Defend
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Defend firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Defend
- Legal name
- DEFEND Limited
- Website
- https://defend.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Defend industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Managed Cybersecurity Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Endpoint Security Managed Services (EDR/XDR) (BPAEADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Endpoint Security for End Users (EDR/XDR, Patch/Vuln, Zero Trust Endpoint) (BPAEAIAG), Vulnerability Management & Penetration Testing Services (BPAEADAD), Data Security & Privacy Services (DLP, Encryption, Privacy Ops) (BPAKAHAM)
Keywords
Where Defend is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
Defend business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Managed Security Services: Recurring managed security operations services including 24/7 monitoring, threat detection, and incident response. Delivered through Guardian XDR products and DEFEND iCE service.
- Professional Services: Cybersecurity consulting, assessments, transformation programs, and advisory services. Includes security planning, architecture, implementation, and ongoing support engagements.
- Managed Services - Secure365: Subscription-based managed services for securing Microsoft 365 environments. Offered in Essentials and Premium tiers with monthly billing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Guardian XDR for Business core service |
| Subscription | Monthly | Cybersecurity Office (CSO) - Foundational |
| Subscription | Monthly | Cybersecurity Office (CSO) - Enabled |
| Subscription | Monthly | Cybersecurity Office (CSO) - Optimised |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Defend product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DEFEND provides managed cybersecurity services built around a 24/7 Security Operations capability (Guardian XDR for Enterprise and Business), underpinned by Microsoft's Unified Security Operations Platform (Defender XDR and Microsoft Sentinel) and its proprietary SHERLOCK threat management platform. The company also delivers cybersecurity advisory, assessments, and transformation services through frameworks including DEFEND Cyber 7, plus a virtual CISO offering (Cybersecurity Office) and supporting modules for Microsoft 365 security posture and configuration management.
Product overview
DEFEND is a managed cybersecurity services provider offering a portfolio of detection, response, and advisory services. The core offering consists of two tiers of Guardian XDR (Extended Detection and Response) managed services: Guardian XDR for Enterprise for large organisations, and Guardian XDR for Business for SMBs. Both leverage Microsoft's security platform and are enhanced by proprietary tools including SHERLOCK threat management and Find & Remediate security testing. Supporting modules include DEFEND Insights SSPM for Microsoft 365 posture management, Secure365 for configuration management, and the Cybersecurity Office (CSO) virtual CISO service. The company also offers assessment services using frameworks like NIST CSF, ISO27001, CIS18, and its own DEFEND Cyber 7 methodology, delivered across four areas: Plan, Transform, Operate, and Assure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DEFEND Guardian XDR: Managed extended detection and response (XDR) service for enterprise organizations, powered by Microsoft's Unified Security Operations Platform.
- DEFEND Guardian XDR for Business
- DEFEND Insights SSPM
- SHERLOCK
- Secure365
- DEFEND Cybersecurity Office (CSO)
Products and services
- DEFEND Guardian XDR for Enterprise Fully managed 24/7 security operations service for large organisations, powered by Microsoft's Unified Security Operations Platform (integrating Defender XDR and Microsoft Sentinel). Provides end-to-end detection, investigation, response, threat hunting, and continuous optimisation backed by the SHERLOCK Threat Management platform. Designed for enterprise customers across government, finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure.
- DEFEND Guardian XDR for Business Managed detection and response service for small to medium businesses, leveraging Microsoft 365 Business Premium security capabilities with 24/7 monitoring and incident response. Targeted at SMBs that need enterprise-grade detection and response but lack in-house security operations.
- DEFEND Insights SSPM Ongoing Microsoft 365 security posture and permission management service (SaaS Security Posture Management). Provides continuous visibility of security configurations and helps organisations understand their security standing and what to address next.
- Secure365 Managed services for securing Microsoft 365 tenants and Defender applications. Available in Essentials (configuration review) and Premium (adds proactive monitoring and health-checks) tiers, offered on a monthly subscription basis.
- SHERLOCK World-class threat management platform offering the latest threat intelligence, attack surface monitoring, and exposure visibility. Backed by threat intelligence from NCSC's Malware Free Networks and CERT NZ's Phishing Disruption Service. Powers 24/7 threat hunting and incident response capabilities.
- Find & Remediate (FiRe) Application security testing and secure development support service that enhances application security across organisations.
- DEFEND Cybersecurity Office (CSO) Virtual Chief Security Officer service providing access to top-tier cybersecurity expertise for establishing, governing, and running a robust cybersecurity management system. Available in Foundational, Enabled, and Optimised tiers starting from $4,780 per month.
- DEFEND Cyber 7 Proprietary assessment tool consisting of seven key governance-related controls that highlight potential resilience challenges in an organisation. Used as a lightweight framework for smaller organisations to assess cyber resilience, developed and refined over years as a foundational assessment methodology.
Quantifiable outcome
- Enabled Zespri to improve cyber resilience significantly, supporting operations during COVID-19 disruption
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Defend
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Defend technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature5 records
Defend partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- One NZcoreDEFEND has joined forces with One NZ to deliver expertise in market-leading secure services. DEFEND's specialist cybersecurity solutions are united with One NZ's vast connectivity and service capability, delivering network connectivity and integrated ICT requirements with Zero Trust secure services. The partnership embeds security features across One NZ's network, providing an additional layer of security for One NZ mobile and broadband customers at no extra cost.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Defend competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- InPhySec: New Zealand cybersecurity specialist providing managed security services and security testing. Direct competitor in the NZ MSSP market, particularly around critical infrastructure and enterprise customers.
- Aura Information Security: New Zealand-based cybersecurity services firm offering managed security, advisory, and testing. Directly comparable MSSP competing for the same NZ enterprise and government customers with similar services.
- Insomnia Cybersecurity: NZ-focused cybersecurity consultancy and MSSP offering managed detection, response, and advisory services. Direct competitor in the same domestic market with overlapping enterprise/government segment focus.
Broad incumbents
- Trustwave: Global MSSP and MDR provider offering managed detection, response, and cybersecurity advisory across multiple vendor stacks. Larger incumbent competing for the same enterprise customers seeking managed XDR/SOC services.
- Secureworks: Global MDR/XDR provider offering managed security operations and threat detection. Comparable in delivering 24/7 managed detection and response, though operates at much larger scale globally.
- DXC Technology: Global IT services and security provider with managed security operations offerings. Competes for enterprise MSS contracts and has ANZ presence; broader portfolio than Defend but overlapping managed XDR services.
- Datacom: Large NZ-headquartered IT services provider with a significant cybersecurity practice. Broader incumbent offering managed security as part of a wider ICT services portfolio; competes for the same NZ enterprise and government security contracts.
Others
- Microsoft (Defender XDR / Sentinel): Defend is built entirely on Microsoft's security stack; Microsoft itself competes by offering first-party Defender XDR and Sentinel capabilities. Defend's value is the managed service wrapper, but Microsoft remains both Defend's primary partner and a structural competitive threat.
Emerging players
- Arctic Wolf: Fast-growing global MDR provider with a security operations platform approach. Comparable managed detection and response service for SMB and mid-market; expanding into ANZ and competing for similar Microsoft-ecosystem customers.
Regional players
- CyberCX: Australia and New Zealand-focused cybersecurity services firm offering MSSP, advisory, and managed detection and response. Closest ANZ-scale peer to Defend in target market, geography, and service mix.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Defend social profiles
Digital presenceDefend compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Defend financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Defend leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Defend funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Defend M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Defend
What does Defend do?
DEFEND provides managed cybersecurity services built around a 24/7 Security Operations capability (Guardian XDR for Enterprise and Business), underpinned by Microsoft's Unified Security Operations Platform (Defender XDR and Microsoft Sentinel) and its proprietary SHERLOCK threat management platform. The company also delivers cybersecurity advisory, assessments, and transformation services through frameworks including DEFEND Cyber 7, plus a virtual CISO offering (Cybersecurity Office) and supporting modules for Microsoft 365 security posture and configuration management.
Is Defend a public or private company?
Defend is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Defend founded?
Defend was founded in 2017. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Defend based?
Defend is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Defend make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Managed Security Services are the primary driver. The others are professional Services and managed Services - Secure365.
Who are Defend's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are InPhySec, Aura Information Security and Insomnia Cybersecurity. Broad incumbents are Trustwave, Secureworks, DXC Technology and Datacom. Microsoft (Defender XDR / Sentinel) is listed as an others. Arctic Wolf is listed as an emerging player. CyberCX is listed as a regional player.
Does Defend have an API?
No public API is recorded for Defend.
What industry is Defend in?
Defend's product category is Managed Cybersecurity Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEADAH, Endpoint Security Managed Services (EDR/XDR), with a secondary code of BPAEAIAG, Endpoint Security for End Users (EDR/XDR, Patch/Vuln, Zero Trust Endpoint).