Now that the cloud has become a fundamental part of society, the value that companies and organizations seek from the cloud has changed. Beyond speed and scalability, the most important aspect now is trustworthiness.

Data has become the foundation supporting corporate decision-making and social infrastructure. As a platform for storing, sharing and analyzing data, a cloud that combines security and transparency is indispensable. As a step toward visualizing this trust in the cloud, Snowflake has now officially acquired an Information System Security Management and Assessment Program (ISMAP) certification. The current certification covers the AWS Tokyo and Osaka regions, as well as the Microsoft Azure East Japan region.

This is not merely an acquisition of certification; it is a significant milestone to deliver Snowflake’s mission — to enable every organization to maximize the value of their data through the trusted Snowflake AI Data Cloud — to our customers in a more concrete form.

ISMAP: Japan’s common standard for cloud trustworthiness

ISMAP is a security evaluation program for cloud services operated by the Japanese government. This program evaluates and registers cloud providers that meet certain security standards, enabling government agencies to securely use cloud services.

ISMAP rigorously assesses the cloud from the following three perspectives:

• Adequacy of governance structure (information management policy, internal audit, risk management)

• Technical security (data encryption, access control, audit logging and others)

• Operational transparency (incident response system, domestic support, continuous improvement process)

By obtaining this certification, Snowflake has been officially evaluated by the Japanese government as having a “security foundation capable of being used by public institutions.”

Snowflake’s ISMAP certification

Snowflake values the philosophy of “Security by Design.” This means that security should be at the core of architecture, not something added later. The ISMAP certification process shows our commitment to this philosophy in accordance with Japanese market standards.

Providing a trusted data foundation for the public sector

Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud supports the digital transformation of private companies. However, to advance the digitalization of society as a whole, data utilization by public institutions, local governments and public-private partnerships is also essential. With the ISMAP certification, Snowflake can now be more easily adopted in the public sector in Japan, including by government and local authorities. We have entered a new stage where we can support public data utilization, such as administrative data analysis, regional medical collaboration and integration of disaster response data.

Creating an environment for Japanese companies to securely adopt Snowflake

While ISMAP is a system for public institutions, its standards are also a high indicator of trust for private companies. Especially in industries that demand strict governance controls, such as finance, manufacturing and healthcare, being ISMAP certified is an important factor for companies looking to adopt the AI Data Cloud. With Snowflake’s certification, customers can handle important data on Snowflake with greater peace of mind. For companies and partners who are cautious about cloud utilization, ISMAP compliance provides a common language of trust.

Localizing global standards to the Japanese market

Snowflake already has security certifications such as ISO 27001, ISO 20017/18,  ISO 42001, FedRAMP High, PCI-DSS 4.0, HITRUST etc. and also SOC 1 Type ll and  SOC 2 Type II audit reports.  Achieving ISMAP registration is a public certification that the world-class security foundation we have established already fully aligns with Japan’s unique government regulations and operational standards. For us, this ISMAP registration is not just an incremental compliance measure, but an important landmark confirming that our global security expertise meets and exceeds Japan’s public criteria.

The ISMAP certification process: A path to verifying our everyday security culture

In acquiring ISMAP certification, we did not create a new system from scratch.

Rather, it involved a process of verifying Snowflake’s “Security by Design” philosophy, against Japan’s ISMAP standards.

At Snowflake, customer data is encrypted both at rest and in transit, and access control is managed with minimum privileges through role-based access control (RBAC). Audit logs and query history are also made available to customers.

These methods already met the technical requirements of ISMAP, so no new special technical measures were needed. Rather, what we did in this process was formalize these mechanisms in accordance with the Japanese system and validate them through external audits.

Ultimately, what became clear through the ISMAP evaluation was that our security system has a high degree of consistency with both global and Japanese standards.

As a result, Snowflake was able to publicly prove once again that its AI Data Cloud offers the same quality of security capabilities worldwide and in Japan.

New possibilities

With the new ISMAP certification, Snowflake can now be used as a more trusted platform by a wider range of customers and allows for the following benefits: 

Secure integration of public and private data: ISMAP-certified Snowflake enables the secure combination and utilization of public and private data. This makes public-private partnerships for solving social issues — such as disaster prevention, regional medical care and urban planning — even more realistic.

Strengthened data governance and accountability: The strict log management and access control that ISMAP requires provides robust support for companies to strengthen their own data governance policies. It clarifies who used what data when and can reduce the burden of internal control and audit responses.

Creation of new businesses based on trust: Snowflake’s data cloud, proven reliable in both public and private sectors, promotes data sharing across industries and the co-creation of new businesses. To this end, ISMAP certification functions as a common language of trust. As data collaboration between companies and industries progresses, new insights will emerge and new value will be created — we aim for Snowflake to be at the center of this.

Future outlook: Certification as a starting point, not a goal

The acquisition of ISMAP certification is not an endpoint for Snowflake. Rather, it is a starting line for maintaining and continuously enhancing trust. Security requirements and societal expectations are constantly evolving.

We will continue to maintain and update the security standards through regular reevaluations and internal and external audits.

Furthermore, in new areas such as generative AI and data governance automation, we will leverage the foundation ISMAP cultivates in order to provide an environment for secure innovation. 

Conclusion: Designing trust

ISMAP certification validates that Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud is a platform that combines safety, transparency and continuous improvement. However, what we truly aim for is not the certification itself — that is merely a milestone, and the goal is always our customers’ trust. Snowflake will continue to support corporate and societal decision-making through data and co-create a future where everyone can securely share data. Trust is more than technology for us. It is a prerequisite for unlocking the value of all data, and it is the promise that Snowflake values most.

Reference: Certifications and Compliance https://docs.snowflake.com/en/user-guide/intro-compliance