Stratasys Unveils its New Data Security Platform, ProtectAM, for Government and Defense Applications

In recent years, the U.S. government and military have increasingly used 3D printing for a variety of projects. However, one question that has plagued the use of AM in these industries has been whether there are cybersecurity concerns related to using 3D printing, and if so how to combat this, especially when national security is at stake. However, Stratasys, a leader in polymer 3D print solutions, has potentially found a solution. The company recently announced the launch of their new data security solution, ProtectAM, which they hope will enhance the cybersecurity, especially for government and defense applications.

Cybersecurity concerns are nothing new. Since the advent of the internet, online battles have started to become the new frontier for warfare in the 21st century. In fact, according to the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), already in 2021 there have been already been over 90 significant cyber incidents (defined as cyber attacks on government agencies, defence and high tech companies, or economic crimes with losses of more than a million dollars) globally. Specifically in the US, it was estimated that in 2018 the US government faced costs of over $13.7B as a result of cyberattacks. It should be no surprise therefore that cybersecurity has been a focus of various government agencies over the years as well as the current American President.

ProtectAM will be compatible with several large format Stratasys printers (photo credits: Stratasys)

Cybersecurity is also not a new topic for the 3D printing community. For a few years now, it has been clear that 3D printing can occasionally be a target for cyber attacks, making it a potential weak spot for the government. In a paper, Manufacturing and Security Challenges in 3D printing, which was written by researchers from New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering, the researchers pointed especially to cybersecurity vulnerabilities wherein hackers could access files like the CAD file and put in small, potentially dangerous, undetectable defects into prints. This could be especially catastrophic for some of the US Military’s projects as they have turned to 3D printing for uses in aerospace, battle helmets and more. However, Stratasys hopes that this latest solution will help protect these machines, enabling even more defensive and governmental applications of AM.