Lineaje Secures $20 Million in Funding to Assist Companies in Defending Against Software Supply Chain Risks

The landscape of software supply chains is under siege from numerous threats. A study in 2024 by the Ponemon Institute revealed that more than 50% of organizations have fallen victim to a software supply chain attack, with 54% reporting such an incident in the last year, according to a report.

Attacks on the supply chain commonly aim at third-party vendor services or open-source software components critical to a company’s technological infrastructure, potentially causing severe financial harm. A report by Juniper Research suggests that by 2026, such cyber attacks on supply chains might lead to global economic losses nearing $81 billion due to revenue and damage costs. In response, the White House has acknowledged the severity of software supply chain security as a national security issue, issuing an executive order to frame preventive standards.

This situation has spurred the creation of solutions designed to identify and ideally counteract attacks targeting businesses’ software supply chains. Lineaje, a startup that recently completed a $20 million Series A financing round, is at the forefront of developing such technology, as highlighted on their site Lineaje. Founded by Javed Hasan and Anand Revashetti in 2021, Lineaje provides tools that flag tampered or outdated software within an organization’s supply chain, proposing remediations to detected vulnerabilities.

Hasan, CEO of Lineaje, emphasized to TechCrunch the importance of managing and mitigating the software-related risks impacting organizations and their clientele. He stated, “Lineaje’s mission is to identify, manage, and secure software, regardless of its origin.”

Both founders have significant backgrounds in cybersecurity, having lent their expertise to companies like Symantec, McAfee, and Norton. Their paths converged at McAfee, with Revashetti serving as a chief architect and fellow.

“The rise in software supply chain attacks and associated concerns has been continuous,” Hasan commented, noting that these risks are now amongst the top concerns for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and the U.S. government alike.

Despite entering a competitive field against entities such as Kusari, Ox Security, Chainguard, Dustico, Endor, and initiatives by major technology firms like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft aimed at bolstering open-source software security, Lineaje seeks distinction through its dedication to defense operations. Hasan revealed the company is supporting the U.S. Air Force’s “Eagle Eyes” anti-terrorism initiative and has engagements with other federal entities not disclosed publicly.

Challenges confronted by public sector agencies regarding software supply chain vulnerabilities mirror those in the private sector. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security disclosed in a report how a vulnerability in Apache’s Log4j2 logging utility led to extended remediation efforts by one cabinet agency, highlighting difficulties in pinpointing affected software components.

The infusion of funds from Lineaje’s Series A will aid in expanding its reach within the U.S. public sector, according to Hasan. He indicates that the financial backing should sustain the company at least until the early part of 2027, marking the firm’s initial revenue year. With a current strength of roughly 30 employees, plans are in place to double this number by year’s end.

Contributors to the funding round include co-leads Prosperity7 Ventures, Neotribe, and Hitachi, with Tenable Ventures, Carahsoft, Wipro Ventures, SecureOctane, and AlumniVentures also participating.