First, Wall Street was attacked. Then, the big box retailers fell victim. Now, it’s online video gaming’s turn.
Financially motivated cyber criminals – from skillful hackers to amateur cheaters – ambitiously target the highly lucrative online video game industry. They do so by committing illicit acts of fraud and abuse, stealing high-demand virtual items and currency and easily selling them outside of the game for real money. Using advanced and illusive techniques, these adversaries take advantage of major security gaps within online video games, leaving both publishers and players vulnerable to attack.
Panopticon Laboratories is the first and only cybersecurity company to protect online video game publishers from the financial and reputational damages that result from an in-game cyber attack. We do so by first assessing the size and scope of threats and then deploying advanced anomaly detection and behavioral analysis to proactively identify suspicious activity.
As gamers ourselves, our mission is not just to provide video game publishers with enterprise-quality cybersecurity; it’s also to protect the integrity of the in-video game experience for the player.
With an executive team comprised of former online banking security executives, enterprise cybersecurity specialists, data scientists, and avid video gamers, Panopticon is uniquely qualified to understand the massive in-video game threat landscape and help publishers mitigate risk and maximize revenue.
Executive Team
Matthew Cook
Co-Founder, Product
The idea for Panopticon Labs was born when Matt, a 15-year online banking fraud industry professional and avid video gamer, realized that the fraud experienced by video games mirrored the online fraud and account takeover that banks have been working to prevent for years. As he began to research game companies’ responses to this problem, it became clear that they were devoting significant resources to stopping it, but were primarily relying on outdated, inefficient systems or manual processes that could be easily defeated by fraudsters. Most recently, Matt worked as a senior product manager for Guardian Analytics, a Silicon Valley-based start up that used behavioral analytics to protect financial institutions from fraud. Matt was the product owner for FraudMap ACH, a product that grossed the company $8 million in sales in its first six months on the market. He knows financial fraud and how to design products that work at preventing it, but he also brings 35 years of video gaming experience to the company.
Brian Godsey
Co-Founder, Data Science
Brian has spent his entire career writing software that crunches data. He holds a PhD in applied mathematics, and focuses on the modeling of dynamic systems that contain uncertainty, both in the behavior of individuals within the system as well in the mechanics and structure of the system itself. Brian has developed statistical software that found instigators, anomalies, culprits, and “bad guys” in systems involving cellular gene expression, financial markets, organizational social networks, stem cell genetics, and applications of national security.
Anthony Peluso
Co-Founder, Technology
An avid gamer since he could first hold a controller, Tony is responsible for all things technology. He’s been developing web apps and information rich interfaces since the mid-90s. He has started and run two companies, with clients from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies to government agencies including the US Army and State Dept. Tony has a B.A. in Business Analysis and Information Systems from Texas A&M.
Amy Szabo
Co-Founder, Operations
Amy has spent much of her career helping small organizations define, implement, and direct strategies for resource development, communications, and growth. As a the owner of a proposal writing and communications business, she has been responsible for securing over $36 million dollars for her clients, primarily for small business and economic development focused projects. Her roles at Panopticon Labs include operations, communications, and raising money. She holds a BA in English from Oklahoma State University and an MA in Slavic and East European Studies from The Ohio State University.