CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Optiv vs Trail of Bits

Optiv sells cybersecurity services that advise on, deploy and operate security programs for organizations. Trail of Bits sells security reviews and engineering services across application security, cryptography, blockchain, AI/ML, low-level systems, and software supply chain. 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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  • Optiv
  • Trail of Bits
Optiv vs Trail of Bits: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
OptivOptiv sells cybersecurity services that advise on, deploy and operate security programs for organizations.optiv.comTrail of BitsTrail of Bits sells security reviews and engineering services across application security, cryptography, blockchain, AI/ML, low-level systems, and software supply chain.trailofbits.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.
  • Application Security[1][2][3]Code, cloud, and architecture review that finds the root cause and the fix for the whole bug class.
  • Blockchain[1][2][3]Review of every layer of a blockchain system, from smart contracts to nodes and bridges.
  • Cryptography[1][2][3]PhD-level cryptographers build and break real protocols.
Categories
Headquarters
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
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]
Not stated on its pages
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.Trail of Bits describes review work for blockchain systems, covering smart contracts, nodes, and bridges. Trail of Bits describes security work on AI systems, from training data to deployed agent loops. Trail of Bits describes advising on the security challenges that come with advancing health research infrastructure.
Last verified
November 4, 2026October 19, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Security consulting and advisory is the primary category of both Optiv and Trail of Bits.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Optiv is also filed under Managed security service providers, Incident response and forensics and Penetration testing and red team services. Trail of Bits is also filed under AI model and agent security, Static application security testing and Software supply chain security.
  • Optiv lists Application Security, Identity Security and Co-Managed SIEM Service. Trail of Bits lists Application Security, Blockchain and Cryptography.

How they differ

CISO Tribune files both Optiv and Trail of Bits under Security consulting and advisory as their primary category. Optiv sells cybersecurity services that advise on, deploy and operate security programs, including managed services, identity security, application security and a co-managed SIEM service. Trail of Bits sells security reviews and engineering services across application security, cryptography, blockchain, AI/ML, low-level systems, and software supply chain.

The two overlap on application security, where Optiv describes services that protect applications, APIs and development pipelines, and Trail of Bits describes code, cloud, and architecture review. Optiv also lists penetration testing and red team services among its categories, while CISO Tribune files Trail of Bits under AI model and agent security. Trail of Bits reviews blockchain systems from smart contracts to nodes and bridges, and it employs PhD-level cryptographers. Trail of Bits maintains more than 100 open-source projects, among them Slither, Echidna, Manticore, and the Building Secure Contracts guide.

Optiv is backed by KKR, and it states that it is tool agnostic and works within a client's existing technology environment. Optiv names financial services, health care, government, energy and retail among the industries it serves, and says it serves 73% of the Fortune 100. Trail of Bits names ARPA-H, and it evaluated a frontier large language model for the UK's Frontier AI Taskforce. On October 21, 2026, Optiv launched CyberBOT, a free cybersecurity awareness training program for classrooms, nonprofits and communities. On August 5, 2026, Optiv announced Optiv Agentic Security Operations, formerly Optiv MDR.

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: Trail of Bits

What Blockchain does[1][2][3]
Trail of Bits reviews every layer of a blockchain system, from smart contracts to nodes and bridges, backed by Slither, Echidna, and Medusa. Trail of Bits maintains Slither, Echidna, and Manticore alongside the Building Secure Contracts guide.
What Cryptography does[1][2][3]
Trail of Bits employs PhD-level cryptographers who build and break real protocols, from zero-knowledge proofs and MPC to post-quantum migrations. Trail of Bits pulls cryptographers, compiler people, and systems engineers onto the same review.

Questions about Optiv and Trail of Bits

What do Optiv and Trail of Bits sell?
Optiv sells Application Security, Identity Security and Co-Managed SIEM Service. Trail of Bits sells Application Security, Blockchain and Cryptography.
Are Optiv and Trail of Bits in the same category?
Yes. Security consulting and advisory is the primary category of both on CISO Tribune.
Who are Optiv and Trail of Bits sold to?
Optiv describes services for small organizations just getting started and for large corporations well into security maturity. Trail of Bits describes review work for blockchain systems, covering smart contracts, nodes, and bridges.
What have Optiv and Trail of Bits announced recently?
October 21, 2026: Optiv launched CyberBOT, a free cybersecurity awareness training program for classrooms, nonprofits and communities.

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

Trail of Bits full record

  1. [1]trailofbits.comTrail of Bits · trailofbits.com · undated page, accessed October 19, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]About · Trail of BitsTrail of Bits · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]Services · Trail of BitsTrail of Bits · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Ruby Security Field Guide — Guide · Trail of BitsTrail of Bits · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Offchain Security Council Rotation · Trail of BitsTrail of Bits · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A

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