Sipera Systems

Sipera Systems, founded in 2003, established itself as a specialized provider of security solutions for IP-based business communications. The company was founded by Krishna Kurapati, who served as its Chief Technology Officer. Kurapati brought significant entrepreneurial and technical experience to the venture, having previously co-founded IPCell Technologies, which developed an access softswitch for the cable market and was subsequently sold to Cisco. His background in electronic and communication engineering, with degrees from Osmania University and the Indian Institute of Science, provided a strong technical foundation for addressing the security challenges in the emerging Unified Communications sector.

The firm was headquartered in Richardson, Texas, and focused on securing real-time, converged IP networks for enterprises and service providers. Sipera's business model revolved around the sale of hardware appliances and software designed to protect various forms of communication, including VoIP, SIP trunks, video conferencing, and instant messaging. Its primary clients were enterprises, including prominent firms in the financial services sector, looking to deploy these technologies without compromising security or regulatory compliance with mandates like HIPAA and PCI DSS. The company generated revenue through the direct sale of its products, raising approximately $39.5 million in funding from investors such as Austin Ventures, S3 Ventures, and Sequoia Capital to fuel its growth.

Sipera's product line was centered on its UC-Sec appliance, a plug-and-play device providing comprehensive, application-layer security. This solution was designed to protect against threats like toll fraud, eavesdropping, identity theft, and denial-of-service attacks. A key offering was its E-SBC (Enterprise Session Border Controller), which simplified the deployment of SIP trunks and was notably one of the first to be cloud-ready. The company's solutions were backed by its internal security research group, the VIPER Lab, which focused on vulnerability research. A significant milestone was reached on October 4, 2011, when Avaya, a major player in the business communications market, acquired Sipera Systems for an undisclosed amount to integrate its security and SBC capabilities into the Avaya Aura® platform.

Keywords: Unified Communications security, VoIP security, Session Border Controller, SIP trunking security, IP communications protection, enterprise network security, real-time communications security, Avaya acquisition, Krishna Kurapati, UC-Sec appliance, E-SBC, VIPER Lab, application-layer security, communications compliance, toll fraud prevention, video conferencing security, instant messaging security, Borderless UC, secure live communications