Frequently Asked Questions
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Welcome to the 2025 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards
KEY DATES & FACTS:
- Award nomination deadline is January 31, 2025 (end of day)
- Award announcements start the week of February 24, 2025
- Download the 2025 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards brochure
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date on your award journey!
In the complex and dynamic world of cybersecurity, excellence often goes unnoticed. That’s where the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards come in. We recognize companies, products, and professionals that demonstrate leadership, innovation, and excellence in information security.
Why Participate?
A Celebration of Excellence
This isn’t just another awards program. It’s an opportunity for your company, products, teams, and professionals to be acknowledged for their excellence in cybersecurity.
The Cybersecurity Excellence Awards are global to extend opportunity and reach to all who contribute to the cybersecurity space. To ensure a level playing field for all participants, all nominations are judged within their peer group defined by market segment, company size, and geography. Plus, our reasonable nomination fees make the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards one of the most accessible awards programs in the industry.
Benefits of Winning
Gain global, industry-wide acknowledgment and recognition for your achievements in cybersecurity. Showcase your success on the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards nomination page, through social media, featured news articles on the Cybersecurity Insiders news site, press releases, posts on our LinkedIn community of 500,000+ members, and with an award badge proudly displayed on your website or social profiles.
Who Can Enter?
Whether you’re a small startup or an established company, a cybersecurity professional or SOC team, these awards are for you. We offer categories tailored to your product, team, or organization, ensuring fair competition and recognition for all.
Voting Process
Winners and finalists are selected based on the strength of their nominations. Popular votes are used only as tie-breakers. Our unique approach considers market segment, company size and geography to ensuring a level playing field and avoids that established companies with a large following can gain a public vote advantage over early-stage companies just starting out, for example.
Awards Timeline
The 2025 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards follow a carefully structured timeline to ensure a fair and transparent process. Here’s what you can expect:
- Nominations Are Open: The opportunity to nominate your company, products, or professionals begins now. Showcase what makes you outstanding in the field of cybersecurity. Early nominations have distinct advantages, including getting featured on your nomination profile page early on, accessible to all visitors and search engines. Early nominations also tend to garner more votes due to a longer time window for supporters to submit their votes.
- Voting Period: Voting is open throughout the nomination season, giving the cybersecurity community the chance to support their favorites.
- Submission Deadline: Make sure to submit your nominations no later than January 31, 2025 (end of day PST).
- Selection and Recognition: Award winners are selected primarily based on the strength of their nominations. Winners will be displayed on the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards site and announced to the 600,000+ member infosec community on LinkedIn and Cybersecurity Insiders starting the week of February 24, 2025.
- Newsletter: Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop.
Effortless Nomination ProcessWe are committed to making the nomination process as easy and seamless as possible. Whether you’re just starting to think about your nomination or perhaps you already have multiple nominations in mind, our user-friendly dashboard allows you to begin right away, save your draft, and return at your convenience.
Submitting multiple nominations? No problem! You can do it all in one session or separately at different times using the same user account. You can even duplicate earlier nominations you created and copy them into other award categories to further streamline the process. With these features, recognizing excellence in cybersecurity has never been more accessible or flexible.
Elevate Your Recognition with a Premium Sponsorship
In the rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity, standing out is paramount, and our unique sponsorship package offers just that. For a comprehensive experience, the package allows you to request a beautiful award plaque to showcase your win, feature your key nomination on our award homepage, create custom award categories, and enjoy enhanced brand visibility through prominent display of your brand on our website. Whether you’re looking to attract more votes, extend your marketing reach, or simply celebrate your accomplishments in a distinct way, our Premium Sponsorship is tailored to give you the recognition you deserve in a competitive industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
For more information, please see our detailed FAQs below. Please do not hesitate to contact the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards team anytime with any questions or feedback – we are here to help.
The Cybersecurity Excellence Awards provide a platform for the industry’s best to shine. Don’t miss your chance to participate in this prestigious recognition program. Explore the categories, understand the process (don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions), and start your nomination today.
Cybersecurity Excellence Awards
400 E. Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
U.S.A.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How Do I Enter an Award Nomination?
Entering an award nomination is easy. Before you can submit a nomination, you need to be a registered user (register here) and logged in.
Whether you would like to nominate a cybersecurity product / service, cybersecurity company or cybersecurity professional / team, all nominations follow these 3 simple steps:
1) Select Award Category – Visit the nomination page and select the award category (company, product, professional) and sub category for your nomination. Then click the CONTINUE button.
2) Add Nomination Details – Next, complete the award details form to provide more details about your nomination, including achievements and justification why the nominee deserves recognition, and images of your product, team or nominated individuals. Then click the CONTINUE button. TIP: Make sure to include your company and/or product brand name in nomination titles (where applicable) for better brand visibility.
3) Review Your Nomination – Next, review your nomination details and correct details, if necessary, using the GO BACK button. If everything looks fine, review the rules and guidelines, and then click the CONTINUE button. You will be directed to a confirmation page stating that your submission is now pending review by our Cybersecurity Excellence Awards staff. Click the button VIEW YOUR AWARD SUBMISSION to review your submission and make changes.
You can review the status of your award submission(s) at any time by visiting the dashboard.
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What Information Do I Need to Submit With Each Nomination?
Download the PDFs containing all required fields for each award category: Product | Company | Professional
Here is the list of the form fields required to submit nominations for the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards.
CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONAL NOMINATION
– Name of nominated professional or team
– Job title of nominated professional
– Company (where nominated professional or team is working)
– Website
– Company size (employees)
– Country
– State
– City
– In less than 300 words, summarize the achievements of the professional or team in the nominated category
– In 3 bullets, summarize why this professional or team deserves recognition
– Images: Please upload images of the professional and/or team. The first image will become the featured image and is displayed larger than other, secondary images.CYBERSECURITY PRODUCT NOMINATION
COMPANY DETAILS
– Company (that provides the nominated product / solution / service) *
– Website
– Company size (employees)
– Country
– State
– CityPRODUCTS / SOLUTIONS / SERVICE DETAILS
– Name of the Product / Solution / Service
– Product Version Number
– Type of solution
– Year this product or service was first introduced to the market
– Year the current version of this product or service has been released
– Approximate number of users worldwide
– In less than 300 words, summarize the most important features and benefits of this product or service
– In 3 bullets, summarize why this product or service deserves recognition
– Images: Please upload your company logo and images of your product (screenshots, packaging, appliance, etc.). The first image will become the featured image and is displayed larger than other, secondary images.CYBERSECURITY COMPANY
– Company (that is being nominated)
– Website
– Company size (employees)
– Country
– State
– City
– In less than 300 words, summarize the achievements of the company in the nominated category *
– In 3 bullets, summarize why this company deserves recognition
– Images: Please upload your company logo and images of your office, team, etc.). The first image will become the featured image and is displayed larger than other, secondary images. -
What Cybersecurity Award Categories Are Available for Nomination?
Click here to see the cybersecurity categories available for nominations.
Can’t find the right category for your company, professional, industry, product or service nomination? Contact us to propose a new category.
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How Many Different Nominations Can I Submit?
The number of nominations each user can submit as part of the standard award package is limited to 3 (made on behalf of the same company or same client) – all for one flat nomination fee. The nominations can be made across all award categories.
For more than 3 nominations for the same company or client, as well as the opportunity to create custom award categories and see your nominations and brand prominently featured on the homepage, we offer a premium sponsorship package [ more details ].
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When Is the Nomination Deadline?
The extended deadline for entering your nomination(s) is the end of day April 27, 2025 at midnight US Pacific [the earlier you submit, the more time to promote your nomination].
If you miss the standard deadline, you can extend the deadline and add late nominations by purchasing the add-on sponsorship package [ more details here ].
Voting is open throughout the award nomination season. Award winners will be announced starting May 2, 2025.
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What If My Nomination Does Not Fit Any of the Available Award Categories?
We understand that innovative security solutions often don’t fit existing categories. Please contact the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards team if you would like us to consider adding a new category to better fit your product, solution or service nomination.
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Where Can I See the Approval Status of My Award Nominations?
To see the approval status of your award nominations, or to make changes, visit the dashboard. You need to be a registered user and logged into the awards site with your user credentials.
After completing your nomination, you will receive a notification email confirming that your nomination is pending (please also check your spam folder). Nominations are typically approved within 24 business hours. If you did not receive a confirmation email, please contact our support team.
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How can I edit my nomination after it has been submitted?
To edit your award nomination(s), please visit the dashboard. You need to be a registered user and logged into the awards site with your user credentials.
After editing your award submission, the entry will go back into the approval queue. Revised nominations are typically approved within 24 business hours. If you did not receive a confirmation email, please contact our support team.
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How Long Will It Take To Submit My Nomination
Submitting your nomination can be completed in less than 10 minutes provided you have the necessary information ready.
After submission, your nomination will be reviewed and are typically approved by the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards team within 24 business hours.
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How Much Does an Award Nomination Cost (and How Can I Pay)?
There are three award packages: BASIC, PLUS and PRO. See the pricing page for current fees and descriptions of each package.
If you missed the standard nomination deadline, you can extend the deadline and add new nominations by purchasing the PRO package.
ACCEPTED PAYMENT METHODS
Payment is accepted via credit card or PayPal on the payment page. Companies that purchase the PRO premium sponsorship package can also request to pay via ACH, check or wire. -
How Can I Improve my Chances of Receiving an Award?
There are four basic steps to give your nomination(s) the highest odds of winning an award:
1 – Strengthen Your Nomination(s)
First, highlight why your nomination deserves recognition. The strength of your nomination is most important in determining award winners. Add examples of how your product, company or individual impacts the cybersecurity industry in the specific category. For example, if you nominate in a fastest growing company category, provide details about the company’s growth rate, etc.2 – Nominate in Multiple Award Categories
Nominate not only in crowded categories (such as best company) but also in product categories where there typically much fewer nominations and therefore less competition (which increases your odds of winning tremendously). Remember, you can nominate in as many categories as you like for one flat nomination fee payment. You can also propose new award categories if you feel that the existing categories may not be a perfect fit for your solution.3 – Promote Your Award Nomination
You can promote your nomination page URL on Twitter, LinkedIn and your company blog so that your friends, followers, customers and prospects learn about the award opportunity and vote for you! While the number of votes is only a secondary factor in determining finalists and award winners (the primary factor is the strength of the nomination – votes are only used as a tie breaker for otherwise equally strong nominations).4 – Sponsor the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards for Maximum Visibility
Another option to increase visibility for your nomination and brand is to sponsor the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards (see details here). This places your nomination prominently at the top of the homepage and your logo throughout the site, thereby receiving more visibility for your nomination and company. -
Who Should I Contact If I Have Any Questions?
Please contact the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards team with any questions or suggestions.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How to Place a Vote
Voting for your favorite nomination(s) is fast and easy. First, register on the awards site (this is a simple step we implemented to minimize voting fraud). Next, find the page showing your favorite nominee (a complete listing of all nominations can be found here).
On the nomination page, in the upper right area, you will find a thumbs-up “like” button – click the icon to place your vote for the candidate.
To minimize voting fraud and spam, we require user registration. As a simple anti-fraud and anti-spam security measure, the site limits votes to one vote per device, user or IP address.
Keep in mind that votes alone do not determine finalists and winners, the strength of the nomination is what’s most important (votes can, however, help to break a tie between otherwise equally strong nominations).
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When Does Voting End?
Voting is open throughout the award nomination season – please see the nomination end date for reference.
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Where Can I Find Nominations to Vote For?
All nominations and candidates can be found on the voting page. Simply browse through the award categories and click the candidate title links or buttons to see each nomination in detail. Click the thumbs up voting button (upper right corner of the page) to submit your vote.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How are the award recipients selected?
The Cybersecurity Excellence Awards celebrate unique contributions and steadfast commitment to the core principles of excellence, innovation, and leadership within the cybersecurity industry.
Award recipients are selected based on two main criteria: (1) the strength of the nomination (demonstrated leadership, excellence and results in cybersecurity, depending on the specific category and the supporting information provided); and (2) the popular votes and comments received from the cybersecurity community. The popular vote will only be considered if two or more nomination are tied for an award (in other words, a weaker nomination with more votes will not outperform a stronger nomination with fewer votes).
Understanding Our Awards Structure
To ensure fairness and recognize diverse achievements, our awards are not exclusive to a single recipient within each category. Instead, we honor multiple recipients in each category, segmenting nominations by company size and regional tiers. This classification is highlighted in each award recipient’s nomination profile to ensure transparency.
This approach ensures a fair and level playing field, allowing us to acknowledge outstanding contributions from individuals and businesses of all sizes and from different geographical areas.
We hope this clarifies our awards criteria and emphasizes the inclusivity we strive to maintain, ensuring equity and a level playing field for all participants.
Join us in celebrating the broad spectrum of excellence that each award recipient brings to our industry!
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Where can I find my award badge?
Follow this link to download the most recent award badge image (scroll down to find all badge images in various formats): 2024 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards Recipients and Badge
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How Can I Use the Award Badge?
Winning an award grants winners the privilege to use the award badge in your promotional materials. This means you can freely showcase the badge across various platforms—be it digital marketing campaigns, email signatures, company websites, or printed materials—without any additional fees for its use (we grant you a license to use the badge and award materials).
It’s a great way to highlight your achievement and enhance your brand’s credibility and visibility. Always ensure to follow any specific guidelines provided for the badge’s use to maintain the integrity of the award and your marketing efforts.
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When and How Are Winners Announced (and What is Part of the Award Package)?
Winners & finalists will be published on the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards site and announced on the Cybersecurity Insiders website and the 600,000+ member information security community on LinkedIn.
Winners and finalists will also receive digital award badges to display on their websites (download digital image files for previous years awards here: https://cybersecurity-excellence-awards.com/2024-cybersecurity-excellence-awards).
Award finalists and winners will be announced starting the week of February 24, 2025. There is no live award ceremony or dinner – this award program is online only to give everyone the same opportunity for worldwide access and keep the program cost-effective for all participants.