IronCore Labs

IronCore Labs, founded in 2015 by Patrick Walsh and Bob Wall, is a data security company headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, that specializes in application-layer encryption for cloud software and AI. The founders, both with extensive backgrounds in security, cryptography, and enterprise software at companies like Oracle, established the firm to provide developers with robust tools that simplify the complex process of data encryption. They aimed to address the recurring challenge of protecting sensitive data within applications by creating building blocks that enable developers to focus on their core application logic rather than intricate security plumbing.

The company's business model is centered on providing data security solutions that empower software companies to protect sensitive information across its entire lifecycle, including while in use. IronCore Labs serves businesses that handle sensitive customer data, helping them meet stringent data protection requirements and compliance mandates such as GDPR. The firm generates revenue by offering its suite of security products to tech companies, from early-stage startups, which may qualify for a free program, to large enterprises.

IronCore Labs' product portfolio is designed to be integrated into cloud applications, databases, search indices, and AI systems. The flagship platform, **SaaS Shield**, enables per-tenant, application-layer encryption and offers features like customer-managed keys (CMK) and Bring Your Own Key (BYOK), which allows a SaaS provider's customers to control their own encryption keys. **Cloaked AI** is a specialized SDK that protects sensitive data in vector databases by encrypting AI embeddings without sacrificing their usability, a critical feature for companies developing AI applications with confidential information. **Cloaked Search** provides searchable encryption for services like Elasticsearch and OpenSearch, allowing secure queries over encrypted data. Finally, the **Data Control Platform** offers open-source tools for developers to build applications with end-to-end and zero-trust encryption models.

A key differentiator for IronCore is its focus on "encryption-in-use," which keeps data protected even while being processed, a step beyond standard encryption-at-rest and in-transit. The architecture ensures that IronCore Labs itself never has access to its clients' unencrypted data or their encryption keys, providing a high level of privacy and control for the data owner. This approach not only strengthens security against data breaches but also helps organizations address data sovereignty and privacy regulations by giving them and their customers granular control over who can access data, monitoring its usage, and revoking access at any time.

Keywords: application-layer encryption, data security platform, customer-managed keys, BYOK, HYOK, SaaS data security, AI data protection, vector database encryption, searchable encryption, end-to-end encryption, zero-trust security, data control platform, cloud data protection, multi-tenant encryption, data sovereignty, GDPR compliance, Patrick Walsh, Bob Wall, Cloaked AI, SaaS Shield, Cloaked Search, enterprise security, developer security tools, data privacy solutions, encryption-in-use