Enterprises ignore cybersecurity at their peril. Cyber attackers intrude at will, sparing no one. The range and depth of threats have only intensified over the years. New strains of malware and new attack vectors dominate headlines no sooner than cybersecurity catches up with one menace.

The challenge is especially rife in the APAC region where the latest 5G, high definition media, and Windows 95 desktops run side-by-side. But it is not all doom and gloom in the cybersecurity world. 

Here are ten enterprise cybersecurity start-ups. Their solutions keep cyber attackers at bay.

1. Darktrace

Darktrace is a collaboration of mathematicians from the University of Cambridge and government cyber-intelligence experts. They seek a permanent solution to the cybersecurity menace. The conventional one-size-fits-all approach is inadequate to identify and mitigate today’s threats. 

In 2016, Darktrace pioneered an autonomous response technology combining advanced mathematics and AI. The algorithms analyse huge swathes of user data from any specific network, to establish a set of “normal” user actions. It monitors for unusual activity, as opposed to targeted threats, to detect threats in real-time. The platform detects ransomware, cloud-based threats, insider attacks, and state-sponsored espionage. 

So far, the platform has identified over 60,000 threats world-over. 

2. Tophant

Tophant is one of the most innovative Internet security providers from China. The company has launched a series of products aimed at different and often ignored facets of network security. 

“FreeBuf”, the most popular product, offers effective protection for internet media. “Vulnerability box” is a public testing service platform for network security. “Douxiang Intelligent Security Platform” is a data analysis product. Other popular products include holographic security monitoring. 

This cybersecurity start-up company has raised CNY 100 million in funding in February 2020, signifying a major expansion.

3. Abnormal Security

Many security tools underestimate email security challenges. Many enterprising cybercriminals take over accounts and cause significant financial and reputation damage. 

The San Francisco-based Abnormal Security protects enterprises from targeted email attacks. The firm uses identity models, relationship graphs and content analysis to perform a composite analysis covering identity, relationships and email content. The USP of the company is its ability to analyse more sources of data compared to other email security products. The company claims to have identified 70% of business email attacks not blocked by other secure email gateway offerings. 

The company, founded in 2018, has secured $24 million funding in November 2019. A state-of-the-art data science and behavioural analysis platform are on the anvil. 

4. Digital Shadows

Companies with a large ecosystem have greater risks, being vulnerable through many endpoints. Digital Shadows focuses on reducing risk by eliminating unnecessary exposure. The proprietary SearchLight tool combines machine learning with unique identifiers. The tool sifts through the open web and the dark web, searching for threats. The unique identifiers contextualise data. It allows subscribers to prioritise and manage security incidents better. 

The company has secured $26 million funding in 2019 and opened new offices in Singapore and Germany. 

5. Sysdig

Containers are a rage now for the resource efficiency, speed and nimbleness it offers. But containers are not free from threats. 

Sysdig focuses on container security. The company, established in 2013, rose to fame in 2017 with its open-source container security project. The project offers support for Docker, Kubernetes, Mesos, Amazon Web Services, and Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2). It offers 200+ compliance checks, vulnerability management, covering microservices and cloud-native environments. 

The company has $68.5 million in funding and plans aggressive investments shortly. 

6. Balbix

On the face of it, Balbix is yet another startup that offers the standard breach avoidance solutions. The difference is in coverage. Balbiox’s algorithms go beyond checking apps. It makes a comprehensive check of all assets in the network. 

Balbix has forged partnerships with Telefónica Cybersecurity and others for AI capabilities. Proprietary algorithms perform risk assessment, asset and vulnerability discovery, and mitigation actions. The platform calculates the breach risk of each device, user and app, across attack vectors. It gives the potential business impact of every asset connected to the network. Intuitive visual aids resembling maps illustrate the spread of risks and impact. The assessment is live and real-time. 

Balbax has raised $20 million in funding.

7. Orca Security

Often, network breach occurs due to lack of visibility. Opaque enterprise systems and third-party resources render intrusion detection systems useless. 

Orca Security delivers full-stack IaaS and PaaS cloud security visibility. Its SideScanning technology is capable of instant deployment, with no complexity. The platform assesses the security state of the technology stack. It covers the operating system, applications, cloud control plane, and business data. The platform delivers complete visibility and identifies vulnerable software, compromised resources, and misconfigurations. 

The cybersecurity start-up, a brainchild of former Check Point executives, was founded in 2019 and has $6.5 million funding. 

8. ZeroFox

The cybersecurity space is ever-evolving. New threat vectors emerge by the day. Cyber-criminals now find theft of social identity, reputation damage, and fraud lucrative. Traditional security deployments often remain inadequate for such attacks. 

ZeroFox’s social media risk management platform uses a global data collection engine and AI-based analysis. The platform mitigates cyber fraud, account hacking and reputational harm to executives. It offers automated remediation. 

The company has raised $80 million in funding.

9. Cylus

Increasing digitalization spreads the risk of cyber-attack to transport systems and utilities. Cylus helps rail and metro companies preempt cyberattacks, and avoid service disruptions. 

The company’s CylusOne platform detects cyber threats in signalling and control. It also automates effective responses to pre-empt damages. 

Cylus, founded in 2017, has $12 million in funding for research and development efforts. It has strong footprints in the Asia-Pacific region, the European Union, and the United States. 

10. Argus Cyber Security

Autonomous vehicles may be some time away, but today’s vehicles depend on electronic systems. Most vehicles offer remote assisted driving technology in varying levels of intensity. With greater penetration of electronic systems comes a greater threat of cyber attackers. Hackers commandeering vehicles to cause accidents are no longer in the realm of science fiction. 

Argus focuses on automotive security. The company’s software protects against hackers intruding into a vehicle’s digital system. Argus gains attention for its growth and diversifications. 

Some key partnerships include 

• A strategic cooperation agreement with Deutsche Telekom for securing automotive systems. 
• Protection of in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) systems for the airline industry. 
• A solution to enable OEMs to deliver over-the-air vehicle software updates. 

Argus, founded in 2013 by Israeli ex-soldiers, was purchased by Continental AG in 2017. 

Cybersecurity is a cat-and-mouse game between cybersecurity experts and cyber attackers. It requires innovation to be one-up on hackers. These cybersecurity start-ups have caught eyeballs for their innovative approach in delivering robust solutions. They use Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technology while keeping the basics covered.