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A veteran intelligence professional turned educator, Chris Pizor transforms decades of field-tested tradecraft into actionable lessons for the modern defender. Chris draws on three decades of cyber and intelligence experience to teach defenders how to think like adversaries and protect critical systems from real-world attacks. Through immersive labs and case studies, he equips students to move beyond tools to think critically, investigate thoroughly, and respond confidently under pressure. A Principal Instructor with the SANS Institute, he teaches SANS SEC504: Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits, and Incident Handling, SANS SEC497: Practical Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), and SEC587: Advanced Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) Gathering and Analysis. These courses fuse adversary tradecraft with modern investigative techniques to help security professionals detect, analyze, and disrupt threats before they escalate.
Chris’s cybersecurity journey began in the U.S. Air Force in 1996. His early work in communications and intelligence shaped the operational mindset he now brings to every SANS course. Over the following three decades, he advanced into senior intelligence roles integrating cyber defense, disinformation detection, and information operations across global missions. He authored more than 200 hours of cyber-warfare curriculum and logged over 3,000 hours of instruction as a certified Community College of the Air Force instructor. Later, as Curriculum Lead for the Air Force’s Network Warfare Training Program, he honed the scenario-driven approach that defines his SANS labs. Before joining SANS full-time, he instructed with E-volve Technology Systems and Tyonek Manufacturing Group Inc., focusing on threat analysis, malware reverse engineering, and network exploitation. Those years in strategic, operational, and tactical intelligence directly inform the realism of his labs; every exercise mirrors challenges he has faced in live operations.
A lifelong learner, Chris earned a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from the University of Maryland University College and a Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence Studies and Information Operations from American Military University. He holds multiple GIAC certifications, including GX-IH, GXPN, GPEN, GCFA, GNFA, GCFE, GCIH, GOSI, GCIA, GISP, and GSEC—credentials that span both offensive and defensive disciplines. Chris is also a faculty member of the SANS Technology Institute, which has been designated an NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and is a multi-year winner of the National Cyber League competition. He has trained thousands of cybersecurity professionals across government, defense, and private sectors, many of whom now lead blue team and threat intelligence programs around the world.
Today, Chris fuses traditional intelligence tradecraft with cutting-edge OSINT and AI-enabled analysis. Much more than merely collecting data, to Chris OSINT is about understanding human behavior, identifying deception, and uncovering patterns that give defenders an edge. He specializes in web scraping, persistent monitoring, attribution management, and data visualization—skills he translates directly into his OSINT and incident-handling labs. Previously he has led efforts in detecting disinformation and military deception, conducting imagery and drone analysis, and managing false personas with rigorous operational security. Chris teaches because he believes cybersecurity isn’t just a career, it’s a calling to protect people, systems, and missions that matter. Students praise his approachable, mission-focused teaching style and the authenticity he brings from decades in defense and intelligence. Outside the classroom, Chris enjoys woodworking, fishing, and camping—pursuits that reflect the patience, precision, and curiosity that drive both his craft and his commitment to lifelong learning. In every class, Chris reminds students that cybersecurity is a mindset built on curiosity, integrity, and purpose.
Chris Pizor was the best teacher for any IT training class I have taken!
Chris is a fantastic instructor, he has a ton of knowledge.
Chris uses examples and provides great context for the slide points. Better than any school instructors.
Here are upcoming opportunities to train with this expert instructor.