UnderDefense

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a CIO at DataGroup. We are a national Ukrainian telecom provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UnderDefense?

We decided that we needed to constantly monitor our systems to provide high-quality service for our customers. We wanted to protect the privacy and confidentiality of our clients and our system.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to assess our current and future security level, monitor it with Splunk Enterprise Security and configure intrusion prevention system (IPS) for The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) environment.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our CEO met the UnderDefense (UD) CEO at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and asked him to offer a bid. Their team showed great potential and we chose them for our project.

Describe the project in detail.

The UD team helped us with our first two goals.

Initially, we created a new security roadmap and detailed the steps for its implementation. We conducted the project in several phases, starting with gap analysis. Once we had an idea of what needed to be fixed, UD improved our processes and developed a more efficient security flow.

Second, the team provided a security operations center (SOC) service. Their security experts configured Splunk as a security information and event management (SIEM) system in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud. Then, they trained our team in basic analysis and response practices.

Additionally, UD brought more visibility and transparency to our internal forensics processes and helped us build a solid prevention mechanism. Their deep analysis helped us highlight any advanced persistent threat (APT) behavior.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a team of eight SOC analysts. Each member was a Splunk certified engineer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

UD provided us with a running and effective SOC. We reduced our security investigation time from weeks to hours, and decreased our detection and response times. Now, we can prioritize our internal operations more efficiently and cost-effectively. Their efforts generated more consistency and accountability within our organization. We can confidently provide our customers with a guarantee that their data is secure with our business.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The UD team showed excellent communication skills and a high level of flexibility.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed by their knowledge of industry best practices. They were very supportive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They could reduce their costs.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CTO at a mobile development and security company called 5Pro Software.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UnderDefense?

We engaged UnderDefense to support us with our client’s iOS and Android mobile payment app. They did the backend penetration and security testing.

What were your goals for this project?

The key objective was to verify the security level of the payment process to ensure that the app couldn’t be hacked. We also wanted to demonstrate how secure other existing mobile payment apps were.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I knew their CEO from previous projects and trusted him. Moreover, unlike other companies that only delivered a formal audit report, UnderDefense also demonstrated real security weaknesses in the system from a hacker’s perspective.

Describe the project in detail.

It was a typical penetration testing project that lasted for approximately four weeks.

What was the team composition?

They assigned a project coordinator and two penetration testers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They found serious security bugs in the app and delivered a report with all known issues. Additionally, they developed proof-of-concept scripts and code snippets that demonstrated how to practically exploit those weaknesses.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had a daily follow-ups with the team as well as a few online video meetings.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

What makes the company different is their strong, motivated team.

Are there any areas for improvement?

That’s hard to say. The company is constantly improving.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of Beyond Security, a cybersecurity vendor that helps businesses and governments improve their network and application security by finding and closing security vulnerabilities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UnderDefense?

We needed talented security specialists to help us in researching new vulnerabilities and develop security checks with our flagship AVDS product, an automated security testing tool. The UnderDefense team has helped us research the latest exploits and vulnerabilities to develop new modules that detect these vulnerabilities.

What were your goals for this project?

We were looking to conduct ongoing research into the latest vulnerabilities and work with a team to develop new detection methods.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They came highly recommended from a company we work with that had worked with them in the past.

Describe the project in detail.

The project’s scope included autonomous research and development, updating our common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs), building exploitation testing labs, and verifying new attack signatures. With open and transparent communication, we were able to augment our R&D team to quickly and efficiently overcome any bottlenecks in the process by allowing our customers access to high-quality vulnerability updates.

What was the team composition?

We are impressed by the team spirit that UnderDefense promotes. The they offer services are of high quality, and there were never delays in communication process. There were two security analysts involved into the development process and they proved themselves to be experienced professionals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They’ve done a good job improving our product. It’s already more effective, and we’re constantly try to modernize and mitigate existing gaps and vulnerabilities in the system.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They were easy to get a hold of when we had questions or concerns. They worked independently while maintaining transparency through open communication via Slack. The engineering team takes initiative, and we appreciate their proactive approach.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The service that they provide sets them apart from other security companies. Everything was negotiable, which allowed us to find effective ways to collaborate. The team is full of new ideas and ways to improve themselves as professionals, and the benefits to our business have been tremendous. Their rates were surprisingly affordable for the scope of completed work, and was a great fit to our budget.

Are there any areas for improvement?

All in all, they did a great job. We appreciate that they continuously provide high-quality service and always work to improve the level of services they provide.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Kromtech Alliance Corp is, a software development company, focused primarily on the Mac OS platform. We're developing a variety of tools that can simplify the day-to-day usage of Mac computers. My role at the time of the project was VP of strategic alliances and partnerships. I’m currently the director of PR and communications and also head of the contact security center.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UnderDefense?

Our recent strategy has been to start working on security utilities, so we asked for UnderDefense’s help with it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided cybersecurity expertise that we didn’t have at the time, or even currently. They made basic recommendations for our infrastructure and services. The first aspect of our partnership was cybersecurity consultancy.

They also provided experts for internet security and privacy research processes. We have a contact security center, the initial purpose of which was to operate as a nonprofit focused on finding vulnerable databases, data leaks, and misconfigurations that other businesses were experiencing. They also helped us develop open-source tools that can help secure the AWS-based infrastructure, as well as avoid data leakages and security misconfigurations.

We also have a blog, on which we host the three tools developed with their help, along with all the research we’ve done together.

What is the team composition?

According to our contract, we have three engineers from their side involved in the process, and we have a coordinator on our side. They provide a project manager on their side as well.

How did you come to work with UnderDefense?

We were looking for a convenient option for our needs, and one that would fit in with our team. I wanted a collaboration to be a mix of our expertise and the partner's. One of my friends had met UnderDefense at a conference and then worked with them; he gave me their CEO’s contact details, so I reached out.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $100,000 on their services so far. We have monthly payments of around $20,000 for the new project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in August 2017 and launched a second project with them in December or January of this year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We’ve definitely had a positive collaboration with them. The idea was to get good material and establish a workflow that we could use to create brand awareness for our company—reports, white labels, investigations, and so on. They’re currently doing investigations, much more than working on data leaks. We identify interesting trends in the cybersecurity on the market, they have a one-week initial investigation, and, if they feel there’s something interesting there, we identify how much time it requires, and spend that time. In the end, we receive investigation reports.

For example, we’ve done an interesting investigation on Amazon Elasticsearch, and discovered that the platform itself has a vulnerability; we showed that at least 30% of the databases being stored on the platform were infected by malware.

In the last year and a half, we’ve been able to build our company’s profile as a security firm. We initially had just a brand name for our products, but nobody knew who the developer of these tools was. We were able to build our brand name as a security company by utilizing this strategy.

How did UnderDefense perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re completely satisfied with this aspect; they’re responsive. I worked directly with their CEO, which allowed me to solve issues fast, but I know that our two teams have built a scrum process involving daily Skype standups. They’re in contact all the time, so we have no issues with communication. They're responsive and motivated, and their expertise was exactly what we needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What I liked most is their startup approach. They’re responsive, fast, and motivated. They want to develop their skills and help their customers, because they don't have hundreds yet. They can focus on each one, help them, and try to understand them properly. I hope they keep this approach for as long as possible. There will be a day when they’ll go from being a startup to a more mature company with a lot of processes and people.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Each new client of theirs will have unique requirements, like the ones we had for our security center. They have to grow their ability to deliver exactly what is needed, so they have to try different things, train their team, and be ready for any kind of challenge or request.

When we start a project, the team has to understand the scope of work, and this process will become faster after they’ve gained more experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CTO of Hypercube

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Hypercube created the digital water credits market

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire UnderDefense to accomplish?

• Pentest

SOLUTION

How did you find UnderDefense?

AI

Why did you select UnderDefense over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from UnderDefense were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Graybox penetration test on all of our servers.
Breach fix and retest

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We received a full report of the problems found, then a report after the fixes were applied by our team.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Communication was super efficient, everithing on time, they were reasonably fast, even doe we specified we were not in a hurry

What was your primary form of communication with UnderDefense?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

UnderDefense was fast and easy to work with and provided extensive testing.

Are there any areas for improvement or something UnderDefense could have done differently?

I'd say no, but I'm not a seasoned pentest client.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the IT & Cybersecurity Manager of Devsu LLC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a company specializing in Staff Augmentation and Software Development."

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire UnderDefense to accomplish?

• Gain insight into our external vulnerabilities through an independent assessment.
• Implement an ISO 27001 recommendation

SOLUTION

How did you find UnderDefense?

Online Search

Why did you select UnderDefense over others?

Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from UnderDefense were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We needed to assess the security status of specific external applications and obtain an independent third-party evaluation. Additionally, we aimed to address recommendations for ISO 27001 compliance.

Key deliverables required:

• An executive report on the penetration testing exercise.
• A technical report detailing the findings.
• An attestation letter confirming vulnerability mitigation efforts.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They offer an app called MAXI, where you can track progress and view evaluation results.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They executed the project efficiently, keeping us consistently informed of progress and findings. Their responses were always prompt, making the entire process smooth and seamless.

What was your primary form of communication with UnderDefense?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The quality of project management, clear communication, the platform used to present findings, and, most importantly, the expertise and specialization of the team—both at the management and operational levels.

Are there any areas for improvement or something UnderDefense could have done differently?

We are fully satisfied with the work provided.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Information Security Officer of Master of Code Global

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

At Master of Code Global, we aspire to go far beyond impacting over a billion people worldwide with unparalleled digital experiences. We are helping to seamlessly integrate AI into businesses, elevating their performance and customer satisfaction.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire UnderDefense to accomplish?

• We were in search of a company to conduct external penetration testing on our web services and to carry out a social engineering exercise.

SOLUTION

How did you find UnderDefense?

Online Search

Why did you select UnderDefense over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from UnderDefense were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Penetration testing of our web services provided for:

• Searching for vulnerabilities within the agreed-upon scope
• Investigation of identified vulnerabilities
• Assessment and ranking of the findings and the development of recommendations.

The social engineering exercise involved creating scenarios for various groups, implementing these scenarios, and tracking the results.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The quality of the results provided by the UnderDefense team aligned with our expectations.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The work was finished on time.

What was your primary form of communication with UnderDefense?

Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We valued their provision of multiple alternative proposals that were well-suited to our budget.

Are there any areas for improvement or something UnderDefense could have done differently?

No, since everything was fine.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Communications Manager of a digital marketing company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Digital marketing & design agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire UnderDefense to accomplish?

• Establish a foundational cybersecurity framework for our digital marketing agency.
• Achieve ISO 27001 certification with expert guidance and implementation.

SOLUTION

How did you find UnderDefense?

Referral

Why did you select UnderDefense over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from UnderDefense were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

UnderDefense was brought on board to design and implement a security monitoring system tailored to our needs. Key deliverables included the 30-day impact report, continuous monitoring of client data protection, MDR tools setup, and hands-on training for our internal team on best security practices.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We successfully built a robust cybersecurity system from scratch. Our understanding of our security posture was enhanced exponentially, thanks to the monthly 30-day impact reports. Also, with UnderDefense's expertise, we're on track to achieve ISO 27001 certification.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Their project management was akin to a well-oiled machine. Timelines were respected, and items were delivered on the dot. Whenever we had questions or faced challenges, their team was quick to respond, ensuring we never felt left in the dark.

What was your primary form of communication with UnderDefense?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Beyond their top-tier cybersecurity expertise, it was their approachability and genuine commitment to our success that stood out. They had a knack for making complex security lingo understandable, making our journey into the world of cybersecurity both enlightening and empowering.

Are there any areas for improvement or something UnderDefense could have done differently?

Not really.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Information Security Tech Lead of airSlate Inc.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We create solutions that empower teams to create, innovate, automate, and digitally transform the way their organizations do business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire UnderDefense to accomplish?

• 24х7 Managed Detection and Response with CrowdStrike

SOLUTION

How did you find UnderDefense?

Referral

Why did you select UnderDefense over others?

Great culture fit, Good value for cost, Company values aligned

What was the size of UnderDefense’s team?

70+

What was your primary form of communication with UnderDefense?

Virtual Meeting, Email or Messaging App

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Airslate hired UnderDefense to protect our servers and employees' computers with 24x7 Threat Detection & Response, utilizing Crowdstrike as EDR.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• We have confidence that our endpoints are now monitored by a top-notch cybersecurity MDR provider, their 24x7 team is very proactive with our IT, DevOps, and Security team and we are sure that none of our servers is at risk of infection and lateral movement when UnderDefense is in place.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

In any area, there is always room for improvement, which UnderDefense is constantly working on.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The most impressive thing was the tremendous work done by UnderDefense.

Are there any areas for improvement or something {provider_name} could have done differently?

In any area, there is always room for improvement, which UnderDefense is constantly working on. One certain thing - their performance was top-notch.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Penetration tester of a financial services company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Trading platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire UnderDefense to accomplish?

• Penetration test of applications
• Penetration test of IPs

SOLUTION

How did you find UnderDefense?

Other

Why did you select UnderDefense over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Penetration test of four web applications and several IP addresses. Conducted professional penetration test, with a lot of non-obvious findings and a well-crafted report.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Complexity of found vulnerabilities
• Report quality

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They delivered on time and responded very well to our needs.

What was your primary form of communication with UnderDefense?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

Are there any areas for improvement or something UnderDefense could have done differently?

Maybe not change the main pentester after the initialization meeting. But after all everything is good.