NOMINATION HIGHLIGHTS

It is my distinct honor to nominate the By Light Defensive Cybersecurity Operations Team for the ‘Defensive Cyberspace Operations Team of the Year’ award. In an era of increasingly complex and asymmetric cyber threats, the By Light team has set an unmatched standard in operational excellence, innovation, and mission impact across the full spectrum of cyberspace defense.

Operating at the intersection of enterprise IT, operational technology (OT), cloud, and national defense, this elite team has consistently delivered superior outcomes for U.S. government, defense, critical infrastructure, and private sector clients. Their unique approach – blending traditional defensive tactics with advanced AI/ML capabilities, adaptive playbooks, and real-time threat intelligence – has positioned them as a force multiplier in today’s dynamic threat environment.

Over the past year, the By Light team has achieved several standout milestones:

– Operationalized an AI-Infused IT/OT Security Operations Center (SOC) supporting large-scale monitoring, threat hunting, and advanced incident response across hundreds of geographically dispersed sites.
– Deployed **Moving Target Defense (MTD), deception technologies, and automated defensive orchestration** to proactively mitigate ransomware, supply chain intrusions, and state-sponsored attacks.
– Conducted successful joint defensive cyber operations with key government partners, enhancing resiliency for critical national missions.
– Led development of next-generation cyber defense runbooks and adaptive playbooks tailored to evolving OT/ICS and IT threat vectors.
– Advanced enterprise cyber situational awareness through AI-driven telemetry pipelines and threat intelligence fusion.
– Provided thought leadership in AI governance, cyber compliance (CMMC, NIST, DFARS), and secure AI integration for national security clients.

What distinguishes the By Light Defensive Cybersecurity Operations Team is not only their technical prowess but their deep mission focus – ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of systems that underpin our national defense and critical infrastructure. Their work behind the scenes directly enables operational continuity in contested cyber environments, and their agility, speed, and precision set them apart from peers.

In recognition of their outstanding contributions, operational excellence, and unwavering dedication to safeguarding vital assets, I wholeheartedly recommend the By Light Defensive Cybersecurity Operations Team for this year’s Defensive Cyberspace Operations Team of the Year award.