IRONKEEP vs Proton
Proton is a privacy-focused email provider. But privacy and compliance are not the same thing. For defense contractors handling CUI, the distinction matters.
| Proton | IRONKEEP | |
|---|---|---|
| Data residency | Switzerland | United States |
| CMMC controls | None | Built in |
| FIPS 140 validated crypto | No | ✓ |
| Audit log retention | Basic | Up to 7 years |
| ITAR compliance | No | ✓ |
Privacy is not compliance
Proton is built to protect personal privacy: end-to-end encryption, zero-access architecture, no ads, no tracking. CMMC, DFARS, and NIST 800-171 require more than encryption. These frameworks require access controls, audit logging, incident reporting, media protection, and a documented security architecture that maps to the 110 practices in NIST 800-171 Rev 2.
Encryption protects the content of your email. Compliance protects your contract eligibility.
Swiss-hosted infrastructure
Proton AG is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and its primary data centers are in Switzerland. Swiss privacy laws provide strong protections for personal data. For defense contractors, Swiss jurisdiction is a disqualifier.
DFARS and ITAR require organizations to store CUI on infrastructure within the United States, administered by US persons. Swiss hosting, regardless of the encryption layer, does not satisfy US data sovereignty requirements. ITAR specifically restricts access to defense-related technical data by foreign persons, and hosting data outside the US creates jurisdictional exposure that no encryption scheme can resolve.
No organizational compliance controls
Defense contractors need admin-level visibility and control: centralized user management, enforced security policies, audit logs for compliance assessments, and the ability to demonstrate these controls to a CMMC assessor. Proton for Business offers basic admin features, but nothing approaching what NIST 800-171 requires.
There are no FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic modules. No documented system security plan mapping to NIST controls. No mechanism for 72-hour cyber incident reporting to the DoD. No media preservation or forensic access capabilities required by DFARS paragraphs (c) through (g).
How IRONKEEP is different
IRONKEEP is built for compliance, not just privacy. Encryption is one layer of a complete security architecture that meets CMMC, DFARS, NIST 800-171, and ITAR requirements. US-hosted, US-administered. Migrate your email, files, and contacts and get compliant in hours.
- FedRAMP Moderate (or higher) authorized infrastructure hosted in the United States
- Per-tenant encryption with zero-operator key access and FIPS 140-2 validated modules
- Complete productivity suite: email, calendar, contacts, and file storage in a single compliant environment
- Organizational admin controls, audit logging, and policy enforcement
- Standard email protocols: no portals or passwords for external recipients
- Designed for CMMC Level 2, NIST 800-171, DFARS, and ITAR
Swiss-hosted email will never pass a CMMC assessment, no matter how strong the encryption.
Founding member pricing goes away at launch.