Cybersecurity firm iCOUNTER, a newly launched threat intelligence company, has officially emerged from stealth after five years of development.
The company is backed by Apollo Information Systems Corp., a specialist in cybersecurity solutions for SLED, SMB, and enterprise markets.
The firm secured $30m in a Series A funding round led by SYN Ventures. The financing supports the public debut of the company’s precision cyber risk intelligence platform, marking a significant step in addressing AI-powered, targeted cyber threats.
iCOUNTER specialises in delivering bespoke cyber threat intelligence designed to help businesses counter targeted attacks. Its platform focuses exclusively on operations tailored to exploit the specific vulnerabilities of individual organisations and their digital ecosystems. By combining advanced AI-enabled detection with a sophisticated collection infrastructure, iCOUNTER enables customers to proactively defend against these threats at scale.
The fresh capital will support iCOUNTER’s expansion, including scaling its proprietary intelligence infrastructure and advancing the use of artificial intelligence to pre-empt highly customised attack tactics. The platform aims to give organisations an edge over adversaries increasingly using AI to launch novel, zero-day techniques.
The company’s emergence comes as AI-enabled attackers gain speed and efficiency in profiling targets and bypassing traditional defences. iCOUNTER responds by offering real-time insights that map attackers’ tactics to a company’s specific security posture, enabling more effective response and mitigation.
iCOUNTER CEO and managing partner John Watters said, “We are in the dawn of a new era of cybersecurity. Traditional methods will increasingly fail, and defenders will be forced to reimagine their defences against a flood of targeted operations that leverage AI to generate new and novel TTPs. Traditional threat intelligence is designed to report on threats that have been seen before in an age where an increasing number of targets will be Patient Zero.”
Watters, a well-known name in the cybersecurity space, previously served as president and COO of Mandiant, overseeing its acquisition by Google. He has also held roles as a venture partner at SYN Ventures and Americas Frontier Fund, and served on the boards of firms such as Oleria, Batuta, Mitiga, and Apollo. With the launch of iCOUNTER, he returns to an executive role to lead innovation in cyber defence.
SYN Ventures managing partner and founder Jay Leek said, “iCOUNTER has built the only intelligence capability exclusively focused on countering targeted attacks. Their unique approach positions them well in an age of AI-enabled adversaries.”
Chris Kissel, research director in IDC’s Security and Trust Products Group, added, “The strategy of providing dedicated threat intelligence to address threats mapped against individual companies’ specific gaps and vulnerabilities is a service that is desperately needed. iCOUNTER’s unique approach will likely become invaluable to sensitive organisations and systems.”
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