FAQs

What is Anchor?

Anchor is a cloud platform and desktop app that secures your files. It combines encryption, continuous multi-factor controls, and a digital record of who accessed the files. Anchor empowers you to control the security of your files while collaborating with others. You have access to logs of who used which file and when. With Anchor, you have fine-tuned access control over shared files. When you share or work on files with others, Anchor protects the data, even if it leaves your organization. Anchor integrates protection with the data itself, so it's like having an invisible security system. Essentially, wherever the data goes, you retain full control.

To see how Anchor works for yourself, Click Here to visit our Anchor trial page.

When is Anchor a good choice?

Anchor is an excellent choice to protect highly sensitive information such as intellectual property (IP). Anchor utilizes FIPS-validated encryption to protect your data simply and transparently for the end user. Anchor protects your data while allowing you to keep your existing workflows, and IT controls and desire an easy and smooth user experience. 

Specific use cases and features include:

• Preventing data theft
• Preventing data loss through negligence or human error
• Secure sharing and collaboration
• Revoking access
• Compliance (CMMC, GDPR, etc.)
• Internal threats from exiting employees, admins
• Cybersecurity (attaining, renewing, lowering price)

How easy is it to get started with Anchor?

Anchor can be fully deployed in under 45 minutes. It empowers your users to securely work and collaborate without complicated security products or rules getting in their way.

Will the Anchor agent degrade my computer’s performance?

The Anchor agent (desktop app) does not impact your computer's performance. It requires minimal space, memory, or operating power.

Will I notice the Anchor agent on my computer?

The Anchor agent is invisible to end-users. It runs in the background and does not require manual configuration by the user. The Anchor agent becomes visible only when the user breaks access rules which have been defined by your organization's admin. If access rules are met, the anchored files open normally.  

What Operating Systems are supported by Anchor?

• Windows 10 & 11
• Windows Server 2016 and above
• macOS is coming soon

What Operating systems are supported by the Anchor mobile app?  

• iOS 13.0 and above
• Android 10 and above

How does Anchor solve the data security problem?

Anchor is a fast and secure solution for your data that lets you share it without losing control. It works through a zero-trust via encryption methodology that implants “access rule-based” security that travels with the data. It adds special rules for who can access the data, and these rules stay with the data even when it's shared. The data is always encrypted and kept safe. When someone wants to access the data, they have to follow the access rules set by their administrator. If they do, they will be able to use the data. If they don't, they will not be able to use the data in any way.

How does Anchor encryption work?

1. Anchor’s encryption is baked into each individual file. You have precise control over who can access the file. The control stays with the file, even if it's shared.
2. Anchor uses low-level OS drivers to ensure that the file's access rules are followed without requiring the user or the software to do anything. This makes it easy to use and fast. 
3. Anchor automatically protects copies and derivatives of the files, which saves time and effort for governance.

All these features combined make Anchor work well with any software package and file storage, making it easy to share files securely in a Windows environment. Anchor is not biased toward any specific software or method of storing and sharing files.

What makes Anchor Simple, Transparent, and Affordable?

Simple: You can deploy easily within your organization. Once configured, your control over your data is automated and invisible to users following the access rules.

Transparent: Anchor doesn’t require changes to existing user behaviors. It seamlessly works with current technologies making it compatible with your security architectures. Anchor runs in the background and does not require the user to interact with encryption.

Affordable: We have flexible per-user pricing that is tailored to small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) without high upfront costs.

What does this mean for data security incidents?

If a breach should occur on Anchored data, the stolen files are useless. They will appear as ciphertext because they are outside the access rules.  Because the data lost during the breach is encrypted, the reporting requirements under any compliance regulation no longer apply.

What is the difference between Anchor by process and Authorized applications?

Anchor-by-process(AxP) is a set of new features in Anchor version 5.0.0. It enables you to manage and secure any file type created by specified applications and processes. Admins can choose any program as an AxP application. Once you do this, any file created, saved, modified, and exported by that AxP application will be anchored. But, files created or saved to ignored folders will not automatically be anchored. Anchor by the process will also support two modes, ignore and protect. (more information)

Anchor-by-process(AxP) allows you to secure and control valuable and sensitive files in non-office workflows.

Authorized Applications include both Anchor Certified Applications and Admin Approved Applications. Anchor Certified Applications are applications that Anchor has reviewed. The review process verified that plain text does not leak from their normal operations. Admin Approved Applications are not certified by Anchor. But, your organization's admin may allow them to consume plain text.

Authorized Applications are allowed to open plain text files only when the access rules are met. These access rules are determined by user roles. Authorized applications can only save and export anchored data in protected folders. Authorized applications will only support protected mode. In protected mode, the admin can define what extensions to safeguard on the Admin dashboard. (more information)

How does airplane mode work?

Anchor users can now access protected content when not connected to the web through Airplane mode. Offline access is crucial for users who need to stay productive even when they can’t access the internet. Anchor Airplane mode is a reliable, secure, and convenient way to access critical sensitive files anytime. It’s as simple as

1. Mark a protected folder for offline access.
2. Let Anchor sync with our cloud services.
3. Work with your Anchored data.

When back online, Anchor will sync your access logs and any encryption keys for any new data created when offline.

How does Co-editing work?

Co-editing allows users to collaborate on shared anchored files using OneDrive and Sharepoint. Before, anchored files shared using these cloud storage services were read-only. Now, both the owner and collaborator can edit shared, anchored files. All while maintaining control for the owner, who can revoke access at anytime. Organization admins also have access to real-time logs showing when the file(s) was accessed.