What InQuest does

InQuest was a private cybersecurity company founded in 2012 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, specializing in network detection and response. The company built its core platform around patented Deep File Inspection (DFI) and RetroHunting technologies, which process content embedded within files extracted from network traffic and enable retrospective analysis of historical artifacts to surface threats that evade traditional perimeter and endpoint defenses. The platform supported encrypted session analysis without inline decryption and operated at network throughput speeds of up to 40Gb per second, claiming a 4x increase in detection space relative to traditional Layer 7 analysis.

InQuest's primary customer segment was federal government agencies and critical infrastructure operators, with the Department of Defense named as a protected customer. A secondary segment comprised large enterprise organizations requiring advanced network security capabilities and SOC efficiency. The company deployed agentless sensors and AI-driven analytics across IT and OT environments to detect advanced persistent threats, lateral movement, and data exfiltration. Pricing was not publicly disclosed, consistent with a contract-driven, high-touch federal sales motion.

In August 2024, InQuest was acquired by OPSWAT at Black Hat USA and its technologies were integrated into OPSWAT's MetaDefender Platform, specifically the MetaDefender NDR product, alongside MetaDefender InSights Threat Intelligence. Following the acquisition, InQuest operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary brand within OPSWAT, and its DFI and RetroHunting capabilities now sit within OPSWAT's broader cybersecurity portfolio spanning file security, cloud, OT, email, and cross-domain solutions.

Name

InQuest

Legal name

InQuest

Website

https://inquest.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

InQuest was a private Arlington, Virginia cybersecurity company founded in 2012 that provided network detection and response built on patented Deep File Inspection and RetroHunting technologies, primarily serving federal agencies and critical infrastructure operators including the Department of Defense, before being acquired by OPSWAT in August 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Network Detection and Response

NAICS

Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Security Analytics & Detection Engineering (HDADAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intrusion Prevention/Detection Systems (IPS/IDS) (HDADABAH), Industrial Protocol Security & Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) (HDADAJAH)

Keywords

• Network threat detection
• Deep file inspection
• Network detection response
• Retroactive threat hunting
• Encrypted traffic analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Core offering

InQuest developed on-premise network-based security solutions for advanced threat detection and response. Its core offering combined patented Deep File Inspection (DFI) technology with RetroHunting retrospective analysis to identify threats within network traffic, including content embedded within files extracted from network sessions. Following its August 2024 acquisition by OPSWAT, these capabilities were integrated into the MetaDefender NDR platform serving federal agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and large enterprise customers.

Product overview

InQuest was a cybersecurity company specializing in Deep File Inspection and RetroHunting technologies for network detection and threat intelligence. In August 2024, InQuest was acquired by OPSWAT. The core technologies—Deep File Inspection (DFI) and RetroHunting—have been integrated into OPSWAT's MetaDefender Platform, specifically within the MetaDefender NDR (Network Detection and Response) product. These technologies protect critical networks including government and Department of Defense networks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Deep File Inspection (DFI): Deep File Inspection technology for network threat detection
• RetroHunt
• MetaDefender NDR

Products and services

• Deep File Inspection (DFI) Patented Deep File Inspection technology that processes content embedded within original files extracted from network traffic, enabling identification of threats that evade traditional perimeter and endpoint defenses. Targeted at federal agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and large enterprise security teams.
• RetroHunting (RetroHunt) Retrospective analysis technology that enables threat hunting across historical artifacts and network traffic to identify previously unknown threats and patterns of activity. Used by SOC teams and threat intelligence analysts in federal and enterprise environments.
• MetaDefender NDR Network Detection and Response platform that provides comprehensive visibility into network traffic to detect advanced threats, lateral movement, and anomalous behavior. Incorporates InQuest's Deep File Inspection and RetroHunting technologies, AI-driven analytics, and encrypted session analysis. Used by federal agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and enterprise security operations teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4x increase in detection space compared to traditional Layer 7 analysis
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Darktrace: AI-driven Network Detection & Response vendor whose Self-Learning AI analyzes east-west and north-south network traffic for anomalous behavior. Closely comparable to InQuest on category (NDR), target buyer (enterprise security operations), and core delivery (network telemetry analytics).
• Corelight: Open-core NDR vendor built on Zeek logs combined with ML and threat intelligence. Comparable to InQuest in serving sophisticated SOC and federal buyers with network telemetry analytics and retrospective hunting workflows.
• Vectra AI: AI-based NDR platform focused on detecting attacker behaviors across network, identity, and cloud. Directly comparable to InQuest as a network-centric threat-detection product sold to enterprise SOC teams, with similar use cases around lateral movement and C2 detection.
• ExtraHop: Network Detection & Response vendor built on wire-data analytics with Reveal(x). Overlaps with InQuest in deep network inspection, high-throughput sensors, and federal/enterprise customers seeking east-west visibility.
• IronNet Cybersecurity: Enterprise-focused network threat detection platform applying behavioral analytics to network traffic, with emphasis on collective defense and federal customers. Comparable to InQuest in NDR category, vertical mix, and analytics-driven approach to threat detection.

Broad incumbents

• Arista Networks (Awake Security): Networking vendor that acquired Awake Security to add AI-driven NDR to its portfolio. Comparable to InQuest in NDR category and in targeting enterprise SOC teams seeking sensor-led network analytics.
• Palo Alto Networks: Broad cybersecurity platform whose Cortex XDR and network security products include network-based threat detection. Overlaps with InQuest where customers consolidate onto a single vendor for XDR/network analytics.
• CrowdStrike: Endpoint-led platform that has expanded into network threat detection and Falcon LogScale/NDR-adjacent capabilities. A relevant comparable for InQuest because many buyers evaluate InQuest-type NDR as a complement or replacement for CrowdStrike network modules.
• Cisco: Networking and security incumbent offering network detection and analytics via Secure Network Analytics (formerly Stealthwatch). Competes with InQuest at large enterprise and federal accounts where Cisco is the default infrastructure vendor.

Emerging players

• LogRhythm: SIEM/XDR vendor that acquired Bricata to add NDR capability. Comparable to InQuest as a network detection product now embedded in a broader detection-and-response platform, mirroring InQuest's own trajectory into OPSWAT's MetaDefender.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/inquest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 InQuest