AttackIQ establishes South African operations with new country leadership

With its South African debut, the company has appointed cyber security veteran Luke Cifarelli as country manager.

Luke Cifarelli, AttackIQ SA country manager.

Cybersecurity company AttackIQ has announced its formal entry into the South African market, marking the US-based firm's expansion into the region with dedicated local operations.

The company has named cybersecurity industry veteran Luke Cifarelli as country manager to lead its South African initiatives. According to Cifarelli, the continent is experiencing accelerated digital transformation that creates substantial opportunities alongside elevated cybersecurity risks.

"High-profile security incidents have increasingly impacted financial institutions, critical infrastructure operators, and government entities," Cifarelli explained. "Organizations are recognizing that traditional, periodic security assessments no longer provide adequate protection. There's growing demand for continuous security validation and threat-informed defensive strategies."

The establishment of local operations represents AttackIQ's commitment to strengthening the regional cybersecurity landscape, Cifarelli noted. The company was established in 2013 by security professionals who helped develop operational applications of the MITRE ATT&CK framework.

"Our founding principle centers on providing defenders with an independent platform for continuous validation of security controls against actual adversary tactics," Cifarelli stated.

While AttackIQ's solutions were previously accessible through regional channel partnerships, the company has now invested in direct market presence following demonstrated success with existing clients.

"Several progressive South African organizations across banking, retail, and insurance sectors have already implemented our platform," Cifarelli observed. "These clients accessed our technology through global partners and direct relationships. Their achievements and measurable value realization validated strong market demand, supporting our decision to establish dedicated local resources."

Regarding staffing plans, Cifarelli indicated the immediate priority involves building robust customer and partner support infrastructure. Team expansion will follow naturally as client engagement deepens and market presence grows, ensuring continued delivery of comprehensive support services.

The company targets organizations across multiple size categories, including major enterprises in financial services, critical infrastructure, telecommunications, and mining sectors, as well as mid-market companies and managed security service providers seeking advanced threat validation capabilities.

AttackIQ's platform enables organizations to simulate real-world attack scenarios continuously, helping security teams identify gaps in their defensive posture and validate the effectiveness of their security investments before actual threats materialize.