Layer 8 Security
Layer 8 Security is a Malvern, Pennsylvania-based cybersecurity consulting firm that delivers compliance, advisory, and technical security services — including CMMC, HITRUST, penetration testing, DevSecOps, and managed security (TotalForce 360) — to mid-market and enterprise clients in healthcare, life sciences, financial services, and government contracting.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersMalvern, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Layer 8 Security does
Layer 8 Security is a privately held cybersecurity consulting and advisory firm headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, founded by retired Marine Colonel Jeffrey Lipson and serving a portfolio of regulated mid-market and enterprise clients across healthcare, life sciences, financial services, government contractors, manufacturing, medical devices, and technology. The firm delivers a portfolio of professional services — including CMMC, HITRUST, HIPAA, GDPR, SEC cyber advisory, penetration testing, DevSecOps integration, incident readiness and response, security operations and monitoring, and managed phishing and awareness training — through project-based Statements of Work and retainer arrangements. Its flagship offering, TotalForce 360, packages specialist coverage across five security functions (program management, governance, threat and risk management, security operations, and offensive security) as an augmentation service for clients that lack enterprise-scale in-house security teams.
The company's competitive positioning rests on regulatory depth (CyberAB Registered Practitioner Organization status, ISO 27001, NIST 800-171/53, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, EU MDR readiness) and a talent base drawn from NSA, U.S. Cyber Command, DoD, and Special Operations, with an average of 2.6 advanced certifications per teammate. Layer 8 monetizes via custom engagement pricing (no public rate card) with net-30 invoicing, and operates a go-to-market anchored on direct enterprise sales, vertical-specific webinars, CMMC Summits, and a partnership channel including FIG Solutions. Operational metrics cited on the company website include a 2.8% client phishing susceptibility rate, sub-6% client attrition, and 2.6 advanced certifications per consultant, alongside recognition as a 2025 Philadelphia Business Journal Best Places to Work finalist.
Layer 8 Security firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Layer 8 Security
- Legal name
- Layer 8 Security, LLC
- Website
- https://layer8security.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Layer 8 Security is a Malvern, Pennsylvania-based cybersecurity consulting firm that delivers compliance, advisory, and technical security services — including CMMC, HITRUST, penetration testing, DevSecOps, and managed security (TotalForce 360) — to mid-market and enterprise clients in healthcare, life sciences, financial services, and government contracting.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Layer 8 Security industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cybersecurity Consulting & Compliance Services
- NAICS
- Investigation and Security Services (5616)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cybersecurity Architecture & Security Integration (BPAEAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Vulnerability Management & Penetration Testing Services (BPAEADAD), Network Security Managed Services (Firewall/IDS/IPS/SASE) (BPAEADAG), Network Security Services (Firewall/VPN/ZTNA/SASE Integration) (BPAEAEAG)
Keywords
Where Layer 8 Security is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Malvern
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Layer 8 Security business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Cybersecurity Consulting Services: Professional consulting services including cyber risk and compliance solutions (CMMC, HITRUST, information security consulting), incident readiness and response, SEC cyber advisory services, and security architecture review. Delivered through project-based engagements or retainer arrangements.
- Managed Security Programs (TotalForce 360): Ongoing managed security program delivering continuous coverage across five security functions. Designed as an augmentation service for mid-market enterprises, likely structured as recurring managed services retainer.
- Technical Security Services: Penetration testing, security operations and monitoring, managed phishing and training, and DevSecOps services. May be delivered as one-time assessments or ongoing managed services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom engagement-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Layer 8 Security product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Layer 8 Security is a cybersecurity consulting firm that delivers advisory, compliance, and technical security services to mid-market enterprises in regulated industries. Its core offering centers on the TotalForce 360 managed security program—which augments client security teams across five integrated functions (program management, governance, threat and risk management, security operations, and offensive security)—alongside a broader portfolio of penetration testing, CMMC/HITRUST compliance readiness, DevSecOps, managed phishing and training, medical device cybersecurity, incident response, SEC cyber advisory, and security architecture services.
Product overview
Layer 8 Security is a cybersecurity consulting, advisory, and technical services firm offering a portfolio of security services rather than a unified software product. Their core offerings include TotalForce 360 (a managed security program augmenting in-house teams), penetration testing services, CMMC and HITRUST compliance services, DevSecOps integration, managed phishing and training, medical device cybersecurity consulting, incident response readiness, security operations and monitoring, SEC cyber advisory services, and information security risk assessments. The company focuses on serving regulated industries including healthcare, life sciences, financial services, government contractors, and technology companies, with an approach that addresses people, process, and technology without being tied to selling technology products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TotalForce 360: Comprehensive managed security program targeting mid-market enterprises in regulated industries including healthcare, financial services, and life sciences, augmenting existing security teams with specialists across five integrated functions.
- LUCY (Ladies United in Cybersecurity)
Products and services
- TotalForce 360 A comprehensive managed security program that augments existing in-house security teams with specialists across five integrated functions—program management, governance, threat and risk management, security operations, and offensive security—without requiring the client to add headcount. Targets mid-market enterprises in regulated industries including healthcare, financial services, and life sciences.
- Penetration Testing Security testing service that uses certified ethical hackers to mimic real-world cyberattack methods against technical, administrative, and physical security posture, identifying security deficiencies, analyzing potential business impact, and providing cost-effective mitigation recommendations. Engagements follow the Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES) for repeatable and systematic delivery.
- CMMC Services Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) consulting services that help organizations prepare for and maintain CMMC compliance for defense contracting, including Level 1 Self-Assessments and Level 2 Third-Party (C3PAO) Certification assessments. Delivered as a CyberAB Registered Practitioner Organization (RPO).
- HITRUST Services HITRUST certification readiness and validated assessment services for healthcare organizations and entities handling sensitive health information, integrating gaps from NIST CSF assessments into HITRUST readiness programs.
- DevSecOps Service that embeds security experts within development teams to assess security posture, identify tool options, integrate systems into CI/CD pipelines, create policies and procedures, and provide training. Includes SAMM assessments, tool recommendations, process/policy recommendations, and DevSecOps roadmaps.
- Managed Phishing and Training Managed security awareness service that conducts phishing simulations to test employees and follows up with training content derived from NIST and SANS Institute best practices, producing quantitative reports defining information security awareness levels.
- Medical Device Consulting End-to-end cybersecurity services for medical device companies covering threat modeling, software composition analysis, and penetration testing. Supports FDA regulatory submissions including PMA, 510(k), and De Novo pathways, as well as EU MDR compliance and FDA 21 CFR Part 11.
- Incident Readiness and Response Services to prepare organizations for security incidents including tabletop testing and incident response planning, plus support during active incidents.
- Security Operations and Monitoring Managed security operations services including dashboard creation, workflow automation, threat hunting, and incident response coordination.
- SEC Cyber Advisory Services Advisory services helping organizations meet SEC cyber disclosure requirements and cyber risk management obligations.
- Information Security Consulting General information security consulting services including risk assessments, gap assessments, and security program development.
- Security Architecture Review Review and assessment of security architecture to identify vulnerabilities and recommend improvements.
- Perimeter Security Package Comprehensive perimeter security assessment and implementation services delivered as a packaged offering.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2.8% susceptibility of clients to phishing attacks
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Layer 8 Security
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Layer 8 Security technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Layer 8 Security partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Women in Tech Leadership (WITL)minorPartnership for the 'Beyond the Firewall: Women Shaping the Future of Cybersecurity' event, an evening dedicated to celebrating women driving innovation and leadership in cybersecurity. Hosted at Layer 8 Security's Malvern office with expert panelists from the Layer 8 Security team leading an engaging conversation about career journeys in technology.
- 3HTiminorJoint webinar series 'Prepping Your Cyber Risk & Compliance for 2025' covering CMMC compliance costs, timelines, CUI identification, and getting started with compliance programs. Layer 8 Security President Kevin Hyde and VP Sean Toolan served as speakers.
- Prelude SolutionsminorCo-hosting Top Golf event with Prelude Solutions, Cedar Risk Management, and Aspect Consulting featuring expert panel on AI in business and fireside chat on servant leadership.
- Cedar Risk ManagementminorCo-hosting Top Golf event with Prelude Solutions, Cedar Risk Management, and Aspect Consulting featuring expert panel on AI in business and fireside chat on servant leadership.
- Aspect ConsultingminorCo-hosting Top Golf event with Prelude Solutions, Cedar Risk Management, and Aspect Consulting featuring expert panel on AI in business and fireside chat on servant leadership.
- Life Sciences of Pennsylvania (LSPA)minorCo-hosting collaborative webinar series 'AI In Action: Best Practices and Precautions for Life Sciences Companies' focusing on AI-driven validation, complacency risk, attack surface expansion, and cyber-defense roadmaps for life sciences organizations.
- FIG SolutionsminorCo-hosted webinar on Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management with CEO Long Le of FIG Solutions and Kevin Hyde of Layer 8 Security discussing critical vulnerabilities, risk assessment strategies, and security protocols.
- FIG SolutionscoreStrategic partnership between Layer 8 Security and FIG Solutions to deliver comprehensive IT and cybersecurity solutions to businesses of all sizes. FIG Solutions provides innovative technology solutions with a background in higher education, while Layer 8 Security contributes industry-leading cybersecurity consulting, advisory, and risk management solutions. The collaboration offers businesses a unified approach to improving infrastructure, mitigating security risks, and addressing cyber compliance needs.
- Life Sciences of Pennsylvania (LSPA)minorComplimentary digital series featuring experts from Layer 8 Security providing tips on cybersecurity and protecting digital assets with focus on FDA regulations and medical device cybersecurity guidelines.
- i2n - The Ideas x Innovation NetworkminorCelebrating and supporting startups and entrepreneurs at the Road to LionCage Veteran Founders event, a pitch competition supporting veteran entrepreneurs in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Layer 8 Security competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Coalfire: Coalfire is a cybersecurity advisory and assessment firm with deep CMMC, FedRAMP, HITRUST, and PCI practices and a heavy DIB/government contractor focus — Coalfire Federal was even referenced as a CMMC Summit partner on Layer 8's own materials. The overlap in CMMC readiness, compliance assessments, and pen testing is nearly direct.
- Bishop Fox: Bishop Fox is an offensive-security consulting firm focused on penetration testing, red teaming, and attack surface management. It overlaps Layer 8's Penetration Testing and DevSecOps services and competes for enterprise clients in regulated industries.
- Pivot Point Security: Pivot Point Security is a focused cybersecurity consulting firm specializing in CMMC, NIST 800-171, ISO 27001, and vCISO services for the Defense Industrial Base and other regulated SMB/mid-market clients. It directly competes with Layer 8's CMMC practice and similar vertical go-to-market.
- A-LIGN: A-LIGN is a cybersecurity compliance firm specializing in SOC 2, ISO 27001, HITRUST, PCI, and FedRAMP audits for SaaS and regulated enterprises. It directly competes with Layer 8 in HITRUST readiness/validation and broader compliance advisory for mid-market and enterprise clients.
- Kudelski Security: Kudelski Security is a global cyber security consultancy delivering managed detection and response, advisory, and incident response services across Europe and North America. Its blended consulting/MSSP model and regulated-industry focus closely mirror Layer 8's TotalForce 360-style offering.
- Optiv: Optiv is a pure-play cybersecurity solutions integrator and advisory firm that delivers managed security, risk and compliance, and incident response across mid-market and enterprise clients. Its hybrid professional-services/MSSP model and vertical-specialist GTM directly mirror Layer 8's positioning in regulated industries.
- Schellman & Co: Schellman is a niche cybersecurity and compliance assessment firm specialized in HITRUST, SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI, and FedRAMP — overlapping Layer 8's healthcare/life sciences HITRUST validation practice and HIPAA/HITRUST consulting workflow.
Broad incumbents
- NCC Group: NCC Group is a global cyber security and software resilience consultancy providing assurance, managed services, and incident response across highly regulated sectors. It intersects Layer 8 on regulated-industry cyber consulting, DIB-grade penetration testing, and managed security programs.
- Trustwave: Trustwave is a global cybersecurity company combining managed security services (MDR/SOC), consulting, and database security across enterprise and government. Its MSSP-plus-advisory model and incident response practice overlap with Layer 8's managed detection, pen testing, and DFIR offerings.
- Booz Allen Hamilton: Booz Allen Hamilton is a broad management and technology consulting incumbent with one of the largest U.S. federal/DOD cybersecurity practices, competing for the same CMMC, NIST 800-171, and federal cyber contracts that Layer 8 targets, but at enterprise scale across many non-cyber lines of business.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Layer 8 Security social profiles
Digital presenceLayer 8 Security compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance10 records
Layer 8 Security financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Layer 8 Security leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Layer 8 Security funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Layer 8 Security 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 Layer 8 Security
What does Layer 8 Security do?
Layer 8 Security is a cybersecurity consulting firm that delivers advisory, compliance, and technical security services to mid-market enterprises in regulated industries. Its core offering centers on the TotalForce 360 managed security program—which augments client security teams across five integrated functions (program management, governance, threat and risk management, security operations, and offensive security)—alongside a broader portfolio of penetration testing, CMMC/HITRUST compliance readiness, DevSecOps, managed phishing and training, medical device cybersecurity, incident response, SEC cyber advisory, and security architecture services.
Is Layer 8 Security a public or private company?
Layer 8 Security is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Layer 8 Security founded?
Layer 8 Security was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Layer 8 Security based?
Layer 8 Security is headquartered in Malvern, United States, in the North America region.
How does Layer 8 Security make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Cybersecurity Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are managed Security Programs (TotalForce 360) and technical Security Services.
Who are Layer 8 Security's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Coalfire, Bishop Fox, Pivot Point Security, A-LIGN, Kudelski Security, Optiv and Schellman & Co. Broad incumbents are NCC Group, Trustwave and Booz Allen Hamilton.
Does Layer 8 Security have an API?
No public API is recorded for Layer 8 Security.
What industry is Layer 8 Security in?
Layer 8 Security's product category is Cybersecurity Consulting & Compliance Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEAAAL, Cybersecurity Architecture & Security Integration, with a secondary code of BPAEADAD, Vulnerability Management & Penetration Testing Services. Its NAICS code is 5616 and its SIC code is 7370.