High-Level Overview
NowSecure builds a SaaS platform for mobile app risk management (MARM), automating security testing for apps built in-house, managed, or on BYOD devices to prevent data leakage, unauthorized access, and compliance risks.[1][2][3] It serves enterprises in sectors like banking/finance, defense, healthcare, government, and aerospace, with over 100 customers including Capital One, Citigroup, Shell, Home Depot, U.S. Department of Justice, and U.S. Air Force, solving vulnerabilities in mobile apps via static/dynamic analysis, SCA, and runtime testing against OWASP standards.[1][2][3][5] The company shows strong growth through a 2019 funding round of $19M, integrations with CI/CD pipelines like GitHub and AWS, and adoption in federal cybersecurity programs like AppVet.[2][3][5][7]
Origin Story
NowSecure originated as viaForensics, a Chicago-based firm founded in the U.S. with a mobile-only focus rooted in forensics and enterprise security.[1][2] Key figures include Andrew Hoog (Founder & Board Member), Alan Snyder (CEO), David Weinstein, and Katie Bochnowski, alongside early expertise in authoring five technical books on Android/iOS security and developing open-source tools.[1][2][6] The pivotal shift came in 2014 when viaForensics launched viaProtect at RSA Conference, emphasizing device/app protection, leading to a rebrand as NowSecure to reflect broader enterprise focus; early traction built on tools like viaExtract (now NowSecure Forensics) used by law enforcement.[2]
Core Differentiators
- Unified Platform: Single SaaS solution for security, privacy, compliance across in-house and third-party apps, including SDK/endpoint risks, with automated testing-to-remediation workflows.[3][4]
- Advanced Testing: Dynamic runtime analysis on real devices reveals data leaks; combines static/dynamic/SCA/penetration testing (600+ tests) against OWASP, integrated into CI/CD via GitHub, Azure, AWS.[3][5][7]
- Developer-Friendly: Remediation suggestions in tickets, DevSecOps pipeline automation, reducing manual audits; open-source tools and community support from forensics heritage.[1][3]
- Proven Scale: Handles enterprise ecosystems, federal compliance (e.g., Executive Orders, Zero Trust), with customer testimonials on time savings and expertise gaps filled.[3][5][7]
Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
NowSecure rides the mobile app security surge amid rising BYOD, third-party app risks, and supply-chain threats, amplified by U.S. federal mandates like Cybersecurity Executive Orders requiring static/dynamic testing and Zero Trust for apps/devices.[5] Timing aligns with DevSecOps shifts, where CI/CD demands automated, scalable MARM to block data gateways in high-stakes sectors like finance and defense.[3][7] Market forces favoring it include OWASP standards adoption, public app store monitoring, and EMM/MDM integrations, positioning NowSecure to influence ecosystems via tools like AppVet for government and Platform One for DoD, enhancing broader supply-chain security.[1][5]
Quick Take & Future Outlook
NowSecure is primed for expansion in automated MARM as AI-driven threats and regulatory pressures (e.g., FISMA, EO guidelines) intensify mobile scrutiny.[5] Expect deeper AI integrations for predictive risk, broader cloud/edge coverage, and global federal wins building on DoD/DoJ traction.[2][5] Its forensics-to-platform evolution could shape industry standards, evolving from niche tester to essential DevSecOps layer amid exploding app ecosystems—securing the mobile frontier where data breaches start.[3][7]