Cobalt Names Christopher Elisan as Head of Offensive Security Research and Community

Author of Malware, Rootkits & Botnets and premier APT researcher brings extensive expertise in offensive and defensive cybersecurity to lead Cobalt’s global threat research initiatives

Cobalt, the pioneer of penetration testing as a service (PTaaS) and leader in offensive security services, today announced the appointment of Christopher (Tophs) Elisan as its new Director of Offensive Security Research and Community. In this role, Elisan will spearhead continuous innovation in offensive security practices and lead the Cobalt Core community of 450+ of the world’s best pentesters.

Elisan is a seasoned cybersecurity professional with specialized expertise in both offensive and defensive technologies. A premier Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) researcher, he has a proven track record in researching threat actor tooling, malware, deployment vectors, and attack infrastructure. His deep understanding of attacker behavior and the human elements behind cyberattacks enables him to bring a nuanced, strategic approach to threat intelligence.

“Tophs brings a wealth of experience in offensive security and threat research, perfectly aligning with our focus on proactive, real-world security testing,” said Gunter Ollmann, CTO, Cobalt. “His insights into the tactics, techniques, and procedures of advanced adversaries will significantly enhance our ability to stay ahead of evolving threats and deliver actionable intelligence to our customers.”

Elisan’s career spans high-profile positions at organizations including RSA NetWitness, Polyswarm, Flashpoint, F-Secure, and Trend Micro, where he led global security teams through complex investigations, vulnerability management, and the deployment of advanced security solutions. In addition to his leadership expertise, Elisan has authored three books, including Hacking Exposed: Malware and Rootkits, and Malware, Rootkits & Botnets: A Beginner’s Guide. His thought leadership extends to international conferences, where he shares his expert opinions on the latest in cybersecurity threats and incidents.

At Cobalt, Elisan will oversee the company’s focus on evolving pentesting from an art into a science, combining offensive security testing with deep threat intelligence analysis to enhance the company’s PTaaS offerings. His work will focus on identifying emerging vulnerabilities, analyzing adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), and providing actionable insights to help businesses stay secure.

“I’m thrilled to join Cobalt at a time when cybersecurity is evolving at an unprecedented pace,” said Elisan. “The Cobalt Offensive Security Platform, combined with cutting-edge threat research, enables us to provide organizations with critical intelligence that helps them defend against advanced threats before they can cause harm.”

Elisan’s appointment underscores the company’s commitment to proactive cybersecurity, blending the power of offensive security with advanced research to deliver real-time insights that enable organizations to strengthen their defenses and stay ahead of attackers.

About Cobalt

Cobalt is the pioneer in pentesting as a service (PTaaS) and a leader in offensive security services. We are focused on combining talent and technology with speed, scalability, and expertise. Thousands of customers and hundreds of partners rely on the Cobalt Offensive Security Platform, along with 450+ trusted security experts, to find and fix vulnerabilities across their environments. By enabling faster pentest launches, real-time collaboration with pentesters, and seamless integration with remediation workflows, we help organizations identify critical issues and accelerate risk mitigation so they can operate fearlessly and innovate securely.

Cobalt maintains an outstanding NPS of 9.12, reflecting its dedication to customer satisfaction. Read our reviews on G2 to see why customers love us. More at https://www.cobalt.io/. Follow Cobalt on LinkedIn and X.

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