Big Bad Wolf Security
Big Bad Wolf Security is a Maryland-based boutique security consulting firm founded in 2014, providing SELinux expertise, secure software development, and applied security research to U.S. government agencies, defense research labs, and enterprise technology clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersSilver Spring, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Big Bad Wolf Security does
Big Bad Wolf Security, LLC is a Maryland-based, privately-held boutique security consulting firm founded in 2014 by Karl MacMillan. The company provides specialized security services to U.S. government agencies, defense research laboratories, and enterprise technology clients, with core offerings in formal security analysis of security-critical systems, secure software development, and applied security research. Technical differentiation centers on Linux security: the firm holds deep SELinux policy expertise, practical experience applying the SEL4 microkernel to real systems, and is building products on a Linux/Rust/KVM/libvirt/rpm-ostree stack.
The company's business model combines professional services consulting with nascent product development. Consulting revenue is generated through direct engagements with government and enterprise clients acquired primarily via reputation and word-of-mouth referrals; product revenue is in early stages, with one product launched and two in development. The most prominent product is a Linux desktop secure virtualization offering targeting tens of thousands of deployed endpoints. The company operates remote-first with headquarters in Silver Spring, MD, and restricts hiring to U.S. citizens in light of government work requirements.
The customer base includes U.S. government defense research organizations (notably the Air Force Research Laboratory), defense and security technology vendors (Sealing Technologies, Forcepoint, Hypori), and commercial enterprises (Merck, IDTec, Decisiv, Zdata). The firm is structured as an LLC with no disclosed external institutional funding, no parent company, and operates as an independent consulting business. Geographic scope is domestic-only, reflecting the U.S. citizen hiring and government contracting posture.
Big Bad Wolf Security firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Big Bad Wolf Security
- Legal name
- Big Bad Wolf Security LLC
- Website
- https://bigbadwolfsecurity.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Big Bad Wolf Security is a Maryland-based boutique security consulting firm founded in 2014, providing SELinux expertise, secure software development, and applied security research to U.S. government agencies, defense research labs, and enterprise technology clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Big Bad Wolf Security industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cybersecurity Consulting Services
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Security Architecture & Engineering Advisory (Zero Trust, IAM, Network) (BPAKADAF)
Keywords
Where Big Bad Wolf Security is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Silver Spring
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Big Bad Wolf Security business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Security Consulting Services: Specialized security consulting for government and enterprise clients, helping solve challenging security problems. Work includes security analysis, secure software development, and research engagements.
- Product Sales: Have launched one product and have two products in development. Products include a Linux desktop secure virtualization product targeting tens of thousands of users, built using KVM, libvirt, rust, and rpm-ostree.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Big Bad Wolf Security product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Big Bad Wolf Security is a specialized security consulting firm that provides secure software development, formal security analysis, and applied research services to government and enterprise clients. The firm is also developing proprietary security products, including a Linux desktop secure virtualization product built on KVM, libvirt, Rust, and rpm-ostree, with one product launched and two in development.
Product overview
Big Bad Wolf Security offers specialized security consulting services including software development, security analysis, and applied research. They have spun off two products and are currently developing a Linux desktop secure virtualization product alongside other offerings. The company focuses on solving challenging security problems for government and academic clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Security Analysis Services
Companies that use Big Bad Wolf Security
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Big Bad Wolf Security technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Big Bad Wolf Security partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Big Bad Wolf Security competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Galois: R&D-focused company specializing in formal methods, applied cryptography, and high-assurance software for government and defense. Closely comparable in SELinux-adjacent formal verification work, DoD customer base, and consulting-plus-product model.
- IOActive: Security consulting and research firm with deep technical specializations serving enterprise and government. Comparable boutique consulting model and emphasis on hard security problems.
- Two Six Technologies: Government-focused technology company with deep cybersecurity and applied research capabilities. Comparable in defense customer base and high-assurance security work.
- Atredis Partners: Small, technical security research and consulting firm serving enterprise and government. Comparable in size, customer mix, and reputation-driven GTM.
- Assured Information Security: Government and intelligence community-focused cybersecurity R&D firm. Comparable in SELinux/secure operating system expertise and DoD/IC customer base.
- Kudu Dynamics: Small government-focused cybersecurity and signals intelligence R&D firm. Comparable in IC/defense customer mix and boutique consulting model.
- Trail of Bits: Boutique cybersecurity research and consulting firm with deep expertise in applied security, cryptography, and formal methods. Closely comparable to Big Bad Wolf in business model (consulting + research), customer mix, and talent-led technical depth.
Broad incumbents
- ManTech International: Major defense contractor with a substantial cybersecurity and secure systems practice. Comparable DoD/IC customer base but operates at much larger scale and broader scope.
- NCC Group: Large global cybersecurity consulting and software resilience firm. Comparable service offerings (security consulting, research) but at vastly greater scale and broader portfolio.
Others
- MITRE Corporation: Federally funded R&D center with deep expertise in cybersecurity, secure systems, and applied research. Comparable in serving government research missions, but structured as a nonprofit FFRDC rather than a commercial consulting firm.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Big Bad Wolf Security financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Big Bad Wolf Security leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Big Bad Wolf Security funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Big Bad Wolf 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 Big Bad Wolf Security
What does Big Bad Wolf Security do?
Big Bad Wolf Security is a specialized security consulting firm that provides secure software development, formal security analysis, and applied research services to government and enterprise clients. The firm is also developing proprietary security products, including a Linux desktop secure virtualization product built on KVM, libvirt, Rust, and rpm-ostree, with one product launched and two in development.
Is Big Bad Wolf Security a public or private company?
Big Bad Wolf Security is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Big Bad Wolf Security founded?
Big Bad Wolf Security was founded in 2014.
Where is Big Bad Wolf Security based?
Big Bad Wolf Security is headquartered in Silver Spring, United States, in the North America region.
How does Big Bad Wolf Security make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Security Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are product Sales.
Who are Big Bad Wolf Security's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Galois, IOActive, Two Six Technologies, Atredis Partners, Assured Information Security, Kudu Dynamics and Trail of Bits. Broad incumbents are ManTech International and NCC Group. MITRE Corporation is listed as an others.
Does Big Bad Wolf Security have an API?
No public API is recorded for Big Bad Wolf Security.
What industry is Big Bad Wolf Security in?
Big Bad Wolf Security's product category is Cybersecurity Consulting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAKADAF, Security Architecture & Engineering Advisory (Zero Trust, IAM, Network). Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 8700.