Cisco to offer Webex air-gapped cloud system for security, defense work

Building on its WebEx product line, Cisco plans to deliver an air-gapped, cloud-based collaboration system  for companies involved in US national security and defense work, extending the secure offerings the company already provides to industries that require collaboration tools with strong security measures to meet US government requirements.

Beginning in 2024, the new Webex system — Air-Gapped Trusted Cloud — will provide an added layer of security for teams collaborating through the Webex App, Cisco said.

An air gap is a security measure that involves isolating a computer or network and preventing it from establishing an external connection. For example, an air-gapped computer is unable to connect to the internet or any other communications networks so as to have complete security with the information that resides within it.

Currently, the US government has an established approach to security assessment and authorization for cloud products and services for national security and defense. This includes air-gapped cloud deployments, which are isolated from public networks and operated on US soil by local staff with specific security clearances to handle sensitive data.

With the upcoming system for air-gapped cloud deployments, Cisco says that the new Webex tools will meet the security standards required by US agencies involved in national security and defense without compromising user experience.

“We have augmented our Webex collaboration solution with additional government-required security controls and operational capabilities so it can be deployed in a disconnected environment,” said Jeetu Patel, executive vice president and general manager for security and collaboration at Cisco. “This approach allows us to offer the modern experience to the National Security and Defense community.”