Nexor

Nexor is a Nottingham-based British technology company specialising in cyber security, secure information exchange and high-assurance network connectivity. Its principal customers and users are government departments, defence organisations and operators of critical national infrastructure that need to move information between systems with different security classifications or levels of trust. Rather than operating as a mass-market security brand, Nexor works in specialist institutional and mission-critical environments where controlled data flows, assurance evidence, interoperability and resilience are central requirements. The business was established in 1989 as X-Tel Services Limited. Its origins lay in research at the University of Nottingham and University College London into X.400 messaging and X.500 directory systems undertaken in connection with the European ISODE project. These early activities placed the company in the emerging market for standards-based network communication and directory services. The company adopted the name Nexor Limited in 1993. In 1996, investment from 3i supported the creation of Nexor Inc., extending the business beyond the United Kingdom. Stephen Kingan joined in 1992 and later became chief executive and principal owner; in 2004 he and Nigel Fasey acquired the business, and Kingan acquired full ownership in 2012. Nexor’s technical history includes work on early Internet infrastructure. Its staff designed and deployed ALIWEB, described in the company’s reference material as the first public Internet search engine, together with the associated robots-exclusion convention. The business also contributed to Internet standards through work associated with several Internet Engineering Task Force RFCs, and developed a Microsoft Exchange client for Unix. These activities reflect the company’s earlier focus on open standards, messaging and directory interoperability, while its later commercial emphasis moved toward assured communication across security boundaries. Its current portfolio includes data diodes that enforce one-way transfer, data guards and high-assurance guards that filter and authorise communications, cross-domain solutions, information-exchange gateways, secure-development capabilities and military message-handling systems. Several products have undergone Common Criteria evaluation at different assurance levels, including the Data Diode, Sentinel and Military Message Handling System. Nexor has also supplied technology through partnerships and original-equipment relationships, including a Data Diode relationship with Fox-IT and strategic partnerships with Boldon James and QinetiQ. The company has worked with or supplied organisations including NATO, the European Defence Agency, the UK Ministry of Defence, the US Department of Defense, Canada's Department of National Defence, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the UK Met Office. It has participated in collaborative research programmes involving universities, government laboratories and technology companies, covering directory services, public-key security, cloud information control, tactical data exchange, autonomous vehicles and multi-domain defence information sharing. Nexor has also participated in UK cyber-security skills and assurance initiatives, including Cyber Champions, Cyber Security Challenge UK, Cyber Essentials and the Trustworthy Software Initiative. Nexor moved from Nottingham Science Park to NG2 Business Park in October 2013. In 2015 it created a consulting arm called Qonex; that activity was subsequently integrated back into Nexor in 2017. The company remains a specialist, privately owned supplier whose positioning is based on high-assurance engineering, secure interoperability and the protection of sensitive information rather than consumer brand visibility.

Nexor began in 1989 as X-Tel Services Limited, emerging from University of Nottingham and University College London research connected with X.400 messaging and X.500 directory technologies. The company’s early work was linked to the ISODE project and broader European efforts to create interoperable, standards-based communications infrastructure. Its development during this period included participation in the Paradise directory project, which explored distributed X.500 services across Europe, and other collaborative programmes involving secure messaging, public-key infrastructure and computer-supported cooperation. Stephen Kingan joined the business in 1992, and X-Tel Services changed its name to Nexor Limited in 1993. During the 1990s, Nexor broadened its technical and commercial activities. It helped develop early Internet and directory applications, designed and deployed ALIWEB, and contributed to standards work associated with the Internet Engineering Task Force. It also developed a Microsoft Exchange client for Unix. In 1996, investment from 3i supported the establishment of Nexor Inc. The company continued to participate in European and UK collaborative research. Projects included Password, which investigated secure network services and X.509-based security infrastructure; Eurocoop and Eurocode, which addressed distributed collaboration; Regis and Renaissance, which examined regional information services and virtual training; and later programmes concerning information assurance, cloud data propagation and high-assurance network devices. These projects helped connect Nexor’s software and networking expertise with academic, industrial and public-sector research. In 2004, Stephen Kingan and Nigel Fasey acquired the business. Colin Robbins joined the board as chief technology officer in 2008. Kingan acquired complete ownership in 2012. By this time, Nexor’s principal business direction had become secure information exchange for government, defence and critical infrastructure. Its portfolio evolved toward data diodes, guards, cross-domain gateways and military messaging, supported by independent Common Criteria evaluations for selected products. Nexor’s public-sector and defence relationships have included NATO, the European Defence Agency, the UK Ministry of Defence, the United States Department of Defense, Canada’s Department of National Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Met Office. The company has demonstrated its systems at the Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration and has participated in projects such as iGRC, CloudFilter, CSIIS, CAPRI and MDIS. In 2013, a Nexor-related cross-domain tactical service bus demonstration won the DSEi innovation challenge. The same year, the company moved from Nottingham Science Park to NG2 Business Park. Nexor has also supported cyber-security education and assurance programmes. It contributed to Cyber Champions, sponsored Cyber Security Challenge UK and participated in the development and promotion of trustworthy software practices. In 2015, it launched Qonex as a consulting arm; Qonex was brought back into Nexor in 2017. The business remains privately held and focused on specialist secure communications, cross-domain information exchange and cyber-security engineering for sensitive institutional environments.

1. 2015Qonex consulting arm launched

   Nexor created Qonex to provide consulting services; the division was integrated back into Nexor in 2017.

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2. 2013Headquarters move and DSEi innovation award

   Nexor moved to NG2 Business Park and won the DSEi innovation challenge for work related to cross-domain tactical information exchange.

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3. 2012Stephen Kingan acquires full ownership

   Kingan acquired 100 percent ownership of Nexor.

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4. 2010Nexor Data Diode receives Common Criteria evaluation

   The Data Diode was evaluated at EAL7+, according to the company’s reference material.

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5. 2004Management acquisition

   Stephen Kingan and Nigel Fasey acquired the business.

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6. 1996Nexor Inc. established

   Investment from 3i supported the launch of Nexor Inc.

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7. 1993Renamed Nexor Limited

   X-Tel Services Limited adopted the Nexor name.

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8. 1992Stephen Kingan joins the company

   Kingan joined the business and later became its chief executive and principal owner.

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9. 1989Company founded as X-Tel Services Limited

   The business was established from University of Nottingham and University College London research into X.400 and X.500 systems associated with the ISODE project.

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A specialist, high-assurance cyber-security and secure information-exchange provider for defence, government and critical national infrastructure.

• Nexor Data DiodeOne-way network security

  A hardware- or appliance-based security product designed to enforce one-way movement of information between networks. Data diodes are used where a receiving environment must obtain selected information without permitting return traffic, helping reduce the attack surface between networks with different trust levels. Nexor’s Data Diode was reported as having achieved Common Criteria EAL7+ evaluation in 2010 and has also been supplied through an OEM relationship with Fox-IT.

• Nexor SentinelSecure information exchange

  A high-assurance security product associated with controlled exchange of information between systems. Sentinel was independently evaluated under the Common Criteria scheme at EAL4+ in January 2013, providing assurance evidence for organisations that require formally assessed security functionality.

• Data Guards and High Assurance GuardsCross-domain security

  Guard technologies that inspect, authorise and filter email or data communications crossing security boundaries. They are intended for environments where information must be exchanged between domains while applying policy, content controls and assurance mechanisms before transfer is permitted.

• Cross Domain Solutions and Information Exchange GatewaysSecure networking

  Solutions and gateway components that enable controlled information sharing among networks operating at different classifications or trust levels. Nexor has applied these capabilities in defence and government contexts, including demonstrations of tactical information exchange and multi-domain data sharing.

• Nexor CyberShield SecureSecure software development

  A security-focused capability intended to support secure development and deployment of Nexor technology. It reflects the company’s broader work in trustworthy software, development assurance and the protection of systems throughout their operational lifecycle.

• Military Message Handling SystemDefence communications

  A system for handling military messages and related secure communications. The product was reported as having received Common Criteria EAL2 evaluation in 2005 and forms part of Nexor’s long-standing focus on reliable, standards-based information exchange for defence users.

• Cyber Champions

  United Kingdom

  Nexor contributed to Cyber Champions, a community initiative promoting digital literacy, online safety and cyber-security best practices among schools, youth organisations and interest groups.

  Outcome. The initiative supported wider public awareness and cyber-security education.

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• Cyber Security Challenge UK

  United Kingdom

  Nexor sponsored the Cyber Security Challenge UK, an initiative designed to encourage interest in cyber-security careers and develop the UK’s future skills base.

  Outcome. The programme promoted cyber-security careers and talent development.

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• 2015Launch of Qonex consulting armStrategy

  Nexor sought to expand beyond product delivery into specialist cyber-security and technology consulting.

  What changed. It launched Qonex as a separate consulting arm.

  Aftermath. Qonex was later integrated back into Nexor in 2017.

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• 2013Headquarters relocationOther

  Nexor had been based at Nottingham Science Park.

  What changed. The company moved its headquarters to NG2 Business Park in Nottingham.

  Aftermath. The relocation maintained the company’s Nottingham base while giving it a new business-park location.

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• 1993Adoption of the Nexor brandStrategy

  The company had operated as X-Tel Services Limited since its formation in network and directory research.

  What changed. It changed its legal and trading name to Nexor Limited.

  Aftermath. The Nexor identity became the basis for the company’s subsequent international and defence-oriented activities.

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• 2015Nexor launches Qonex consulting arm

  Nexor established Qonex as a consulting division before integrating the activity back into the main business two years later.

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• 2013Nexor wins DSEi innovation challenge

  Nexor won the DSEi innovation challenge for work associated with a cross-domain tactical service bus demonstration led by 2iC.

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• 2013Nexor moves headquarters within Nottingham

  The company moved its headquarters from Nottingham Science Park to NG2 Business Park.

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• Nexor participates in UK cyber-security assurance initiatives

  The company was among early organisations to achieve Cyber Essentials and contributed to work surrounding the PAS 754 trustworthy software-development standard.

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1. Nexor