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IRI DarkShield
What IRI DarkShield is
IRI DarkShield helps teams find and handle sensitive information across structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data. It can search with regular expressions, lookup values, path filters, and named-entity recognition, then apply masking such as deletion, encryption, hashing, pseudonymization, or randomization. Sources include local or SMB files, SharePoint Online, Amazon S3, Azure Blob, Google Cloud Platform, JDBC relational databases, and NoSQL collections or clusters. Jobs can run from IRI Workbench, command-line tools, batch scripts, or API-calling programs; Version 6 added REST API support. An exportable HTML5 dashboard reports what sensitive data was found and whether it was masked, and search and remediation logs can be sent to SIEM tools including Splunk Enterprise Security and Datadog.
DarkShield runs within customer infrastructure, either on premises or in a customer-controlled cloud installation. It supports Windows, Linux, and macOS, and IRI recommends at least 4 GB of RAM and two physical or virtual cores. Standalone perpetual licensing is per hostname where masking jobs run, with a first-hostname fee that varies by file and document volume. The listed starting price is $5,490, and a 30-day trial is available. Innovative Routines International (IRI), Inc. is headquartered in Melbourne, Florida.
Who it suits
DarkShield suits developers, DBAs, and IT-background compliance staff who need to locate and mask sensitive information across varied data sources. It is also relevant to teams that need on-premises or customer-controlled cloud deployment and exportable audit reporting.
What it does well
- Searches structured, semi-structured, and unstructured sources.
- Offers five masking methods, including encryption and pseudonymization.
- Works with files, cloud storage, relational databases, and NoSQL.
- Provides an exportable HTML5 dashboard of findings and masking status.
- Can send logs to Splunk Enterprise Security and Datadog.
What to know first
- No free plan; the listed trial lasts 30 days.
- Standalone licensing is charged per hostname running masking jobs.
- IRI recommends at least 4 GB RAM and two cores.
Limits
The trial lasts 30 days, and there is no free plan. Standalone licensing is per hostname; the first-hostname fee varies with estimated annual file and document volume.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone DarkShield (file or image sources) | Perpetual-use license; first-hostname license fee ranges from USD $5K-50K, depending on estimated annual file/document volume. · Per-hostname licensing · database collections priced like FieldShield · first-year support included; later support available at 20% of license fee basis | On request |
| IRI Voracity subscription | DarkShield is included free within a Voracity platform subscription. · Support included · five executing hostnames in the first pricing tier | On request |
As iri.com lists them, read 30 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the IRI DarkShield website.
- Choose the 30-day trial or request pricing for a standalone perpetual license.
- Install in your on-premises environment or customer-controlled cloud on Windows, Linux, or macOS.
- Create a project for the data sources you need to search and mask.
- Run jobs through IRI Workbench, command line, batch scripts, or an API-calling program.
Verdict
Choose IRI DarkShield if your team needs to discover and mask sensitive data while keeping deployment within your infrastructure. Its per-hostname standalone licensing and first-hostname fee based on data volume may make it less suitable when predictable pricing is the priority.
Questions
How much does IRI DarkShield cost?
The listed starting price is $5,490. Standalone first-hostname license fees range from USD $5K–50K depending on estimated annual file and document volume.
Is there a free plan or trial?
There is no free plan. A 30-day trial is available.
Where can DarkShield run?
It is self-hosted within customer infrastructure, on premises or in a customer-controlled cloud installation. Compatible operating systems are Windows, Linux, and macOS.
What data sources does it support?
Sources include local or SMB files, SharePoint Online, Amazon S3, Azure Blob, Google Cloud Platform, JDBC relational databases, and NoSQL collections or clusters.
Can it connect to other tools?
It can send search and remediation logs to SIEM tools including Splunk Enterprise Security and Datadog. Jobs can also run through API-calling programs, and Version 6 added REST API support.
What is included with standalone licensing?
Standalone perpetual licenses include technical support, bug fixes, and new versions for the first year. Later support is available at 20% of the license fee basis per year.
Facts from IRI DarkShield's own pages
- API and automation
- Jobs can run from IRI Workbench, command line, batch scripts, or API-calling programs, and DarkShield Version 6 added REST API support. · iri.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Audit reporting
- DarkShield provides an exportable HTML5 dashboard showing sensitive data found and whether it was masked. · iri.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Data sources
- DarkShield supports files on local or SMB systems, SharePoint Online, Amazon S3, Azure Blob, Google Cloud Platform, JDBC relational databases, and NoSQL collections or clusters. · iri.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Deployment and data control
- DarkShield is self-hosted and runs within the customer's infrastructure, with on-premises and customer-controlled cloud installation options. · iri.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Founded
- 1978 · iri.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Melbourne, Florida, United States · iri.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Integrations
- DarkShield can send search and remediation logs to SIEM tools including Splunk Enterprise Security and Datadog. · iri.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Intended users
- IRI describes developers, DBAs, and people with an IT background on compliance teams as users who can create and manage DarkShield projects. · iri.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Licensing limit
- GUI and API instances are licensed per hostname where masking jobs run, with discounts for multiple nodes. · beta.iri.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Maker and headquarters
- Innovative Routines International (IRI), Inc. is headquartered in Melbourne, Florida. · beta.iri.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Masking
- Available masking functions include deletion, encryption, hashing, pseudonymization, and randomization. · beta.iri.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Platform requirements
- IRI lists Windows, Linux, and macOS as compatible operating systems and recommends at least 4 GB RAM and two physical or virtual cores. · beta.iri.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Purpose
- DarkShield discovers, classifies, extracts, reports on, and masks sensitive information across structured, semi-structured, and unstructured sources. · iri.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Search methods
- Search options include regular expressions, lookup values, path filters, and named-entity recognition using NLP and machine learning. · iri.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Support
- Standalone perpetual licenses include technical support, bug fixes, and new versions for the first year; later support is available at 20% of the license fee basis per year. · beta.iri.com, 30 Sept 2026