S21sec

S21sec
Name	S21sec
Type	Private
Industry	Cybersecurity
Founded	2000
Headquarters	Madrid, Spain
Area served	International
Parent	Grupo MasMóvil (formerly)

S21sec is a Spanish cybersecurity firm providing managed security services, consulting, and incident response across Europe and Latin America. Founded in Madrid, it operates security operations centers and offers threat intelligence, digital forensics, and managed detection and response to clients in finance, telecoms, and government sectors. The company has participated in high-profile investigations, partnered with global vendors, and received industry certifications and awards.

History

S21sec was established in Madrid in 2000 and expanded operations into Portugal, Mexico, and Colombia while engaging with entities such as Banco Santander, Telefónica, BBVA, Orange S.A., and Grupo Prisa. During the 2000s and 2010s the firm developed services alongside vendors like IBM, Cisco Systems, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, and FireEye and collaborated with research institutions such as Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Politecnico di Milano, and Instituto Nacional de Ciberseguridad. In 2015 S21sec was involved in consolidation activity in the European market amid transactions affecting firms including Telefonica Digital, Telefónica Global Solutions, KPMG, Deloitte, and Accenture. In subsequent years the company experienced ownership changes involving investors and telecom groups similar to Grupo MásMóvil and engaged with standards bodies like ENISA, NIST, and ISO committees.

Services and Solutions

The company offers managed security services such as security operations center (SOC) monitoring, managed detection and response, threat intelligence feeds, and incident response aligned with frameworks from MITRE ATT&CK, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ISO/IEC 27001, PCI DSS, and GDPR. Client-facing offerings include penetration testing, vulnerability management, digital forensics, and cloud security for platforms like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and telecom infrastructures used by Vodafone Group, Telefonica, and Deutsche Telekom. S21sec also supplied advisory services for compliance regimes referenced in instruments such as Basel III, PSD2, and worked with standards organizations like OWASP, IETF, and ETSI.

Corporate Structure and Ownership

The firm operated with a headquarters in Madrid and regional offices in Iberia and Latin America, reporting through executive leadership and boards comparable to governance structures observed at Telefonica, Banco Santander, BBVA, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, and Iberdrola. Ownership evolved through private equity and strategic acquisition discussions resembling transactions involving Cinven, CVC Capital Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, BC Partners, and telecom investors such as Grupo MásMóvil. Corporate compliance and audit functions interacted with professional services firms like Ernst & Young, PwC, Deloitte, and KPMG for financial reporting and regulatory compliance.

Notable Incidents and Operations

S21sec personnel responded to major incidents and supported investigations into breaches reminiscent of cases involving Equifax, Yahoo!, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Maersk, and Telefonica itself, providing incident response, containment, and forensics. The company published threat reports addressing campaigns tied to actors referenced in reporting on APT28, APT29, Lazarus Group, Equation Group, and FIN7, and collaborated with CERTs such as CERT-EU, US-CERT, INCIBE, CCN-CERT, and CERT-FR. It participated in exercises and simulations alongside organizations like NATO, ENISA, EUROPOL, INTERPOL, and national cybersecurity centres.

Partnerships and Certifications

S21sec held partnerships with technology vendors such as Palo Alto Networks, Splunk, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, FireEye, CrowdStrike, Check Point Software Technologies, and Fortinet, and attained certifications including ISO/IEC 27001, PCI DSS, and recognised compliance with GDPR requirements. The company cooperated with academic partners including Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Universidad de Salamanca, and research groups within CNRS and Fraunhofer Society for talent development and joint projects.

Awards and Recognition

The firm and its teams received industry recognition in regional and vendor award programs similar to distinctions granted at events hosted by Gartner, Frost & Sullivan, SC Magazine, Cybersecurity Excellence Awards, InfoSecurity Magazine, and vendor ceremonies by Microsoft, Cisco, and Palo Alto Networks. Individual analysts and incident responders from the company were cited in reports and speaker lists at conferences such as RSA Conference, Black Hat, DEF CON, IFIP, and FIRST.

Controversies and Legal Issues

Throughout its history the company faced scrutiny typical of cybersecurity providers, including contract disputes, data handling questions, and regulatory inquiries linked to incidents in sectors overseen by Banco de España, Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores, and privacy authorities analogous to Agencia Española de Protección de Datos and European Data Protection Board. Litigations and compliance reviews involved counterparties and audit firms comparable to PwC, KPMG, Deloitte, and Ernst & Young, and regulatory dialogues referenced frameworks from CNMC and ENISA.

Category:Cybersecurity companies Category:Companies of Spain