Nudge Security: SaaS and GenAI Security and Governance at Scale

For all the ease of adopting Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions, managing and securing them has only become more difficult as the software industry moves away from packaged software delivery models. Companies struggle to keep up with unsanctioned SaaS applications usage, facing high subscription costs and significant data security risks. 

Add to this the rapid adoption of Generative AI (GenAI), which exacerbates the problem. Employees, eager to improve productivity, leverage an expanding number of assistive AI solutions in the form of SaaS applications. Companies need better visibility and governance over “Shadow AI” and SaaS adoption to guide employees toward approved providers and ensure appropriate data protections and security guardrails are in place. Robust discovery and scalable governance are required to meet the deluge of GenAI and SaaS applications and reduce the risk of data breaches and privacy violations. 

Amidst these challenges, Nudge Security tackles shadow AI and SaaS sprawl by providing a state-of-the-art turnkey solution that delivers immediate value via its patented discovery approach and ease of deployment. 

Founded by Russ Spitler and Jaime Blasco, serial entrepreneurs and former AlienVault (acquired by AT&T) security leaders who respectively led product development and threat research, Nudge Security delivers a complete and continuously updated inventory of all SaaS applications ever used enterprise-wide, empowering organizations with greater control over SaaS sprawl and governance- including GenAI usage. Nudge Security enables third-party risk management by providing security profiles for each SaaS provider and visibility into AI tools embedded in the supply chain of every SaaS application for unrivaled visibility into SaaS software supply chain risk.  

Nudge Security also takes a human-centric approach to governance, enabling security teams to send automated, user-friendly “nudges” to prompt users to adopt secure practices.  For example, when a new GenAI account is detected, a nudge can be immediately delivered to the user with acceptable use guidance, or suggestions on pre-approved alternatives. 

When we reconnected with Russ and Jaime, we were impressed by their deep understanding of this pervasive problem and vision for change, as well as the immediate value customers realized with their product.  At Forgepoint, we were able to implement Nudge’s technology within seconds and uncover multiple abandoned accounts and shadow SaaS applications. We firmly believe Nudge Security is at the forefront of SaaS security and uniquely-positioned to solve the many challenges faced by modern organizations. 

Today, we are thrilled to join Nudge Security’s $16.5M Seed funding round along with Ballistic Ventures, and we look forward to being valued partners in their journey.  

As a lead investor and Chairman of the Board of AlienVault, I had the opportunity to work closely with Barmak Meftah and Roger Thornton from Ballistic Ventures (the former CEO and CTO of AlienVault, respectively), Russ and Jaime- for nearly a decade as the company scaled through its acquisition by AT&T. It was quite a journey of ingenuity, growth, and grit.  

As Nudge Security takes on the market, we believe its product vision and strong core of experienced entrepreneurs, board members, and investors will lead the company to future success. We look forward to supporting the exceptional team at Nudge Security as they “bring the band back together” to revolutionize SaaS security.