
HiddenLayer
HiddenLayer provides purpose-built security for organizations deploying generative, predictive, and agentic AI. Its platform helps security teams discover AI assets, inspect models for malware and vulnerabilities, continuously simulate attacks, and detect runtime threats. It integrates with existing security and MLOps environments while protecting sensitive models, prompts, data, and intellectual property.

What is HiddenLayer?
HiddenLayer is an AI security company that helps enterprises discover, assess, test, and protect AI models, applications, agents, and workflows throughout their lifecycle. Its platform combines AI Discovery, AI supply chain security, AI attack simulation, and AI runtime security. Organizations can use HiddenLayer to identify shadow AI, scan models for vulnerabilities, simulate adversarial attacks, monitor production systems, and protect intellectual property without exposing sensitive model data.
HiddenLayer was founded in March 2022 and emerged from stealth that July after raising $6 million in seed funding. It later raised $50 million in Series A funding and $100 million in Series B funding in September 2026. HiddenLayer reports more than 50 disclosed CVEs and 30+ issued patents, while its model-security technology can deliver a 75%+ reduction in exposure to AI exploits. The company also reported annual recurring revenue growth exceeding 10x.
- Platform Role: Enterprise AI Security, Model Scanning & Runtime Threat Protection
- Developer & Organization: HiddenLayer, Inc.
- Cross-Platform Access: Enterprise Web Console, Cloud Platform, and Developer APIs
Use Cases:
- Scanning third-party and open-source models for malware, hidden backdoors, and supply chain vulnerabilities before deployment
- Protecting production LLMs and agentic AI systems against prompt injection, model extraction, and data leakage
- Simulating real-world AI adversarial attacks through continuous automated red teaming
- Discovering unmapped and shadow AI assets across cloud infrastructure and internal pipelines
- Enforcing real-time guardrails to ensure compliance with enterprise safety and regulatory frameworks
Technology:
- Patented vector-observation threat detection engine operating without performance latency overhead
- Static and dynamic model inspection algorithms for comprehensive supply chain security
- Automated red teaming and adversarial simulation frameworks mapped to OWASP AI risk guidelines
- Seamless SIEM, SOAR, MLOps, and CI/CD integrations for enterprise workflow protection
Target Users: Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), AI security engineers, MLOps architects, enterprise software developers, and compliance leads.
Acquisition: Enterprise demo request and custom deployment options available via hiddenlayer.com.
What are the key features of HiddenLayer?
HiddenLayer's core AI security capabilities include
- AI Asset Discovery: Continuously inventories and tracks internal AI applications, models, and endpoints to eliminate shadow AI risks.
- Model Scanner & Supply Chain Safety: Inspects third-party models and weight files for embedded malware, corruption, or architectural tampering prior to production rollouts.
- AI Detection & Response (AIDR): Monitors live inference requests and vector outputs to block prompt injections, model extraction, and data poisoning attempts in real time.
- Agentic & MCP Defense: Protects autonomous AI agents and Model Context Protocol (MCP) workflows against unauthorized tool actions and malicious exploits.
- Automated AI Red Teaming: Runs continuous adversarial simulations to identify vulnerabilities and validate safety guardrails before bad actors exploit them.
- Policy & Compliance Guardrails: Enforces consistent data privacy controls and regulatory rules across multi-cloud enterprise environments.
How much does HiddenLayer cost?
HiddenLayer is an enterprise-class cybersecurity platform with customized pricing based on deployment scale, model volume, and feature requirements.
Pricing Overview:
- Enterprise Custom Tier: Scaled quote-based pricing for organizations requiring comprehensive model scanning, continuous runtime protection, and custom MLOps pipeline integrations.
- Enterprise Demo & Proof of Concept: Customized pilot programs available for testing platform compatibility and threat protection capabilities.
Disclaimer: Enterprise licensing costs vary depending on architecture and model footprint. Contact HiddenLayer directly for current pricing and demo availability.
Who should use HiddenLayer?
HiddenLayer is built for security and technology leaders, including
- Enterprise CISOs & Security Teams: Gain operational visibility and control over deployed AI models and third-party integrations.
- MLOps & AI Engineers: Automate model vulnerability scanning during build pipelines without disrupting development velocity.
- Financial Services & Regulated Sectors: Ensure compliance and data leak prevention across mission-critical automated decision systems.
What are the best alternatives to HiddenLayer?
Top alternatives to HiddenLayer include
- Protect AI
- Lakera AI
- Robust Intelligence
- CalypsoAI
- Repello AI
- Apex Security
What are the pros and cons of HiddenLayer?
What are the pros of HiddenLayer?
- Non-invasive, agentless technology protects AI systems without compromising operational speed or exposing underlying training data
- Comprehensive protection spanning supply chain scanning, runtime detection, and agentic workflows
- Native compatibility with major CI/CD, MLOps, SIEM, and cloud environments
- Gartner-recognized leadership backed by deep adversarial AI research
What are the cons of HiddenLayer?
- Designed primarily for mid-to-large enterprise deployments rather than individual developers
- Requires cross-departmental coordination between security and MLOps teams during initial onboarding
- Custom enterprise pricing requires direct engagement with sales teams
Why should you choose HiddenLayer?
HiddenLayer delivers a purpose-built security solution tailored specifically to the unique vulnerabilities of machine learning and generative AI. By offering complete coverage across model scanning, live threat monitoring, agentic guardrails, and asset discovery, it allows organizations to scale AI initiatives safely without sacrificing operational performance.
How does HiddenLayer compare to competitors?
HiddenLayer distinguishes itself through its agentless architecture and patented threat detection methodology, which monitors vectorized inputs without requiring access to sensitive model weights or customer data.
| Feature / Platform | HiddenLayer | Protect AI | Lakera AI | CalypsoAI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Total AI Security & Model Runtime Defense | AI Supply Chain & ML Security | Real-time LLM Prompt Security | AI Governance & Prompt Defense |
| Model Supply Chain Scanning | Supported (Pre-deployment Scanning) | Supported (ModelScan) | Limited/API-Focused | Supported |
| Agentic & MCP Protection | Supported | Supported | LLM Focus | Enterprise LLM Focus |
| Deployment Style | Non-Invasive / Agentless | Hybrid / Open Source & Cloud | API Gateway / SDK | Enterprise Cloud / On-Prem |
| Best For | Enterprise CISOs protecting total AI infrastructure | DevSecOps teams building secure ML pipelines | Developers needing instant LLM input guardrails | Organizations needing AI compliance policy controls |
How do we rate HiddenLayer?
| Parameter | Rating (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| Threat Detection & Security Depth | 4.9 |
| Model Supply Chain Safety | 4.8 |
| Integration & Ecosystem Support | 4.8 |
| Runtime Performance & Low Latency | 4.9 |
| Enterprise Value | 4.8 |
| Overall Score | 4.84 |
What is our review and verdict on HiddenLayer?
HiddenLayer stands out as a market leader in AI cybersecurity. Its combination of agentless threat detection, automated supply chain model scanning, and robust agentic guardrails makes it an essential solution for enterprises deploying production AI safely.
Conclusion
HiddenLayer offers enterprises a unified approach to protecting modern AI environments across discovery, development, testing, and production. Its combination of AI asset discovery, model scanning, automated attack simulation, and runtime security addresses risks affecting generative, predictive, and agentic systems. For security and AI teams managing expanding AI infrastructure, HiddenLayer provides tools for improving visibility, governance, model integrity, threat detection, and operational protection.
FAQ
Who is the CEO of HiddenLayer?
The CEO of HiddenLayer is Chris Sestito, a cybersecurity expert and co-founder leading the company's AI security initiatives.
What does a hidden layer do?
A hidden layer processes input data, learns complex patterns, extracts meaningful features, and helps neural networks make accurate predictions.
How much does HiddenLayer cost?
HiddenLayer uses custom enterprise pricing. Costs are not publicly disclosed; organizations must contact the company for a tailored quote.
What does the hidden layer Company do?
HiddenLayer provides AI cybersecurity solutions that protect machine learning models and generative AI applications from attacks, vulnerabilities, and threats.
What is the hidden layer product?
HiddenLayer is an AI security platform that protects machine learning models and generative AI applications from cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks.
User Reviews
No reviews yet for HiddenLayer.
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