HiddenLayer AI Vendor Risk Profile
AI/ML security platform covering supply-chain scanning, runtime defense, and adversarial red-teaming across the model lifecycle. SOC 2 Type II compliant. Selected as awardee on the Missile Defense Agency SHIELD multiple-award contract (ceiling $151B) in January 2026. $50M Series A led by M12 (Microsoft VF) with Booz Allen Ventures, IBM Ventures, Capital One Ventures, and Ten Eleven Ventures.
Risk overview
Risk score: 37/100
Risk tier: Moderate
Safety rating: 63/100 (higher is better)
Lower risk scores indicate lower assessed risk.
Last verified: May 18, 2026 Fresh
Risk dimensions
| Dimension | Risk score |
|---|---|
| Data Handling | 58/100 |
| IP Exposure | 16/100 |
| Jurisdiction | 13/100 |
| Security | 40/100 |
| Regulatory Compliance | 50/100 |
| Transparency | 50/100 |
| Business Stability | 41/100 |
| Dependency Chain | 37/100 |
| Agent Governance | Not assessed |
Analyst summary
Rating: Recommended
HiddenLayer is the most-established dedicated AI/ML security platform on the US market. SOC 2 Type II compliant, awarded a Missile Defense Agency SHIELD multiple-award contract in January 2026 (IDIQ ceiling $151B), with strategic investor mix that signals deep security and government channel access (M12 / Microsoft Venture Fund, Booz Allen Ventures, IBM Ventures, Capital One Ventures, Ten Eleven Ventures). The platform covers ML supply-chain scanning, runtime detection, and adversarial red-teaming — the three jobs that AI-using enterprises actually need protected.
Bottom line: Currently the strongest dedicated AI security vendor for US enterprise and federal buyers. The MDA SHIELD award and the Microsoft-led investor syndicate make HiddenLayer a credible federal-channel partner; FedRAMP and ISO 27001 are the obvious near-term compliance gaps to close before broader civilian-agency or international adoption.
Strengths
- SOC 2 Type II compliant
- NIST AI RMF aligned — uncommon and meaningful for a security-tools vendor
- DoD/MDA contract relationships (SHIELD IDIQ) demonstrate federal-grade security validation
- Investor base (Microsoft, IBM, Booz Allen, Capital One, Ten Eleven) signals enterprise + government channel depth
- Red-teaming program disclosed; annual AI Threat Report publishing cadence
- Customer ML models and artifacts treated as confidential; no training on customer data
Concerns
- No FedRAMP authorization yet despite federal customer footprint — required for many DoD/civilian-agency deployments
- No ISO 27001 — international buyers may need supplementary attestations
- DoD/MDA work may bring ITAR or CUI handling requirements depending on engagement scope
- Small team (51-200) relative to ambition and federal customer growth
- Public subprocessor list not available
Best for
- Financial services, technology, and US federal AI deployments needing ML supply-chain scanning and adversarial-attack defense
- Enterprises that have moved AI from pilot to production and need security controls specific to ML threats
- Buyers who want a vendor with documented federal compliance traction
Avoid if
- You require a FedRAMP-authorized AI security tool today
- Your procurement requires ISO 27001 plus SOC 2
- You are looking for a generic application security tool rather than ML-model-specific defense
Citations
- Governance — Government Contract Details
- Governance — Government Contracts
- Vendors — Description
- Security Compliance — Soc2 Type2
- Vendors — Funding Total Usd