Legal defense and support for independent security researchers.
Independent security researchers do work that matters. They find the vulnerabilities that vendors miss, publish the research that moves the field forward, and often do so at personal and professional risk β with no institutional backing when things go wrong.
When a researcher faces legal threat for doing legitimate work, the outcome is often determined not by the merits but by who can afford to fight. The Horus Foundation exists to change that equation.
We provide legal defense support and selective discretionary assistance to independent security researchers who face legal action arising from their research. We are small, nascent, and honest about both.
The Horus Foundation receives five percent of gross revenue from Proper Tools SRL β before operating costs, before anything else. This is a structural commitment, not a discretionary donation.
We are not funded by vendors, platform companies, or anyone with a stake in the outcome of security research. We intend to keep it that way.
Independent researchers. People working without institutional cover. People who found something real, published it in good faith βΒ in other words, after a responsible disclosure process towards the vendor, where applicable βΒ and found themselves facing consequences disproportionate to any perceived harm attributed to them.
If you think you may need our help, or know someone who does, write to us: hello@horusfoundation.net
We read everything. We will tell you honestly if we can help.
This foundation is dedicated to the memory of Felix "FX" Lindner (1975β2026) β founder of Recurity Labs, member of Phenoelit, mentor to many, and the kind of security researcher this fund exists to safeguard. He believed that security is ultimately about keeping people safe. So do we.
And to the memory of Aaron Swartz (1986β2013), who believed that knowledge should be free and permanent, and paid for his belief.
The Horus Foundation is newly established. This is a landing page, not a finished institution. We are building in the open, honestly, from the beginning. If you want to help β as a legal professional, as a donor, or as someone who has been in the position this fund addresses β write to us.