2026 SANS Difference Makers Awards

Help us acknowledge the unsung heroes in cybersecurity

Nominate Someone About the Awards

2026

Sunday, December 15 in Washington, DC

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Who are the Difference Makers?

The SANS Difference Makers Awards recognize cybersecurity professionals who go above and beyond — practitioners, educators, researchers, and community builders whose work quietly shapes the field. Nominations are open to the entire community. You don't need to be a SANS customer or instructor to nominate.

Categories We're Recognizing in 2026

Community Champion of the Year

Recognizes a practitioner who has built or grown something the community now depends on, such as a meetup, mentorship program, open forum, or body of free work.

Innovation of the Year (Open-Source or Product Tool)

Recognizes a tool, open-source project, or technical innovation that changed how defenders do the work, not just how people talk about doing it.

Rising Star of the Year

Recognizes an early-career practitioner who is already producing work that senior professionals pay attention to.

Practitioner of the Year

Awarded across four disciplines: Cyber Defender, ICS/OT Defender, Red Teamer or Offensive Operator, and DFIR/Threat Intelligence Forensicator.

Media Creator of the Year (Podcast, Livestream or Book)

Recognizes a person creating technical content the field actually returns to.

CISO of the Year

Recognizes a security leader whose program holds up under scrutiny, not just in a press release.

Cybersecurity Company of the Year

Recognizes an organization the community trusts to do right by its customers and the field at large.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Recognizes a career's worth of contribution to cybersecurity and the people in it.

An Evening of Recognition

Join fellow cybersecurity leaders for an evening of awards, conversation, and community. The Difference Makers ceremony brings together nominees, past winners, SANS instructors, and practitioners from across the field.

Date:

December 15, 2026

Venue:

Westin Washing DC Downtown, Potomac Ballroom

Format:

In-person ceremony + after-hours (Magnolia)

Voting:

Public community vote + advisory board panel

A night built for the community, by the community

December 15 · Washington, DC

The Difference Makers Awards ceremony is held at the Westin Washington DC Downtown's Potomac Ballroom. Following the award presentations, the evening continues with an after-hours reception in the Magnolia Room — a chance to connect with nominees, past winners, and practitioners in a more informal setting.

Watch Last year's Ceremony

Relive the DMA 2025 ceremony — the award presentations, the surprise moments, and the community spirit that makes this night different.

Moments from 2025

DMA 2025 Two Attendees Standing at Table

Support the Difference Makers Awards

Sponsoring the DMAs means standing with the cybersecurity community as it recognizes its own. Sponsorship packages are available at multiple levels, each offering visibility with a senior, engaged practitioner audience.

Get Sponsorship Info

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