ProtectWise

ProtectWise, now part of Verizon, operates in the Network Detection and Response (NDR) market, providing a cloud-delivered security platform for enterprise, cloud, and industrial environments. The company was founded in April 2013 by CEO Scott Chasin and CTO Gene Stevens, both veterans of the SaaS and security industries with experience at companies like McAfee and Symantec. Chasin's entrepreneurial journey includes founding Bugtraq, the first software vulnerability alerting service, and MX Logic, a cloud-based email security firm acquired by McAfee. Stevens brings over two decades of experience in software development, cloud computing, and distributed systems. Together, they aimed to address fundamental flaws they saw in existing security technology.

The company's core offering is The ProtectWise Grid, a platform that provides pervasive visibility and automated threat detection. It was initially marketed as a "Cloud Network DVR," a virtual camera that records all network activity. This system creates a long-term, searchable network memory by capturing full-fidelity packets, which are then compressed, indexed, and retained indefinitely in the cloud. This capability allows for both real-time threat detection and retrospective analysis, enabling security teams to investigate past events to uncover previously unknown threats. The business model is centered on a pure-channel, on-demand subscription service, which offers cost savings and ease of deployment compared to disconnected point products. ProtectWise served clients across various sectors, including technology, financial services, media, and entertainment.

A distinctive feature of the ProtectWise platform is its immersive, visual interface. The company hired a Hollywood visual effects artist to design a 3D cityscape where network connections are represented as buildings, and traffic volume determines their height. This visualization provides at-a-glance situational awareness and simplifies the analysis of complex security data. The platform's "Wisdom Engine" performs deep packet inspection and analysis on thousands of protocols and applications, a process the company calls "network shattering." In March 2019, Verizon acquired ProtectWise to integrate its NDR capabilities with Verizon's global network services, particularly to enhance security for its expanding 5G footprint.

Keywords: Network Detection and Response, NDR, cloud security, packet capture, cybersecurity, threat detection, threat hunting, network forensics, security visualization, incident response, Verizon, Scott Chasin, Gene Stevens, Cloud Network DVR, The ProtectWise Grid, SaaS security, automated threat detection, retrospective analysis, network memory, deep packet inspection