Group-IB from the inside: Who we are and how big dreamers become global champions

“We are not your typical company. We’re a bunch of friends who do awesome stuff together. We are the ones who people ask for help, advice, or just a friendly hack — whatever that may be.”

Camill Cebulla, Sales Director, Europe

Last year, Group-IB celebrated its 20th anniversary high on the hog. Whether two decades is a significant milestone or not, it’s impossible to deny the remarkable progress our company has made during this time. What began as a small group of enthusiastic students in a university laboratory has transformed into a globally dispersed company with over ten regional headquarters and nano-offices worldwide. Despite being smaller in size than our competitors, we regularly surpass them in the cybersecurity market, protecting international giants against cyberattacks and conducting joint investigations with Europol and INTERPOL. We attribute our success to a winning combination of cutting-edge ever-improved technology, unique expertise that cannot be obtained at any university, and a strong company culture embraced by every team member regardless of their location. In this post, we look behind the scenes of our company’s cultural code.

We believe in what we do

Our company is built around the “zero tolerance for cybercrime” approach. At every step along the way, our main goal remains the same: fighting cybercriminals and helping companies and users to stay safe. The search for meaning has become far more apparent since the pandemic. Our mission of fighting against cybercrime gives meaning to everything we do, whether we communicate with each other, collaborate with customers, or protect the wider community.

We work outside of schedules

What all Group-IB employees have in common is that we care. We are not indifferent to what happens to the company, to the people around us, and to the world (quite ambitious, but why not?). As a result, nobody comes to work just to “tick the boxes” from 9 to 5. Our focus is not on working hours but on achieving our goals, which is why we offer a flexible work schedule. Whether it involves responding to an incident, finalizing an agreement, or helping to proofread a press release in Vietnamese, we lend our shoulder to each other and our clients at any time.

We prioritize sports

To fulfill our mission, we must be “faster, higher, and stronger” than our enemies. This approach is not limited to the cybersecurity battlefield. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind, as they say. Passion for sport and the drive to win have become part of our DNA.

Every year we arrange sports activities for all our teams around the globe. We practice yoga and martial arts, we play football and volleyball together, and more. In summer 2023, around a quarter of Group-IB employees participated in our corporate sports challenge. We ran, we swam, we walked, we biked… In just 30 days our teams covered more than 24,000 kilometers. The best performers received prizes for their efforts. Ultimately, however, we all got much more than that: we got to spend some extra time together and we became closer even though many of us were separated by thousands of kilometers.

What’s more, our employees regularly run marathons and take part in charity sports events, showcasing our proficiency in cybersecurity and sports.

Andrey Busargin, Deputy CEO for Digital Risk Protection:

“It has never been possible to work at Group-IB without becoming friends; shared problems and achievements bring people closer together and you end up wanting to share everything with your colleagues and friends. We have also always had a work-hard-play-hard dynamic, and I don’t just mean fast drink events and corporate parties but also shared activities, hobbies, and travels. We go to the gym together, we stay at each other’s holiday homes, we go on roadtrips, we play board games, we enjoy music, we record funny videos, and much more. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this is my family.”

We celebrate

Every year, we hold three key events in our company’s life. A fiscal year-end celebration reflects on the fiscal year gone by, honors our team’s achievements, and sets our sights on even greater goals for the future. The New Year’s Eve costume party is another tradition. Last but not least, the company’s birthday is a key date celebrated in summer. 2023 was a special year for us. Group-IB’s 20th anniversary fest was legendary. For the first time, each region — APAC, MEA, Europe, and Central Asia — brought their teams together to celebrate 20 years of the company and our fight against cybercrime.

We grow

Our junior specialists do not sit in the office and push paper. From day one, they work on real-life cases under the supervision of our experienced experts. Such an approach gives them immediate hands-on practice with cybersecurity and teaches them the applied knowledge they need to fight cybercrime. When you are at the frontier of cybersecurity battles and surrounded by specialists, you become one. You create new products and professions, you change areas and teams, and you quickly go from junior staff to expert.

Many of our current team leaders joined Group-IB as newbies. The more experienced teammates saw their potential and took a risk by giving them the opportunity to grow and excel. As a result, they were able to become experts, team leaders, and heads of large divisions and autonomous business units. Five out of six regional Chief Operating Officers were promoted internally. As we continue to expand and open new offices worldwide, our hiring strategy will remain the same: the company prioritizes promoting talent from within our own team.

We reward

At every major event, we reward our team members with achievement coins. These are small badges with unique designs presented in branded boxes. Employees are rewarded for outstanding contributions to investigations, for writing technical blog posts, and for carrying out special projects. We also encourage individual accomplishments, namely when an employee sets an example for the entire team or department and works in line with the spirit of Group-IB and its cultural code.

In 2023 more than 130 team members received achievement coins. Many cases we investigate are confidential and codenamed, for example “The Mother of Dragons”, but each uniquely designed coin hints at the related case without directly naming it. Achievement coins hold significant value for every team member, serving as a reminder of their accomplishments, hard work, and unique contributions to the projects. Nominees are chosen by team leads and colleagues from other departments. There are more than 35 categories of coins given for personal and team achievements across all departments, including:

• Classic achievement coins for being actively involved in Group-IB’s life (e.g., “PR-machine” for the most prolific public speakers or “Rock” achievement coin for members of Group-IB music bands)
• Achievement coins for completing special operations successfully
• Challenge coins for conquering the world (i.e., helping Group-IB expand globally)
• Challenge coins for releasing reports
• Challenge coins for sales results
• Challenge coins for developing new products

We make friends

Many team members have brought their friends to Group-IB, while for others it is where strong friendships began. Working with friends is a joy. Ask anyone in the company if they have a best friend here and 90% will say yes. Coming to the office is much more enjoyable when you know that you’ll eat lunch with a friend rather than stay at home and work remotely on your own. Our employees happily recommend friends for various positions. As a result, up to 40% of vacancies are filled through recommendations.

Group-IB has a special vibe, which is confirmed among other things by people who are no longer part of the team. People grow and move on for various reasons, but they continue to attend our events and private gatherings, which shows that although the company has its ups and downs, its special atmosphere always pulls people back. If you were once part of Group-IB, you’ll forever be an alumni.

Nika Komarova, Head of Group-IB Communications:

“From day one, I’ve been amazed by people’s relentless aptitude for hard work. You usually see this with garage-type companies — small teams where everyone’s contribution is tangible and critical, and everyone wants to make their dreams come true as soon as possible. Such motivation makes you want to work hard, be involved in heated debates, come up with bold and exciting ideas, and always move forward. The line between friends and colleagues is virtually non-existent. Group-IB has grown a lot since it was founded, but all of these amazing features and mindsets remain. People who embody these qualities are the kind of people that are drawn to Group-IB, and that is the Group-IB spirit — nothing is ever enough, and you always want more and better than yesterday.”

Conclusion

The company culture depends on each team member and we build it together. You can become a part of our team whether you’re an experienced expert or a student. Check our vacancies here and join us!

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