ⓒ STEALIEN

Now it’s time to take a look at a Korean business bringing about changes in the global economy with some new ideas. 

The company we’re going to introduce today is STEALIEN, a provider of cyber security solutions. Let’s hear from vice president of the company Shin Dong-hui.(신동휘) 

Since its establishment in 2015, STEALIEN has provided mobile app security solutions, administered mock-hacking projects, analyzed vulnerabilities in various service environments and undertaken intensive R&D efforts. The company deals with cyber security issues overall. 

Most employees of the company are considered top-class hackers. They received awards at hacking competitions or found shortcomings of locally-produced software. Some majored in computer science at prestigious universities in Korea. 

The young, talented people are making great efforts to develop innovative products. 

The company name STEALIEN is short for “We STEAL ALIEN technology.” Company founder and CEO Park Chanam(박찬암) was a white-hat hacker who is widely known in the cyber security industry. A white-hat hacker refers to a computer security expert who blocks malicious hacking. He won prizes at hacking competitions in Korea and overseas. While attending high school, for instance, he won an award at DEF CON, one of the world’s largest hacker conventions known as the “Olympics of hacking.” In 2008, he was introduced as a cyber security specialist in high school textbooks in Korea. He was also listed on Forbe’s 30 Under 30 Asia 2018. Most employees of the company, including vice president Shin, were formerly white-hat hackers who distinguished themselves at various hacking contests. 

It is easy to guess that hackers can understand hackers better than anyone else. STEALIEN provides security consulting from the viewpoint of hackers. 

Cyber security consulting can be offered in two ways. First, when we’re given the name, web or app service of a customer company, we attack the service to see how the company will cope with the cyber attack. Second, a company may give us more detailed information such as its source code. We then attack the particular point. In doing so, we find vulnerabilities one after another and inform the company of them. Based on the findings, we create a potential attack scenario that might actually happen in real life and let the company know that. 

STEALIEN’s consulting service attempts to launch a cyber attack on the security network of a company. Based on the result, it provides appropriate solutions. 

When financial firms or public institutions ask for STEALIEN’s consulting, for example, white-hat hackers at the company hack into the clients’ internal networks or websites, find vulnerable parts and suggest countermeasures. The company’s clients include not only private firms but government institutions including local governments and the prosecution.   

Another strong point of the company is that it encourages the employees to work on their own R&D projects and supports them. Aside from the projects given by the company, they may carry out research they want. The company develops some of the individual research results into new services. That is, employees are allowed to conduct research they are interested in, while the company can release high-quality security services, generating the effect of killing two birds with one stone. 

Apart from the company’s R&D projects, employees may choose their own research themes and work on them. Sometimes, the individual research projects prove to be profitable. This is very efficient, since individual employees can do what they want to do, and the company may use the results for marketable services. 

STEALIEN’s flagship products include a mobile app security solution called “AppSuit Series” and a cyber hacking training system known as the “Cyber Drill System.” 

“AppSuit” prevents hackers from forging or modifying apps and blocks their memory hacking attempt. “AppSuit” is embedded in mobile apps operated by many financial firms in Korea, including Shinhan Bank and Kookmin Bank, and in local finance managing apps such as Toss and Banksalad. 

The “Cyber Drill System” contains various examples of hacking attacks. By offering hacking practices in an environment similar to real cyber attacks, the system helps the users undergo attack and defense training so they can prepare for new types of hacking attacks. 

“AppSuit” is a mobile app security solution. Before a bank distributes an app, for instance, hackers may forge or alter the app and plant a malicious code in it. If a user downloads the bank app, hackers may do something malicious through the fake app. To prevent this from happening, “AppSuit” protects apps from various hacking attacks using the technology of making it harder for attackers to modify them. In other words, the solution enables the users to operate apps in a safer environment. 

With cyber security technology becoming increasingly important, STEALIEN has grown rapidly year after year. In the first year of its foundation, its sales stood at 450-thousand US dollars. But the sales have increased ten-fold in just five years. 

CEO Park was selected as “Respected Entrepreneur of 2020” by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to become the youngest person ever to achieve the feat. Also last year, the company was on the Ministry of Science and ICT’s list of “Software High-Growth Club 200” as a potential high growth firm. 

As the digital environment is being exposed to greater hacking threats amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the company’s next task is to secure a talented workforce. 

Software is developed by people after all. To create innovative software, it is important for developers to consider various factors and situations. That’s why we make constant efforts to find talented workers. 

If users are looking for any solution to resolve cyber security problems, we hope STEALIEN will come to their mind first. Internally, we hope all company employees can do what they want to do in an interesting way and enjoy their lives. These are the main goals of the company.

Each one of the employees at STEALIEN represents the company’s competitiveness and useful weapon. Through its relentless R&D efforts, the company will surely grow into a global market leader armed with brilliant technology.