak controls.

4
Enforce

Keep work moving while collapsing leak paths that turn “legitimate access” into IP loss.

Block risky behavior by default (copy/paste, file transfer, USB redirection, SSH tunneling/SCP) unless explicitly allowed.


If file movement is required, route it through an approved, logged transfer channel with optional scanning.

5
Validate & Expand

Prove value quickly, then expand by program, partner, or geography.

Validate workflows with R&D and Security, tune policy, and operationalize alerts for blocked/unauthorized attempts.


Scale using repeatable templates for new projects, vendors, and acquired teams—without firewall ticket churn.

At a Glance

Best for

Security leaders, R&D/engineering leadership, IP protection program owners, and IT/security architects

Applies to

High‑tech and semiconductor, aerospace/defense, pharma/biotech, and any organization that must share sensitive IP across teams and partners

Protects

Source code, chip designs/PDKs, build pipelines, AI/ML models and training data, proprietary research datasets, sensitive documentation and design artifacts

Enables

Virtual Chambers (in‑place microsegmentation + cloaking), secure partner access without VPN sprawl, enforced access methods with anti‑leak controls, application‑aware policy enforcement

Time to value

Deploy in hours/days—not months. Start with one crown‑jewel scope and expand incrementally.

Integrations

Identity providers / directory services + MFA, SIEM/SOAR, optional content scanning for approved transfer channels, existing firewall/NAC programs (complementary)

Key Outcomes
Stand up environments for secure collaboration in software and skip slow network implementation
Quickly provision contractors, partners, and employees with a simple access experience
Reduce leak risk with watermarking and copy/paste/transfer restrictions
Enforce application-aware policies to block data leaks and ransomware propagation
See all outcomes & KPIs

The Challenge

Critical IP is the lifeblood of many enterprises, and because it’s digital, it’s easily copied and quietly exfiltrated. Many organizations rely on edge detection (DLP) and monitoring, but IP theft often looks like legitimate access. By the time you confirm a leak, the asset is already gone.

The real question is not “How do we keep attackers out?” It’s: can we protect crown‑jewel applications and data even when credentials, endpoints, or partner access paths are compromised? That requires enforcement: tight control over reachability and approved methods to access and move IP.

What's at stake: loss of competitive advantage and time‑to‑market, contractual and regulatory exposure, recovery cost, litigation risk, and long‑term reputational damage.

Why Traditional Approaches Fall Short

1 Detect it with DLP at the edge
Why it fails

IP theft often looks like authorized access, and sensitive content can be packaged in ways that evade signatures.

Risk created

You learn about the leak after the asset has already been copied out.

2 Build isolated networks / “physical chambers”
Why it fails

Network-centric isolation is slow and brittle, and exceptions accumulate as projects and dependencies change.

Risk created

Teams expand trust or bypass controls to keep work moving—creating new leak paths.

3 Use VPN for partner and contractor access
Why it fails

VPN joins networks. It’s hard to scope access to specific assets and specific safe methods without complex infrastructure.

Risk created

One compromised credential or partner device can create broad reach into sensitive environments.

4 Rely on file permissions and policy
Why it fails

Permissions control access to the file—not what happens after it’s opened (copy, sync, forward, screenshot, export).

Risk created

Insider leaks and accidental exposure remain likely even with “least privilege” shares.

5 Monitor and respond faster
Why it fails

Response is after-the-fact. Attackers optimize for leverage before containment catches up.

Risk created

Expensive incident response with irreversible IP loss.

The Zentera Approach

Zentera focuses on enforcement: making critical IP workloads unreachable by default, then allowing access only through approved identities and approved methods, so theft paths disappear without disrupting legitimate work.

Virtual Chambers Contain IP and Stop Data Leaks

What it does: Creates a software-defined security boundary around IP workloads in place, with deny‑by‑default reachability and workload cloaking.
Why it matters: Even if attackers or insiders have network presence, crown‑jewel systems are difficult to discover and reach.

Approved Access Methods + Anti-Leak Controls

What it does: Provides secure access (RDP/VNC/SSH/Web/approved clients) with controls that restrict copy/paste, file transfer, and other high‑risk behaviors.
Why it matters: Teams can collaborate efficiently while the most common exfiltration routes are blocked by policy.

Application‑Aware Enforcement for Risky Tools and Ransomware

What it does: Ties policy to identity, device, and application/process context to restrict unauthorized tools and prevent lateral movement.
Why it matters: Stolen credentials and “living off the land” techniques lose value because reachability and methods are enforced.

Reference Architecture

IP_protection-full

This architecture shows how Zentera overlays your existing environment to create a chambered environment to contain your IP  and enforce least‑privilege access for employees, contractors, and partners. Chambers block exfiltration, while approved access methods block exfiltration through the user's machine.

1

Identity-based Access

Every session is authenticated via your IdP/MFA, then explicitly authorized by policy - no implicit trust based on network location.

2

Crown‑Jewel IP Cloaked

Chambered IP workloads are unreachable by default and not easily discoverable through scanning or inherited trust paths.

3

Enforced Safe Access Methods

Access is granted through approved methods (RDP/VNC/SSH/Web/approved clients) with anti‑leak controls that block risky transfer behavior.

4

Auditable Transfer & Control

Allowed access and blocked attempts are logged; approved transfer channels can be controlled and monitored for governance and compliance.

What Changes

  • From “network trust” to identity‑based, least‑privilege access to specific IP workloads
  • Crown‑jewel systems become unreachable by default and harder to discover
  • Risky transfer methods are blocked by policy; approved channels are governed and auditable

What Stays the Same

  • Your core network architecture (no re‑IP, no rip‑and‑replace)
  • Existing tools and workflows, validated and tuned during rollout
  • Your existing security stack (identity, SIEM, endpoint tools) is complemented, not replaced
See Product Overview

Key Capabilities

Onboard contractors and vendors in hours—not weeks—with access scoped to exactly what each project requires.

Close the gap between "authorized access" and "IP walks out the door" by blocking the leak paths that policies alone can't stop.

Go live in days and show auditors exactly who accessed what, how, and what was blocked—without months of implementation.

Instantly microsegment and cloak IP workloads in place so they’re unreachable by default. No network redesign required.

Constrain high‑risk behaviors (tunneling, SCP, USB redirection, copy/paste) and route approved transfers through logged, scannable channels.

Tie policy to identity, device, and application/process context to restrict unauthorized tools and limit the value of stolen credentials.

Implementation Details

Deployment & Operations

Where it runs Customer‑hosted control plane (on‑prem or cloud) or delivered via authorized partners/MSSPs
Deployment model Overlay enforcement with Virtual Chambers; lightweight agents where supportable + inline/agentless options where needed
Timeline Day 1 assess → Day 3 first Chamber live → Week 1 enforce + expand to the next priority scope
Ownership Security defines policy; IT enables deployment/integration; R&D validates workflows; SOC monitors enforcement signals and logs
Operational Impact Low disruption with incremental adoption. Start small, prove value, expand by project and partner

Outcomes & KPIs

Security

IP Theft Risk Reduced by making crown‑jewel assets unreachable by default and limiting access to approved methods
Exfiltration Paths Reduced by blocking copy/paste, unmanaged transfers, and other high‑risk behaviors unless explicitly allowed
Lateral Movement Constrained by microsegmentation and deny‑by‑default reachability around IP workloads

Operational

Time to Protect a New IP Scope Hours/days instead of slow, infrastructure‑heavy segmentation projects
Partner Onboarding Faster access provisioning with clear, project‑scoped policies (no VPN sprawl)
Change Management Policy changes in the control plane instead of brittle firewall/VLAN ticket churn

Business

Business Continuity Secure collaboration without slowing critical design and R&D programs
Collaboration Velocity Enable safe vendor and contractor workstreams without broad network exposure
Audit & Compliance Readiness Clear evidence of who accessed what, how, and what was blocked—useful for customer and regulatory audits

Proven Results

Agility you just don't have in a traditional infrastructure

Luis Espinoza Sr IT Manager Global Operations Siemens

With the CoIP Platform, we are able to protect our IP and segment our resources across worldwide infrastructures almost instantly.

Cally Ko CIO Delta Electronics

Ready to Protect Your Critical IP?

Talk to our architects about your specific security challenges.

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See It in Action

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