SAN FRANCISCO — With RSAC 2026 underway, cybersecurity leaders, builders, and defenders gathered to recognize the people and technologies shaping the future of the industry at the annual SC Awards. For nearly three decades, the SC Awards have served as a benchmark for excellence in cybersecurity by spotlighting the companies and individuals whose work strengthens defenses, advances innovation, and elevates the practice of information security. Now in its 29th year, the program continues to reflect both the growth of the industry and the rising expectations placed on security leaders and solution providers. SC Media is proud to honor this year’s winners across three categories: the Excellence Awards, the Trust Awards and a new category called the Resilient CISO. All of the awards were selected by an independent panel of judges from a highly competitive field of finalists and close to 500 nominations. These honorees represent a cybersecurity community that continues to evolve, meeting rising complexity with innovation that is not only powerful, but practical and trusted.
All told, the 2026 awards cycle drew 497 submissions across 33 categories. From emerging technologies to established market leaders, each entry was carefully reviewed by a distinguished panel of 39 judges, who volunteered their time and expertise to evaluate impact, innovation, and execution. Today, we are proud to announce the 2026 SC Awards winners. Their work not only addresses today’s challenges but helps shape the future of cybersecurity.
From innovation to impact
What distinguishes this year’s finalists is not just technical innovation, but how that innovation is being applied. Across categories, there is a clear shift from capability to execution as solutions are designed to operate at scale, integrate seamlessly into complex environments and deliver measurable outcomes for security teams. At the same time, the field reflects a healthy balance of emerging disruptors and established leaders.
The themes shaping 2026
Several defining trends cut across this year’s finalists and point to where cybersecurity is heading next. Artificial intelligence aims to be operational, embedded in how organizations detect threats, reduce noise, and accelerate response. At the same time, identity has firmly become the new control plane, with both human and non-human identities requiring continuous verification and real-time access enforcement in increasingly distributed environments. And just as importantly, resilience has emerged alongside prevention as a core priority. Organizations are no longer optimizing solely to stop attacks; they are building the capacity to respond, recover, and maintain operations in the face of persistent threats. Together, these shifts signal a broader evolution toward security that is continuous, adaptive, and deeply integrated into the business.
Recognizing leadership and community
The SC Awards have always been about more than technology. They recognize the leadership, vision, and execution required to move the industry forward. This year’s finalists include individuals and organizations that are not only solving technical challenges, but shaping how security is practiced, driving cultural change, influencing strategy, and redefining what effective cybersecurity leadership looks like.
A reflection of the industry
If there is a single takeaway from this year’s finalists, it is this: the stakes are higher, the expectations are greater, and the role of cybersecurity has never been more central. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners. Your work is helping shape the future of cybersecurity.
