CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Coalfire vs Kudelski Security

Coalfire sells advisory, audit and assessment services. Kudelski Security sells customized programs that span managed security, advisory engagements, technology consulting and research and development of tailored solutions. CISO Tribune files both under Security consulting and advisory. This page sets the two records side by side: what each sells, where it is based, who owns and funds it, the customers it names and its recent news, each fact numbered to its source.

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Up to four companies side by side.

  • Coalfire
  • Kudelski Security
Coalfire vs Kudelski Security: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
CoalfireCoalfire sells advisory, audit and assessment services.coalfire.comKudelski SecurityKudelski Security sells customized programs that span managed security, advisory engagements, technology consulting and research and development of tailored solutions.kudelskisecurity.com
What it sells
  • Compliance Essentials[3]A SaaS platform that enterprises use to manage complex compliance programs and audit cycles.
  • Hexeon[3]A platform combining high-frequency offensive pen testing with strategic defensive risk management.
  • DivisionHex[3]A team of offensive, defensive and managed cybersecurity experts.
  • Advisory, Audit, and Assessment services[3]Services that cover the professional services layer of Coalfire.
  • AI Security and Trust Engineering[4]Services that help companies design, build and operate AI systems that meet compliance targets.
  • Managed Detection and Response[4][6]Kudelski Security provides risk-based threat detection and response for any environment, 24/7.
  • Penetration Testing[11]Kudelski Security ethical hackers exploit misconfigurations, chained weaknesses, and business logic flaws.
  • Red Team[5]Red Team operations mimic real adversaries.
  • Product Security[14]Kudelski Security's product security helps embed security into every stage of the product lifecycle.
  • 24/7 Incident Response Retainer[5][8]The retainer gives assured access to 24/7 incident response.
  • Virtual CISO[5]Virtual CISO services provide strategic leadership, risk reduction, and compliance guidance.
Categories
Headquarters
Chicago, United States[2]Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland[3]
Founded
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Ownership and funding
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Named customers
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Recent news
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: listed, seen November 10, 2026[7]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
  • G2: Not stated on its pages
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
Who it fits
Coalfire states that it helps boards and C-level executives identify their critical assets, potential vulnerabilities and which risks to address. Coalfire offers responsible AI governance for healthcare and regulated organizations. Coalfire provides independent audit support for CMS-regulated entities. Coalfire's AI Security and Trust Engineering services are aimed at companies that design, build and operate AI systems.From its own pages, Kudelski Security designs its ethical hacking services for CISOs, CTOs, and security teams. Kudelski Security says its advisory work is for CISOs who develop strategies that minimize exposure and strengthen cybersecurity postures. Its product security services address organizations that build connected devices, SaaS platforms, or enterprise applications. Its credential monitoring use case describes a regional financial services provider concerned with credential-based attacks.
Last verified
November 2, 2026November 9, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Security consulting and advisory is the primary category of both Coalfire and Kudelski Security.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Coalfire is also filed under Penetration testing and red team services, Compliance automation and MDR and managed SOC. Kudelski Security is also filed under Managed security service providers.
  • Coalfire lists Compliance Essentials, Hexeon, DivisionHex, Advisory, Audit, and Assessment services and AI Security and Trust Engineering. Kudelski Security lists Managed Detection and Response, Penetration Testing, Red Team, Product Security, 24/7 Incident Response Retainer and 1 more.
  • Coalfire is headquartered in Chicago, United States. Kudelski Security is headquartered in Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland.

How they differ

Coalfire is headquartered in Chicago, United States, and Kudelski Security is headquartered in Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland. CISO Tribune files both under Security consulting and advisory as the primary category. Beyond that, CISO Tribune also files Coalfire under Penetration testing and red team services, Compliance automation, and MDR and managed SOC. It files Kudelski Security under Managed security service providers.

Coalfire sells Compliance Essentials, a SaaS platform for managing compliance programs and audit cycles, and the Hexeon platform, which combines high-frequency offensive pen testing with defensive risk management. Coalfire also sells Advisory, Audit, and Assessment services and AI Security and Trust Engineering, which helps companies design, build and operate AI systems that meet compliance targets. Its advisory work spans PCI DSS, HITRUST, ISO and FedRAMP, and it provides independent audit support for CMS-regulated entities. Premera's Global CISO is named as a Coalfire client. Coalfire released a SOC2 Type 2 report covering 3/1/2025 to 2/28/2026.

Kudelski Security sells Managed Detection and Response, which it describes as risk-based threat detection and response for any environment, 24/7. It also sells Penetration Testing by OSCP-certified professionals, Red Team operations, Product Security, a 24/7 Incident Response Retainer, and Virtual CISO services. Both companies offer penetration testing, red team work and virtual CISO style advisory, while only Kudelski Security lists a 24/7 incident response retainer and only Coalfire lists a compliance SaaS platform.

What it sells: Coalfire

What Compliance Essentials does[3]
Compliance Essentials supports coordinated assessments for over 75 frameworks using Coalfire's proprietary controls mapping. Data is provided to Compliance Essentials by the organization's assessment users. Compliance Essentials carries the certifications ISO 27001:2022, ISO 27701 and SOC 2 Type 2.
What Hexeon does[3]
The Hexeon platform combines high-frequency offensive pen testing with strategic defensive risk management. Hexeon uses data collected by Coalfire offensive security teams, such as penetration testing findings, vulnerability data and other data concerning technical risk.
What Advisory, Audit, and Assessment services does[3]
Coalfire's Advisory, Audit, and Assessment services cover the professional services layer of the company. Coalfire's Advisory expertise specializes in GRC, AI cloud engineering, healthcare risk and FedRAMP. Coalfire assesses, simplifies and provides guidance across PCI DSS, HITRUST, ISO, FedRAMP and 85+ frameworks.
What AI Security and Trust Engineering does[4]
Coalfire's AI Security and Trust Engineering services help companies design, build and operate AI systems that meet compliance targets. The services deploy AI agents to enhance security and compliance operations. Coalfire has a framework to secure AI systems end-to-end for compliance and risk mitigation.

What it sells: Kudelski Security

What Penetration Testing does[11]
Kudelski Security penetration testing assessments are conducted by OSCP-certified professionals. Kudelski Security penetration testing covers internal networks, web apps, mobile, APIs, and cloud services in one engagement.
What Red Team does[5]
Red Team operations reveal blind spots and test controls. Red Team operations assess the ability to detect and contain active intrusions.
What 24/7 Incident Response Retainer does[5][8]
The 24/7 Incident Response Retainer provides expert-led, SLA-backed support. The 24/7 Incident Response Retainer includes automated incident response capabilities.
What Virtual CISO does[5]
Virtual CISO services are meant to bridge security gaps. Virtual CISO services are tailored to the business of the customer.

Questions about Coalfire and Kudelski Security

What do Coalfire and Kudelski Security sell?
Coalfire sells Compliance Essentials, Hexeon, DivisionHex, Advisory, Audit, and Assessment services and AI Security and Trust Engineering. Kudelski Security sells Managed Detection and Response, Penetration Testing, Red Team, Product Security, 24/7 Incident Response Retainer and 1 more.
Are Coalfire and Kudelski Security in the same category?
Yes. Security consulting and advisory is the primary category of both on CISO Tribune.
Where are Coalfire and Kudelski Security headquartered?
Coalfire is headquartered in Chicago, United States. Kudelski Security is headquartered in Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland.
Who are Coalfire and Kudelski Security sold to?
Coalfire states that it helps boards and C-level executives identify their critical assets, potential vulnerabilities and which risks to address. From its own pages, Kudelski Security designs its ethical hacking services for CISOs, CTOs, and security teams.

About Coalfire

Coalfire sells advisory, audit and assessment services.[1][3]

Coalfire's Advisory, Audit, and Assessment services cover the professional services layer of the company. Coalfire's Advisory expertise specializes in GRC, AI cloud engineering, healthcare risk and FedRAMP. Coalfire assesses, simplifies and provides guidance across PCI DSS, HITRUST, ISO, FedRAMP and 85+ frameworks.[3]

Compliance Essentials supports coordinated assessments for over 75 frameworks using Coalfire's proprietary controls mapping. Data is provided to Compliance Essentials by the organization's assessment users. Compliance Essentials carries the certifications ISO 27001:2022, ISO 27701 and SOC 2 Type 2.[3]

The Hexeon platform combines high-frequency offensive pen testing with strategic defensive risk management. Hexeon uses data collected by Coalfire offensive security teams, such as penetration testing findings, vulnerability data and other data concerning technical risk.[3]

Coalfire's AI Security and Trust Engineering services help companies design, build and operate AI systems that meet compliance targets. Coalfire's AI Security and Trust Engineering services deploy AI agents to enhance security and compliance operations. Coalfire has a framework to secure AI systems end-to-end for compliance and risk mitigation. Coalfire's Secure Agent Construct maps to AWS services to implement proper isolation, permissions, and feedback loops.[1][4]

For healthcare and federal programs, Coalfire offers end-to-end advisory for entities within the CMS environment, including readiness assessments and System Security and Privacy Plan development. Coalfire provides independent audit support for CMS-regulated entities, helping organizations demonstrate compliance with ARC-AMPE-AE and related federal security and privacy requirements. Coalfire conducts Privacy Impact Analyses for CMS entities and their contractors. Coalfire delivers automated and manual accessibility testing that meets federal standards. Coalfire provides HITRUST support across the full lifecycle, including gap assessments, policy development, remediation guidance, interim assessments and recertification. Coalfire delivers a workshop-based vendor risk program design built on three pillars: vendor criticality categorization, policy and procedure enhancement, and an SCRM tabletop exercise.[5]

Coalfire offers a unified approach to AI compliance across HITRUST and ISO 42001. The unified AI compliance offering combines readiness assessments, documentation development, remediation support, coordinated assessments, and continuous AI compliance monitoring. Coalfire provides responsible AI governance for healthcare and regulated organizations. Coalfire vCISO services provide program oversight, roadmap development, executive and board reporting, risk leadership, and incident readiness support. Coalfire advisors lead executive tabletop exercises, conduct business impact analysis, and build downtime continuity plans. Coalfire training offerings include incident response training, compliance and privacy training, and executive and board tabletop exercises.[5]

Coalfire helps boards and C-level executives identify their critical assets, potential vulnerabilities, and what risks to address based on business objectives. Dr. Adrian Mayers, Global CISO at Premera, is a Coalfire client. Coalfire released a SOC2 Type 2 report covering the examination period of 3/1/2025 to 2/28/2026. The Coalfire Cybersecurity team and DivHex are finalizing certification to the CyberEssentials Plus standards.[1][3][5][6]

Coalfire on the record

Sources

Coalfire full record

  1. [1]coalfire.comCoalfire · coalfire.com · undated page, accessed November 2, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Coalfires managed and transformation services will deliver security at scaleCoalfire · coalfire.com · published August 4, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]Coalfire Trust Center | Powered by ConveyorCoalfire · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Coalfire AI Security and Trust Engineering™ | CoalfireCoalfire · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Healthcare Advisory Services | CoalfireCoalfire · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Cybersecurity and Compliance Services | CoalfireCoalfire · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Coalfire Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & FeaturesG2 · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier C

Kudelski Security full record

  1. [1]About usKudelski Security · kudelskisecurity.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Kudelski security reinforces its presence in germany austria and switzerlandKudelski Security · kudelskisecurity.com · published June 11, 2018 · Tier A
  3. [3]Privacy noticeKudelski Security · kudelskisecurity.com · published January 2, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Kudelski Security - Cybersecurity Programs Your Company NeedsKudelski Security · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Cybersecurity Programs Your Company Needs - Kudelski SecurityKudelski Security · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Detection and Response - Kudelski SecurityKudelski Security · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Threat Exposure Management - Kudelski SecurityKudelski Security · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Incident Response and Digital Forensics - Kudelski SecurityKudelski Security · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Continuous Credential Leak Monitoring - Kudelski SecurityKudelski Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]External Attack Surface Management - Kudelski SecurityKudelski Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]Pentesting - Kudelski SecurityKudelski Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]Cyber-Physical Systems & OT Security Services - Kudelski SecurityKudelski Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]AI & Emerging Technology Security - Kudelski SecurtiyKudelski Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  14. [14]Product Security - Kudelski SecurityKudelski Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A

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