2026 SC Award winner Symmetry Systems — Data Security Solution 

Data moves constantly across cloud platforms, SaaS applications, on-premises systems, and increasingly AI-driven environments. It is copied, shared, analyzed, and integrated across dozens of systems. Each movement creates a potential exposure point and those exposures represent valuable targets for attackers.  

Symmetry Systems, winner of the 2026 SC Award for Data Security Solution, approaches the problem from a different angle, focusing on what it calls Data + AI security. By linking identity and data context through a continuously updated data access graph, Symmetry’s platform aims to provide security teams with a clearer view of how data is accessed and where potential exposure may exist. 

The technology behind Symmetry DataGuard traces its roots to DARPA-funded research conducted at the University of Texas at Austin. It is designed to discover, classify, and monitor sensitive data across enterprise environments. The platform maps how identities — whether human users, service accounts, or applications — interact with data across permissions and operational activity. This approach is particularly important as organizations deploy artificial intelligence systems that rely heavily on enterprise data, according to Symmetry.  

AI models often require access to large datasets and automated pipelines that connect multiple systems through identities and APIs. Without proper oversight, these connections can introduce risks such as data poisoning, unauthorized data access, and leakage of sensitive information used in AI models. 

“[This is] a one-of-a-kind novel product with user intuitive dashboards and unique visualizations. The unique feature that sets it apart from competitors lies in its ability to perform an identity-based data access review,” said Aritra Pal, Senior Manager, Strategic Monitoring and Analytics for First Citizens Bank and SC Media Awards judge.   

Symmetry added support of AS/400 mainframes, Salesforce, Microsoft Exchange, Oracle databases, AWS RDS, expanded Google Workspace coverage, CloudSQL backups, and advanced data lake formats including Parquet, ORC and Avro in 2025.  

Unlike others who charge by the byte, Symmetry prices are based on instances and security modules — aligning with compliance boundaries and cloud egress optimization, the company said.  

The company offers tiered Support Packages. Its standard package provides comprehensive training library, email support, and technical consulting for setup and configuration. Its premium package offers 24/7 email support with dedicated technical account managers for personalized assistance and its enterprise offering provides fully managed services tailored to unique customer needs, including deployment, ongoing maintenance, and strategic optimization.