Synack

Last updated
Synack, Inc.
Company type Private
Industry Security
Founded2013 in California
FoundersJay Kaplan, Mark Kuhr
Headquarters
Redwood City, California
,
United States
Key people
Jay Kaplan (CEO)
ProductsSecurity assessment
Number of employees
250 (2020)
Website synack.com

Synack is an American technology company based in Redwood City, California, United States. [1] [2] [3] The company uses a software-as-a-service platform to connect customers with freelance security researchers who conduct penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities. [4]

Contents

Overview

Established in 2013 by former NSA agents Jay Kaplan and Mark Kuhr, Synack retains a network of security analysts, or white-hat hackers, in over 80 countries to identify software security issues, including flaws in generative artificial intelligence systems. [5] [6] [7] [8] The company calls its approach “Penetration Testing as a Service,” a model similar to running bug bounty programs with added platform-based features like control of testing traffic. [9] [10] [11]

Synack customers include the Department of Health and Human Services, the United States Department of Defense, other government agencies and businesses in retail, finance, healthcare and manufacturing. [4] [12] [13] The company has also conducted security testing on military hardware, isolated networks in the Pentagon and U.S. election systems ahead of the presidential votes in 2020 and 2024. [14] [15] [16] [17]

Funding

Synack is funded by 21 investors. In April 2014, the company announced it had secured Series A funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, Google Ventures, Allegis Capital, and Derek Smith of Shape Security. [1] [3] [18] In February 2015, the company raised US$25 million in Series B funding. [1] [19]

In April 2017, it raised $21M from Microsoft Ventures, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Singtel and prior investors. [6] [8] [20]

In May 2020, Synack announced it had raised $52M from investors led by C5 Capital and B Capital Group. [21]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Vinton, Kate (February 19, 2015). "Synack Raises $25 Million In Series B Funding To Crowdsource Security Globally". Forbes . Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  2. ↑ Kirk, Jeremy (October 21, 2015). "Synack builds intel platform for its penetration testers". PCWorld . Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  3. 1 2 Lev-Ram, Michal (April 24, 2014). "For crowdsourced security startup, a carrot and a hack". Fortune . Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  4. 1 2 Hackett, Robert. "Bug bounty startup Synack valued at $500 million to boost 'white hat' hacking from home". Fortune. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
  5. ↑ "Alarma ante la escalada de ataques con «deepfake» El cibercrimen ya supone 8,5 billones de dólares. Si fuera un país sería la tercera potencia". La Razón (in Spanish). 2024-05-03. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
  6. 1 2 Miller, Ron (April 11, 2017). "Security startup Synack scores $21M investment from Microsoft, HPE and Singtel". TechCrunch . Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  7. ↑ Yadron, Danny (2015-02-19). "Startup Takes Aim at Computer-Security Holes". Wall Street Journal . Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  8. 1 2 Larson, Selena. "Why the Pentagon wants people to hack it". CNNMoney. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  9. ↑ Pogorelec, Anamarija (2024-08-02). "New infosec products of the week: August 2, 2024". Help Net Security. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
  10. ↑ "Bug bounty programs can deliver significant benefits, but only if you're ready". CSO Online. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
  11. ↑ "Synack Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS)". Synack.com. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
  12. ↑ "Hack the pentagon". U.S. Digital Service.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ↑ Cordell, Carten (October 24, 2018). "DOD expands Hack the Pentagon program to cover hardware, systems". www.fedscoop.com.
  14. ↑ Staff (June 8, 2020). "DARPA Announces First Bug Bounty Program to Hack SSITH Hardware Defenses". www.darpa.mil.
  15. ↑ Hatmaker, Taylor (June 6, 2018). "Synack is the latest cybersecurity company to offer state elections its services for free". TechCrunch .
  16. ↑ Billal, Rahman (2024-09-25). "Army of 'Ethical Hackers' Defends Election Voting Systems Against Russia". Newsweek. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
  17. ↑ Freed, Benjamin (28 July 2020). "Colorado official details plans for penetration testing of election systems". StateScoop.
  18. ↑ "Security testing platform Synack raises $7.5M". VatorNews. 2014-04-24. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Why the hackers at Synack need $25M to hunt down major security flaws | VentureBeat". venturebeat.com. 22 February 2015. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
  20. ↑ Liam Tung. "Ex-NSA bug bounty startup Synack lands $21m, eyes Australia for growth". CSO Australia. IDG Australia. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  21. ↑ Arghire, Ionut (2020-05-28). "Crowdsourced Security Testing Firm Synack Raises $52 Million". SecurityWeek. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
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