Guardsquare

Guardsquare is a Belgian Software company specializing in mobile application security on Android and iOS platforms. The company develops software designed to protect mobile applications from reverse engineering, tampering, and runtime attacks. The company's technology originated with ProGuard, an open-source Java and Android code optimization and obfuscation tool created by co-founder Eric Lafortune.

Guardsquare participates in the OWASP Mobile Application Security Project and has been recognized as an OWASP MAS Advocate.

History

Guardsquare's technology roots date back to 2002 with Eric Lafortune's release of ProGuard, an open-source tool for shrinking, optimizing, and basic obfuscation of Java and Android applications. In 2012, Lafortune introduced DexGuard to address increasing demand for Android application protection.

Guardsquare NV was officially founded in 2014 by Lafortune and Heidi Rakels.

Battery Ventures purchased a majority stake of the company for $29 million in early 2019. Guardsquare opened an office in Boston (US) later that year.

In 2020, Guardsquare acquired the mobile application security testing technology, App-Ray. This technology later formed the basis of the mobile application security testing product, AppSweep. Guardsquare opened an office in Munich (Germany) in 2020 to lead AppSweep development.

In 2025, Verdane invested in Guardsquare.

In early 2026, Guardsquare announced the acquisition of XTD (Extended Threat Defense) technologies and assets from Verimatrix. The transaction would include the transfer of XTD-associated offices in Glasgow (Scotland) and Helsinki (Finland) to Guardsquare.

Products

Guardsquare develops mobile application security software, including tools for application protection and security testing.

Leadership

Roel Caers has served as Chief Executive Officer of Guardsquare since 2018. In addition, Caers is a member of Guardsquare's board of directors. Previously, he was Guardsquare's Chief Operating Officer (2016 -18).

Sander Bogaert took over the role of Chief Technology Officer from company co-founder Eric Lafortune. Bogaert previously worked as a software engineer at the company and contributed to the development of iXGuard.

See also

  • ProGuard
  • Mobile security
  • Mobile application testing
  • Mobile malware
  • Reverse engineering (software)
  • Obfuscation (software)
  • Runtime application self-protection