Center for Internet Security Launches Third Year of the Alan Paller Laureate Program to Support Cybersecurity Innovation

EAST GREENBUSH, NY, UNITED STATES, February 25, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Center for Internet Security, Inc. (CIS^®) is kicking off the third year of the Alan Paller Laureate Program, and applications are now being accepted for the grant program honoring the late cybersecurity pioneer.

Alan Paller was the co-founder of the Center for Internet Security, as well as the SANS Institute and SANS Technology Institute. He is credited with shaping the cybersecurity landscape, building the cyber talent pipeline, and driving positive changes in both public and private sectors, leading to measurable enhancements in cyber resiliency.

The Alan Paller Laureate Program supports U.S.-based nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and individuals dedicated to enhancing cybersecurity by making controls more effective, simple, and automated; developing and equipping highly skilled cyber experts; and enhancing the teaching of cyber defense at every level. The program awards up to $250,000 annually to eligible organizations or individuals whose pilot projects, proofs of concept, or existing programs are selected through a competitive application process.

Last year’s grant was awarded to Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS), to help fund its Security Training Scholarship program, a skill-development program designed to uncover hidden talent and increase diversity in the cyber workforce, empower women with the skills necessary for success, and address the critical workforce shortage in the cybersecurity industry.

"We're honored to receive the Alan Paller Laureate Program grant from CIS, which helps us expand our Security Training Scholarship program to address the workforce shortage in cybersecurity and increase widespread adoption of CIS Controls as critical to effective cybersecurity,” said Lynn Dohm, executive director of WiCyS. “Alan Paller was a visionary leader who dedicated his career to identifying and developing cyber talent, shaping the industry through education and advocacy, and was a strong contributor to the WiCyS organization. His legacy continues to inspire us, and we're proud to provide more women with the skills and opportunities needed to strengthen the field."

To learn more about the Alan Paller Laureate Program, including eligibility criteria and the application process, please visit the Center for Internet Security. The application period is open from February through the end of March, with award announcements expected in May.

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About CIS
The Center for Internet Security, Inc. (CIS^®) makes the connected world a safer place for people, businesses, and governments through our core competencies of collaboration and innovation. We are a community-driven nonprofit, responsible for the CIS Critical Security Controls^® and CIS Benchmarks^®, globally recognized best practices for securing IT systems and data. We lead a global community of IT professionals to continuously refine these standards to proactively safeguard against emerging threats. Our CIS Hardened Images^® provide secure, on-demand, scalable computing environments in the cloud. CIS is home to the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center^® (MS-ISAC^®), the trusted resource for cyber threat prevention, protection, response, and recovery for U.S. State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) government entities, and the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center^® (EI-ISAC^®), which supports the cybersecurity needs of U.S. election offices. To learn more, visit CISecurity.org or follow us on X: @CISecurity.

Kelly Wyland
Center for Internet Security
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