National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC
The National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC is a Swiss non-profit association headquartered in Zug that conducts independent cybersecurity testing of digital products, critical infrastructure, and public-sector systems, serving Swiss authorities, critical infrastructure operators, and the public interest.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersZug, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC does
The National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC (Nationales Testinstitut für Cybersicherheit NTC) is an independent, non-profit association under Swiss law, founded in December 2020 and headquartered at Baarerstrasse 53 in Zug, Switzerland. Its core function is independent cybersecurity testing of networked digital products, applications, hardware, IoT/OT systems, cloud environments, and critical infrastructure, conducted according to standards such as OWASP ASVS/MASVS, IEC 62443, and EN 18031. The organization operates a state-of-the-art testing laboratory in Zug and combines in-house experts with an international Competence Network of cybersecurity specialists.
NTC delivers its work through three modalities: Commissioned Projects for critical infrastructure operators and public authorities (federal, cantonal, municipal, police, army), Cooperative Projects that pool multiple stakeholders around shared systems, and Initiative Projects that proactively test undertested digital products on its own resources (e.g., analyses of TikTok, Temu, e-mobility charging infrastructure, hospital information systems, and AI in the electricity ecosystem). Findings are disclosed via Responsible Disclosure and through the publicly accessible NTC Vulnerability Hub, which launched in June 2024 with 80+ documented vulnerabilities.
The business model is a hybrid of public-sector funding and contracted professional services. Start-up financing of CHF 7.55 million was approved unanimously by the Cantonal Parliament of Zug on March 31, 2022. Ongoing funding comes from public institutions, foundations, and private donors, supplemented by revenues from cybersecurity testing mandates — the NTC does not test on behalf of product vendors, manufacturers, or private-sector service providers, in order to preserve its independence. The current team comprises approximately 11 staff, with a stated objective of building a permanent pool of around 30 cybersecurity specialists by 2025.
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC
- Legal name
- Nationales Testinstitut für Cybersicherheit NTC
- Website
- https://ntc.swiss
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC is a Swiss non-profit association headquartered in Zug that conducts independent cybersecurity testing of digital products, critical infrastructure, and public-sector systems, serving Swiss authorities, critical infrastructure operators, and the public interest.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cybersecurity Testing Services
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Other Computer Related Services (541519)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Vulnerability Assessment, Security Audits & Compliance Testing (BPAKAHAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Application Security Testing (SAST/DAST/IAST/SCA) (HDADACAC), Penetration Testing, Red Team & Ethical Hacking (EDAOAIAH)
Keywords
Where National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zug
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Cybersecurity Testing Mandates: Revenue from conducting commissioned cybersecurity assessments for critical infrastructure operators and public authorities. The NTC does not test on behalf of product vendors, manufacturers, or private-sector service providers.
- Public Sector Funding: Funding from the public sector including government grants. The Canton of Zug provided CHF 7.55 million in start-up financing (unanimous decision by Cantonal Parliament, March 31, 2022). The NTC receives ongoing funding from public institutions.
- Foundation and Private Contributions: Funding from foundations and private donors supporting the non-profit mission of the NTC. New partnerships with public institutions, research institutes, and private donors were secured in 2025.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC is an independent, non-profit association under Swiss law that conducts cybersecurity testing of digital products, applications, connected devices, and critical infrastructure. It offers three testing modalities: Commissioned Projects for critical infrastructure operators and public authorities, Cooperative Projects that pool resources across organizations, and Initiative Projects conducted on its own accord. The NTC also operates the publicly available Vulnerability Hub to disclose discovered vulnerabilities.
Product overview
The National Test Institute for Cybersecurity NTC is an independent, non-profit organization offering cybersecurity testing services rather than a traditional software product. Its core offerings include three testing modalities: Commissioned Projects (testing for critical infrastructure operators and public authorities), Cooperative Projects (joint testing with multiple organizations), and Initiative Projects (proactive self-initiated testing). The NTC also maintains the Vulnerability Hub platform for public disclosure of identified vulnerabilities. Testing services span multiple domains including application penetration testing, IoT/OT security, hardware component analysis, cloud security assessments, open source software analysis, and emerging technology analysis. The organization operates a competence network of international cybersecurity specialists to supplement internal expertise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- NTC Vulnerability Hub: A platform where NTC documents and publishes cyber vulnerabilities discovered through their security testing activities, making them visible to the public.
Products and services
- Commissioned Projects Cybersecurity testing conducted on behalf of critical infrastructure operators, public authorities, police, and army when the highest level of independence and objectivity is required. Tests are carried out according to transparent guidelines free from manufacturer or political influence.
- Cooperative Projects Combined security testing where NTC connects organizations facing similar challenges, pools resources, and initiates joint security tests and risk analyses of systems utilized by several stakeholders such as hospital information systems or energy management systems.
- Initiative Projects Proactive, independent testing of digital products and applications that have not been adequately tested in Switzerland due to lack of legal requirements or economic incentives. NTC conducts these tests on its own initiative with its own resources, with results disclosed via Responsible Disclosure.
- Application Penetration Testing Security testing of applications whether web, mobile, desktop, or APIs including code review according to recognized standards such as OWASP ASVS.
- Mobile Application Penetration Testing Security testing of mobile applications for Android and iOS according to recognized standards such as OWASP MASVS.
- Security Testing of IoT and OT Systems Assessment of connected devices (Internet of Things) and industrial control systems (ICS/SCADA/DCS) in accordance with standards such as IEC 62443.
- Testing of Hardware Components Analysis of physical devices and embedded systems including control units, sensors, and chips. Includes reading and reverse engineering firmware images and attacks on debugging interfaces according to standards such as EN 18031.
- Cloud-Security Assessment Assessments of cloud environments and SaaS platforms for misconfigurations, insufficient access controls, or vulnerabilities in hybrid cloud scenarios from hyperscalers such as Azure, AWS, or GCP.
- Security Analysis of Open Source Software Testing of open source software and libraries widely used and relevant in Switzerland to identify critical vulnerabilities such as Log4j or XZ Utils backdoors.
- Analysis of New Technologies Analyzing emerging technologies such as AI and machine learning systems, charging infrastructure for electric mobility, smart grids, and quantum computers to identify vulnerabilities and raise awareness of new risks.
- Client/Server Infrastructure Assessments Security assessments of clients (Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, VDI), servers (Windows, Unix), virtualization solutions (VMware, Hyper-V), and container technologies (Docker).
- NTC Vulnerability Hub Public platform where NTC documents and publishes identified cyber vulnerabilities with descriptions, impact assessments, and mitigation recommendations. Contains over 80 documented vulnerabilities at launch.
- NTC Competence Network International pool of cybersecurity specialists from Switzerland and abroad that NTC contacts when additional expertise is required for testing assignments.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 80 vulnerabilities documented in the NTC Vulnerability Hub as of June 2024 launch.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature9 records
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)coreNCSC is a key strategic partner. NTC was commissioned by NCSC to audit the Swiss Covid certificate system in June 2021. NCSC supports NTC initiative projects and collaborates on open source software security analysis. NCSC references NTC contributions in its National Cyber Strategy implementation reports.
- Federal Office for Cyber Security (BACS / VBS)coreBACS is a strategic partner collaborating on cybersecurity testing initiatives. The Impulse Event in Ticino (January 2026) was organized in cooperation with BACS and the Federal Office of Communications (BAKOM).
- Swiss Academy of Technical Sciences (SATW)supportingRaphael Reischuk, NTC founding member, also serves on the SATW Cybersecurity Advisory Board, facilitating collaboration with the technical sciences community.
- Zug Chamber of CommercesupportingAndreas Umbach, President of the Zug Chamber of Commerce, was part of the management delegation for the Zug Cyber Initiative that led to the founding of the NTC.
- Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Departement Information Technology)supportingProf. Dr. René Hüsler, Director of the Department of Information Technology at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, led one of the working groups in developing the concept for the NTC as part of the Zug Cyber Initiative.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Schwachstellenmanagement Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI): German federal cybersecurity agency performing independent testing and vulnerability disclosure for national critical infrastructure — closely comparable in mandate and structure to NTC, but operating in Germany rather than Switzerland.
Direct peers
- Oneconsult AG: Swiss cybersecurity firm specializing in penetration testing, red teaming, and incident response — the most directly comparable Swiss peer, and notably the previous employer of NTC's Head of Test Experts Tobias Castagna.
- SEC Consult Group: European cybersecurity consulting firm offering penetration testing, red teaming, secure code review, and IoT/hardware security assessments across multiple verticals including critical infrastructure, directly overlapping NTC's testing capabilities.
- Compass Security: Switzerland-based penetration testing and security advisory firm with deep expertise in application, network, and ICS/OT security testing, serving European enterprises and public-sector clients with comparable technical services.
- NVISO Security: European cybersecurity consultancy focused on application security, penetration testing, and security assessments with strong public-sector and enterprise client base, comparable to NTC's service mix and target segments.
Emerging players
- SANS Institute: Global cybersecurity training and research organization that performs independent vulnerability research and testing, partially comparable to NTC's knowledge-transfer and public-facing testing/research mission, though primarily focused on training.
Broad incumbents
- NCC Group: UK-listed global cybersecurity services firm offering application security testing, hardware/IoT assessments, and managed security services at much larger scale, including government and critical infrastructure clients across Europe.
- Orange Cyberdefense: European cybersecurity services division of Orange operating a large testing practice including ICS/OT and IoT security assessments, serving large enterprises and government agencies across multiple geographies.
- TÜV Rheinland (Cybersecurity Services): German-based global testing, inspection, and certification firm with cybersecurity testing services for IoT, industrial systems, and critical infrastructure under similar third-party independent testing positioning, including government and regulated industry clients.
Others
- Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft - National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC): Swiss federal cybersecurity authority that commissions and collaborates with NTC on cybersecurity testing initiatives; not a direct competitor but a key counterpart and commissioning counterpart for national cybersecurity testing work in Switzerland.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC social profiles
Digital presenceNational Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC
What does National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC do?
The National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC is an independent, non-profit association under Swiss law that conducts cybersecurity testing of digital products, applications, connected devices, and critical infrastructure. It offers three testing modalities: Commissioned Projects for critical infrastructure operators and public authorities, Cooperative Projects that pool resources across organizations, and Initiative Projects conducted on its own accord. The NTC also operates the publicly available Vulnerability Hub to disclose discovered vulnerabilities.
Is National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC a public or private company?
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC founded?
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC based?
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Cybersecurity Testing Mandates are the primary driver. The others are public Sector Funding and foundation and Private Contributions.
Who are National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC's main competitors?
Schwachstellenmanagement Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI) is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Oneconsult AG, SEC Consult Group, Compass Security and NVISO Security. SANS Institute is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are NCC Group, Orange Cyberdefense and TÜV Rheinland (Cybersecurity Services). Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft - National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is listed as an others.
Does National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC have an API?
No public API is recorded for National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC.
What industry is National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC in?
National Test Institute for Cyber Security NTC's product category is Cybersecurity Testing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAKAHAG, Vulnerability Assessment, Security Audits & Compliance Testing, with a secondary code of HDADACAC, Application Security Testing (SAST/DAST/IAST/SCA). Its NAICS code is 541380 and its SIC code is 8734.