CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Optiv vs SAIC

Optiv sells cybersecurity services that advise on, deploy and operate security programs for organizations. SAIC is a mission integrator that sells a portfolio of offerings integrating emerging technology into mission critical operations. CISO Tribune files both under Security consulting and advisory, Managed security service providers and Penetration testing and red team services. 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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  • Optiv
  • SAIC
Optiv vs SAIC: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
OptivOptiv sells cybersecurity services that advise on, deploy and operate security programs for organizations.optiv.comSAICSAIC is a mission integrator that sells a portfolio of offerings integrating emerging technology into mission critical operations.saic.com
What it sells
  • Application Security[3][6]Services that protect applications, APIs and development pipelines.
  • Identity Security[2][3]Services for managing identities and securing access.
  • Co-Managed SIEM Service[5]A managed SIEM service with access to SIEM experts.
  • Identity and Data Sciences Laboratory[9]A SAIC testbed for AI-based biometric systems in mission-critical environments.
  • Testing-as-a-service[9]Independent testing delivered as a service to border and law enforcement agencies.
  • Digital engineering-as-a-service[8]Subscription-based access to a cloud environment built and managed by SAIC.
  • Cybersecurity analysis[8]An as-a-service capability providing situational awareness.
  • Enterprise operations center[8]An as-a-service capability for monitoring IT infrastructure events.
  • Cloud management platform[8]A SAIC platform for centrally managing hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
  • Data on-demand[8]A platform as-a-service for retrieving specific data sets.
  • Hyperautomation[8]An as-a-service capability that automates business processes and IT workflows.
Categories
Headquarters
Not stated on its pagesReston, Virginia, United States[2][6]
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
  • October 21, 2026Optiv launched CyberBOT, a free cybersecurity awareness training program for classrooms, nonprofits and communities.[10]
  • August 5, 2026Optiv announced Optiv Agentic Security Operations, formerly Optiv MDR, a managed security operations model combining agentic AI and practitioner expertise.[9]
  • October 5, 2026SAIC announced that it has completed the acquisition of Information Security Corporation.[3]
  • August 10, 2026SAIC announced the appointment of David Benson and David Cush to its Board of Directors, effective August 20, 2026.[4]
  • February 17, 2026SAIC's board appointed Jim Reagan as chief executive officer, effective immediately.[11]
  • February 17, 2026SAIC announced that its Board of Directors appointed James Reagan as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.[5]
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: Not stated on its pages
  • 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
Optiv describes services for small organizations just getting started and for large corporations well into security maturity. Optiv states that security teams are managing more tools, more telemetry and more AI-driven pressure than their operating models were built to absorb. Optiv states that it is tool agnostic and works within a client's existing technology environment. Optiv says it delivers expertise to organizations across every major industry.The portfolio of offerings from SAIC covers the defense, space, civilian and intelligence markets. SAIC describes a secure multi-cloud approach for Federal Civilian agencies and works with federal and defense agencies on unifying systems. SAIC offers testing-as-a-service to border and law enforcement agencies that deploy AI-based biometric technologies.
Last verified
November 4, 2026October 14, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Security consulting and advisory is the primary category of both Optiv and SAIC; both are also filed under Managed security service providers and Penetration testing and red team services.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Optiv is also filed under Incident response and forensics. SAIC is also filed under Cloud security posture management.
  • Optiv lists Application Security, Identity Security and Co-Managed SIEM Service. SAIC lists Identity and Data Sciences Laboratory, Testing-as-a-service, Digital engineering-as-a-service, Cybersecurity analysis, Enterprise operations center and 3 more.
  • SAIC is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, United States.

How they differ

CISO Tribune files both Optiv and SAIC under Security consulting and advisory as the primary category, and both also appear under managed security service providers and penetration testing and red team services. Optiv sells cybersecurity services that advise on, deploy and operate security programs, including application security, identity security and a co-managed SIEM service. SAIC describes itself as a mission integrator that sells a portfolio integrating emerging technology into mission critical operations. Its offerings include testing-as-a-service for border and law enforcement agencies, a cloud management platform for hybrid and multi-cloud environments, and an enterprise operations center service that monitors IT infrastructure events.

SAIC is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, and reports approximately 23,000 employees and annual revenues of about $7.3 billion. Optiv is backed by KKR. On customers, Optiv names financial services, health care, government, energy and retail among the industries it serves, and says it serves 73% of the Fortune 100. SAIC's portfolio covers the defense, space, civilian and intelligence markets.

Optiv announced Optiv Agentic Security Operations, formerly Optiv MDR, on August 5, 2026, and launched CyberBOT, a free cybersecurity awareness training program, on October 21, 2026. SAIC announced on October 5, 2026 that it had completed the acquisition of Information Security Corporation.

What it sells: Optiv

What Application Security does[3][6]
Optiv's application security services protect applications, APIs and development pipelines by identifying vulnerabilities and improving secure coding practices throughout the software lifecycle. Optiv AppSec services help organizations design and build application security programs.
What Identity Security does[2][3]
Optiv's identity security services secure access across an organization. Identity Security covers managing identities, enforcing least privilege and improving authentication, governance and visibility.
What Co-Managed SIEM Service does[5]
Optiv's co-managed SIEM service helps monitor security events with just-in-time threat intelligence. In the service, the SIEM sends alerts to threat analysts in the SOC for human analysis.

What it sells: SAIC

What Identity and Data Sciences Laboratory does[9]
IDSL identifies system vulnerabilities early in the technology lifecycle. Testing can be conducted at the Maryland Test Facility, sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, in the cloud, or on agency infrastructure.
What Testing-as-a-service does[9]
SAIC offers testing-as-a-service to border and law enforcement agencies deploying AI-based biometric technologies. SAIC presents independent testing as a service as an alternative to in-house or vendor testing.
What Digital engineering-as-a-service does[8]
In digital engineering-as-a-service, agencies can purchase subscription-based access to a cloud environment. SAIC builds and manages the environment, which includes commercial modeling, visualization, simulation and analysis applications.
What Enterprise operations center does[8]
An enterprise operations center service provides continuous monitoring of IT infrastructure events. Enterprise operations center is one of the types of XaaS capabilities and solutions SAIC describes.
What Cloud management platform does[8]
SAIC centrally manages customer environments with its cloud management platform, after brokering, assembling and integrating offerings from various CSPs. The management work includes tracking costs and performance and managing governance around which CSPs or locations in the environment are authorized to handle specific workloads.
What Hyperautomation does[8]
Hyperautomation automates enterprise business processes and IT workflows. Hyperautomation uses multiple technologies that include robotic process automation, AI and machine learning.

Questions about Optiv and SAIC

What do Optiv and SAIC sell?
Optiv sells Application Security, Identity Security and Co-Managed SIEM Service. SAIC sells Identity and Data Sciences Laboratory, Testing-as-a-service, Digital engineering-as-a-service, Cybersecurity analysis, Enterprise operations center and 3 more.
Are Optiv and SAIC in the same category?
Yes. Security consulting and advisory is the primary category of both on CISO Tribune.
Where are Optiv and SAIC headquartered?
SAIC is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, United States.
Who are Optiv and SAIC sold to?
Optiv describes services for small organizations just getting started and for large corporations well into security maturity. The portfolio of offerings from SAIC covers the defense, space, civilian and intelligence markets.
What have Optiv and SAIC announced recently?
October 21, 2026: Optiv launched CyberBOT, a free cybersecurity awareness training program for classrooms, nonprofits and communities. October 5, 2026: SAIC announced that it has completed the acquisition of Information Security Corporation.

About Optiv

Optiv sells cybersecurity services that advise on, deploy and operate security programs for organizations. Optiv states that security teams are managing more tools, more telemetry and more AI-driven pressure than their operating models were built to absorb. Optiv's advisory services help define strategy, assess risk and design a security program. Optiv's managed services help operate, monitor and continuously improve a program through ongoing expertise, support and optimization.[2][3]

Optiv offers services to protect applications, APIs and development pipelines by identifying vulnerabilities and improving secure coding practices throughout the software lifecycle. Optiv offers services to safeguard sensitive data by establishing governance, improving visibility and applying consistent protection across cloud, on-premises and hybrid environments. Optiv offers services to secure access across an organization by managing identities, enforcing least privilege and improving authentication, governance and visibility. Optiv offers services that test defenses by simulating real-world attacks to uncover vulnerabilities and strengthen detection and response readiness.[3]

Optiv offers services that improve security performance through continuous monitoring, incident management and operational maturity programs. Optiv offers services that assess and strengthen physical access controls and facility protections. Optiv offers services to align cybersecurity with business risk by strengthening governance, improving visibility and enabling informed decision-making.[3]

Optiv Agentic Security Operations expands MDR into an AI-powered model that connects detection, investigation and response with automation, security tooling and Optiv practitioner expertise.[4]

Optiv's co-managed SIEM service helps monitor security events with just-in-time threat intelligence. Optiv's managed SIEM service offers round-the-clock access to SIEM experts. In the co-managed SIEM service, the SIEM sends alerts to threat analysts in the SOC for human analysis.[5]

Optiv's Vulnerability Remediation services provide risk-based remediation assistance and data-driven metrics that tie into the overall security program. Optiv provides support for initial deployment, installation, configuration and tuning of vulnerability management platforms and solution integration. Optiv AppSec services help organizations design and build application security programs. Optiv offers an endpoint assessment that addresses each step of the attack lifecycle, from payload delivery to data exfiltration.[6]

Optiv names financial services, health care, government, energy and retail among the industries it serves. Optiv delivers strategic and technical expertise to two out of three of the Fortune 500 and nearly 6,000 organizations across every major industry. Optiv serves 73% of the Fortune 100. Optiv is tool agnostic and works within a client's existing technology environment. Optiv has relationships with 450+ technology vendor partners, and an Optiv operations team can manage reporting, quoting and renewals on a client's behalf.[3][4][7]

Optiv is backed by KKR. Optiv has a board of nine directors. Optiv organizes its expertise around SOC modernization, data security, cloud security and identity security.[1][2][3][5][7][8]

Optiv on the record

Sources

Optiv full record

  1. [1]Optiv sells advisory consulting and transformation act business vobisOptiv · optiv.com · published June 2, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]About Us | OptivOptiv · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]Optiv Services | OptivOptiv · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Optiv | Cybersecurity Consultants and SolutionsOptiv · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Co-Managed SIEM Services Improve Security | Optiv | Learn MoreOptiv · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Threat & Vulnerability Remediation Solutions | OptivOptiv · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Cybersecurity Solutions | Innovation and Risk Reduction | OptivOptiv · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Our Leadership Team | OptivOptiv · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Optiv Introduces Agentic Security Operations, Redefining Managed Security Services with the Power of Google Security Operations and Extensive Wiz IntegrationPRNewswire · published August 5, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]Optiv Launches CyberBOT®, A Free Cybersecurity Awareness Training Program for Classrooms, Nonprofits and Communities | OptivOptiv · published October 21, 2026 · Tier A

SAIC full record

  1. [1]CybersecuritySAIC · saic.com · undated page, accessed October 14, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]saic.comSAIC · saic.com · undated page, accessed October 14, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]SAIC Acquires Information Security Corporation, Expanding Zero-Trust, Post-Quantum Cryptography and Encryption CapabilitySAIC · published October 5, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]SAIC Appoints Financial Services Leader David Benson and Business Transformation Expert David Cush to Board of DirectorsSAIC · published August 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]SAIC Announces CEO AppointmentSAIC · published February 17, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]SAIC | Welcome to SAICSAIC · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]SAIC - Stock Plan Administrator (Remote) in , , United StatesSAIC · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]SAIC | As-a-Service Modernizes the Delivery of Government SolutionsSAIC · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]SAIC | From Years to Months: Testing-as-a-Service Accelerates AI Biometric Deployment for Border SecuritySAIC · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]SAIC - Cybersecurity Ops Analyst Sr in Fort Meade, Maryland, United StatesSAIC · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]SAIC | SAIC Announces CEO AppointmentSAIC · published February 17, 2026 · Tier A

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