Network Perception

Network Perception develops NP-View, a network visualization and analysis platform for operational technology (OT) environments. The software ingests existing backups of network device configuration files — firewalls, routers and layer 3 switches — and automatically generates network topology maps, replacing manual diagrams that become outdated. From that model it performs path analysis, flags overly permissive configurations, highlights access and segmentation risks, and produces evidence and reports used for compliance verification, including NERC CIP and TSA audits. The company groups its capabilities into three areas: network visibility (automated topology mapping, enriched with imported asset and vulnerability data), network auditing (device configuration and firewall ruleset review with unified tables, color highlighting and annotation for justification), and network segmentation (interface- and zone-level matrices showing zone-to-zone communication permissions and unintended access paths).

NP-View is designed as a read-only, agentless application: it requires no sensors, shims or network taps on the OT network, runs on premises in offline mode, and does not require internet connectivity. It is available as NP-View Desktop, a Windows 10/11 application, or in a multi-user NP-View Server mode, and supports devices from more than 25 manufacturers. The company also frames a maturity path for customers spanning policy review, audit assistance, architecture review, network risk assessment, continuous configuration monitoring with ticketing-system integration and change sandboxing, and incident response preparation. Alongside the software, Network Perception offers Reporting as a Service in Bronze, Silver and Gold packages that deliver topology maps, firewall interface, access rule and object group reports, and segmentation matrices with expert executive summaries, on monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual schedules and via remote-managed, fully outsourced, or hybrid delivery models.

The company's technology originated in university research. It came out of the Trustworthy Cyber Infrastructure for the Power Grid project, funded 2009–2015 by the U.S. Department of Energy with Department of Homeland Security support, and was commercialized with the involvement of faculty co-founders David Nicol (ECE professor) and William Sanders.

Founding story

Network Perception's technology emerged from the Trustworthy Cyber Infrastructure for the Power Grid project, funded from 2009 to 2015 by the U.S. Department of Energy with support from the Department of Homeland Security. Additional grants helped faculty co-founders David Nicol, an electrical and computer engineering professor, and William Sanders, a former University of Illinois professor who later became Dean of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon, move the technology from academia to a commercial product. Robin Berthier is identified as CEO and co-founder.

Business model

Network Perception licenses NP-View software, distributed with license keys for desktop and multi-user server deployments and sized per deployment, and sells a complementary Reporting as a Service offering in tiered packages (Bronze, Silver, Gold) delivered on recurring monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual schedules. Sales and renewal inquiries are handled directly by the company.

Revenue comes from licensed on-premises software (NP-View Desktop and NP-View Server, activated by license keys and sized by deployment) plus recurring service packages under Reporting as a Service, with reports delivered monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually.

Traction

The company states that NP-View is used by more than half of the largest 30 U.S. utilities and cites customer testimonials from PSEG, EDF Renewables, Ampere Industrial Security and Crown Computers, including a large power generation company whose TSA compliance program was cited as "best in class" by auditors. Total venture capital raised reached $15.73 million with the 2022 Series A.

Latest developments

Network Perception was acquired by Dragos; the company's website announces the acquisition and its contact page states that the team is responding only to product-related requests, routing other inquiries to Dragos. Company content describes the acquisition as strengthening industrial cyber defense with network segmentation and access analysis. The company also introduced Reporting as a Service, a managed offering for generating topology, firewall rule auditing and segmentation reports.