Strategy and Solutions
Our client was a rapidly growing SaaS startup specializing in cloud-based workflow automation for small and mid-sized enterprises. With over 25,000 active users and a growing enterprise pipeline, the company had reached a pivotal moment—it was preparing for a Series A funding round from institutional investors who demanded proof of robust cybersecurity maturity.
The company’s multi-tenant platform processed sensitive client documents, financial records, and integration data from third-party applications such as Salesforce, HubSpot, and Slack. Investors required evidence of proactive security measures, audit logs, and penetration testing validation before proceeding with their investment commitment.
Zymr was engaged to conduct a comprehensive penetration testing and security posture review across the client’s cloud environment, APIs, and internal DevOps pipelines. The objective was to identify potential attack vectors, validate compliance controls, and equip the client with investor-ready security documentation.
The engagement was both a technical and strategic mission—beyond identifying vulnerabilities, Zymr needed to build investor trust and position the startup as a secure, scalable SaaS platform ready for enterprise adoption.
As a fast-scaling startup, the client faced multiple intertwined security and operational challenges that commonly emerge in early growth phases.
The combination of rapid product iteration, limited internal security expertise, and cloud misconfigurations exposed the company to both technical and reputational risks. Zymr’s challenge was to help the startup mature its security practices without slowing its innovation cadence or delaying its funding round.
By the project’s conclusion, the startup had achieved far more than compliance; it had built a scalable foundation for secure innovation. Zymr’s penetration testing and remediation program allowed the company to accelerate customer acquisition, onboard enterprise clients, and close major funding with zero hesitation around security maturity.
In essence, Zymr helped a promising SaaS startup mature into a trusted, investor-ready organization, proving that cybersecurity excellence is not just risk mitigation, but a strategic growth enabler.
The engagement yielded significant technical and business outcomes:
Beyond technical hardening, Zymr’s work elevated the startup’s credibility with investors, enterprise clients, and auditors—turning cybersecurity into a competitive differentiator rather than a compliance checkbox.
Zymr adopted a three-phase strategy—assessment, remediation, and validation—to align technical risk management with investor expectations.
Zymr’s security engineers performed a full-stack penetration test and infrastructure audit, including:
Burp Suite, Nmap, AWS Inspector, Nessus, OWASP ZAP, and Terraform compliance scripts were used for both discovery and validation phases.
This deep-dive assessment revealed critical systemic weaknesses but also provided a clear remediation roadmap. The findings served as evidence to investors that the startup was proactive in addressing cybersecurity risks before scaling further.
Zymr worked directly with the client’s DevOps and engineering teams to implement the remediation plan with minimal disruption to daily operations.
Cloud Security Governance
API and Application Security
Secure Development Lifecycle (SDLC) Enhancements
Data Protection and Privacy Controls
The remediation phase transformed the startup’s fragmented security approach into a structured, policy-driven security framework. These measures not only eliminated high-risk vulnerabilities but also embedded sustainable security practices into product development and operations.
Once remediation was completed, Zymr performed a secondary validation test and documentation exercise.
Penetration Re-Testing:
All previously identified vulnerabilities were re-tested to confirm resolution. No critical or high-severity issues remained open.
Automated Compliance Evidence Collection:
Zymr prepared investor-facing documentation, including:
Investor Due Diligence Support:
Zymr’s consultants participated in investor technical Q&A sessions, explaining implemented security measures, cloud governance controls, and continuous monitoring strategies.
The validation and documentation process provided tangible proof of the startup’s transformation. Investors gained visibility into not just fixes but long-term operational security maturity, reinforcing confidence in the company’s growth trajectory.
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