Session 1.8b Conference Product Brief: Closing the Gap: How a Data-Centric Approach Empowers Mission Operations
Tracks
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| Tuesday, November 17, 2026 |
| 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
| Bradman Theatre |
Sponsored by
Presentation Outline
The Indo-Pacific strategic environment is not forgiving of slow security architectures. Across joint and coalition operations, the demand for rapid, trusted information sharing is growing, yet the models protecting that information were built for a world where controlling the network meant controlling the risk. That assumption no longer holds.
Traditional secure mission environments carry a real cost: months of integration work, infrastructure dependencies, and persistent tension between sovereign data control and coalition interoperability. In contested cyber and space domains, that cost is measured in operational relevance.
Virtru's data-centric security changes the equation. When protection is enforced at the data-object level, cryptographically, persistently, and independent of the underlying network, security travels with the information rather than being imposed around it. Sovereignty is retained. Sharing becomes controlled and deliberate.
This is not emerging theory. ACP 240, underpinned by the open Trusted Data Format (TDF) that Virtru helped pioneer, provides a validated pathway to exactly this capability, stress-tested at operational scale within the Five Eyes community. Australia is not a downstream adopter of this standard. It is a partner in it.
Zero Trust finds its full expression at the data layer. The question is not whether this approach is ready. It is whether current architectures can afford to wait.
Speaker
Mr Danny Holloway
President, Global Public Sector
Virtru
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Biography
Danny Holloway is a seasoned technology leader with a deep expertise in cybersecurity, data protection, and secure collaboration for government and defense sectors. As the Public Sector CTO at Virtru, he drives innovation and strategy for Virtru’s Data Security Platform, enabling government agencies to implement Zero Trust architecture through advanced encryption, access controls, and secure data-sharing solutions. His focus is on helping federal organizations secure sensitive information while ensuring mission success through seamless and scalable security frameworks.
With a career spanning over two decades, Danny has led technology initiatives across the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and Federal Civilian agencies. He has held executive and technical leadership roles at companies like Immuta, Research Innovations, and MAXAR, where he pioneered secure analytics, access control frameworks, and AI-driven security solutions. His expertise includes CMMC compliance, data governance, and insider threat mitigation, making him a key advocate for modernizing cybersecurity practices across the public sector.
Danny is passionate about bridging the gap between security and operational efficiency, ensuring organizations can protect their most valuable data assets without compromising agility or collaboration. His experience spans emerging threats, compliance mandates, and secure cloud adoption, providing him with a unique perspective on the evolving CMMC ecosystem and its impact on federal cybersecurity strategy.
Beyond his professional roles, Danny is an active mentor for veterans transitioning into tech, an advisor on cybersecurity best practices, and an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, mountain biking, and surfing. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from James Madison University and an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
With a career spanning over two decades, Danny has led technology initiatives across the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and Federal Civilian agencies. He has held executive and technical leadership roles at companies like Immuta, Research Innovations, and MAXAR, where he pioneered secure analytics, access control frameworks, and AI-driven security solutions. His expertise includes CMMC compliance, data governance, and insider threat mitigation, making him a key advocate for modernizing cybersecurity practices across the public sector.
Danny is passionate about bridging the gap between security and operational efficiency, ensuring organizations can protect their most valuable data assets without compromising agility or collaboration. His experience spans emerging threats, compliance mandates, and secure cloud adoption, providing him with a unique perspective on the evolving CMMC ecosystem and its impact on federal cybersecurity strategy.
Beyond his professional roles, Danny is an active mentor for veterans transitioning into tech, an advisor on cybersecurity best practices, and an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, mountain biking, and surfing. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from James Madison University and an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
