Armed Owl

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Operations of SmartyAds

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We build programmatic advertising technology DSP, SSP, and Ad Marketplace that helps advertisers and publishers efficiently buy, sell, and optimize digital advertising at scale.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Armed Owl to accomplish?

• Identify and reduce security risks by running a full security audit and penetration testing to uncover and address vulnerabilities
• Build a structured information security foundation by designing and documenting an ISMS that aligns teams, processes, and controls
• Prepare for ISO 27001 certification by bringing our policies, practices, and technical measures in line with the standard’s requirements

SOLUTION

How did you find Armed Owl?

Referral

Why did you select Armed Owl over others?

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

How many teammates from Armed Owl were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The scope of work covered both organizational and technical information security improvements. Armed Owl conducted an initial security assessment and gap analysis, followed by the development and implementation of a full ISMS aligned with ISO 27001 requirements. Key internal security policies were created and rolled out, including access management, password, endpoint, and incident response policies.

On the technical side, core security tools were implemented and configured, such as MDM for device management, centralized password management, and enterprise-grade antivirus/endpoint protection. Identified vulnerabilities were remediated through configuration changes, access restrictions, and process improvements.

In parallel, security awareness sessions were conducted for employees to improve day-to-day security behavior and reduce human risk. The engagement also included penetration testing and validation of controls to ensure the implemented measures were effective and measurable.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project led to clear, tangible improvements in how we manage security. More than 90% of high- and medium-risk findings from the initial audit were fixed, and we now have a fully documented ISMS that puts us in a strong position for ISO 27001 certification.

All corporate devices were brought under centralized MDM control, with company-wide antivirus and endpoint protection in place, and a single password management solution adopted across key teams. Follow-up testing confirmed a significant reduction in real, exploitable vulnerabilities compared to the starting point.

On the people side, security awareness sessions were completed for the entire team, which noticeably improved everyday security behavior and increased the number of potential threats reported early. Overall, we moved from a fragmented, reactive setup to a structured, measurable, and scalable security framework.

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

Their project management was solid and easy to work with. The project ran against a clear plan with milestones, and all key deliverables were completed on time.

As the work progressed, we adjusted scope and priorities a few times, which was handled calmly and without issues. When we needed extra attention beyond the originally agreed hours, they stepped in without hesitation and supported us as needed. Communication was clear and responsive throughout, and overall the collaboration felt practical, flexible, and well aligned with our pace.

What was your primary form of communication with Armed Owl?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What stood out most was the combination of genuine personal involvement and a high level of professionalism. They've consistently gone beyond what has been formally agreed upon, providing extra attention and support when it matters, while still keeping the work structured, practical, and focused on real outcomes

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

Because they’re a relatively young company, there were a few moments where they could have pushed harder on individual employees or been more assertive in enforcing certain security practices. That said, this never became a real issue — they have a strong, well-coordinated team, are open to feedback, and clearly learn and adapt quickly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CTO of Worksection

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Worksection is an online service for Agile and Waterfall project management that helps agencies that bill by the hour and product companies manage projects, communicate effectively and control tasks online.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Armed Owl to accomplish?

• conduct a full-scope penetration test of the Worksection platform
• understand where our security gaps were, address them before they could be exploited, and prepare for the increased security expectations coming from our larger enterprise customers
• ensure our SaaS product was truly secure and ready to scale with confidence.

SOLUTION

How did you find Armed Owl?

Referral

Why did you select Armed Owl over others?

• Referred to me
• Other

How many teammates from Armed Owl were assigned to this project?

4

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

Armed Owl carried out an in-depth penetration test of our entire SaaS system - covering OWASP-style web testing, detailed business logic checks, API testing, role-based access control, and behavior across complex user scenarios. Our platform has a lot of depth and legacy functionality, so the team didn’t just skim the surface; they really dug in.

We received a structured report with clear risk prioritization, specific remediation steps, and follow-up verification once our team implemented the fixes. What I appreciated most is that they didn’t just point out issues - they explained the safest and most efficient way to resolve them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The biggest impact was that we were able to eliminate all critical and high-risk vulnerabilities uncovered during the assessment. This immediately strengthened our security posture and reduced our exposure. The results also made a noticeable difference in our enterprise sales conversations. Having clear documentation and verified fixes allowed us to address security questions from larger customers with much more confidence.

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

Project management was smooth and reliable. They delivered everything on time, communicated clearly, and provided regular updates without any unnecessary formalities. Whenever we needed clarification or deeper technical insight, they were quick to respond and genuinely helpful. It felt like working with a partner, not just a vendor checking boxes.

What was your primary form of communication with Armed Owl?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What stood out most was how deeply they immersed themselves in our product. They didn’t limit their work to technical vulnerabilities -  they identified issues within business logic and user flows that many other vendors typically miss.

Their communication was also excellent: clear, practical, and without fear-based messaging or fluff. Just expertise and actionable guidance.

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

It would be even better if the company provided outstaffing services to help implement certain specific technical changes.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of HR for Health, a cloud-based HR software company for healthcare practices. We streamline HR tasks, ensure legal compliance, and offer tools for employment management, time tracking, and communication in a paperless environment. We aim to automate HR Administration Tasks so our clients can focus on their patients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Armed Owl?

We needed help with penetration testing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Armed Owl provided thorough penetration testing, including black and white box testing. The team also delivered a detailed findings report across all potential attack vectors and provided advice and cooperation with our development team to review risks, fix issues, and deploy remediation. Armed Owl also worked closely on retesting and remediation verification to ensure a closed loop and real tangible security improvements to keep our application and organization as secure as possible.In terms of technology, Armed Owl focused on our API, frontend, end-to-end processes, database, authentication, load balancers, CDNs, and S3.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 2–5 teammates from Armed Owl.

How did you come to work with Armed Owl?

Someone referred Armed Owl to me. I chose them over other options because their pricing fit our budget, they were a great culture fit, they offered good value for the cost, and their company values aligned with ours.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June–July 2025

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Armed Owl identified and remediated vulnerabilities. Their work also helped us with our SOC 2 Type 2 compliance audit verification.

How did Armed Owl perform from a project management standpoint?

Armed Owl's project management was transparent and on time. We communicated via virtual meetings, emails, and messaging apps.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed by Armed Owl's ease of collaboration.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Delivery of Binariks

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Binariks is a tech partner that helps businesses undergo digital transformation at every stage of their journey and provides engineering services and advisory by vetted experts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Armed Owl to accomplish?

• Help us implement and maintain international standards ISO 27001, ISO 9001, and ISO 13485, which were critical for ensuring compliance and building trust with our clients.
• Strengthen our overall information security management, protecting sensitive customer data, and foster a security-first culture among our employees.

SOLUTION

How did you find Armed Owl?

Referral

Why did you select Armed Owl over others?

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

How many teammates from Armed Owl were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Armed Owl provided end-to-end support in several areas. They helped to implement security operations controls and monitoring technologies, ensuring our processes complied with ISO standards. They also helped us centralize endpoint management by establishing processes and deploying tools for unified control and monitoring of all devices accessing our network. Another key part of their work was guiding us while launching a comprehensive information security awareness program. This included phishing simulations, ongoing training, and platforms to educate employees on identifying and responding to cyber threats. In addition, they guided us in developing and testing our Business Continuity Planning (BCP) strategies, ensuring operational stability during disruptions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With Armed Owl, we achieved full compliance with ISO 27001, ISO 9001, and ISO 13485 standards. Their guidance streamlined our internal processes and made compliance much more manageable. We also significantly improved our security posture: centralized endpoint management and advanced monitoring reduced our exposure to potential threats, while employee training lowered the risk of human error. Our business continuity measures were tested successfully, proving that we could maintain operations under different disruptions. Overall, the project enhanced our resilience, security, and the confidence of our clients in our processes.

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

They clearly defined deliverables and timelines, and everything was delivered on schedule. Whenever new challenges arose, especially related to evolving cyber threats, they were quick to respond and adapt their approach. Communication was consistent, and they always ensured we understood both the technical and strategic aspects of their recommendations

What was your primary form of communication with Armed Owl?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What stood out was Armed Owl's combination of technical expertise and a practical understanding of our needs. They didn’t just help us check boxes for compliance; they helped us build real, sustainable processes that improved security culture across the company. Their approach to employee training was particularly impressive, turning a potentially dry topic into an engaging program that truly changed behavior.

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

The whole experience was very positive