Aperture Labs
Aperture Labs is a privately held UK security R&D firm founded in 2008 that researches vulnerabilities in embedded systems and sells hardware security testing tools and consultancy services to government, military, law enforcement, and commercial clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersSurbiton, United Kingdom
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Aperture Labs does
Aperture Labs Ltd is a privately held UK security research and development company founded in 2008 by Andy Ritchie and Adam Laurie and headquartered in Surbiton, Surrey. The firm specializes in cutting-edge research into vulnerabilities in embedded systems, with deep domain expertise in point-of-sale terminals, smart metering, building access control, intrusion detection systems, and other commercial products that secure payments, content or services. Its portfolio comprises hardware security testing products (including RFIDler, rompar, marc4dasm, hdmi-sniff and ChronIC) alongside an access-control security testing product line covering proximity cards, contactless smart cards, NFC, RFID, vehicle entry and smart key systems.
The company's business model rests on three revenue streams: (1) hardware sales of access-control security testing products, distributed exclusively to government, military and law enforcement buyers through BAE Systems Detica, with a direct-sales option for customers with operational restrictions; (2) professional services including embedded systems security audits, reverse engineering, risk assessments, encryption key recovery, firmware recovery and product design, delivered to governments and commercial entities; and (3) a modest one-time license for the RFIDler tool (£80 + VAT, currently out of stock), complemented by several free open-source tools released on GitHub to build community credibility. A separate UK-based Smart Metering security audit capability covers Meter Set (E-Meter and G-Meter), Communications Hub, In-Home Display and Consumer Access Device testing.
The firm reaches its market primarily through content and community channels — its own website, published security advisories, blog content from co-founder Adam Laurie and researcher Zac Franken, and open-source repositories on GitHub — rather than through paid marketing. No external funding, acquisitions, patents or named end customers are disclosed in the available data, and only three personnel are identified (the two co-founders and Zac Franken, a hardware security researcher who also served as Defcon Operations Director for 19 years).
Aperture Labs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aperture Labs
- Legal name
- Aperture Labs Ltd
- Website
- https://aperturelabs.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Aperture Labs is a privately held UK security R&D firm founded in 2008 that researches vulnerabilities in embedded systems and sells hardware security testing tools and consultancy services to government, military, law enforcement, and commercial clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aperture Labs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Embedded Systems Security Services
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)
- SIC
- Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Vulnerability Management & Penetration Testing Services (BPAEADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Application Security Testing (SAST/DAST/IAST/SCA) (HDADACAC)
Keywords
Where Aperture Labs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Surbiton
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Aperture Labs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Security Consultancy Services: Providing embedded systems security audit, security reverse engineering, security assessment, risk assessment, encryption key recovery, firmware recovery, and product design services to governments and commercial entities.
- Security Testing Products: Products for security testing of access control systems for buildings and vehicles, including proximity cards, contactless smart cards, NFC, RFID, vehicle entry, and smart key systems. Available exclusively to government, military and law enforcement.
- Security Research Tools: Developed tools shared with the security community, with some available for free download (rompar, marc4dasm, hdmi-sniff, ChronIC) and some for purchase (RFIDler at £80 + VAT).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | RFIDler tool |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Aperture Labs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aperture Labs is a UK-based security R&D company that specializes in cutting-edge research into vulnerabilities in embedded systems including point of sale terminals, smart metering, building access control, and intrusion detection systems. The company sells proprietary hardware security testing tools (such as RFIDler) and provides bespoke consultancy services including embedded systems security audits, reverse engineering, and security assessments to governments and commercial entities. Their products for access control security testing are sold exclusively to government, military, and law enforcement customers.
Product overview
Aperture Labs is a UK-based security research and development company specialising in cutting-edge research into embedded systems vulnerabilities. Their product portfolio consists of hardware security testing tools (including RFIDler, rompar, marc4dasm, hdmi-sniff, and ChronIC) available via their GitHub, alongside security testing products for access control systems covering proximity cards, NFC, RFID, vehicle entry, and smart key systems. They provide specialised services including embedded systems security audits, reverse engineering, and smart metering security testing, with products available exclusively to government, military, and law enforcement organisations through their distributor BAE Systems Detica.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Access Control Security Testing Products Security testing products for access control systems covering buildings and vehicles, including tools for proximity cards, contactless smart cards, NFC, RFID, vehicle entry, smart key/passive entry systems, Wiegand, clock and data, and various protocols (HID Prox, HID iCLASS, EM4103, FDX-B, Hitag, Hitag-2). Sold exclusively to government, military, and law enforcement organisations through BAE Systems Detica, with direct sales available for customers with operational restrictions.
- RFIDler A low frequency (124-134 KHz) Software Defined RFID Reader/Writer/Emulator designed for security testing of RFID systems, sold as a one-time perpetual license at £80.00 + VAT + Shipping via the Aperture Labs website. Source code and project repository hosted on GitHub under ApertureLabsLtd.
- Embedded Systems Security Consultancy Services Bespoke professional services for governments and commercial entities including embedded systems security audit, security reverse engineering, security assessment, risk assessment, encryption key recovery, firmware recovery, and secure product design. Covers access control and intruder alarm systems, smart metering systems (electricity and gas), and consumer devices. Pricing is quote-based.
- Smart Metering Security Audit UK-based Smart Metering security audit capability with extensive facilities for testing Meter Set (E-Meter and G-Meter), Communications Hub (Comms Hub), In Home Display (IHD) and Consumer Access Device (CAD) security testing for UK energy utilities and smart metering program stakeholders.
Companies that use Aperture Labs
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Aperture Labs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Aperture Labs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- BAE Systems DeticacoreBAE Systems Detica serves as the primary distributor for Aperture Labs security testing products. They handle sales to government, military, and law enforcement organisations. Contact: Heather Allen, Head of Detica Technical Services, Detica Technical Services, Systems Technology Park, Elettra Avenue, Waterlooville, PO7 7XS, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 2392 231177.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Aperture Labs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pen Test Partners: Pen Test Partners is a UK-based offensive security firm with a strong embedded systems and IoT hardware testing practice, comparable in size and customer base to Aperture Labs.
- Trail of Bits: Trail of Bits is a security research and consulting firm that publishes open-source tools and conducts deep firmware and binary reverse engineering, closely aligned with Aperture Labs' open-tool, research-driven ethos.
- Atredis Partners: Atredis Partners is a boutique US security consultancy focused on hardware, embedded systems, and product security assessments — directly comparable to Aperture Labs' niche hardware/embedded security audit services.
- Riscure: Riscure provides security testing and tooling for smart cards, embedded devices, and connected products — directly overlapping with Aperture Labs' smart metering, POS, and access-control security audit offerings.
- Nettitude: Nettitude is a UK-based cybersecurity services firm offering penetration testing and embedded security assessments, competing for similar UK enterprise and government engagements as Aperture Labs.
- IOActive: IOActive is a global security consultancy specializing in hardware, embedded systems, and IoT security research — directly comparable to Aperture Labs' core practice of embedded vulnerability research and penetration testing for government and commercial clients.
- Bishop Fox: Bishop Fox is a US offensive-security consultancy known for deep technical security research and embedded/hardware testing — comparable to Aperture Labs' boutique, research-led approach to vulnerability discovery.
Broad incumbents
- NCC Group: NCC Group is a large UK-listed cybersecurity consultancy offering embedded hardware testing alongside a broad services portfolio. It competes for the same UK government and commercial testing mandates as Aperture Labs at materially greater scale.
- Keysight Technologies (formerly Ixia/BreakingPoint): Keysight supplies electronic test and measurement instrumentation used in RF and hardware security testing workflows — an adjacent incumbent to Aperture Labs' RFIDler and ChronIC hardware tool category.
Regional players
- NCC Group / Smart Metering competitors: TÜV SÜD, DEKRA, and similar European testing houses compete in the regulated smart metering and embedded device certification market that Aperture Labs addresses in the UK.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Aperture Labs social profiles
Digital presenceAperture Labs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aperture Labs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Aperture Labs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aperture Labs 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 Aperture Labs
What does Aperture Labs do?
Aperture Labs is a UK-based security R&D company that specializes in cutting-edge research into vulnerabilities in embedded systems including point of sale terminals, smart metering, building access control, and intrusion detection systems. The company sells proprietary hardware security testing tools (such as RFIDler) and provides bespoke consultancy services including embedded systems security audits, reverse engineering, and security assessments to governments and commercial entities. Their products for access control security testing are sold exclusively to government, military, and law enforcement customers.
Is Aperture Labs a public or private company?
Aperture Labs is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Aperture Labs founded?
Aperture Labs was founded in 2008.
Where is Aperture Labs based?
Aperture Labs is headquartered in Surbiton, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Aperture Labs make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Security Consultancy Services are the primary driver. The others are security Testing Products and security Research Tools.
Who are Aperture Labs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pen Test Partners, Trail of Bits, Atredis Partners, Riscure, Nettitude, IOActive and Bishop Fox. Broad incumbents are NCC Group and Keysight Technologies (formerly Ixia/BreakingPoint). NCC Group / Smart Metering competitors is listed as a regional player.
Does Aperture Labs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aperture Labs.
What industry is Aperture Labs in?
Aperture Labs's product category is Embedded Systems Security Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEADAD, Vulnerability Management & Penetration Testing Services, with a secondary code of HDADACAC, Application Security Testing (SAST/DAST/IAST/SCA). Its NAICS code is 54138 and its SIC code is 3825.