CybSafe, a cybersecurity company specializing in a “behavioral security” approach, has secured $7.9 million in Series A funding. This investment round was spearheaded by IQ Capital, with additional participation from Hanover Digital Investments (HDI) GmbH and B8 Ventures. The newly acquired funds will be allocated to broadening the company’s reach within the enterprise and midmarket sectors. CybSafe operates on a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, utilizing subscription licensing based on a per-user fee.

A significant understanding within the technology sector is that the greatest vulnerabilities in security often stem from human actions, rather than system flaws. For example, statistics indicate that approximately 90% of data breaches in the U.K. are attributable to errors made by individuals.

CybSafe’s platform, designed around “behavior-led” principles, tackles these human-related security challenges by leveraging behavioral science and data analytics to provide users with customized cybersecurity assistance. Currently, the company serves over 350 clients across 15 countries, including prominent organizations such as Credit Suisse, Air Canada, HSBC, and NHS Trusts.

Established in 2017, CybSafe was founded by Oz Alashe MBE, a recognized expert in cyber resilience and intelligence. Alashe previously served as a lieutenant colonel in the British army and within U.K. special forces, notably becoming the first Black officer to hold a position in both the parachute regiment and U.K. special forces. The company’s team also comprises former cybersecurity specialists from the U.K. government, behavioral scientists, data scientists, and software engineers.

CybSafe is accessible through both a mobile application and web browser, delivering concise guidance, alerts, and notifications to users.

Key competitors to CybSafe include KnowBe4, Wombat Security, and Infosec. However, Alashe emphasizes CybSafe’s unique focus on addressing security awareness for the typical user: “Traditional security awareness programs are ineffective, inefficient, and fundamentally flawed. CybSafe utilizes behavioral science and data analysis to implement security behavior interventions that yield results, with demonstrated efficacy rates exceeding 90% for certain behaviors.”

The company’s leadership team includes Jonathan Webster, CTO, who formerly contributed to Her Majesty’s Government Digital Services, and Dr. John Blythe, Head of Behavioural Science, a Chartered Psychologist accredited by the British Psychological Society.