CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

DefenseStorm vs Kroll

DefenseStorm sells a cyber risk management platform designed exclusively for U.S. banks and credit unions. Kroll is a global financial and risk advisory firm. CISO Tribune files both under MDR and managed SOC. 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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  • DefenseStorm
  • Kroll
DefenseStorm vs Kroll: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
DefenseStormDefenseStorm sells a cyber risk management platform designed exclusively for U.S. banks and credit unions.defensestorm.comKrollKroll is a global financial and risk advisory firm.kroll.com
What it sells
  • Collaborative SOC[1][2]A 24X7 SOC of banking-fluent cybersecurity analysts.
  • GRID Active[1][2][4][8][9]DefenseStorm's intelligent data engine.
  • GRID Active Threat Surveillance[4]Gathers and analyzes data from many sources and identifies threats in the customer's environment.
  • GRID Active Risk Assessment and Governance Package[8]Aligns an institution's risk and governance to evidence the effectiveness of control in its risk assessment.
  • GRID Active Reporting[4]Reporting for financial institutions based on consistent metrics.
  • Vulnerability Management Services[4]An option integrated with the GRID Active platform.
  • Enterprise Security Risk Management[7]A Kroll team for proactive threat and risk mitigation and crisis response.
  • Kroll Responder MDR[1][5]Managed detection and response with 24/7 security monitoring.
  • Cyber Risk Retainer[1][5]A retainer with credits usable across Kroll's professional services portfolio.
  • Cybersecurity Risk Assessments[16]Reviews of an information security program using the NIST Cybersecurity framework as guidance.
  • Complex Digital Events[15]Bespoke services for complex incident response, regulatory investigations and litigation support.
  • Enterprise Risk Retainer[14]A retainer for cyber insurance partners and their clients.
  • AI Report Validation[18]Independent verification of AI-generated research by investigators.
Categories
Headquarters
Not stated on its pagesNew York, United States[2][10][12]
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 pages
  • August 31, 2026Kroll launched APEX, a capability on the CrowdStrike Falcon platform that quantifies effort, cost and value of AI and automation for cyber investment decisions.[11]
  • July 15, 2026Kroll acquired ABC economics, an economics and competition advisory firm headquartered in Berlin, Germany.[12]
  • January 29, 2026Kroll launched two new practices, Kroll Economics and Decision Intelligence.[9]
  • November 17, 2025Kroll completed its acquisition of Madison Pacific, a corporate trust and agency services specialist headquartered in Hong Kong.[10]
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: listed, seen October 31, 2026[3]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
  • G2: listed, seen November 10, 2026[13]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
Who it fits
DefenseStorm describes its solution as designed for the cyber threat and compliance demands facing the financial services industry. DefenseStorm describes solutions designed for the needs of banks and credit unions and for efficiencies at community financial institutions. DefenseStorm's co-managed approach lets customer teams view configuration logs while DefenseStorm cybersecurity experts monitor the environment 24/7.Kroll supports thousands of law firms and corporate cyber clients. Kroll's Cyber Insurance Services Team serves carriers, brokers, breach counsel and policyholders. Kroll offers a baseline review aimed at small and medium businesses. Kroll performs security assessments for global clients from nearly every industry and government agency. Kroll's M&A advisory team works with public corporations, private equity investors, financial sponsors, family-owned businesses and other private companies in middle-market transactions.
Last verified
September 30, 2026September 27, 2026

Where they overlap

  • DefenseStorm and Kroll are both filed under MDR and managed SOC.

Where they differ, field by field

  • DefenseStorm's primary category is MDR and managed SOC; Kroll's is Incident response and forensics.
  • DefenseStorm is also filed under SIEM, EDR and XDR and Compliance automation.
  • DefenseStorm lists Collaborative SOC, GRID Active, GRID Active Threat Surveillance, GRID Active Risk Assessment and Governance Package, GRID Active Reporting and 1 more. Kroll lists Enterprise Security Risk Management, Kroll Responder MDR, Cyber Risk Retainer, Cybersecurity Risk Assessments, Complex Digital Events and 2 more.
  • Kroll is headquartered in New York, United States.

What it sells: DefenseStorm

What Collaborative SOC does[1][2]
A US-based, senior banking-fluent cybersecurity analyst collaborates with the customer on a case, 24x7x365. DefenseStorm analysts work alongside AI-enhanced triage to investigate with banking context.
What GRID Active does[1][2][4][8][9]
GRID Active unifies threat operations, risk intelligence, governance, and AI. Seven Built for Banking (B4B) AI Principles govern every AI capability inside GRID Active. Customers can add EDR functionality and Vulnerability Management Services, both integrated with the GRID Active platform.
What GRID Active Threat Surveillance does[4]
GRID Active Threat Surveillance gathers and analyzes data from all types of sources, technology, tools, and systems and identifies threats in the customer's environment. GRID Active Threat Surveillance includes an Incident Similarity feature that applies machine learning to incident monitoring and management.
What GRID Active Risk Assessment and Governance Package does[8]
GRID Active Risk Assessment and Governance Package aligns an institution's risk and governance to evidence the effectiveness of control in its risk assessment. Institutions can filter risk assessments to create smaller assessments such as an eBanking risk assessment, or one large information security risk assessment encompassing all risks in the register. Pre-mapped Task Schedule templates schedule program activities, and the activities map into framework and self-assessment directives as evidence.
What GRID Active Reporting does[4]
GRID Active Reporting supports decision-making by financial institutions through consistent metrics. Financial institutions can customize reports based on audience and timing.
What Vulnerability Management Services does[4]
Customers can add Vulnerability Management Services, integrated with the GRID Active platform, to their cybersecurity risk management solution. DefenseStorm vulnerability scanning lets customers assess their system and discover weaknesses an adversary may be able to exploit.

What it sells: Kroll

What Enterprise Security Risk Management does[7]
Kroll's global Enterprise Security Risk Management team works on proactive threat and risk mitigation and reacts to crises, offering personnel, expertise, advisory and bandwidth. Kroll's Threat Life Cycle Management uses end-to-end cyber and physical risk solutions to uncover exposures, validate defenses, implement new or updated controls and fine-tune detections. Kroll describes itself as senior advisers to clients on all security and threat-related issues.
What Kroll Responder MDR does[1][5]
Kroll Responder MDR delivers 24/7 security monitoring and response that includes understanding the root cause, hunting for further evidence of compromise and eradication. Kroll Responder MDR for Microsoft provides enriched MDR for Microsoft Security. Kroll offers a complimentary $1 million incident protection service warranty with no vendor-specific hardware requirement.
What Cyber Risk Retainer does[1][5]
Kroll offers a Cyber Risk Retainer with credits that can be used across its professional services portfolio. Kroll states that up to 20% of unused services credit may be applied to the following year upon renewal. Kroll's retainer includes access to a global team of 700+ incident response, litigation and breach notification experts.
What Cybersecurity Risk Assessments does[16]
Kroll's Cybersecurity Risk Assessments include a detailed review of the information security program, from policies and procedures to technical controls, including people, processes and technologies. At the conclusion of an assessment, clients receive a summary report designed to communicate security posture to senior management. Kroll offers a baseline review aimed at small and medium businesses.
What Complex Digital Events does[15]
Kroll provides bespoke services for complex incident response, regulatory investigations, litigation support, board-level engagements and national security matters. Kroll's Complex Digital Events services use a combination of non-practising attorneys and technical experts to guide and deliver complex investigations. Kroll provides forensic investigations and expert testimony supporting data breach litigation, trade secret/intellectual property theft and employment disputes.
What Enterprise Risk Retainer does[14]
Kroll offers an Enterprise Risk Retainer to cyber insurance partners and their clients. The retainer includes a pre-negotiated agreement for instant access to risk expertise. The retainer includes service credits to proactively strengthen risk posture before an incident occurs.
What AI Report Validation does[18]
Kroll's AI Report Validation practice centers investigators who deconstruct AI-generated narratives, test their claims against professional-grade sources and determine what was fabricated, distorted or omitted. Kroll conducts original research to fill gaps.

Questions about DefenseStorm and Kroll

What do DefenseStorm and Kroll sell?
DefenseStorm sells Collaborative SOC, GRID Active, GRID Active Threat Surveillance, GRID Active Risk Assessment and Governance Package, GRID Active Reporting and 1 more. Kroll sells Enterprise Security Risk Management, Kroll Responder MDR, Cyber Risk Retainer, Cybersecurity Risk Assessments, Complex Digital Events and 2 more.
Are DefenseStorm and Kroll in the same category?
They share MDR and managed SOC. DefenseStorm's primary category is MDR and managed SOC and Kroll's is Incident response and forensics.
Where are DefenseStorm and Kroll headquartered?
Kroll is headquartered in New York, United States.
Who are DefenseStorm and Kroll sold to?
DefenseStorm describes its solution as designed for the cyber threat and compliance demands facing the financial services industry. Kroll supports thousands of law firms and corporate cyber clients.
What have DefenseStorm and Kroll announced recently?
August 31, 2026: Kroll launched APEX, a capability on the CrowdStrike Falcon platform that quantifies effort, cost and value of AI and automation for cyber investment decisions.

About DefenseStorm

DefenseStorm sells a cyber risk management platform designed exclusively for U.S. banks and credit unions. DefenseStorm backs its platform with a 24X7 Collaborative SOC of banking-fluent cybersecurity analysts. DefenseStorm cites 200+ banks and credit unions alongside 16,000+ banking-specific controls mapped across industry control frameworks, regulatory guidance, and exam procedures.[1]

DefenseStorm governs its AI capabilities with seven Built for Banking AI Principles, mapped to NIST AI RMF and CRI FS AI RMF. DefenseStorm states that every AI output is explainable to a non-technical professional. DefenseStorm describes AI capability as growing step by step, under explicit policy, with human-in-the-loop boundaries. DefenseStorm says 12 years of banking-only threat patterns, examiner expectations, and industry control frameworks inform every AI output.[1]

DefenseStorm offers managed detection and response (MDR) built for the attack patterns, industry control frameworks, and operational realities of financial institutions. DefenseStorm states that a US-based, senior banking-fluent cybersecurity analyst collaborates with the customer on a case, 24x7x365. DefenseStorm analysts work alongside AI-enhanced triage to investigate with banking context and generate structured evidence for governance reporting. DefenseStorm describes a co-managed approach in which customers view configuration logs showing how their environment is monitored 24/7 by DefenseStorm cybersecurity experts.[4]

GRID Active Threat Surveillance gathers and analyzes data from all types of sources, technology, tools, and systems and identifies threats in the customer's environment. GRID Active Threat Surveillance now includes an Incident Similarity feature that applies machine learning to incident monitoring and management. Customers can add EDR functionality and Vulnerability Management Services, both integrated with the GRID Active platform, to their cybersecurity risk management solution. DefenseStorm vulnerability scanning lets customers assess their system and discover weaknesses an adversary may be able to exploit. Employee Activity Monitoring is included with Threat Surveillance and monitors user access, permissions and actions. DefenseStorm integrations can include tools for intrusion detection, firewalls, threat intelligence platforms, and identity and access management systems. DefenseStorm has a team of cybersecurity experts covering implementation, product training and ongoing platform support. A DefenseStorm security engineer who began in 2020 developed DefenseStorm's EDR Service. DefenseStorm appointed its Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence in 2022, and that role is responsible for nearly all facets of the EDR service. DefenseStorm uploads IOCs related to a vulnerability into its ThreatMatch Feed.[1][4][5][6]

DefenseStorm turns every alert, investigation, and decision into structured evidence mapped to CRI Profile, NIST CSF 2.0, and exam procedures. DefenseStorm offers continuous control monitoring across 16,000+ controls. DefenseStorm risk scoring is shaped by real alerts and incidents. DefenseStorm governance aligns to FFIEC examination procedures, GLBA Safeguards requirements, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (including CSF 2.0), NCUA expectations, and the CRI Profile.[7]

GRID Active Risk Assessment and Governance Package aligns an institution's risk and governance to evidence the effectiveness of control in its risk assessment. GRID Active Risk Assessment and Governance Package lets institutions filter risk assessments to create smaller assessments such as an eBanking risk assessment, or one large information security risk assessment encompassing all risks in the register. Pre-mapped Task Schedule templates schedule program activities, and the activities map into framework and self-assessment directives as evidence. DefenseStorm lets customers schedule governance and monitoring activities to align with their cyber security compliance program cadences. GRID Active Reporting lets financial institutions customize reports based on audience and timing. DefenseStorm's governance product is integration-ready across core banking, digital banking, authentication, and cloud platforms.[1][4][7][8]

DefenseStorm unifies threat operations, risk intelligence, governance, and AI in GRID Active, its intelligent data engine. DefenseStorm states that one provider replaces separate SIEM, EDR, SOC, risk assessment, vulnerability management, brand management, security awareness training, and governance tools. DefenseStorm runs risk and governance on the same platform as its threat operations. DefenseStorm's governance product connects cyber risk assessments, control monitoring, evidence collection, and board reporting into one continuous program.[7]

DefenseStorm describes its solution as co-managed, cloud-based and compliance-automated, designed specifically for the cyber threat and compliance demands facing the financial services industry.[1][4][7]

DefenseStorm on the record

Sources

DefenseStorm full record

  1. [1]defensestorm.comDefenseStorm · defensestorm.com · undated page, accessed September 30, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Cyber Risk Management Platform for Banks | DefenseStormDefenseStorm · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]DefenseStorm Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2G2 · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier C
  4. [4]Threat Detection for Financial InstitutionsDefenseStorm · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Evolve Bank and Trust Breach - DefenseStormDefenseStorm · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Barracuda ESG Vulnerability CVE-2023-2868 Reported - DefenseStormDefenseStorm · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Cyber Risk Management for Financial Institutions | DefenseStormDefenseStorm · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Cyber Security Risk and Governance for Financial InstitutionsDefenseStorm · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Executive Leadership at DefenseStormDefenseStorm · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A

Kroll full record

  1. [1]Cyber riskKroll · kroll.com · published October 16, 2025 · Tier A
  2. [2]Kroll Announces Formation of Kroll Business ServicesKroll via Business Wire · businesswire.com · published April 20, 2021 · Tier A
  3. [3]Kroll | Financial and Risk Advisory SolutionsKroll · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Risk AdvisoryKroll · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Cyber Security Services | Cyber & Data Resilience | KrollKroll · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Application Security Services (AppSec) | Cyber and Data ResilienceKroll · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Enterprise Security Risk Management (ESRM) | KrollKroll · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Investigations, Diligence and Compliance | KrollKroll · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Kroll Launches New Practices Leveraging Technology and AI to Accelerate Decision-Making and Achieve Competitive AdvantageKroll · published January 29, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]Kroll Completes Acquisition of Madison Pacific GroupKroll · published November 17, 2025 · Tier A
  11. [11]Kroll Introduces APEX to Drive Measurable Business Outcomes from AI InvestmentKroll · published August 31, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]Kroll Bolsters Global Economics Capabilities with Acquisition of ABC economicsKroll · published July 15, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Kroll Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features - G2G2 · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier C
  14. [14]Cyber Insurance Services | Incident Response Partner | KrollKroll · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  15. [15]Complex Digital Events | Cyber and Data Resilience | KrollKroll · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  16. [16]Cyber Risk Assessments | Cyber Risk | KrollKroll · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  17. [17]Data Risk, Discovery & Litigation Support | Cyber & Data Resilience | KrollKroll · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  18. [18]AI Report Validation | KrollKroll · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  19. [19]M&A Advisory Services | Corporate Finance | KrollKroll · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  20. [20]Valuation Services | Valuation AdvisoryKroll · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  21. [21]Business Valuation Services | KrollKroll · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A

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