@stake
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer security |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Tom Crotty, Sunil Dhaliwal, Scott Tobin, Ted Julian |
| Defunct | 2004 |
| Fate | Acquired by Symantec |
| Headquarters | Cambridge, Massachusetts , United States |
Area served | United States, Europe, Middle East, Africa |
Key people | Dan Geer (CTO), Christopher Darby (CEO), James T. Mobley (COO), Christina Luconi (CPO), Mudge (VP of R&D) |
| Products | LC 3, LC 4, LC 5 (L0phtCrack), WebProxy, SmartRisk Analyzer, The @stake Sleuth Kit (TASK) |
| Parent | Symantec (from 2004) |
| Website | atstake |
ATstake, Inc. (presented as @stake) was a professional services firm specializing in computer security, with its headquarters located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1999 by Battery Ventures partners Tom Crotty, Sunil Dhaliwal, Scott Tobin, and Ted Julian, the company’s leadership team featured CTO Dan Geer alongside executives Christopher Darby (CEO), James T. Mobley (COO), and Christina Luconi (CPO). The East Coast security division originated from Cambridge Technology Partners.
History
In January 2000, Atstake incorporated the hacker collective L0pht Heavy Industries, appointing Mudge as Vice President of Research and Development. The company operated under the domain atstake.com. By July 2000, Atstake broadened its reach into Europe, the Middle East, and Africa through acquiring Cerberus Information Security Limited based in London. In 2004, Symantec (now NortonLifeLock) purchased the company.
Atstake’s roster included prominent security professionals such as Dan Geer, Mudge, Window Snyder, Dave Aitel, Katie Moussouris, David Litchfield, Mike Schiffman, Chris Wysopal, and Alex Stamos, which strengthened its reputation and market position.
In September 2000, Atstake chose not to employ former hacker Mark Abene due to his felony record, illustrating its hiring standards and reflecting broader industry attitudes toward individuals with criminal convictions.
While primarily a consulting organization, Atstake also delivered security education via its Atstake academy and created several influential software solutions:
- LC 3, LC 4, and LC 5 (also recognized as L0phtCrack)—tools for password auditing
- WebProxy—a solution for testing web application security
- SmartRisk Analyzer—a platform for analyzing application security
- The @stake Sleuth Kit (TASK)—an open-source toolkit for digital forensics (currently known as The Sleuth Kit)
Symantec later halted LC5 sales due to United States export restrictions and discontinued support by December 2006. In 2009, the original developers regained ownership of L0phtCrack technology and published version 6. The SmartRisk Analyzer technology subsequently evolved into offerings from Symantec spin-off Veracode.
Symantec declared its intention to acquire Atstake on September 16, 2004, finalizing the transaction by October 9. Following this acquisition, several former Atstake personnel established "iSEC Partners" in 2004, while ex-instructors from the academy founded "Safelight Security Advisors" in 2007. The consulting division continued within Symantec’s Security Business Practice under the name "Security Advisory Services."
After Atstake
Numerous Atstake employees, both prior to and following the Symantec acquisition, went on to create influential cybersecurity firms such as:
- iSec Partners, US
- ImmunitySec, US
- Matasano, US
- NGS Software, UK
- Safelight Security Advisors, US
- Leviathan Security, US
- VSR, US
Among these entities, NCC Group acquired:
- NGS Software, UK
- iSec Partners, US
- Matasano, US
- VSR, US
Additionally, alumni of Atstake founded cybersecurity product companies including:
- Arbor Networks, US (later acquired by private equity firm Danaher)
- Resilient Systems, US (acquired by IBM)
- Veracode, US
- GreatHorn, Inc (acquired by private equity)
These ventures underscore Atstake’s significant role in shaping the cybersecurity sector and its extensive influence across the market.