IoT Startup OP[4] Launches with Firmware Security Platform

Dark Reading | March 22, 2023

New cybersecurity startup Op[4] launched today with a platform designed to fix vulnerabilities in Internet of Things (IoT) and embedded devices.

The platform, based on technology originally developed for DARPA, “continuously and accurately” detects, isolates, validates, classifies, prioritizes and remediates n-day and zero-day vulnerabilities, the company said in a statement. N-day refers to vulnerabilities in software and systems that are not going to be fixed.

One of the challenges with securing IoT and embedded devices is isolating exploitable firmware flaws. Op[4]’s platform addresses this by simulating a running device in order to identify active and inactive code, according to a company spokesperson. This way, the risk is assessed at the binary code level.

Op[4] plans to align the platform with the White House’s national cybersecurity IoT labeling initiative launching later this year. The company is also preparing industry-specific versions for consumer IoT, aerospace and defense, and telecommunications markets.

The company launched with over $2 million in initial seed funding secured through a combination of product sales and private investment.