Pentera
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cybersecurity software |
| Predecessor | Pcysys |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Israel, Dubai, Singapore |
| Products | Automated security validation tools (Pentera Core, Pentera Surface, Pentera Cloud, Pentera RansomwareReady, Pentera Credentials Exposure) |
Pentera is a US-based cybersecurity software firm that focuses on delivering automated solutions for security validation. Established in 2015 under the name Pcysys and rebranded in 2021, Pentera maintains operations in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Israel, Dubai, and Singapore.
Products
Pentera offers automated security validation tools designed to assess cybersecurity defenses by simulating authentic attack methods. Its platform enables enterprises to detect security weaknesses, verify control effectiveness, and prioritize corrective actions to mitigate cyber threats.
The software conducts automated evaluations of both internal and external attack vectors across on-premises and cloud infrastructures, replicating tactics such as remote code execution, password cracking, and data theft. It functions without agents across corporate environments and collaborates with security service providers.
Key offerings include:
- Pentera Core — Conducts mapping, testing, and verification of internal network security mechanisms.
- Pentera Surface — Performs security assessments of internet-facing assets.
- Pentera Cloud — Simulates attacks like privilege escalation and lateral movement to test cloud-native infrastructure defenses.
- Pentera RansomwareReady — Emulates known ransomware attack scenarios to evaluate organizational preparedness.
- Pentera Credentials Exposure — Leverages leaked credential databases from dark web and internal sources to detect compromised credentials and analyze potential attack routes within internal and external environments.
Security Research Division
The company’s research arm, Pentera Labs, tracks cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and attack methodologies, generating threat intelligence that strengthens the Pentera platform. Their work supports security teams in understanding and replicating evolving adversary techniques. The group has uncovered zero-day vulnerabilities and contributed adversarial tactics to the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
Significant discoveries include a Fortinet authentication bypass (CVE-2024-47574), an XSS vulnerability in Azure Functions, the “135 Is the New 445” lateral movement method, as well as VMware vCenter zero-day exploits. These vulnerabilities were responsibly disclosed to vendors and resolved, underscoring Pentera Labs’ commitment to advancing cybersecurity resilience.
Funding
Pentera has secured a total of $190 million through multiple rounds of venture capital investment:
- Seed stage (2015–2018): $5 million.
- Series A (November 2019): $10 million from AWZ Ventures and Blackstone Group.
- Series B (September 2020): $25 million from Insight Partners alongside AWZ Ventures and Blackstone Group.
- Series C (January 2022): $150 million funding round including $75 million primary investment led by K1 Investment Management, Evolution Equity Partners, and Insight Partners; this round elevated Pentera to unicorn status with a valuation of $1 billion.
- Series D (March 2025): $60 million led by Evolution Equity Partners with contributions from Farallon Capital Management.
On October 9, 2025, Pentera expanded its capabilities by acquiring DevOcean, an AI-powered platform for remediation management, enhancing its automated security validation offerings.