Cloud PDM Security Comparison: How Leading Platforms Protect Your Engineering Data in 2026
Cloud PDM Security Comparison: How Leading Platforms Protect Your Engineering Data in 2026
A detailed comparison of security features across leading cloud PDM platforms in 2026, covering encryption, compliance certifications, access control, and secure supplier collaboration.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published in 2025 and has been updated for 2026 to reflect the latest industry trends and data.
In 2026, the landscape of Product Data Management (PDM) security is defined by granular control, end-to-end encryption, and, most importantly, where data physically resides.
This comprehensive comparison evaluates the security frameworks of the top five cloud PDM platforms: CAD ROOMS, 3DEXPERIENCE, Onshape, OpenBOM, and Autodesk Fusion Manage. By examining data sovereignty, compliance certifications, and technical safeguards, this guide provides the objective criteria necessary to assess if a cloud PDM is secure enough for your engineering data.
Why Security Matters More Than Ever in Cloud PDM
As more engineering teams move their product data to the cloud, the stakes around data security have never been higher. CAD files, BOMs, prototypes, and production data represent a company's most valuable intellectual property. A single breach can compromise years of R&D investment.
Yet not all cloud PDM platforms approach security equally. Some offer enterprise-grade protection out of the box, while others leave critical gaps that teams only discover after adoption. This comparison will help you evaluate the security posture of each platform before making a decision.
Cloud PDM Security Comparison Table
Security Feature
CAD ROOMS
3DEXPERIENCE
Onshape
OpenBOM
Autodesk Fusion Manage
Data Encryption (at rest)
AES-256 ✅
AES-256 ✅
AES-256 ✅
AES-256 ✅
AES-256 ✅
Data Encryption (in transit)
TLS 1.2+ ✅
TLS 1.2+ ✅
TLS 1.2+ ✅
TLS 1.2+ ✅
TLS 1.2+ ✅
ISO 27001 Certified
✅
✅
✅
—
✅
SOC 2 Compliant
✅
✅
✅
—
✅
GDPR Compliant
✅
✅
✅
✅
✅
EU-Only Data Hosting
✅ (Available)
✅ (Available)
—
—
—
Granular Role-Based Access
✅
✅
✅
Limited
✅
Audit Trails
✅ Full
✅ Full
✅ Full
Basic
✅ Full
Secure Guest/Supplier Access
✅ Unlimited viewers
Requires add-on licenses
Limited
✅
Limited
Version Control with Locking
✅
✅
✅ (branching model)
✅
✅
Infrastructure Provider
AWS
Dassault Cloud (Outscale)
AWS
AWS
AWS / Azure
Key Security Dimensions Explained
1. Encryption: The Baseline
All major cloud PDM platforms now offer AES-256 encryption at rest and TLS 1.2+ encryption in transit. This is table stakes in 2026. The real differentiators lie in what happens around encryption — key management, data residency options, and how encryption interacts with collaboration features.
CAD ROOMS uses end-to-end encryption across both transmission and storage, built on AWS infrastructure with the same security measures that power some of the world's most demanding cloud workloads.
2. Compliance Certifications
For regulated industries — aerospace, defense, automotive, medical devices — compliance certifications are critical.
ISO 27001 and SOC 2 provide independent verification that a vendor's security management system meets rigorous standards. CAD ROOMS, 3DEXPERIENCE, Onshape, and Autodesk all hold these certifications.
GDPR compliance is essential for any team working with European partners or customers. All platforms listed are GDPR-compliant, but only CAD ROOMS and 3DEXPERIENCE offer EU-only data hosting for teams with strict data sovereignty requirements.
Granular access control is where platforms start to diverge significantly:
CAD ROOMS provides role-based permissions at the workspace, project, and file level, giving administrators precise control over who can view, edit, download, or share data.
3DEXPERIENCE offers comprehensive permissions but with added complexity that often requires dedicated admin resources.
Onshape has solid permissions within its ecosystem but is limited to Onshape-native files.
OpenBOM provides basic access control that may not satisfy enterprise security requirements.
4. Audit Trails and Traceability
Complete audit trails are essential for accountability and compliance. CAD ROOMS logs every file access, modification, download, and sharing event, providing a complete chain of custody for your engineering data.
5. Secure Supplier Collaboration
This is where the biggest differences emerge. Sharing sensitive design data with external suppliers and manufacturing partners is a core PDM workflow, yet many platforms make it expensive or cumbersome:
3DEXPERIENCE requires add-on licenses for external collaboration, increasing costs.
Onshape has limited external sharing capabilities.
OpenBOM supports supplier collaboration but lacks the depth of permission controls.
Which Platform Offers the Best Security for SMEs?
For large enterprises with dedicated IT security teams, platforms like 3DEXPERIENCE offer deep, configurable security — at the cost of complexity and price. For small and medium-sized engineering teams, the equation is different. You need enterprise-grade security without enterprise-grade complexity.
CAD ROOMS delivers exactly this:
Full compliance stack (ISO 27001, SOC 2, GDPR) without extra cost
EU-only hosting available for data sovereignty requirements
Unlimited secure guest access for supplier collaboration
Intuitive role-based permissions that don't require a dedicated admin
Complete audit trails for every file interaction
All at $75/user/month (save 20% with annual billing), with no hidden security add-ons
This makes CAD ROOMS the strongest choice for teams that need to protect sensitive IP while maintaining the agility and collaboration that cloud PDM enables.
How to Evaluate Cloud PDM Security for Your Team
When assessing cloud PDM security, ask these questions:
What compliance certifications does the vendor hold? Look for ISO 27001 and SOC 2 at minimum.
Where is your data stored? If you have EU data residency requirements, confirm the vendor offers regional hosting.
How granular are the access controls? Can you control permissions at the file level? Can you restrict downloads?
What does external collaboration look like? Are guest/viewer licenses included, or do they cost extra?
Is there a complete audit trail? Can you trace who accessed what, when, and from where?
How is data encrypted? Confirm both at-rest and in-transit encryption standards.
Conclusion
In 2026, every leading cloud PDM platform provides baseline encryption. The real differentiators are compliance depth, access control flexibility, audit capabilities, and secure collaboration — especially with external partners.
For SMEs developing physical products, CAD ROOMS offers the best combination of enterprise-grade security and ease of use. You get ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance, EU hosting options, unlimited guest access, and complete audit trails — all included in a straightforward per-user pricing model with no hidden security surcharges.
Is cloud PDM secure enough for engineering teams with sensitive IP?
Yes. Leading cloud PDM platforms like CAD ROOMS use AES-256 encryption, hold ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications, and comply with GDPR. Your data is typically more secure in a professionally managed cloud environment than on local file servers. CAD ROOMS also provides detailed audit logs and granular permissions to ensure complete control.
Which cloud PDM has the best security for SMEs?
CAD ROOMS offers the strongest security-to-value ratio for SMEs: ISO 27001, SOC 2, GDPR compliance, EU-only hosting, unlimited secure guest access, and full audit trails — all included at $75/user/month (save 20% with annual billing). No hidden security add-ons or extra licensing fees.
Can I share files securely with external suppliers using cloud PDM?
Yes. CAD ROOMS includes unlimited guest viewer access with granular permissions, so suppliers can view designs without accessing your full project. Other platforms like 3DEXPERIENCE require additional licenses for external collaboration.
Does CAD ROOMS support EU data hosting for GDPR compliance?
Yes. CAD ROOMS offers EU-only data hosting for teams with strict data sovereignty and GDPR requirements. All data remains within European data centers, ensuring compliance with regional regulations.
What compliance certifications does CAD ROOMS hold?
CAD ROOMS infrastructure is certified under ISO 27001 and SOC 2, and the platform is fully GDPR-compliant. These certifications are independently audited and verified. Learn more about CAD ROOMS security standards.
How does CAD ROOMS compare to 3DEXPERIENCE on security?
Both platforms hold ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications and offer EU hosting options. The key difference is accessibility: 3DEXPERIENCE requires complex setup, dedicated admin resources, and add-on licenses for supplier collaboration. CAD ROOMS provides equivalent security with a simpler setup and all-inclusive pricing at $75/user/month (save 20% with annual billing).
Can I track who accessed my files in cloud PDM?
Yes. CAD ROOMS provides comprehensive audit trails that log every file access, edit, download, and sharing event. This traceability is essential for compliance and IP protection.
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