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#UnsungSecHeroes23
2023/10/18 18:30:00

Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards

18th October 2023

 

Now in its eighth year, the Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards recognises the UK’s “Unsung Heroes in Cybersecurity”.

Have you, a friend or a colleague gone above the call of duty when it comes to protecting your organisation from cyber threats? Then come apply and get the recognition you or they deserve! This is your chance to shine with a winning trophy that recognises all the hard work and dedication that goes into being a true cybersecurity professional.

 

#UnsungSecHeroes2023

CYBER WRITER

This award will go to the IT security writer who is completely on the ball and understands cybersecurity, demonstrating this through thought-provoking, well- written articles and interviews that help educate and inform his/her audience. 

  • Michael Hill – UK Editor, CSO Online
  • Olivia Powell – Editor-in-Chief, Cyber Security Hub
  • Craig Fretwell – Blogger and YouTuber
  • Kevin Poireault – News Reporter, Infosecurity Magazine
  • Anastasios Arampatzis – Cybersecurity Content Writer, Bora
  • Eleanor Dallaway – Editor, Assured Intelligence
  • Kate O’Flaherty – Freelance Cybersecurity Writer

GODFATHER/ GODMOTHER OF SECURITY

This award will go to someone who has been around the block and back and contributed greatly to the IT Security industry for more than 25 years. 

  • Tarnveer Singh – Director & CISO, Cyber Wisdom Ltd
  • Ian Glover – former president of CREST
  • Nikki Webb – Global Channel Manager, Custodian360
  • Mike Gillespie – MD, Advent IM
  • Dominic Grunden – Co-Founder, Co-CEO and CSO, SecurME.AI
  • Adam McElroy – Group Head of Cyber Risk, Bank of Ireland
  • Shan Lee – CISO, DocPlanner
  • Alan Calder – Founder and Executive Chairman, IT Governance Ltd

DATA GUARDIAN

Data has quickly become one of the most sought-after commodities. This award goes to the person who is always looking out for the interests of the everyday individual; making sure that customer and employee data are protected from prying eyes and their privacy is preserved. 

  • Tarnveer Singh – Director & CISO, Cyber Wisdom Ltd
  • Anne Hinchcliffe – Compliance and Information Security Consultant
  • Alex Shelley – Cyber Technology Manager, OWASP
  • Ayan Mohamed – Founder, Digitech Oasis
  • Sarah Clarke – Founder, Infospectives

CISO SUPREMO

CISOs play an important role in securing all aspects of the business and implementing programmes that increase the security posture of an organisation. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it – this award will recognise the best. 

  • Tarnveer Singh – Director & CISO, Cyber Wisdom Ltd
  • Heather Lowrie – CISO, University of Manchester
  • Dominic Grunden – Co-Founder, Co-CEO and CSO, SecurME.AI
  • Adam McElroy – Group Head of Cyber Risk, Bank of Ireland
  • Shan Lee – CISO, DocPlanner
  • Rob Bainbridge – CISO, Woolworths SA
  • Jon France – CISO, ISC2
  • Ian Brown – CISO, Spectris

SECURITY AVENGERS

Security is not a one person job, this award will recognise the best IT security team and how they averted a security disaster or persevere in the fight to keep their organisations safe from cyber threats. 

  • SOC Team, DigitalXRAID
  • Salt Communications team
  • PureCyber Team
  • National Crime Agency

BEST EDUCATOR

This award will go to a professor, lecturer or teacher who leads by example to inspire and motivate the next generation of cyber security professionals. 

  • Natasha Harley – Founder, Cyber Talent Partners
  • Bennett Arron – Writer, Comedian and Speaker
  • Prof. Alison Wakefield – University of West London
  • Prof. Madeline Carr – UCL
  • James Bore – Director, Bores Group and Tutor at CAPSLOCK
  • Prof. Daniel Dresner – University of Manchester

BEST ETHICAL HACKER/PEN TESTER

This award will go to the person who understands and knows how to look for weaknesses in security systems and uses the same knowledge and tools as a malicious hacker, but in a lawful and legitimate manner. 

  • Niall Buckley – Penetration Tester, DigitalXRAID
  • Ben Edwards – Penetrations Tester, DigitalXRAID
  • Matt Lorentzen – Principal Consultant, Cyberis

SECURITY LEADER/

MENTOR

The winner of this award will be someone in industry who leads a team or mentors individuals, taking the time to show them the ropes and ensure those coming through the ranks are prepared for the future. 

  • Tarnveer Singh – Director & CISO, Cyber Wisdom Ltd
  • Nikki Webb – Global Channel Manager, Custodian360
  • Dominic Grunden – Co-Founder, Co-CEO and CSO, SecurME.AI
  • Adam McElroy – Group Head of Cyber Risk, Bank of Ireland
  • Alex Shelley – Cyber Technology Manager, OWASP
  • Lisa Ventura – Founder, Cyber Security Unity
  • Callum Bryant – Head of Security Testing, DigitalXRAID
  • Joe Boyle – CEO Salt Communications
  • Martin Price – Cyber Lead, NHS
  • Lianne Potter – Head of Security Operations, Asda
  • Stuart Coulson – Cybersecurity Ecosystem Project Manager, University of Manchester
  • Damon Rands – Founder and CEO at PureCyber
  • Lemuel Valdez – Manager, KPMG

CYBERSECURITY WELLBEING ADVOCATE

Cybersecurity can be a stressful industry to work in. In fact, as many as 45% of senior cybersecurity professionals have considered quitting as a result. This award goes to the individual who makes every effort to look after the mental health and general wellbeing of their peers/colleagues.  

  • Nikki Webb – Global Channel Manager, Custodian360
  • Alex Shelley – Cyber Technology Manager, OWASP
  • Andra Zaharia – Creator, Cyber Empathy Podcast
  • Qasim Armstrong – Senior Penetration Tester, PureCyber
  • Zoe Rose – Regional Information Security Team Lead, Canon Europe

BEST SECURITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

In order to increase education on cyber threats and digital behaviours within the workplace, Security Awareness campaigns are often a vital part of getting the message out. This award will honour the campaign and the individuals who organised the campaign. 

KnowBe4 Logo

  • Bank of Ireland
  • CyberGuardian
  • Spectris
  • SenseOn and BooHoo

DIVERSITY CHAMPION

This award will recognise an individual who is pushing for greater diversity and inclusion within the industry – whether they’re advocating for change in recruitment/HR policies, mentoring others, serving as a role model etc. 

  • Lisa Ventura – Founder, Cyber Security Unity
  • Nikki Webb – Global Channel Manager, Custodian360
  • Andra Zaharia – Creator, Cyber Empathy Podcast
  • Rebecca Taylor – Threat Intelligence Knowledge Manager for the Counter Threat Unit, Secureworks
  • Sophie Powell – Co-Founder, CyberWomen Groups
  • Alice Conibere – Junior Security Researcher, Secure Impact
  • Eleanor Dallaway – Founder, Assured Intelligence

APPRENTICE/

RISING STAR

Our future cyber welfare depends largely on these rising stars.  Whether in formal education, under employment or doing extraordinary research of their own, the winner of this category will show great promise with his/her technical or practical ability. 

  • Kieran Baumann – Penetration Tester, DigitalXRAID
  • Elise Ghent – President of CyberWomen@Warwick
  • Hedvig Mareng – President of CyberWomen@Coventry
  • Ruta Baltiejute – DevSecOps Lead, Asda
  • Ross Mitchell – Consultant, Cyberis
  • Alice Conibere – Junior Security Researcher, Secure Impact
  • Zöe Langmead-Jones – Communications and Engagement Coordinator for Digital Futures, University of Manchester
  • Ayan Mohamed – Founder, Digitech Oasis

Unsung Heroes Awards 2023 - JUDGES

Unsung Heroes Awards 2023 - WINNERS

  • Apprentice/ Rising Star​ – Elise Ghent, President of CyberWomen@Warwick and Hedvig Mareng, President of CyberWomen@Coventry and Kieran Baumann – Penetration Tester, DigitalXRAID (Highly Commended)
  • Best Educator – James Bore, Director, Bores Group and Tutor at CAPSLOCK
  • Best Ethical Hacker/Pen Tester – Matt Lorentzen – Principal Consultant, Cyberis
  • Best Security Awareness Campaign – Bank of Ireland
  • Data Guardian – Sarah Clarke, Founder, Infospectives
  • Diversity Champion – Rebecca Taylor, Threat Intelligence Knowledge Manager for the Counter Threat Unit, Secureworks
  • Security Avengers – National Crime Agency
  • Cyber Writer – Michael Hill, UK Editor, CSO Online
  • Security Leader/Mentor – Stuart Coulson, Cybersecurity Ecosystem Project Manager, University of Manchester
  • CISO Supremo – Shan Lee, CISO, DocPlanner
  • Godparent of Security -Mike Gillespie, MD, Advent IM
  • Cybersecurity Wellbeing Advocate – Nikki Webb – Global Channel Manager, Custodian360

Gallery

A glance at the Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards

TESTIMONIALS

There are many other ‘Security Awards’ evenings in London, most of which take themselves far too seriously. Security Serious (ironically) gets the mix right – recognising those who make a valuable contribution to our work, our professional community and our society but, for a variety of reasons, don’t seem to get selected for other awards.

Gerry O’NeillSecurity and Assurance Advisor Director at Inforisca Services

Not only was it a great honour to be invited to Judge the Unsung Heroes Awards for Eskenzi this year, but it was also purely awesome to see so many truly unsung heroes receive their well-deserved accolades at the ceremony. From engineers to theatre companies, I can’t think of another infosec event that truly celebrates the incredible diversity of Cyber talent in our professional community. I’d hate to be working at Eskenzi right now. They have to top it all next year!!!!!

Brian HigginsSecurity Specialist at Comparitech.com

I think it’s really important to support these kinds of efforts. Unsung Heroes Awards recognizes the real people in information security, not just the ones you see in the magazines every single time. Not just the ones who get put on the news whenever there’s an incident, but the ones who maybe don’t have the time to do that because they are soldiering away in the background to make the world a safer place. And that’s why your awards have credibility.

Quentyn TaylorDirector of Information Security EMEA for Canon Europe

Great venue and event management. The awards were a great event to experience.

Nikhilesh SharmaPublicis Groupe

The event was a great networking opportunity and the awards are a superb way of recognising the hard work that those on the ground are doing in this industry. It is important to have these kinds of awards to inspire others and to continue working towards our wider goal of a bigger, more diverse cyber industry.

Stuart CoulsonBusiness Engagement Manager for Cyber Security Challenge UK

It’s great to see the industry come together in a social and friendly environment, and just have some FUN!

Dan RaywoodInfosecurity Magazine

The event was well-attended, with winners receiving trophies in addition to superhero capes and masks...Adding much-needed levity to such events that can often end up taking themselves a bit too seriously (no pun intended).

Javvad MalikSecurity Awareness Advocate at KnowBe4

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If you are interested in taking part as a sponsor or have any questions, feel free to get in touch!