Vendor Spotlight: Guardz

Guardz is a cybersecurity company that provides protection for the clients of managed service providers (MSPs). The company is actually called Guardz Cyber Ltd. The unique selling point for the company is that it protects businesses and also offers insurance against cyber attacks – that’s an actual insurance policy. Another notable idea of Guardz Cyber Ltd is that it offers a free version, called the Community edition – that doesn’t include an insurance policy.

Guardz’s Origins and Philosophy

Guardz Cyber Ltd is a relatively new company. It was founded in 2022 by Dor Eisner and Alon Lavi in Tel Aviv, Israel. The company was created with the mission to provide a comprehensive cybersecurity solution tailored for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), especially those served by Managed Service Providers (MSPs).

The founders noted that ransomware systems and other attack methodologies were being offered as Attack-as-a-Service packages, which is a sort of SaaS for cybercriminals. So, any miscreant with malicious intent can now launch cyberattacks without needing to set up a development team or a Bitcoin account. Some of these platforms include IP address scanners that will Ping a series of addresses and launch an attack on any that respond. This means that any company is likely to be a target, not just large, well-insured multinationals.

Recognizing that SMBs often lack the resources and expertise to manage complex cybersecurity needs, Guardz offers a unified platform that simplifies the deployment and management of essential security measures.

Company Timeline

Guardz has a short history because it has only existed for two years.

• May 2022: Guardz was founded by Dor Eisner and Alon Levi.
• May – December 2022: Focus on creating an integrated platform that consolidates endpoint, email, network, data, cloud, and identity security tools for MSPs.
• January 2023: Seed funding – Guardz raises $10 million from Hanaco Ventures, iAngels, GKFF Ventures, among others. The company launches its platform to the.public.
• December 2023: Series A funding – Guardz raises $18 million from Glilot Capital’s early-growth fund, Glilot+.along with existing investors Hanaco Ventures, iAngels, GKFF Ventures, and new investor ClearSky.

Guardz has spent 2024 expanding its platform, making adjustments to its detection processes to account for new attack strategies, and increasing its workforce. The company has been forming alliances with more MSPs and expanding its geographic reach to serve a broader range of SMBs.

Company Ownership

As the company is still new, its founders, Dor Eisner and Alon Lavi, are still major shareholders. The investment funds that currently have stages in the business are Glilot+, Hanaco Ventures, iAngels, GKFF Ventures, and ClearSky. These investors have been pivotal in the company’s rapid scaling, providing both financial backing and strategic guidance.

More recently, in April 2024, S Ventures, the owners of SentinelOne, invested in Guardz. SentinelOne is a large and successful cybersecurity operation that provides endpoint and cloud protection systems – gaps in the Guardz menu of services. S Ventures is a public company, listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Stakes in the company are owned by Vanguard Group, Insight Venture Management, and Blackrock.

Neither company disclosed exactly how much S Ventures invested in Guardz or how large a stake it acquired. However, the two businesses declare that they will collaborate on products, which will probably mean SentinelOne adding its products to the Guardz platform to exploit the smaller business’s success in accessing the MSP market.

Guardz is rare in the tech startup category in bringing on external investors so early in its formation. This is a strategy that is usually adopted by incubator funds, while entrepreneurs tend to hold out for as long as possible before inviting investors in. This is because the originators and innovators that create IT businesses want to establish sufficient value so that they can retain a larger share of the business once investment funds buy-in.

Key People

The most preeminent people at Guardz are the company’s two founders:

• Dor Eisner, Co-Founder and CEO, previously served as VP of Business Development at IntSights, which was acquired by Rapid7. He brings significant experience in cybersecurity, particularly in addressing the needs of MSPs.
• Alon Lavi, Co-Founder and CTO, was formerly a lead architect at Argus Cyber Security, which was acquired by Continental. His technical expertise is a cornerstone of Guardz’s product development.

Locations

Guardz operates three offices:

• Tel Aviv, Israel: This is the headquarters of the company and its main center for development.
• Miami, Florida, USA: This is the US HQ for the business, providing sales and marketing for the brand.
• Amsterdam, Netherlands: This is a data center that enables the business to comply with GDPR.

Target Market and Customer Base

Guardz identified that the SMB market was not catered for in the field of cybersecurity. The problem with catering to small businesses is that if prices are scaled to suit the size of the buyer, each sale will not bring in much money. Financial overheads, such as transaction fees and sales commissions could eat up most of the company’s income leaving little room for a margin.

The solution to the problem of managing a series of small payments was to cut out much of the marketing costs by dealing with MSPs. Effectively, an MSP, engaged in a regular partnership would perform most of the sales and support tasks, thus slashing the costs that Guardz would otherwise have to absorb.

The charge rate for Guardz plans is discounted for larger user counts. Thus, an MSP is allowed to consolidate the account allocations of multiple clients, collect payments from those companies, and optionally keep the discount for itself. Alternatively, the MSP could choose to pass on the discount to its clients as a competitive benefit to win more business. The choice over how the MSP handles the marketing strategy for the Guardz tool is up to them.

Product Suite

Gardz offers a range of modules on its cloud platforms with the main services being Phishing, Protection, Ransomware protection, and data loss prevention. However, the company doesn’t sell these services individually but offers all of its products in one package that is available in three plan levels.

The components of the platform include:

• Email Security Shields email communications from phishing attacks, spam, and malware, ensuring secure business communication.
• Data Protection Safeguards sensitive data through encryption and other mechanisms to prevent data loss or theft.
• Identity Protection Manages and secures user identities, implementing measures like multi-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access.
• Network Security Provides tools to monitor and secure network traffic, helping to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.
• Endpoint Security Protects devices such as desktops, laptops, and mobile devices from malware, ransomware, and other threats.
• Cloud Security Ensures that cloud-based applications and data are secure, addressing vulnerabilities associated with cloud services.

Evolution of the Product Suite

Guardz’s product suite has evolved significantly since its inception, driven by the increasing complexity of cyber threats and the rapid digitization of business operations, particularly post-COVID-19. As SMBs became more reliant on digital tools and cloud services, Guardz expanded its platform to include cloud security and identity protection, addressing the gaps that SMBs often face in these areas.

The platform also evolved to incorporate automated detection and response capabilities, a crucial feature that leverages advancements in AI and machine learning. These technologies enable real-time threat detection and mitigation, reducing the response time to cyber incidents and minimizing potential damage.

Challenges and Resilience

Like many startups, Guardz faced several challenges in its early stages, particularly in ensuring product-market fit and scaling its operations to meet the needs of a diverse SMB market. One of the initial hurdles was convincing MSPs, who were used to piecemeal cybersecurity solutions, to adopt a unified platform. Guardz overcame this by demonstrating the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of their integrated approach, which reduced the complexity of managing multiple security tools.

Additionally, the company faced the challenge of rapid scaling, particularly as demand grew following its public launch. This was managed by securing substantial funding through Seed and Series A rounds, which allowed Guardz to expand its team, enhance its platform, and meet market demand more effectively.

A notable challenge was encountered during the Israeli conflict in late 2023 when Co-Founder and CTO Alon Lavi was called to active military service. Despite this, Lavi continued to contribute to the company’s operations remotely, exemplifying the resilience of the Guardz leadership and its commitment to ensuring business continuity under difficult circumstances.

The Cyber Insurance policy from Guardz stands out as the company’s unique selling point, making it the flagship product, tailored specifically for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). This product is particularly noteworthy due to its seamless integration with the company’s cybersecurity platform, offering not just protection against cyber threats but also financial coverage in case of a cyber incident.

Key Features:

• Integrated Cybersecurity and Insurance Coverage: The policy covers a broad spectrum of cyber threats, including data breaches, ransomware attacks, and business interruptions caused by cyber incidents.
• Proactive Risk Management: The policy is bundled with Guardz’s cybersecurity tools, enabling businesses to actively mitigate risks, which can lead to better insurance premiums.
• Claims Handling: In the event of a cyber incident, the policy includes a streamlined claims process, coordinated through the Guardz platform.
• Automated Risk Assessment: The insurance coverage is tied to real-time monitoring of the business’s cybersecurity posture, allowing for dynamic adjustments to the policy based on current risk levels.
• Customizable Policies: Businesses can tailor their coverage based on specific needs, such as the level of data sensitivity or the size of the business.
• Educational Resources: Guardz provides access to a wealth of resources, including incident response planning, best practices for cybersecurity, and ongoing training modules to help businesses stay informed about emerging threats.

The Guardz suite of cybersecurity products is enhanced by a Cyber Insurance policy. This combination offers SMBs both proactive protection and financial coverage.

While there are some limitations, particularly regarding scalability and flexibility, the overall value provided by Guardz’s products is significant, especially for smaller businesses looking for comprehensive and user-friendly cybersecurity solutions. From the perspective of Guardz, the Secure & Insure concept enables the business to sell two products at the same time, reducing sales and marketing costs.

Other Notable Guardz Products

1. Endpoint Security

Guardz’s Endpoint Security solution is a vital component of its cybersecurity suite, offering protection against a wide range of threats, including malware, ransomware, and unauthorized access. The product utilizes advanced threat detection and automated response capabilities to safeguard devices connected to a business’s network.

The service offers real-time threat detection – constant monitoring and analysis of endpoint activity spot threats before they can cause harm. Automated pre-configured responses reduce the time between detection and remediation. That automation reduces technician involvement, which is appealing to MSPs. The package protects all devices within the network, including mobile and remote devices.

2. Email Security

The Email Security solution from Guardz protects business communications from phishing attacks, spam, and malware. Given that email is a primary vector for cyberattacks, this product is crucial for maintaining the integrity and security of business operations.

The anti-phishing capabilities detect and block phishing attempts to protect users from falling victim to fraudulent schemes. Spam filtering reduces the clutter of unwanted emails, which can also reduce the risk of exposure to malicious content. The interface and management tools are designed to be intuitive, even for users without deep technical knowledge. While effective, some users may find the customization options for filtering and protection settings to be somewhat limited.

Guardz Plans

Guardz offers several pricing plans designed to cater to businesses of different sizes, particularly managed service providers (MSPs) and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Here’s a breakdown of their key offerings:

1. Community Plan

Guardz dubs this the MSP Account. That’s a little confusing because you might think that it has a multi-tenant architecture to manage the accounts of clients; in fact, the opposite is true. This is a single account for the internal use of the MSP. So, typically, an MSP would use this plan for its own cybersecurity and then also subscribe to the Pro or Ultimate plans for managing the security of their clients.

Key Features:

• Suitable for small teams or as an introduction to Guardz’s ecosystem.
• Offers the same security features as the Pro plan.
• Doesn’t include insurance
• Chat support
• No onboarding assistance

Price:

2. Pro Plan

The Pro plan is the main product of the Guardz platform. This is what an MSP would use to on-sell security services to its clients. So, the system is multi-tenanted. It gives the MSP an opportunity to make extra profit because it offers discounts for larger numbers of users. The MSP can count all the users of all of its clients together when the bill is calculated. Thus, an MSP that manages many small businesses still has a chance of hitting the discount rate requirements.

Although it is called the MSP Account, there is no reason why IT departments couldn’t use it to manage their own IT systems security.

Key Features:

• External Footprint Monitoring
• Dark Web Monitoring
• Directory Posture
• Secure Browsing
• Cloud Data Protection
• Managed Endpoint Protection
• Email Security
• Security Awareness Training
• Phishing Simulations
• Cyber Insurance
• Includes 24/7 priority support via chat
• White-glove onboarding available for annual plans

Price:

• Less than 100 users: $9 per user/month or $7 per user/month when paid annually
• 100 – 299 users: $7.20 per user/month or $5 per user/month when paid annually
• 300 – 499 users: $6.60 per user/month or $4.50 per user/month when paid annually
• 500+ users: $6 per user/month or $4 per user/month when paid annually

3. Ultimate Plan

The Ultimate plan has a few added extra services. However, the majority of the modules provided with this plan are also available with the Pro plan. This package is priced by negotiation, so it is likely that it is aimed at very large MSPs that have more than 500 users to manage.

Key Features:

• Includes everything in the Pro plan
• 24/7 Managed Services
• Advanced Support Options
• EDR Integration
• Automated Detection and Response
• Volume Discounts
• Security that scales with your business needs
• Enhanced support with dedicated customer success operative
• Personalized sales training

Price:

MSP-Specific Options

The Guardz platform includes features in its paid plans that are specifically aimed at MSPs. These include white labeling, a multi-tenant architecture, sales leads, directed from inquiries made directly to Guardz, internal use licenses, and secure client protection bundles.

Pros and Cons of Guardz Pricing

The addition of an actual insurance policy that pays out in the event of cyberattack is a unique feature for the Guardz platform, and the recent involvement of SentinelOne could signify new modules and further improvements. However, be aware that the insurance system introduces an extra element that could result in price instability. Also, any improvement in the package over the next few years will probably be accompanied by big price hikes.

Overall, Guardz’s pricing is competitive, especially for small to medium-sized businesses looking to enhance their cybersecurity without a significant initial investment. The various tiers ensure that companies can select a plan that best fits their current needs while retaining the option to scale up as they grow.

Free Trial and Demos

Any business can access the Community edition, which is free forever. However, keep in mind that the plan is not structured with sub-accounts, and MSPs are not authorized to sell the system to their clients.

MSPs can examine the Pro plan before buying and can access a 14-day free trial. If you just want to get a guided tour of the Guardz system, you can book a demo.

Major competitors

Guardz faces competition from several established players in the cybersecurity industry, especially those targeting small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and managed service providers (MSPs). Some of the major competitors include:

1. CrowdStrike

CrowdStrike is a leading cybersecurity company known for its endpoint protection platform, Falcon. It provides advanced threat intelligence, incident response, and managed detection and response (MDR) services.

• Strengths: Highly regarded for its AI-powered threat detection and cloud-native architecture, CrowdStrike is often the choice for large enterprises requiring scalable security solutions and competent consultancy services.
• Competition: CrowdStrike’s comprehensive offering and strong brand presence make it a formidable competitor, particularly for Guardz’s endpoint protection and MDR solutions.

2. Sophos

Sophos offers a wide range of cybersecurity products, including endpoint protection, firewall, encryption, and cloud security solutions. It also has a strong presence in the MSP space with its Sophos Central platform.

• Strengths: Known for its ease of use, comprehensive protection across endpoints, networks, and servers, and integration with MSP platforms.
• Competition: Sophos competes with Guardz in providing integrated security solutions, especially in the MSP market, where it offers white-label services and centralized management.

3. Cynet

Cynet offers a consolidated platform providing endpoint detection and response (EDR), network analytics, and user behavior analytics. Cynet is designed to be an all-in-one solution for SMBs.

• Strengths: Cynet is popular for its ease of deployment, cost-effectiveness, and extensive automation features, making it attractive to SMBs that need comprehensive protection with minimal overhead.
• Competition: Cynet’s all-in-one approach directly competes with Guardz’s strategy of providing a unified cybersecurity platform tailored for SMBs.

4. SentinelOne

SentinelOne provides an AI-powered platform that delivers autonomous endpoint protection, detection, and response. It is known for its strong emphasis on automation and machine learning.

• Strengths: SentinelOne excels in automating threat detection and response, making it a key competitor in the endpoint protection and EDR market.
• Competition: SentinelOne’s advanced AI capabilities and autonomous response features pose direct competition to Guardz’s endpoint protection services. Guardz is much weaker in endpoint protection and cloud protection. However, the recent partnership agreement between Guardz and SentinelOne eliminated this competitive threat.

5. Bitdefender

Bitdefender offers a comprehensive range of cybersecurity solutions, including endpoint protection, antivirus, and threat intelligence. It is well-regarded for its effective malware detection and low impact on system performance.

• Strengths: Bitdefender’s strong threat detection capabilities and user-friendly interface make it a popular choice among SMBs and MSPs.
• Competition: Bitdefender’s focus on endpoint security and its strong brand in the antivirus space make it a significant competitor for Guardz, particularly in the SMB market.

6. Palo Alto Networks (Cortex XDR)

Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks is an extended detection and response platform that integrates endpoint, network, and cloud data to prevent cyber threats.

• Strengths: Known for its deep integration across various security layers and strong threat intelligence capabilities.
• Competition: As Guardz aims to provide a comprehensive cybersecurity platform, Cortex XDR’s extensive threat detection and integrated security approach directly challenge Guardz in the enterprise segment.

These competitors represent some of the most significant threats to Guardz in the cybersecurity space, particularly as Guardz continues to expand its product offerings and customer base among SMBs and MSPs.

Each competitor has its strengths, whether in advanced threat detection, ease of use, or scalability. Guardz is very small compared to the businesses outlined on this list of competitors. All of these rivals can afford to outspend Guardz in marketing and establish brand dominance.

Conclusion

Guardz’s product suite focuses on data protection and email security. However, the platform has a few glaring omissions, which, hopefully, the company will address over the coming years. The most notable absence from a platform that hopes to protect data is a backup system. Rivals such as Acronis and N-able address the need for both malware detection and data backup.

Guardz has only existed since 2022 and its platform has only been available since 2023. So, it is still early years for this business. It has performed well so far as a David in a market of Goliaths.