Chapter 2012: The Great Security Empire Dream
Ah, 2012. A simpler time. We had just written a very confident blog post announcing that Xentime was merging with Mercenary Security GmbH, opening a shiny new HQ in Berlin, and preparing to conquer the world of IT security.
The post was full of enthusiasm: SSL certificates via GlobalSign, Kaspersky antivirus solutions at special prices, penetration testing, source code audits, monitoring, and even full-service datacenter offerings. We sounded extremely professional and ambitious. As one does when you're young and full of hope.
The Reality Behind the Curtain
What the elegant 2012 announcement didn't mention was that "Mercenary Security GmbH" was essentially a one-man company run by Sebastian Rother — a talented security researcher who had done serious work, including a security audit for Deutsche Bank.
The story took a darker turn when he reportedly discovered uncomfortable vulnerabilities. One morning in Prague, while sitting in a cafeteria, a black van appeared. He spent the next two months in what can only be described as a private prison, with no formal accusations. Welcome to the glamorous world of high-stakes security auditing.
This little episode taught us a valuable lesson: in cybersecurity, you sometimes take all the risk, and the reward can be... unpredictable at best. The business turned out to be far less grateful than we had imagined.
The Kaspersky Chapter (With Hindsight)
We were also proudly announcing partnerships with Kaspersky Lab. In 2012 this seemed like a smart move — a leading antivirus vendor offering great products. Little did we know how politically radioactive that name would become. Today, simply mentioning them on a website can make Western customers nervous. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
From 0x2a to Xentime to LightUp
The datacenter story goes even further back. In 2009, after an unpleasant experience with a business partner, I left him the previous project called 0x2a (yes, the ASCII code for opening a CD tray — a storage medium that feels hilariously ancient today). That company still runs as 0x2a.com.ua. I started Xentime as a cleaner, more reliable alternative.
Looking back, our detour into full-spectrum cybersecurity services was an important part of the journey. It taught us what we didn't want to build: a business where you carry enormous liability while clients often prefer not to hear bad news about their security.
Instead, we doubled down on what we do best: building secure, efficient, practical tools for moving and synchronizing large, valuable files. From protecting journalists and Hollywood studios with TrueLink technology to creating LightUp.Cloud — a platform that delivers real security without the drama of private black vans.
Sometimes the best business decisions come from understanding what paths are better left unexplored. 2012 me was ambitious and slightly naive. 2026 me is grateful for the lessons — and much more focused on delivering reliable, high-performance cloud solutions that actually make customers' lives better.