Packetlabs

What Packetlabs does

Packetlabs is a Canadian penetration testing firm founded in 2011, headquartered in Toronto with additional offices in San Francisco, Calgary, and Sydney (operated through subsidiary Packetlabs Pty Ltd.). The company delivers offensive security services to enterprise and mid-market buyers in regulated industries, with primary emphasis on finance, healthcare, and cybersecurity teams, and secondary coverage across manufacturing, retail, technology and SaaS, utilities, education, policing, and lottery and gaming. Indicates that all engagements are 100% in-house with zero outsourcing and performed by OSCP-minimum certified ethical hackers who also hold advanced credentials including OSEP, OSWE, CISSP, and GXPN.

The firm's product portfolio is organized into four core service lines: Application Penetration Testing (web app, API, mobile, AI/LLM, and thick client), Penetration Testing Services (infrastructure, cloud, IoT, attack surface, and continuous testing), Adversary Simulation (red teaming, purple teaming, assumed breach, and social engineering), and Security Assessments (dark web, CIS benchmark, OT cybersecurity, and cyber maturity). All testing follows a 95% manual methodology aligned with SANS Pentest Methodology, MITRE ATT&CK, NIST SP800-115, OWASP Top 10, and CIS Critical Controls. The proprietary Packetlabs Portal provides clients with real-time finding streaming, instant retest requests, live risk-score tracking, and ticketing integrations with JIRA and ServiceNow, with data stored in Canada behind mandatory 2FA. The company is CREST-accredited, a CREST AI Signatory, and SOC 2 Type II attested (renewed February 8, 2023).

Packetlabs monetizes exclusively through direct sales on a quote-based, project-priced model with multi-year contract cadences. Revenue streams are predominantly professional services engagements across the four service categories, supplemented by a recurring continuous-penetration-testing subscription offering that bundles retesting, advisory, and periodic assessments. Distribution is entirely direct — targeting enterprise and mid-market buyers through consultative field sales, content marketing, SEO, organic social, sample reports, a Pentest Sourcing Guide, and event presence at SecTor. Geographic reach spans Canada, the United States, Australia, and additional APAC markets including Singapore, Japan, and New Zealand. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding, parent company, or institutional investors.

Name

Packetlabs

Legal name

Packetlabs Ltd.

Website

https://packetlabs.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Packetlabs is a CREST-accredited, SOC 2 Type II-attested penetration testing firm that delivers 95% manual-driven offensive security services — including application, infrastructure, cloud, AI/LLM, and adversary simulation testing — to enterprise and mid-market buyers in regulated industries across North America and APAC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Penetration Testing Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621)

SIC

Computer Communications Equipment (3576), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Penetration Testing & Red Teaming (BPAKAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Penetration Testing & Red Teaming (BPAKADAE)

Keywords

• Penetration testing services
• Adversary simulation services
• Application security testing
• Cloud penetration testing
• Cybersecurity maturity assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Mississauga

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Penetration Testing Services: Project-based professional services for application, infrastructure, cloud, IoT, and attack surface penetration testing. Sold as scoped engagements with pricing based on complexity, scope size, and testing requirements.
2. Adversary Simulation Services: Red teaming, purple teaming, assumed breach testing, and social engineering engagements. Ongoing advisory support and continuous testing relationships.
3. Security Assessments: Cyber maturity assessments, CIS benchmark audits, OT cybersecurity assessments, and dark web assessments. Typically structured as one-time or periodic engagements.
4. Continuous Penetration Testing: Ongoing testing relationships providing continuous security validation beyond single engagements. Includes retesting, advisory support, and periodic assessments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Packetlabs is a CREST-accredited and SOC 2 Type II-attested penetration testing firm that delivers manual-driven application, infrastructure, cloud, IoT, and attack surface security testing, adversary simulation (red, purple, assumed breach, social engineering), and cybersecurity assessments (dark web, CIS benchmark, OT, cyber maturity). All engagements are performed in-house by OSCP-minimum certified ethical hackers with zero outsourcing, and are managed through the proprietary Packetlabs Portal for real-time findings, retesting, and JIRA/Service Now ticketing integration.

Product overview

Packetlabs is a penetration testing and cybersecurity firm offering a portfolio of services organized into four main categories: Application Penetration Testing Services (web app, API, mobile, AI/LLM, and thick client testing), Penetration Testing Services (infrastructure, cloud, IoT, attack surface, and continuous testing), Adversary Simulation (red teaming, purple teaming, assumed breach, and social engineering), and Security Assessments (dark web, CIS benchmark, OT cybersecurity, and cyber maturity assessments). The company also provides the Packetlabs Portal, a cloud-based platform enabling real-time insights, progress monitoring, retest requests, and ticketing system integration with JIRA and Service Now. All services emphasize 95% manual-driven testing with OSCP-minimum certified staff and zero outsourcing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Application Penetration Testing Services Comprehensive application security testing covering web apps, APIs, mobile apps, AI/LLM systems, and thick client applications to identify how vulnerabilities chain together to create real business impact. Designed for enterprise and mid-market organizations seeking manual, impact-driven testing beyond automated vulnerability scans.
• Penetration Testing Services Infrastructure-focused penetration testing services designed to uncover real-world attack paths, validate security controls, and provide actionable insights to improve security. Encompasses infrastructure, cloud, IoT, attack surface, and continuous testing engagements aligned with NIST SP800-115 and MITRE ATT&CK.
• Adversary Simulation Services Services that replicate real-world threat actors to evaluate how well people, processes, and technology hold up under sustained attack. Includes red teaming, purple teaming, assumed breach testing, and social engineering engagements for organizations seeking to validate defenses and team readiness.
• Security Assessments Services Structured, objective evaluations of security posture to identify risk, validate controls, and prioritize improvements through focused analysis of architecture, configurations, and security practices. Includes dark web monitoring, CIS benchmark audits, OT cybersecurity assessments, and cyber maturity assessments.
• Web App Penetration Testing Testing of web applications for common vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, XSS items in OWASP Top 10, server infrastructure, authentication, session management, payment processing, and business logic. Performed by in-house OSCP-certified ethical hackers.
• API Penetration Testing Security testing focused on API vulnerabilities, authentication protocols, and backend application logic to identify weaknesses before bad actors can exploit them. Targeted at SaaS providers and digital platforms with public or partner-facing APIs.
• Mobile Penetration Testing Security testing for iOS and Android applications covering OWASP MASVS/MASTG standards, performed by certified ethical hackers (OSCP, OSWE, GXPN, CEH) with zero outsourcing. Addresses authentication, data storage, network communication, and reverse-engineering risks.
• AI/LLM Penetration Testing Security testing targeting behavioral and linguistic layers of AI/LLM applications where malicious prompts, manipulated data, or insecure output may compromise application logic or data integrity. Methodology based on OWASP Top 10 for LLM Applications using tools such as Garak and Prompt Fuzzer followed by manual validation.
• Thick Client Penetration Testing Security testing for desktop applications with rich client interfaces, identifying vulnerabilities in client-side components and their communication with backend servers. Targeted at enterprises running legacy or specialized desktop software.
• Infrastructure Penetration Testing Testing of network infrastructure, servers, and systems to identify vulnerabilities and validate security controls using specialized security testing methodology aligned with NIST SP800-115. Designed for on-premises and hybrid enterprise environments.
• Cloud Penetration Testing Security testing for AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud environments. Methodology is 95% manual, derived from SANS Pentest Methodology, MITRE ATT&CK framework, Azure Threat Research Matrix, and NIST SP800-115. Focused on misconfigurations, identity, and cloud-native attack paths.
• IoT Penetration Testing Security testing for Internet of Things devices covering hardcoded credentials, insecure protocols (MQTT, BLE, Zigbee), weak firmware encryption, cloud misconfigurations, and API/mobile app exposure. Targeted at manufacturers, healthcare device vendors, and connected-product companies.
• Attack Surface Penetration Testing Testing covering internet-facing IP addresses, DNS records, subdomains, cloud assets, public repositories, external APIs, and third-party endpoints. Uses MITRE ATT&CK Framework, OWASP Top 10, and NIST SP800-115 with 95% manual approach.
• Continuous Penetration Testing Ongoing security testing that provides retesting, advisory support, and continuous insights beyond a single engagement to address threats that don't operate on annual testing cycles. Sold as recurring subscription-style engagements.
• Red Teaming Adversary simulation exercises where Packetlabs acts as attackers to assess potential attack paths and evaluate organizational defense capabilities. Designed for mature security teams seeking to test detection and response.
• Purple Teaming Collaborative exercises requiring both red team (attackers) and blue team (defenders/SOC vendor) working together, led by MITRE ATT&CK framework to elevate monitoring and alerting on adversary TTPs.
• Assumed Breach Penetration Testing Testing approach where Packetlabs assumes the attacker already has initial access, focusing on post-compromise scenarios and lateral movement within the environment. Targeted at organizations seeking to validate detection, segmentation, and response.
• Social Engineering Testing of human security awareness through phishing simulations, pretexting, and other social engineering techniques to identify organizational vulnerabilities. Typically bundled with red team or standalone awareness engagements.
• Dark Web Assessments Monitoring and analysis of dark web activity to identify compromised credentials, leaked data, and threats specific to the organization. Delivered as one-time or periodic engagements.
• CIS Benchmark Audit Security assessment against CIS Benchmarks to evaluate system configuration compliance and identify deviations from security best practices. Useful for compliance-driven organizations seeking standardized configuration assurance.
• OT Cybersecurity Assessment Assessment of Operational Technology (OT/ICS) environments to identify vulnerabilities and security gaps in industrial control systems and critical infrastructure. Targeted at manufacturing, utilities, and energy operators.
• Cyber Maturity Assessment Comprehensive assessment providing a 'health check' on organizational cybersecurity maturity with a roadmap toward improvement, covering mandatory compliance and regulatory requirements.
• Packetlabs Portal Cloud-based reporting and insights management platform providing real-time insights, progress monitoring, instant retest request capabilities, team collaboration, and integration with JIRA and Service Now ticketing systems. Data stored in Canada with mandatory 2FA, supporting all of Packetlabs' penetration testing engagements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Automated tools miss up to 70% of exploitable vulnerabilities
• +7 more outcomes

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cyber Right Now (Chamber of Commerce)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner member of Cyber Right Now initiative under the Chamber of Commerce, positioning Packetlabs as part of Canada's cybersecurity ecosystem and business community.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bishop Fox: Bishop Fox is a US-based boutique offensive security firm offering application, network, cloud, IoT, and red team penetration testing with a strong emphasis on manual testing by senior consultants and proprietary tooling — the closest direct competitor to Packetlabs in scope and positioning.
• Trail of Bits: Trail of Bits is a US security research and consulting firm specializing in application, blockchain, and cryptographic security assessments, competing with Packetlabs on high-end manual application pentesting and emerging areas like AI/LLM security review.
• NetSPI: NetSPI is a US-headquartered penetration testing and attack surface management firm delivering application, network, cloud, and red team services via a platform-augmented delivery model, competing for the same enterprise pentest buyer as Packetlabs.
• Coalfire: Coalfire is a US cybersecurity advisory firm providing penetration testing, vulnerability management, and compliance assessments (PCI, HITRUST, FedRAMP) to enterprise and government clients — a direct competitor for Packetlabs' regulated-industry engagements.
• NCC Group: NCC Group is a global cybersecurity firm with a large dedicated application and infrastructure penetration testing practice serving regulated enterprises, directly overlapping with Packetlabs' core delivery capabilities and target verticals such as finance and healthcare.
• IOActive: IOActive is a global security consulting firm focused on application, IoT, hardware, and embedded systems penetration testing with senior-led delivery, comparable in methodology and boutique positioning to Packetlabs.

Broad incumbents

• CrowdStrike: CrowdStrike is a major endpoint and cloud security platform that bundles adversary emulation, red team services, and professional services into its broader Falcon portfolio — a broad incumbent with overlapping offensive security capabilities that competes for the same enterprise buyer.
• Trustwave: Trustwave (owned by Singtel/Optus) is a global MSSP and cybersecurity services provider offering penetration testing alongside MDR, compliance, and managed security, competing broadly for the same enterprise security testing wallet as Packetlabs.
• Secureworks: Secureworks (a Dell Technologies-owned entity) is a global cybersecurity services firm offering adversary simulation, penetration testing, and managed detection alongside its TaeguaRDR XDR platform — a broad incumbent that overlaps with Packetlabs' red team and adversary simulation services.

Emerging players

• Offensive Security: Offensive Security is the provider of the OSCP/OSWE/OSEP certifications and Kali Linux; while primarily a training and certification company, it sets the talent and methodology standards that Packetlabs' staff are certified against, making it an adjacent ecosystem player shaping the pentest labor market Packetlabs competes in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pktlabs
• Facebookfacebook.com/packetlabs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/packetlabs-ltd-

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Packetlabs