Independent Security Evaluators

What Independent Security Evaluators does

Independent Security Evaluators (ISE) is a private, Baltimore-headquartered cybersecurity consulting firm founded in 2005 out of an academic security research team. The firm sells human-driven, adversary-centric security assessments and advisory services — vulnerability assessments, application, cloud, network, and general penetration testing, managed vulnerability scanning, secure design analysis, independent verification and validation, and IT/security consulting — with explicit positioning against automated scanning tools. ISE serves a multi-vertical client base spanning technology companies, IoT device manufacturers, medical device makers, automotive firms, and blockchain/cryptocurrency platforms, with advertising of pioneering exploits across medical devices, IoT, cars, phones, password managers, and blockchain as a credibility anchor.

The service portfolio operates through a three-phase methodology (assess, remediate, strengthen) delivered via expert consulting engagements with quote-based, custom-priced multi-year contracts and no publicly disclosed tiered pricing. Go-to-market is consultative and sales-led: the firm funnels prospects through an "Ask an Expert" consultation, supported by extensive content marketing (a Hackers Blog, an industry blog at blog.ise.io, research papers, a podcast, conference talks, a newsletter, and social channels) and the IoT Village hacking event community. The brand has received repeated placement in tier-one general and technology media (LA Times, CBS News, New York Times, Forbes, USA Today, Wired, BBC), which functions as a third-party credibility signal in regulated and high-stakes verticals.

Beyond core professional services, ISE operates two distinct properties. IoT Village is an annual hacking event and community focused on IoT security research, functioning as both a brand moat and talent pipeline. START is a sub-brand platform and content surface positioned around vendor risk management and third-party risk management (VRM/TPRM), representing the firm's first clear move from project-based services toward a productized, recurring surface. Leadership disclosed is founder-led (Stephen Bono, Founder; Geoff Gentry, Regional Director), no parent company or institutional investors are recorded, and the firm remains privately held with 11–50 employees.

Name

Independent Security Evaluators

Legal name

Independent Security Evaluators

Website

https://securityevaluators.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Independent Security Evaluators (ISE) is a Baltimore-based cybersecurity consulting firm founded in 2005 that delivers manual, adversary-centric vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, secure design analysis, and security advisory services to technology, IoT, medical device, automotive, and blockchain clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity Consulting Services

NAICS

Investigation and Security Services (5616)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Vulnerability Management, Pen Testing & Attack Surface Management (ASM) (HLACAJAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Application Security Testing (SAST/DAST/IAST/SCA) (HDADACAC), Endpoint Security Managed Services (EDR/XDR) (BPAEADAH)

Keywords

• Penetration testing
• Vulnerability assessments
• Cybersecurity consulting
• Application security
• IoT security testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Security Assessments & Penetration Testing: Project-based security testing services including vulnerability assessments, application security, cloud security, network penetration testing, and managed vulnerability scanning. Revenue generated through professional services engagements with clients.
2. Security Consulting: Advisory services providing expertise on securing or compromising assets across various industries. Includes independent verification and validation, secure design analysis, and IT consulting.
3. Security Training: Training services including security training workshops and Hackalong programs, delivered as instructor-led or workshop formats.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Independent Security Evaluators (ISE) is a cybersecurity consulting firm that delivers manual, human-driven security testing and advisory services. The company conducts vulnerability assessments, application and cloud security assessments, penetration testing, network penetration testing, and managed vulnerability scanning, alongside security consulting, independent verification and validation, secure design analysis, IT consulting, and security training. Its work targets software, IoT, medical device, automotive, and blockchain technology providers that need to identify and remediate exploitable vulnerabilities.

Product overview

Independent Security Evaluators is a cybersecurity consulting firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of security assessment and advisory services. The core offerings include vulnerability assessments, application security assessments, cloud security assessments, penetration testing (both general and network-specific), and vulnerability scanning. Complementary services include security consulting, independent verification and validation, secure design analysis, and IT consulting. The firm also operates IoT Village as a hacking event community and provides security training through programs like Hackalong. The START platform represents a distinct sub-brand focused on vendor risk management (VRM) and third-party risk management (TPRM). The overall portfolio follows a methodology of assess, remediate, and strengthen to help clients identify vulnerabilities, implement fixes, and build ongoing security capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IoT Village: A hacking event focused on IoT security research and vulnerability disclosure.

Products and services

• Vulnerability Assessments

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bishop Fox: Boutique offensive-security firm offering penetration testing, red teaming, and security research. Closely comparable to ISE in size, methodology (human-led, research-driven), and target buyer.
• Trail of Bits: Security research and consulting firm focused on application security, cryptography, and blockchain audits. Directly comparable to ISE's academic-research roots and adversarial methodology.
• NetSPI: Specialist penetration testing and attack surface management firm serving enterprise clients. Comparable in service mix (pen testing, vulnerability management, ASM) and enterprise go-to-market.
• Cure53: Boutique security firm specializing in web application, browser, and penetration testing with a research-driven approach. Highly comparable to ISE on methodology and boutique scale.
• Atredis Partners: Research-led security consultancy providing penetration testing, hardware/embedded security, and IoT assessments. Direct overlap with ISE's IoT, medical device, and embedded security work.

Broad incumbents

• NCC Group: Large global cybersecurity consultancy with deep penetration testing, red team, and software assurance practices. Overlaps ISE's core services but operates at significantly greater scale and across more geographies.
• Coalfire: Large cybersecurity advisory firm offering penetration testing, compliance, and risk services. Comparable to ISE on offensive security and broader IT risk services, but at much larger scale.
• Rapid7: Public cybersecurity vendor with penetration testing, vulnerability management, and managed detection services. Adjacent to ISE via Metasploit and pen testing services, though operates as a broad platform incumbent.
• Secureworks: Global MDR and security services provider with offensive security, penetration testing, and red team offerings. Comparable in pen testing delivery but much larger and product-led.

Emerging players

• Synack: Platform-enabled penetration testing service combining crowdsourced researchers with technology-driven triage. Overlaps ISE's pen testing offering but competes on scale and price efficiency rather than pure manual depth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/flywisely
• Facebookfacebook.com/263156013738508
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/independent-security-evaluators

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 Independent Security Evaluators