Most effective security efforts go unnoticed by design. Today is the rare exception.
The winners of the 2026 Cybersecurity Stars Awards have been revealed, spanning 95 subcategories across four primary award categories.
The reasoning is straightforward. The cybersecurity field is filled with work that merits recognition yet seldom receives it. Products that quietly address real vulnerabilities. Teams that prevent incidents that never make headlines. Companies that elevate the standard for everyone. The Cybersecurity Stars Awards highlight that work, once annually, through impartial evaluation.
Every submission was assessed by an independent judging panel and rated based on three criteria: innovation, impact, and technical excellence. Entries were not ranked by popularity, brand size, or campaign scope. They were judged solely on the quality of the work itself.
Certain subcategories feature multiple winners. The awards honor every entry that meets the benchmark, not just one per category.
By design, the winners span four main categories and 97 subcategories, such as agentic AI security, AI SecOps, AI security testing, post-quantum cryptography, continuous threat exposure management, extended detection and response, software supply chain security, identity threat detection and response, secure access service edge, and zero trust security, among numerous others.
With 95 subcategories, the complete list tells the story. The full 2026 winners list is available now at awards.thehackernews.com/winners/2026/.
Congratulations to the winners, and gratitude to every company, team, and practitioner who participated. Nominations for the 2027 awards will open later this year. Join this waiting list to be the first to know when they do.
Security work typically draws attention only when something fails. This is one day dedicated to the efforts that ensured it didn't.