What Port53 does

Port53 is a privately held cybersecurity services firm founded in 2016, headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York, that delivers 24/7 Managed Detection and Response (MDR/MXDR) built natively on Cisco XDR rather than a legacy SIEM. The company pairs its managed XDR platform with a 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) providing continuous monitoring, threat hunting, and incident response, and extends its offering with Cisco Splunk + XDR integration, a SOC for AI specialty service, Cyber Sourcing advisory, and a Cyber Strategy portfolio that includes the Introspect suite (Managed GRC, Continuous Threat Exposure Management with attack path modeling, Managed Vulnerability Management, Dark Web Monitoring, and Threat Intelligence) plus Managed SASE. Port53 is the first Cisco-Certified Managed XDR partner globally, a Cisco Gold Provider with SASE, Secure Networking, and XDR specializations, and the only MDR partner in Cisco's Foundation AI design cohort. It serves 2,500+ customers across healthcare, state and local government, manufacturing, financial services, and education (including thousands of K-12 schools and districts), with named customers such as Cummings Resources, the County of Hardin (Iowa), West Coast Magnetics, S. Martinelli & Company, and a Georgia-based healthcare organization.

The company's revenue model combines recurring managed-services subscriptions (Managed XDR, Cisco Splunk + XDR, Managed SASE) with project-based professional services (Cyber Sourcing, Cyber Strategy advisory, penetration testing, GRC/CTEM engagements), sold through multi-year contracts with quote-based, custom pricing. Go-to-market runs through three coordinated motions: direct enterprise field sales (Account Executives, a VP of Sales, and dedicated Customer Success and Renewals Managers), inside sales and account development for expansion, and a Partner-to-Partner channel program led by former Cisco channel executives that enables IT solution resellers and Cisco partners to resell Port53's SOC and MDR services. Operations extend across the U.S. (New York HQ, Indianapolis channel base, Silicon Valley founding roots) and India (Country Director-led service delivery and business operations). Port53 holds SOC 2 Type 2 certification and maintains GDPR/CCPA-compliant privacy practices, and is led by founder/CEO Omar Zarabi with a leadership bench drawn heavily from Cisco, Optiv, and Accenture.

Name

Port53

Legal name

Port53 Technologies LLC

Website

https://port53.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Port53 is a privately held cybersecurity firm delivering 24/7 Managed XDR and SOC services built on Cisco XDR, serving 2,500+ mid-market and enterprise customers across healthcare, government, manufacturing, financial services, and education. It is the first Cisco-Certified Managed XDR partner globally and the only MDR partner in Cisco's Foundation AI design cohort.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Managed Cybersecurity Services

NAICS

Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Managed Detection & Response (MDR) (BPAEADAA)

Keywords

• Managed detection response
• Cybersecurity services
• Security operations center
• Extended detection response
• Vulnerability management

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Managed XDR / SOC-as-a-Service: Recurring managed security services revenue from 24/7 monitoring, threat hunting, and incident response powered by Cisco XDR. Sold on subscription / managed-services basis.
2. Cisco Splunk + XDR Service: Recurring revenue from optimizing and operating customer Splunk instances integrated into the XDR-driven 24/7 MDR service.
3. Cyber Sourcing (Advisory / Tool Sourcing): Consultative engagement helping customers identify and fill security tooling gaps and move toward zero trust; includes professional services revenue.
4. Cyber Strategy / Risk Management / Introspect: Recurring and project-based revenue from GRC, Continuous Threat Exposure Management, Managed Vulnerability Management, Dark Web Monitoring, Penetration Testing, and Strategic advisory services.
5. Managed SASE: Subscription-based revenue from SASE offerings with pay-as-you-go scaling as described by Cisco's SASE model.
6. Channel / Reseller Program: Revenue share from the Partner-to-Partner channel program in which IT resellers resell Port53's SOC/MDR/mXDR services to their customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Port53 delivers outsourced 24/7 Managed Detection and Response (MDR/MXDR) cybersecurity services built on Cisco XDR, combining continuous threat hunting, real-time monitoring, and white-glove Security Operations Center (SOC) response for organizations that lack in-house security expertise. Its portfolio also includes advisory and risk management services under a Cyber Strategy umbrella — such as cyber sourcing, governance/risk/compliance, vulnerability management, dark web monitoring, and Managed SASE — delivered via multi-year managed-service engagements and a partner-to-partner reseller channel.

Product overview

Port53 offers a modular cybersecurity services platform organized around a core 24/7 Managed XDR (Managed Detection and Response) service powered by Cisco XDR, supplemented by specialty offerings including Cisco Splunk + XDR (combining Splunk with XDR-driven MDR), SOC for AI, Cyber Sourcing (security tool advisory and sourcing), and Cyber Strategy (a portfolio of risk management services). The Cyber Strategy portfolio further extends the platform with the Introspect: Preemptive Security suite — bundling Managed Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC), Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM), Managed Vulnerability Management, Threat Intelligence, and Dark Web Monitoring — along with Managed SASE (Secure Access Service Edge). All offerings are delivered through a 24/7 SOC service with AI-driven analytics, advisory, and automation, and Port53 is the first Cisco-Certified Managed XDR partner globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Managed XDR 24/7 Managed Detection and Response service powered by Cisco XDR that provides continuous monitoring, threat hunting (overnight and on holidays), full visibility across the customer's security tools, and white-glove SOC service for incident response. Built on Cisco XDR rather than SIEM to reduce complexity, cost, and time.
• Cisco Splunk + XDR Integrated service that optimizes and operates a customer's Splunk instance and connects it to Cisco XDR's 24/7 MDR service, delivering full-spectrum detection, investigation, and compliance workflows under one roof.
• SOC for AI Specialty Security Operations Center service positioned for AI-related security needs; listed as a top-level solution on Port53's website navigation.
• Cyber Sourcing Consulting service that helps customers identify and fill gaps in their security posture, including choosing the right email security solution and moving the environment toward zero trust, with the right team to guide implementation.
• Cyber Strategy Strategic advisory service that helps organizations implement the right tools, adopt the right strategy, and manage cyber risk — covering risk-managed approaches around cyber frameworks, compliance regulations, and penetration testing validation.
• Introspect: Preemptive Security Comprehensive add-on suite that integrates Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC), Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM), Managed Vulnerability Management, and Dark Web Monitoring into Port53's MDR platform for preemptive, AI-driven security.
• Managed SASE Secure Access Service Edge offering delivering converged networking and security for seamless, secure remote access. Features zero-trust network access (ZTNA), AI-driven analytics for visibility and threat detection, and a unified platform reducing complexity and cost.
• Customer Success Program Lifecycle service with four phases — Onboarding, Solution Adoption, Security Roadmapping (Risk-Managed Roadmapping), and Renewal — designed to deliver measurable security outcomes and long-term value from Port53's investments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Incident response time reduced from an average of 32 minutes (traditional SIEM model) to 5 minutes with XDR
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration18 records

AI capability2 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• CiscoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCisco is Port53's flagship technology and strategic partner. Port53's Managed XDR is built on Cisco XDR, the company holds Cisco Gold Provider status with SASE, Secure Networking, and XDR specializations, and is the first Cisco-Certified Managed XDR partner globally. Cisco products (Umbrella, Duo, Secure Endpoint, Email Security, Meraki, Hypershield, Splunk) form the foundation of Port53's customer stacks.
• Cisco Foundation AI Design Partner ProgramflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPort53 is the only Managed Detection and Response (MDR) partner in Cisco's curated Foundation AI design cohort, co-building introspective AI use cases for security contexts alongside Cisco's Foundation AI team.
• Splunk (Cisco-owned)coreTechnology or IntegrationPort53 optimizes and operates customer Splunk instances integrated into its XDR-driven 24/7 MDR service under its 'Cisco Splunk + XDR' offering. Splunk's SEIM was acquired by Cisco for $28 billion in 2023.
• Cisco MerakicoreTechnology or IntegrationPort53 integrates Cisco XDR with Meraki networks to provide enhanced visibility, real-time threat detection, and automated response across wireless, switching, and security managed through Meraki's cloud dashboard.
• IT Solution Resellers (via Port53 Channel Program)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPort53's Partner-to-Partner channel program, led by National Director of Channels Eric Sheets and Executive Director Frank Lento (former Global Head of Cisco's Security Partner Organization), enables IT solution resellers across the U.S. and beyond to resell Port53's SOC, MDR, and mXDR services to their end customers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Arctic Wolf: Pure-play MDR/MXDR provider offering 24/7 monitoring, threat detection, and response as a subscription service. Closely comparable to Port53's core Managed XDR business model, target customer (mid-market and enterprise), and channel-led GTM, though Arctic Wolf operates its own proprietary platform rather than reselling Cisco XDR.
• eSentire: Pure-play MDR provider delivering 24/7 threat detection, hunting, and response across endpoint, network, cloud, and identity. Comparable to Port53 on managed services model, mid-market focus, and 24/7 SOC delivery, and a direct alternative in customer bake-offs.
• Expel: MDR provider focused on transparent, cloud-native detection and response with strong integrations across major security stacks. Comparable to Port53 on managed XDR services, integration-heavy architecture, and mid-market/enterprise GTM, with a more vendor-agnostic technology posture.
• Huntress: MDR provider purpose-built for SMB and mid-market organizations and the managed service providers (MSPs) that serve them. Highly comparable to Port53's SMB and K-12 segments, partner-led distribution model, and outsourced SOC delivery, though Huntress is more endpoint-centric.
• ReliaQuest: Enterprise-focused MDR/XDR provider that builds and operates a proprietary 'GreyMatter' platform on top of multiple security stacks. Comparable to Port53 on managed XDR, multi-vendor telemetry integration, and enterprise GTM, but operates a more platform-heavy and capital-rich model.
• Pondurance: Mid-market MDR and risk management provider offering managed detection and response alongside compliance and risk services. Closely comparable to Port53's combination of Managed XDR with Cyber Strategy/Introspect (GRC, vulnerability management) and its mid-market/government focus.
• Avertium: MSSP/MDR provider delivering managed detection and response, vulnerability management, and compliance services to mid-market and enterprise customers. Comparable to Port53 across its full portfolio (XDR plus Cyber Strategy) and its consultative, multi-product GTM.

Broad incumbents

• Secureworks: Established cybersecurity vendor offering Taegis Managed XDR alongside broader advisory and managed services. Overlaps with Port53 on 24/7 managed XDR and threat hunting but is a much larger, publicly traded incumbent serving primarily enterprise customers.
• Sophos (Sophos MDR): Endpoint and network security incumbent that now bundles a 24/7 Sophos MDR service on top of its own products. Overlaps with Port53 on MDR-as-a-service, but competes with Port53's endpoint stack position via Sophos's owned endpoint and firewall products.
• Rapid7 (Managed Detection and Response): Public security vendor offering Managed Detection and Response on top of its InsightIDR/XDR platform, alongside vulnerability management and SIEM. Overlaps with Port53 on managed XDR, GRC-adjacent services, and mid-market reach, but is a much larger incumbent with its own platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/port53tech
• Facebookfacebook.com/port53tech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/port53

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Port53