Innovator Spotlight: Guardio

Cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated, putting both individuals and businesses at significant risk. The rise in phishing attacks, identity theft, and online fraud highlights the urgent need for accessible cybersecurity solutions. With U.S. consumers losing over $10 billion to fraud and global cybercrime costs projected to hit $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, it’s clear that proactive online protection is essential.

Guardio addresses this growing problem by offering solutions that help users browse, shop, and communicate safely in a world filled with hidden digital dangers.

Guardio’s Mission and Operations

Founded by Amos Pel, Michael Vainshtein, and Daniel Sirota — three innovators with over 13 years of collaboration — Guardio has seen rapid growth since its inception. Today, the company serves over 1.5 million users worldwide. In December 2021, Guardio secured $47 million in venture funding, led by investors like Tiger Global and Emerge VC, along with backing from Vintage, Samsung Next, Cerca, and Union Tech. This investment has fueled the company’s expansion and the development of advanced cybersecurity solutions.

Guardio’s mission is to create a safer online experience for all internet users and can provide a compelling solution for small businesses. Offering comprehensive protection against both existing and emerging threats, Guardio goes beyond traditional antivirus software. Its innovative approach integrates seamlessly with users’ browsing habits, providing real-time protection without interrupting daily online activities. By proactively identifying and blocking threats such as phishing attacks, malware, malicious extensions, and other cyber risks, Guardio provides a robust defense layer that even sophisticated antivirus programs may overlook.

Guardio’s Proactive Protection

Guardio leverages cutting-edge technology to detect and mitigate online threats at their source. One key feature is its focus on browser-level security, ensuring users are protected while browsing the web. This proactive approach effectively identifies and blocks malicious websites, harmful extensions, and suspicious activity before they can cause harm. Unlike traditional antivirus software that operates at the endpoint, Guardio works within the browser environment, offering lightweight, real-time security without compromising performance.

Guardio Dashboard

At the heart of this innovation is Guardio Labs, a research unit comprised of cybersecurity experts, data scientists, and threat analysts. Guardio Labs continuously monitors the cyber landscape, staying ahead of emerging trends and evolving threats. This team plays a critical role in advancing Guardio’s security solutions by researching new attack vectors, vulnerabilities, and malware variants, ensuring users are always protected from the latest risks.

“My role involves leading a team of experts who analyze and respond to emerging threats, developing new strategies and technologies to enhance our users’ protection, and constantly refining our approach to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals—all aimed at fortifying our users’ online safety,” says Nati Tal, Head of Guardio Labs.

This philosophy reflects Guardio’s commitment to innovation, ensuring its product stays updated to meet the ever-evolving challenges in cybersecurity. Guardio Labs collaborates with global partners to share threat intelligence, enabling the development of preemptive security measures and better protection for the user base.

User-Friendly Security Solutions

Guardio emphasizes ease of use with its security solutions. The browser extension integrates smoothly into everyday browsing activities with minimal impact on system performance. Whether detecting suspicious downloads, flagging phishing attempts, or blocking dangerous websites, Guardio’s tools operate quietly in the background, giving users peace of mind as they navigate the web.

Guardio is designed to offer protection on all fronts, with a browser extension, mobile app, and a solution tailored for small businesses that need top-tier security. Once installed, Guardio acts as the first line of defense, detecting and blocking harmful sites, emails, SMS, and more. Unlike traditional solutions that react during or after the attack, Guardio uses advanced AI to detect and block both known and emerging threats, keeping users secure even against the newest dangers.

With Guardio Labs continuously monitoring for new threats, users can rest assured that protection stays ahead of the curve. Whether browsing the web, checking email, or scrolling through social media, Guardio blocks potential threats and alerts users before damage occurs. The Guardio browser extension is available from the Chrome or Edge Store, and the mobile app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play, with a 7-day free trial that allows users to secure multiple members.

Review sites are glowing when it comes to Guardio’s protection and are full of 5-star reviews up-and-down the Internet:

“In my opinion, Guardio provides the best protection for my computer. I really appreciate how it actively blocks unsafe websites and identifies malicious emails, preventing me from opening them, which is likely spared me from potential infections. I have confidence in Guardio warnings about potentially harmful sites and always prioritize safety, even if I believe a website is safe. I have complete trust and Guardio,” says an anonymous user.

“I think Guardio is the best protection I have for my computer. I love the way it blocks unsafe sites in real time, and it flags any malicious emails so I don’t even have to open them which is probably saved me from any infections I could’ve gotten had I opened those emails. I trust Guardio when it says a site may be harmful, I always go back to safety, even if I think the website should be ok. I trust Guardio completely,” says user Debra Leclerc.

Guardio is designed to have a minimal impact on system performance. As a browser extension, it operates within the browser environment, rather than at the system or endpoint level like traditional antivirus software. This allows it to provide real-time protection without consuming significant system resources.

However, like any software running in the background, it may slightly affect performance depending on the browser and the number of open tabs or extensions running simultaneously. Most users report that Guardio runs efficiently without causing noticeable slowdowns in everyday browsing.

Guardio’s solution empowers users to navigate the digital world confidently. Guardio offers a subscription-based service priced at $9.99 per month, which includes protection for up to five family members under one account. This makes it a cost-effective solution for individuals and small groups looking for online security. Additionally, they offer a 7-day free trial, allowing users to test the service before committing to a subscription.

About the Author

Pete Green, vCISO, Cybersecurity Consultant and Reporter for CDM. Pete Green has over 20 years of experience in Information Technology related fields and is an accomplished practitioner of Information Security. He has held a variety of security operations positions including LAN / WLAN Engineer, Threat Analyst / Engineer, Security Project Manager, Security Architect, Cloud Security Architect, Principal Security Consultant, Manager / Director of IT, CTO, CEO, and Virtual CISO. Pete has worked with clients in a wide variety of industries including federal, state and local government, financial services, healthcare, food services, manufacturing, technology, transportation, and hospitality.

Pete holds a Master of Computer Information Systems in Information Security from Boston University, an NSA / DHS National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance / Cyber Defense (CAE IA / CD), and a Master of Business Administration in Informatics.

Pete can be reached online at ([email protected], @petegreen, https://linkedin.com/in/petegreen )