LayerX emerges from stealth with $7.5M Seed round to launch user-first security platform for all browsers

Cyberattacks are on the rise across all industries. And while hacking methods have evolved over the years, cybersecurity experts found that hackers continue to exploit browser vulnerabilities and leverage some of their most tried-and-true tactics— phishing and ransomware, among others. Browser exploits have become hackers’ go-to initial access vector of choice.

These vulnerabilities pose a serious threat to businesses around the world and put critical business data at risk. That’s why one tech startup is on a mission to help protect the enterprise’s applications, data, and devices from web-borne threats and browsing risks while maintaining optimal user experience.

Enter LayerX, a Tel Aviv-based cybersecurity startup and a developer of a user-first browser-agnostic security platform that provides real-time monitoring and governance over users’ interaction on the web.

Today, LayerX announced it has emerged from stealth with a $7.5 million Seed round for its universal, “user-first” browser security solution that transforms any browser into a highly secure and manageable workspace, with near-zero user impact.

The round was back with investment from Glilot Capital Partners and Kmehin Ventures (the leading Israeli CISO syndicate), alongside FinSec Innovation Lab by Mastercard, Enel X, Int3, GuideStar, and cybersecurity angel investors.

Founded in 2021 by seasoned veterans of IDF cyber units and the cybersecurity industry Or Eshed (CEO) and David Vaisbrud (CTO), LayerX is designed to help monitor, control, and prevent the expanding range of web-based threats and browsing risks.

LayerX’s browser security platform transforms existing web browsers into protected and manageable workspaces without negatively impacting the user experience. LayerX is the pioneer of AI-based high-resolution monitoring, risk analysis and control of all users’ browser activities to enable the enterprise workforce to access any web resource from any device while ensuring protection from the wide range of web-borne risks.

Since the widespread adoption of the cloud, the browser has become a prime destination of attack among hackers, resulting in countless incidents of data loss that are continuously rising. Traditional browsers cater to an environment in which users are easily tricked by hackers into downloading malware and giving away classified information and passwords, while data flows in and out of the organization without restrictions, exposing enterprises to compliance violations.

Legacy network security solutions lack adequate browser security, failing to analyze traffic to the cloud, dynamic web apps, and modern websites, leaving the need for secure browsing unaddressed. Emerging solutions seeking to overcome these weak spots focus primarily on standalone secure web browsers and sandboxing environments that severely impact the browsing experience or work culture.

LayerX employs a different approach to browser security by operating in tandem with all commercially available browsers, enabling workforces to maintain their existing browsing preferences while granting security administrators the flexibility to transform any browser into a secure, customizable, and intuitive workspace without compromising on user experience, performance or privacy.

Amongst the emerging landscape of browser security solutions, LayerX’s is the only “user-first” platform that mitigates the risks associated with users without changing their browsing experience.

“Chrome and Safari aren’t the problem. Web browsers are perfectly built for productivity and security; it’s the interaction of the users over the web browsers that pose a threat to the organization,” notes Or Eshed, CEO and co-founder of LayerX. “Our technology focuses on deep session analysis, adding that pivotal extra layer of security needed to keep browsers truly safe. Our solution fits into any organization and network, offering more security using less resources.”

The LayerX “Plexus” engine performs high-resolution monitoring on all potential browsing risks to detect incoming threats, taking a weight off security administrators. By deploying a dual AI engine that works on both the client side and the backend, LayerX boosts enterprises’ protection against a wide range of browser-based security threats. Using advanced machine learning to gain clearer visibility into the browser, it delivers high-resolution monitoring, risk analysis, and browser control mechanisms. The technology was designed to help workforces embrace secure web browsing while simultaneously maintaining user privacy and confidentiality.

“The move to the cloud turned the browser into the most central tool for everyone in the workplace. With that, it’s clear that a new security layer must be added to protect sessions and provide visibility and control to security teams,” explains Kobi Samboursky, Founder and Managing Partner at Glilot Capital Partners. “On the other hand, organizations must grant employees 100% privacy and flexibility to use any tool they desire. This is what’s so exciting about the LayerX platform – its ability to deploy the best security and visibility layer to security teams, while providing the utmost flexibility, ease of usage and privacy to employees.”

Ira Winkler, industry luminary and former Chief Security Architect at Walmart, concluded: “LayerX chose the approach that seems to make the most sense for browser security. An extension-based approach significantly reduces the technical risk of compatibility across all platforms and the complexity and cost of rollout and maintenance. It also reduces operational risks associated with third parties, diverse equipment, and countless other issues when compared to proprietary browser solutions.”