Please welcome trackd, the vulnerability remediation system preventing hackers from compromising enterprise systems
Meet trackd, the latest addition to Lerer Hippeau’s portfolio.
HQ: Reston, VA
Founder: Mike Starr
The problem: Right now, vulnerability remediation teams are flying blind. They want to prevent hackers from compromising their systems, but are forced to “patch” — add code to existing software to strengthen functionality or mitigate vulnerabilities — reactively instead of proactively. It’s a game of whack-a-mole, a roll of the dice. As code has become more layered and complex, and as companies integrate more third-party software solutions, innovation in vulnerability management has lagged over the past decade, and threat surface area has increased. As a result, even as software teams become increasingly reliant on machine learning and AI-generated code, patching largely remains manual: security teams are often forced to move slowly due to fears of disruption of existing workflows and processes. The need to modernize patching solutions has never been greater.
trackd’s solution: trackd’s vulnerability remediation platform leverages the collective experience of security and IT teams to automate vulnerability remediation, all while sidestepping risks of disruption. The platform records the experiences of all patches that are implemented by users, including uptime, duration, processes running, and resource consumption. It then anonymizes that data and makes it available in real-time to all other users. As a result, if a patch is proven to be disruptive, remediation teams planning to apply that same patch can leverage trackd’s insights to inform their go-forward plan. Conversely, if a patch is repeatedly applied without disruption, operators can turn to trackd’s auto-patching solution to speed up remediation efforts with little to no impact on their finite human resources.
Origin story: trackd was founded by Mike Starr, a cybersecurity expert and NSA alum with extensive experience protecting networks across a range of enterprises. He has seen first-hand the range of obstacles operators face when attempting to implement patches. While the field has historically been slow to adopt automation — due to concerns around disruption risks — Mike sees an opportunity to modernize patching by combining human expertise with AI in a manner that allows operators to maintain strict oversight on vulnerability management.
Why we’re betting on it: trackd is solving a clear pain point in the vulnerability market and disrupting what has to date been a very stagnant space within security. While there are a number of incumbents within the security space who offer vulnerability management software, none has addressed the growing gap that trackd’s platform bridges. Code is being written faster than ever and weaknesses in software are inevitable, but more and more sophisticated bad actors are searching for points of entry. trackd has developed a platform that equips enterprises with the innovative, automated tools they need to shorten vulnerability windows and keep their systems secure.
Our take: Because incumbents haven’t developed effective patching solutions, enterprises can use trackd’s platform alongside any existing vulnerability management services. This strategy of working within existing systems used by customers will allow trackd to land its core product and eventually expand its reach over time. Mike has extremely impressive technical expertise combined with more than 10 years in the cybersecurity and network security spaces. He is building what we believe will become a “must have” platform for any digital age enterprise, one that will only strengthen from the network effect of growing adoption and increasing data collection on patching efficacy. We couldn’t be more excited to support Mike’s vision of making enterprises, and their customers, more secure.
Further reading: “trackd Secures $3.35MM Seed Funding to Bring Its Novel Approach to Vulnerability Remediation to the Enterprise Security Market” via trackd
