When a startup with "Greek DNA" can train the US military against cyber threats, on the one hand, there is no doubt about its performance; on the other hand, it confirms the know-how of its Greek creators in an exceptional and demanding technological field.
A "Made in Greece" know-how
Hack The Box, a few months ago, at the beginning of January 2023 month, caused a sensation in the market not only because it raised funding of 55 million dollars but also because it managed to attract the investment interest of private equity with its reach Carlyle Group, one of the largest worldwide, New Money reported.
The pleasant surprises continued in September of the same year, this time with a great collaboration. The start-up company - a creator of cyber security training software, recently reached an agreement to make available/integrate its innovative cyber content - as it typically states - to the Cyber Mission Force/Persistent Cyber Training Environment (PCTE) service of the US Department of Defense.
What is PCTE? According to its description, a dedicated upskilling platform was created to support standardised individual training, team certification and mission rehearsal for Joint Cyberspace Operations Forces.
In short, with the development of the project, the US Department of Defense is leveraging the connectivity between cybersecurity solution providers, while by introducing PCTE into the sector's processes, government teams have been able to participate in various scenarios to prepare themselves better to combat threats in cyberspace.
Hack The Box (HTB), after being integrated into the Ultimate Knowledge Institute's OpenDash360™ platform, will support the Department of Defense in cybersecurity as it modernises and standardises its cyber training operations worldwide.
Groups using PCTE include the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve.
"The Ultimate Knowledge Institute team is excited about the opportunity to facilitate the collaboration between Hack The Box and the US Department of Defense," said Tony Akers, CEO of UKI. At the same time, HTB co-founder and CEO Harry Pylarinos cited cybersecurity defenders' unparalleled access to training to address the latest cyber threats and vulnerabilities.
Carlyle's investment
In the first days of 2023, on January 11, it is recalled that Hack The Box announced the completion of a $55 million Series B investment led by Carlyle, one of the world's most significant funds with $369 billion under management. With participation from Paladin Capital Group, Osage University Partners, Marathon Venture Capital, Brighteye Ventures and Endeavor Catalyst Fund.
It was founded in 2017 by Haris Pylarinos, James Hooker and Aris Zikopoulos to make cybersecurity education more accessible.
The information even wanted the Carlyle Group to acquire a high minority stake in the Greek startup.
Since then, thousands of organisations worldwide, including governments, Fortune 500 companies, academic institutes, and more, have used its platform to keep their workforce well-trained to deal with cyber threats.
Toyota, Siemens, EA Sports, and leading universities such as New York University and UCL are among them.
2.2 million members
Hack The Box has succeeded in building the world's largest educational community in the space, with more than 2.2 million members, constantly growing and training in hundreds of simulation workshops.
Through an "ethical hacking" platform, users learn to "hack" computer systems, developing skills to counter cyberattacks.
In total, HTB has raised funds of 70 million euros and employs over 180 employees, with the majority of them in Greece; its headquarters are in Kent, England, with a presence in London and New York and a Research and development centre in Athens.
Its plan to capitalise on its funding includes strengthening its Research and Development department, expanding into the US, European, and APAC markets and increasing its staff.
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