Built by Hackers, For Defenders
We started Sharktols because we got tired of seeing small businesses fall victim to the same attacks we used to exploit. Now we're on the other side, building walls instead of breaking them down.
From Black Hat to White Hat
Back in 2019, I was part of a different world. Penetration testing, finding vulnerabilities, sometimes crossing lines I shouldn't have. But when my neighbor's bakery lost ,000 to a simple phishing attack, something clicked.
Small businesses don't have million-dollar security budgets or dedicated IT teams. They're sitting ducks for cybercriminals who know exactly how vulnerable they are. That's when I decided to flip the script.
Sharktols launched in early 2022 with a simple mission: use everything we learned on the attack side to build better defenses for the businesses that need it most.
What Drives Us Every Day
Real-World Defense
We don't just read about attacks in security blogs. We've seen them firsthand, executed them ourselves, and know exactly how they work. This experience shapes every solution we build.
Startup-Focused
Big enterprise security doesn't work for small teams with tight budgets. We build solutions that scale with your business, not against it.
Speed Over Perfection
In cybersecurity, a good solution today beats a perfect solution next month. We prioritize quick deployment and iterative improvement over lengthy planning cycles.
Meet Our Security Architect
Zelda Nightshade leads our security architecture team with over eight years of experience on both sides of the cybersecurity fence. She started as a penetration tester in 2017, worked with several red team operations, and made the transition to defensive security in 2021.
Her background in offensive security gives her a unique perspective on threat modeling and vulnerability assessment. She's particularly focused on helping startups understand their risk profile without drowning them in technical jargon.
When she's not analyzing attack vectors, Zelda volunteers with local nonprofits to help them improve their digital security posture.
Our Approach
We believe cybersecurity should be accessible, not intimidating. Every solution we develop starts with a simple question: would a busy startup founder actually use this? If the answer is no, we go back to the drawing board.
Why We're Different
Most security companies focus on compliance checkboxes and feature lists. We focus on outcomes. Did we stop the attacks that matter? Did we make your team more productive? Did we save you money? That's how we measure success.
Looking Ahead
The threat landscape evolves constantly, and so do we. Our roadmap for 2025 includes AI-powered threat detection, expanded API security tools, and deeper integration with popular startup tech stacks.