Innovation at the Inner Harbor: the Maryland Cybersecurity Awards.
On Wednesday, March 22, the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland met for its inaugural awards celebration. Convening at Baltimore's Visionary Art Museum in the Inner Harbor at the base of Federal Hill, Maryland Cybersecurity celebrated some of the state's leaders in information security practice and innovation.
The association's Executive Director Stacey Smith directed the evening's ceremonies, assisted by presenting sponsors PNC Bank and Point 3 Security. Michael Willetts (Senior Vice President, Maryland Commercial Banking Leader) and Jay Turakhia (Vice President, Commercial Relationship Manager, Greater Maryland Market) represented PNC, and Point 3 was represented by its founder and CEO, Evan Dornbush. The State of Maryland was represented by Secretary of Commerce Mike Gill, who gave an overview of the role cybersecurity has played and is expected to continue to play in the state's economy.
The judges who decided the evening's awards included Brandon Copeland (Tenant Representative, JLL), Ken Ferderer (Founder, Managing Partner, InnoVacient, LLC), Adam Firestone (Editor-in-chief, United States Cybersecurity Magazine), Lisa Jiggetts (Founder and CEO, Women's Society of Cyberjutsu), Ken McCreedy (Senior Director, Division of Cyber and Aerospace, Maryland Department of Commerce), Doug Schmidt (Partner, Chessiecap Securities, Inc.), Britta Vander Linden (Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of Governor Larry Hogan, State of Maryland), and Spencer Wilcox (Director of Security Strategy, Risk and Assurance, Exelon Corporation).
The awards fell into regional and general categories.
Regional Awards
Six regions picked standout organizations in the cybersecurity sector.
Anne Arundel County honored SecuLore Solutions. Based in Odenton, Maryland, SecuLore takes the application of cybersecurity tools to public safety as its mission. Their flagship product, Paladin, helps secure next-generation 9-1-1 networks.
Montgomery County recognized Cryptonite, which offers next-generation solutions that defend networks proactively (Cryptonite NXT prevents reconnaissance and stops the spread of malware before detection). [Corrected link and description added 4.12.17.]
Baltimore City chose ZeroFOX for its award. ZeroFOX is a social media security company based in downtown Baltimore. The company offers a single automated platform for managing information, brand, and physical risks.
Baltimore County honored its well-known incubator, BWTech. With campuses in Baltimore and Halethorpe, Maryland, this UMBC business incubator fosters the growth of innovative tech start-ups in many fields (and they've enjoyed particular success in cybersecurity).
Howard County honored Sealing Technologies. Based in Columbia, Maryland, Sealing Technologies offers engineering services for a broad range of cybersecurity needs, including software development, test and evaluation, risk assessment, and certification and accreditation.
Frederick County selected Antietam Technologies to receive its award. Headquartered in Frederick, Maryland, Antietam Technologies specializes in advanced detection, analysis, and mitigation of cyber threats.
General Awards
The People's Choice Award, with voting conducted online over the last several weeks, went to Dr. Mansur Hasib, the well-known cybersecurity and healthcare speaker and teacher from the University of Maryland University College.
Year Up Baltimore, took the Cybersecurity Diversity Trailblazer award. Based at Baltimore City Community College, Year Up prepares students working toward their degree with an intensive career-preparation program that includes professional coaching, hands-on skill development, and internships at leading companies.
The Cybersecurity Industry Resource honors went to the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, better known as TEDCO. An important part of Maryland's cybersecurity ecosystem, Columbia-based TEDCO provides a framework that innovative startups can use to obtain knowledge, networking, and funding.
RedZone Technologies' Bill Murphy was recognized with the Cybersecurity Champion award. His company, based in Annapolis, is known for risk assessment, security solutions, integration, professional services, and managed support.
2017's Cybersecurity "Company to Watch" was the afore-mentioned SecuLore Solutions, specialists in security emergency responders' networks.
The Cybersecurity Defender of the Year award went to another regional winner, ZeroFOX, whose attention to social media and the management of the risks that manifest themselves there has won the company widespread recognition as a leader in its field.
The final award, Cybersecurity Innovator of the Year, went to Terbium Labs. Based in downtown Baltimore, Terbium's innovative Matchlight system promises to "light up the dark web" by fingerprinting its clients' sensitive data for early detection and mitigation of any breach.
About the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland
The Cybersecurity Association of Maryland takes as its mission the creation of a global cybersecurity marketplace in Maryland and the generation of thousands of jobs through the cybersecurity industry. It offers a variety of resources, among them a comprehensive directory of cybersecurity companies in the state.