Code Intelligence

About Code Intelligence

Code Intelligence is a German cybersecurity firm that provides an automated software security testing platform designed for developers. The company was established in 2018 by Sergej Dechand, Khaled Yakdan, and Matthew Smith, who began their collaboration while conducting research on IT security and privacy at the University of Bonn. Their shared interest in ethical hacking led them to automate the vulnerability discovery process. Dechand, the CEO, brings over 15 years of experience in software development and IT security, including roles as a consultant and project manager at Fraunhofer FKIE. Yakdan, the Chief Product Officer, holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and has an extensive academic background in malware analysis and reverse engineering. Smith is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Bonn and a recognized expert in Usable Security and Privacy.

The company's core business revolves around a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, targeting mid-to-large-sized companies with modern development teams. Its client roster includes major corporations like Bosch, Continental, Deutsche Telekom, and the Volkswagen Group's CARIAD. Code Intelligence addresses the need for early bug detection in the software development lifecycle, a stage where fixing vulnerabilities is significantly less costly. The platform employs dynamic analysis techniques, including advanced AI and feedback-based fuzz testing, which mimic a hacker with internal knowledge of an application to unearth vulnerabilities deep within the codebase that other testing methods might miss. This "white-box" approach generates millions of automated test cases, helping to eliminate the high volume of false positives often associated with traditional static testing.

The main product, the CI Fuzz platform, integrates directly into the development workflow, allowing for continuous testing with every pull request without developers needing to leave their integrated development environment (IDE). It provides detailed reports and audit trails for compliance with standards such as ISO 21434. The platform supports a variety of programming languages, including C/C++, Java, Go, and JavaScript. A significant milestone for the company was the 2021 launch of its open-source Java fuzzing engine, "Jazzer," which has been integrated into Google's OSS-Fuzz and has identified hundreds of vulnerabilities. The company has secured significant funding, including a $12 million Series A round in June 2022, to further product development and expand its team.