Developing ITAR and Government-Compliance Web Tools: A Strategic Approach

In today’s evolving technological landscape, building secure and compliant web applications is more critical than ever—particularly for organizations working with sensitive government data. For developers and engineers creating tools for hardware-focused professionals, understanding the complexities of government regulations like ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) is essential.

Recently, a collaborative project was undertaken to develop a web-based tool aimed at assisting engineers tackling complex hardware technology challenges. As the project progressed, it became apparent that adapting the platform to meet stringent government compliance standards requires careful planning and infrastructure choices. This article explores the high-level migration strategy undertaken in this context, along with considerations for organizations embarking on similar journeys.

High-Level Migration Strategy for Government-Qualified Web Applications

The project team outlined a comprehensive migration plan to transition their existing platform into a more compliant infrastructure. Here are the main components of their approach:

1. Backend Infrastructure Overhaul
   Transition from the existing Convex backend to AWS GovCloud-native services, leveraging Lambda for serverless compute and DynamoDB for scalable data storage. This ensures data resides within compliant cloud environments tailored for government data.

2. Data Storage Migration
   Migrate all data from Convex to DynamoDB for structured data and utilize Amazon S3 for file storage, both within the AWS GovCloud region to maintain compliance.

3. Authentication System Redesign
   Replace the current authentication solution (e.g., Supabase Auth) with a government-compliant identity management service such as AWS Cognito, or potentially develop a custom solution that adheres to relevant security standards.

4. Real-Time Data Features
   Replace real-time synchronization mechanisms (such as Convex sync features) with WebSocket implementations deployed via Amazon API Gateway and AWS Lambda. This offers secure, scalable real-time communication within compliant environments.

5. Frontend Hosting Migration
   Shift frontend hosting from Vercel to AWS CloudFront combined with S3 or Elastic Container Service (ECS), ensuring data residency and compliance requirements are met.

6. Billing and Payments
   Transition from standard Stripe to Stripe’s government and compliance-focused billing tools, ensuring payment processing adheres to regulatory standards.

7. Observability and Monitoring
   Replace existing observability tools like Sentry with government-compliant solutions, such as Datadog Gov or AWS CloudWatch, to monitor application health while maintaining data security.

Key Considerations and Questions