Verkada gains Australian IRAP approval for protected data

Verkada has completed an IRAP assessment in Australia for data classified up to PROTECTED, making it, by its account, the first cloud-managed physical security platform in the country to reach that level.

The assessment covers Verkada Command, its cloud-based management platform, and supported physical security products. It was conducted against the Australian Government Information Security Manual under the InfoSec Registered Assessors Program.

Australian government bodies and other regulated organisations use IRAP assessments to judge whether technology suppliers meet security requirements for handling sensitive information. A PROTECTED classification sits above baseline security requirements and is commonly relevant to government agencies and parts of critical infrastructure.

The review was conducted by assessors from Neon Cloud, an independent assessment partner endorsed by the Australian Signals Directorate, in line with the agency's cloud assessment and authorisation framework.

For Verkada, the result extends a recent push into public sector and regulated markets. It follows the company's FedRAMP Moderate authorisation in the United States earlier this year.

The Australian approval applies across several parts of Verkada's product range, including video security, access control, alarms, intercoms, air quality sensors and its visitor management product, Verkada Guest.

This means eligible government agencies and critical infrastructure operators can consider the platform for a broader set of physical security functions, including camera management, door access, threat detection, visitor verification and indoor environmental monitoring.

Security controls

Verkada says its platform is built around zero trust principles and includes single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, role-based access controls, encryption in transit and at rest, audit logs, and time-bound customer authorisation for support access.

It also holds SOC 2 Type 2 compliance and ISO 27001, 27017, 27018 and 27701 certifications. Verkada Command also offers Australian data storage and processing to meet regional governance requirements.

These details matter because public sector buyers in Australia often require a combination of formal security assessment, documented controls and local data handling arrangements before adopting cloud-based systems. Physical security vendors have traditionally relied on on-premise systems, and cloud-managed models have faced closer scrutiny in higher-security environments.

Verkada sells an integrated platform that combines hardware and software for building security and workplace management. Its product lines span cameras, access control, environmental sensors, alarms, workplace tools, intercoms, transportation and sound systems.

The company says it serves more than 30,000 organisations across 170 countries, including more than 100 members of the Fortune 500. In Australia, the latest assessment is likely to strengthen its case with departments, agencies and operators of essential services that need to align procurement with government security standards.

Steve Bray, vice president, Australia and New Zealand at Verkada, said the assessment reflects a long-term commitment to the local market.

"Completing the IRAP assessment demonstrates the seriousness of our investment in Australia and our commitment to building a durable business that can support government organisations over the long term," Bray said.

He said the company sees demand for systems that combine cyber security requirements with practical deployment and administration.

"Government agencies should not have to choose between rigorous cyber security and physical security technology that is simple to deploy, manage and scale," Bray said.

Eligible organisations can request access to Verkada's IRAP assessment report, according to the company.