atsec History

atsec information security is an independent, standards-based IT (information technology) security consulting and evaluation services company that combines a business-oriented approach to information security with in-depth technical knowledge and global experience.

The company was founded in January 2000 by three internationally-recognized security professionals: Helmut Kurth, Sal La Pietra, and Staffan Persson. The founders, who share a passion for IT security, were so confident that a company focused solely on providing IT security services could be successful that they financed the new business themselves.

The atsec founders are - from left to right - German (Kurth), Italian (La Pietra), and Swedish (Persson), so from the very first day of operation, the company has truly been multinational! To further cement their vision that the company would grow to be global in scope, the founders declared that the language of business of atsec would be English.

The founders envisioned a “basket of IT security experts” combining their technical knowledge and business experience to form a company whose only mission is to provide IT security consulting services. The new company’s name “atsec” was transformed from the Italian “cesta”, which means “basket” in English.

atsec’s business began with a single small contract to provide IT security consulting services to Vodafone, and began to grow almost immediately, acquiring some of the world’s largest IT sector companies (including IBM, HP, and Vodafone) as customers in less than six years. From the original three founder and single office in Munich, Germany, atsec today has grown steadily in four countries (Germany, U.S., Sweden and China).

In addition to growing geographically, the company’s vision of the scope of IT security needs and how those needs can be met has also grown.

Here’s the scenario today -- the need to protect information is universal, covering both old (like paper files) and new (like personal computers and the Internet) technologies, so a “security layer” within each technology is necessary. But because information seldom stays within a single technology, the transfer of information between technologies also must be kept secure. So, in addition to the security layer within each technology, a security layer addressing the security of information flow between technologies is needed. It adds up to the notion of an “IT Security Highway” like this:

The IT Security Highway provides the security layer that protects information within each technology and also protects information as it moves between the technologies. It’s a large and complex scenario with significant challenges, but it’s a challenge that atsec, with its “basket of IT security experts”, its proven record, and its global outlook, is well-equipped to address.

What's more, non-technical factors, like managing business-related risks, also are part of managing information. The non-technical aspects of IT security add yet another dimension that must be accounted for in a successful IT security model.

Please also take a look at our company presentation for more information.