Satellite Security in the Cyber-Space Domain
The topic of cybersecurity in space systems is becoming increasingly highlighted and proves as a serious threat for companies who own these systems.
Hackrate Joins the White Hat Family: A Strategic Move Toward Stronger Ethical Hacking Capabilities
We’re thrilled to announce a major milestone in the journey of both White Hat IT Security and Hackrate. Our CEO, Sándor Fehér, has recently acquired 100% of investor shares in Hackrate, making him the majority owner of one of Europe’s fastest-growing bug bounty platforms. With this move, Hackrate officially joins the White Hat portfolio, expanding our cybersecurity services with a key strategic offer: managed bug bounty program.
I’m happy and proud to share that at the age of 44, I’ve become an investor. Welcome to the White Hat family, Hackrate!
– Sándor Fehér, CEO of White Hat IT Security
The acquisition came after an inspiring meeting at this year’s RSA Conference in San Francisco, where Sándor connected with Hackrate’s co-founders, Balázs Pózner and Levente B. Molnár. From the outset, it was clear there was strong alignment in vision, values, and ambition. Following detailed strategic discussions, Sándor decided to buy out all previous investors to bring Hackrate fully under the White Hat umbrella.
Why Bug Bounty and Ethical Hacking Matter Now More Than Ever
With the integration of Hackrate, we’re not just expanding our portfolio — we’re reinforcing our commitment to proactive, real-world security testing. But what exactly is a managed bug bounty program, and why is it so critical in today’s threat landscape?
A managed bug bounty program is a crowdsourced cybersecurity model where independent ethical hackers — also known as white hats — are invited to identify vulnerabilities in software, infrastructure, or applications. They are rewarded based on the severity and impact of the bugs they uncover.
Compared to traditional penetration testing, bug bounty offers:
- Continuous Security Assurance: Real-time, always-on testing, not just once a year.
- Global Researcher Pool: Diverse talent with varied backgrounds and techniques.
- Pay-for-Impact: Only verified, meaningful vulnerabilities trigger rewards.
Crowdsourced Security Testing: A Trusted Model for Modern Cyber Defense
Crowdsourced security testing has rapidly evolved from a niche idea into a globally accepted best practice for uncovering vulnerabilities—used by organizations of all sizes, from agile startups to major public institutions. This model gives companies access to a worldwide network of vetted ethical hackers who simulate real-world threats and uncover critical flaws before they can be exploited.
Hackrate has been instrumental in promoting this approach across Europe and beyond. The Ministry of Regional Development of the Czech Republic, for example, launched a public bug bounty program with Hackrate—setting new standards for transparency in the public sector.
Fintech innovator SEON runs a private bug bounty program on the Hackrate platform to strengthen the security of its fraud detection technology. As part of its U.S. market entry, SEON engaged ethical hackers through Hackrate — not only to meet local compliance requirements but also to build trust and demonstrate its commitment to cybersecurity.
Likewise, Everest — an AI-native ERP platform tailored for SaaS and digital-first businesses — partnered with Hackrate ahead of its SOC2 audit. By engaging Hackrate’s global hacker community, Everest benefited from diverse expertise and thorough vulnerability analysis to strengthen its overall security posture.
These cases show how modern organizations are embracing crowdsourced testing as a strategic pillar of cyber defense—not just a compliance checkbox.
Building a Stronger Future
Hackrate’s own announcement echoed this new direction:
Hackrate has reached a new milestone. We’re excited to welcome Sándor Fehér as our new majority shareholder. His experience in building White Hat IT Security into a globally respected cybersecurity company will support our continued growth.
With Hackrate now fully integrated, White Hat offers a complete suite of cybersecurity services: red teaming, vulnerability management, managed detection and response, and now managed vulnerability disclosure policy (mVDP) and bug bounty services through Hackrate.
Together, we are proud to operate one of the largest pentesting teams in the Central European region.
What’s Next?
This isn’t just a business acquisition—it’s a strategic step toward deeper innovation.
As Sándor said,
More acquisitions and innovations are on the way.
Stay tuned, and if you’re a company looking to elevate your security posture through ethical hacking and real-world testing, we’d love to talk. Learn more at: