Aaron Estes

Dr. Aaron Estes is Vice President of Product at Binary Defense, where he leads the strategy and development of the company’s AI-driven security platform. With more than 25 years in software engineering and cybersecurity, he focuses on turning advanced technology into real-world defensive outcomes that actually hold up under pressure.

Aaron has played an instrumental role in the development of NightBeacon, shaping how AI is embedded directly into security operations. His work is grounded in a simple belief: AI should make great analysts faster and more effective, not replace them. He focuses on accelerating detection, investigation, and response while advancing capabilities like behavior-based detection, deception technology, and adaptive defenses designed to disrupt adversaries in real time.

Prior to Binary Defense, Aaron was CEO of Ironwood Cyber, where he built an autonomous SaaS platform for continuous penetration testing. He also spent nearly two decades at Lockheed Martin, earning recognition as a three-time Lockheed Martin Fellow, the company’s highest technical honor.

He holds a Doctor of Engineering in Software Engineering and a Master of Science in Software Engineering from Southern Methodist University and serves as an adjunct professor teaching graduate-level cybersecurity courses.