Living Security is a cybersecurity technology company that builds a data-driven Human Risk Management (HRM) platform called Unify to identify, measure, and reduce human-caused security risk across enterprises by integrating behavioral, identity, and threat telemetry and automating targeted interventions[5][7].
High-Level Overview
- Mission: Living Security’s stated mission is to prevent cybersecurity breaches by transforming traditional, compliance-focused security awareness into measurable, behavior-changing human risk management for organizations[4][5].
- Investment philosophy / Key sectors / Impact on startup ecosystem: (Not applicable — Living Security is a portfolio company / standalone vendor rather than an investment firm.)
- What product it builds: Living Security develops the Unify HRM platform, plus associated services (interactive/gamified training, phishing simulations, and the Human Intelligence Team/HInT) that correlate training, identity, behavior, and threat data into actionable risk insights[5][7][2].
- Who it serves: The company targets medium and large enterprises across regulated and security-sensitive industries including healthcare, finance, technology, and large global enterprises (customers cited include Mastercard, Merck, Unilever, Abbott Labs, Verizon, Biogen, and Hewlett-Packard)[2][3][5].
- What problem it solves: Living Security addresses the gap where traditional security awareness programs produce poor visibility and limited behavior change by identifying the small subset of users who drive most human risk, automating targeted interventions, and providing measurable reductions in human-led exposure[7][2].
- Growth momentum: Founded in 2017, Living Security has expanded enterprise adoption, launched a Technology Alliance Program to integrate dozens of security tools, and was named a Leader in Forrester’s Human Risk Management category in 2024, signaling market recognition and platform traction[1][3][5].
Origin Story
- Founders and founding year: Living Security was founded in 2017 by Ashley Rose and Drew Rose in Austin, Texas[6][4].
- How the idea emerged: The company emerged from the founders’ view that traditional security awareness training was inadequate—requiring a science-backed, tech-enabled approach that combines engaging learning with data and integrations to measure efficacy and reduce actual human risk[6][7].
- Early traction / pivotal moments: Early growth included selling to mid-market and enterprise customers, building a reputation for gamified and behavior-focused training, and more recently achieving recognition as a Forrester Wave leader and launching the Technology Alliance Program to scale integrations with existing enterprise security stacks[6][1][3].
Core Differentiators
- Data-driven HRM vs. SAT: Unify correlates telemetry from email, endpoint, IAM, DLP, SIEM and other tools to surface objective human risk—moving beyond one-size-fits-all awareness to targeted, risk-based interventions[7][8].
- Integrations and ecosystem: The Technology Alliance Program enables dozens of integrations so Unify can ingest diverse security signals and provide a unified view of human risk across toolsets[3][8].
- Measurability and ROI: The platform emphasizes objective measurement of program efficacy and ROI by identifying the highest-risk users and tracking reductions in exposure after interventions[2][7].
- Engagement-first content: Living Security combines gamified learning, immersive experiences (e.g., cybersecurity escape rooms), and targeted nudges to drive behavior change rather than mere compliance completion[7][4].
- Human + AI approach: Unify is described as powered by AI-driven analytics plus human analysis (the Human Intelligence Team) to prioritize users and automate interventions in real time[2][7].
Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
- Trend they are riding: Living Security is positioned within the shift from checkbox security awareness to continuous Human Risk Management—where organizations treat human behavior as an active, measurable component of cyber defense[1][5].
- Why timing matters: As enterprise environments grow more complex (remote work, cloud, identity sprawl), correlating behavioral and identity telemetry with threat signals becomes crucial for prioritizing limited security resources and preventing breaches[7][8].
- Market forces in their favor: Increasing regulatory scrutiny, rising social-engineering threats, and a broader industry focus on measurable security outcomes drive demand for platforms that can prove behavior change and reduce risk exposure[1][2].
- Influence on ecosystem: By building integrations and an alliance program, Living Security amplifies the value of existing security investments and nudges vendors and security teams toward interoperable, risk-prioritized controls and automation[3][8].
Quick Take & Future Outlook
- What’s next: Expect continued expansion of Living Security’s integrations, deeper automation and AI-driven prioritization within Unify, broader enterprise adoption, and further recognition in analyst evaluations as HRM matures as a security category[3][1][2].
- Trends that will shape them: Advances in identity telemetry, endpoint and cloud instrumentation, regulatory demands for demonstrable security controls, and broader adoption of risk-based security operations will create tailwinds for HRM platforms[7][8].
- How influence might evolve: If Living Security sustains platform integrations, measurable outcomes, and enterprise references, it can help make human-risk signal correlation a standard part of security stacks—shifting budgets from generic awareness to targeted, outcome-oriented programs[5][3].
Quick take: Living Security has carved a defensible niche by combining engaging, behavior-focused training with deep telemetry integrations and measurable outcomes—positioning Unify as a key tool for organizations that need to convert awareness into demonstrable human-risk reduction[7][5].
