Enterprises rely on a variety of tools and techniques to harden their systems against hacking. One approach involves performing so-called “red team” exercises wherein security experts simulate a cyberattack to test the corporate network’s resilience, a task that Randori Inc. says it can automate.

The Waltham, Massachusetts-startup today announced that it has closed a $20 million funding round led by Harmony Partners. Since coming online in 2018, Randori has raised more than $29 million from investors and picked up dozens of customers, including VMware Inc.’s Carbon Black cybersecurity division.

Randori’s red-team automation platform has two main components. The first, called Recon, uses machine learning to scan a company’s network for exposed systems such as web servers that can potentially be targeted over the web. The other component, called Attack, uses the information gleaned during the scan to launch a series of simulated breach attempts.

Randori tests corporate networks by using known hacker tactics from the MITRE ATT&CK database, a knowledge base maintained by the U.S. government-funded MITRE research institute. The software captures detailed attack data during red-team exercises so enterprise security teams can identify ways to improve their response. Randori records, among other things, the percentage of simulated attacks that administrators spot and the time it takes them to block each breach attempt.

The startup says its platform can serve multiple purposes for security teams. Besides finding exposed systems via its Recon component, the software gives administrators an opportunity to test how fast they respond to a breach attempt and hone their tactics. Plus, the ability to demonstrate how a vulnerable system would fare under attack can help the information technology department gain more internal support for proposed security upgrades. 

“Now, more than ever, CISOs need security programs capable of anticipating, rather than reacting to, threats. To do that, you first need to understand what’s possible,” said Randori Chief Executive Officer Brian Hazzard, who previously served as Carbon Black’s vice president of product marketing. 

Besides Harmony Partners, Randori’s latest $20 million round included the participation of returning backers Accomplice, .406 Ventures and Legion Capital. The startup will use the capital to double its 22-person team this year and has set a goal of growing to more than 100 employees  by 2022.

Photo: Randori