What we do
Founded in the UK in December 2016, HardenStance is a leading industry analyst firm providing trusted research, analysis and insight in telecom and IT security.
HardenStance publishes some of the best independent analyst reports on cybersecurity risk and solutions for the telecom sector and the broader enterprise market. Some of these reports can be downloaded from the “Reports” section of the HardenStance website.
Sponsored reports targeting the telecom market, and released in the public domain since 2017, include those sponsored by Enea, A10 Networks, Bitdefender, Ericsson, Fortinet, F5 Networks, Netcracker, NetNumber, Netscout, NetQuest, Nokia, Palo Alto Networks, Oracle Communications, Samsung, and Symantec.
Sponsored reports targeting the enterprise market, and released in the public domain in the same timeframe, include those sponsored by AT&T, CyberArk, The Cyber Threat Alliance, Deutsche Telekom, IBM Security, Blue Rocket, Juniper Networks, Noetic Cyber, SecBI, Secureworks, Spirent, Telefonica, Security Scorecard, Resilience Insurance, Palo Alto Networks.
During the 12 months to December 2024, HardenStance has undertaken private and public domain research assignments in a number of areas such as the following:
Enterprise security: Zero Trust; the application of cyber threat intelligence; attack surface management; cyber asset management; cyber incident reporting requirements; threat informed defence; DDoS protection solutions; vulnerability disclosure policies and vulnerability management; practical steps for embracing cyber risk management;
Telecom security: Authentication services; securing telco migration to the public cloud; RAN security; XDR in the telecom sector; new cyber security regulations for the telecom sector; DDoS protection; 5G supply diversity; cyber risk management in the telecom sector; Number Intelligence as a Service (NIaaS); aligning spectrum policy with cybersecurity goals; telco strategy in the consumer security services market; submarine cable security; Quantum safety for the telecom sector; 5G FWA security; OpenRAN security.
Principal Analyst, Patrick Donegan, is a well-known cyber security speaker, delivering incisive talks to private and public audiences. In the year to December 2024, Patrick has spoken in several on-line in-person and virtual events including with Enea; Nokia; Ofcom, Quantum Networks 2024; Mobile Europe’s “Telecom Security & AI”; Cyber Threat Alliance; Mobile Europe; Capacity Media and at ETSI Security Week; as well as a number of private engagements.
Since 2022 HardenStance has become a competitive provider of webinars covering cybersecurity in the telecom sector. HardenStance’s annual Telecom Threat Intelligence Summit is a virtual event that takes place over two half-days in June. TTIS 2024 drew 500 registrations and sponsorship from Fortinet; Enea; NETSCOUT; Nokia; Censys; Security Scorecard and Netnumber. HardenStance has hosted custom webinars for Nokia, Bitdefender and NETSCOUT, featuring guest speakers from the UK’s Ofcom and the NCSC, the Cyber Threat Alliance and Telenor respectively (archived recordings of these are available on the HardenStance online events page).
HardenStance is a strong advocate of industry collaboration in cyber security. HardenStance openly supports the work of key industry associations, organizations and SDOs including NetSecOPEN, AMTSO, The Cyber Threat Alliance, MEF, ETSI, the GSM Association and OASIS. HardenStance has published research on the important work of a number of these organizations and spoken at a number of their events. ETSI, NetSecOPEN and the Cyber Threat Alliance have each served as industry association sponsors of HardenStance reports.
HardenStance is formally recognized by the Cyber Threat Alliance as a ‘CTA Champion’.
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Patrick Donegan, HardenStance’s Founder & Principal Analyst
HardenStance’s Founder is Patrick Donegan, a leading industry analyst and market strategist in the telecom and cyber security sectors for thirty years.
Prior to founding HardenStance, Patrick was the Chief Analyst at Heavy Reading, the research division of Light Reading. From December 2016 to February 2019, he also served on the Advisory Board of the Cyber Rescue Alliance, a management consultancy which helps organizations reduce the harm caused by cyber attacks.
Core Strengths
Patrick’s core strengths are the self-awareness, objectivity, and rigour he brings to his analytical work; his insider’s knowledge of the high tech industry and tech companies; and his communication skills, both as a leading technology industry analyst and report-writer and an incisive, thought-provoking, speaker. In the fifteen years since he first turned his attention to cyber security, Patrick has accumulated knowledge and expertise across the NIST Cyber Security Framework’s five pillars of Identification; Protection; Detection; Response and Recovery.
11 Years at Heavy Reading
Patrick joined Heavy Reading from Nortel in 2006. He initially joined as a mobile networks analyst before launching the company’s network security research practise focused on the role of the telco in the cyber security ecosystem. During his time with Heavy Reading, Patrick published many syndicated and custom reports and led several custom consulting projects for leading vendor and operator clients. He was appointed Heavy Reading’s Chief Analyst in 2013.
Many Years Working For Leading Tech Companies
Patrick understands high tech companies from the inside, having worked directly for two of the largest. From 1999 – 2001 he worked for Motorola’s Corporate Strategy office in EMEA. From 2001-2006 he worked for Nortel Networks in a strategic planning role supporting the company’s mobile networks business.
Early Career at The Economist Group
He cut his teeth as a telecom sector analyst with the Yankee Group (since acquired by 451 Research), serving as a mobile networks analyst from 1997 – 1999. While he honed his excellent public speaking skills during his time at Heavy Reading, Patrick first established a reputation as a leading writer and editor in the telecom sector way back in the early 1990s. From 1990- 1995 he worked for Public Network Europe magazine, published by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. From 1995 until 1997 when he joined the Yankee Group, Patrick was Editor of Mobile Communications International. His full Linked-In CV, including Recommendations from colleagues and clients, can be viewed here.