Austria is internationally recognized for its long-standing tradition of democracy, respect for human rights, and commitment to legal certainty. As a member of the European Union, Austria operates within a strong legal and regulatory environment that upholds privacy and data protection as fundamental rights. The Austrian Constitution, together with the European Charter of Fundamental Rights and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), establishes some of the world’s highest standards for individual privacy, digital sovereignty, and the protection of confidential communications.
Austria is one of the few countries with a proven record of supporting strong end-to-end encryption (E2EE) technologies. Both Austrian and EU law recognize the critical importance of cryptographic tools for protecting personal privacy, commercial secrets, and critical infrastructure.
There are currently no legal restrictions in Austria against the use or provision of strong encryption, and no mandatory requirements for cryptographic backdoors, key escrow, or interception mechanisms.
This legal certainty is another layer of confidence to Project Hierophant's customers that their communications remain private and beyond the reach of unauthorized surveillance or compelled disclosure.
GetTrusted Escrow GmbH, the company behind Project Hierophant, is headquartered in Austria and strictly adheres to all applicable Austrian and EU laws.
By design, Hierophant generates no user identifiers, stores no metadata, and retains no message content or cryptographic keys. In addition, when server relays are required, these are deployed exclusively on the customer’s own premises or under their direct control.
As a result, GetTrusted has no technical access to any operational data or customer communications—only the fact of software or hardware delivery is retained for legal and accounting purposes. Even in the unlikely event of a government request, there is simply no information in our possession that could compromise our clients’ privacy or security.
Austria maintains a unique position as a neutral, non-NATO country, independent from major geopolitical alliances and intelligence-sharing agreements.
This neutrality is enshrined in Austria’s constitution and respected internationally, making it a perfect location for hosting the headquarters of GetTrusted Escrow GmbH and Project Hierophant - truly sovereign secure communications provider.
Unlike jurisdictions that may be subject to extraterritorial requests or political pressure from large power blocs, Austria’s neutrality provides an additional assurance for government, defense, and corporate clients worldwide that their data and operations will not be subject to foreign intervention.