1. Get to know more about the categories for awards by downloading the criteria for judging. Simply fill out the form below and select the category you want to download.
2. Check the boxes of the categories you want to download. Click the category name to see description.
CISO of the Year
This award recognises the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) who has most effectively strengthened cyber security capabilities within their organisation while driving business growth through capitalising on market opportunities through their participation in the cyber industry.
All CISOs are encouraged to participate irrespective of location, company size, or years of experience.
Cyber Security Champion of the Year - Internal
This award recognises an in-house employee who drives and upholds the practices of cyber security within the organisation or company. This individual can be employed in an IT role or other department that oversees the cyber security practices for the organisation or company.
All employees are encouraged to participate irrespective of location, company size, or years of experience.
Cyber Security Consultant of the Year - Enterprise
This award recognises the consultant who has delivered outstanding work for their organisation/institution and/or client while supporting the strengthening of Australia’s cyber and national security capabilities through their participation in the cyber industry.
It is open to any consultant employed by a business with 200 or more staff, who are at any point in their career who have demonstrated a commitment to excelling in the cyber industry and are on a rapid career trajectory with their work central to the commercial success, growth or development of their organisation.
Cyber Security Consultant of the Year - SME
This award recognises the consultant who has delivered outstanding work for their organisation/institution and/or client while supporting the strengthening of Australia’s cyber and national security capabilities through their participation in the cyber industry.
It is open to any consultant employed by a business with less than 200 staff, who are at any point in their career who have demonstrated a commitment to excelling in the cyber industry and are on a rapid career trajectory with their work central to the commercial success, growth or development of their organisation.
Cyber Security Graduate of the Year
This award recognises the graduate who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to building a successful career in cyber security irrespective of company or organisation.
It considers the activities, strategies and actions of the graduate to create a point of difference to positively contribute to their company/organisation’s cyber security practices and shape an exciting career path.
Cyber Security Lawyer of the Year
This award recognises a lawyer who has demonstrated excellence in the cyber security practice area, advising on high-stakes legal matters concerning the industry.
Cyber Security Professional of the Year - FMCG, retail and hospitality
This award recognises the cyber security professional operating in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), retail or hospitality industries either as an in-house employee or external consultant that has most effectively capitalised on market opportunities and driven demonstrable business growth while supporting the strengthening of the cyber security capabilities of their organisation through their participation in the cyber industry.
All cyber security professionals supporting the FMCG, retail or hospitality industries are encouraged to participate irrespective of location, company size, or years of experience.
Cyber Security Professional of the Year - Government & Defence
This award recognises the cyber security professional operating in the government or defence sectors either as public servant or external consultant that has most effectively driven demonstrable departmental success or business growth while supporting the strengthening of the cyber security capabilities of their organisation through their participation in the cyber industry.
All cyber security professionals supporting either the defence sector or any level of the Australian government are encouraged to participate irrespective of location, company size, or years of experience.
Cyber Security Professional of the Year - Industries, Logistics & Critical Infrastructure
This award recognises the cyber security professional operating in any of the industries listed below either as an in-house employee or external consultant that has most effectively capitalised on market opportunities and driven demonstrable business growth while supporting the strengthening of the cyber security capabilities of their organisation through their participation in the cyber industry.
● Primary industries
● Logistics
● Transport
● Construction
● Critical infrastructure management
● Manufacturing
All cyber security professionals supporting the above industries are encouraged to participate, irrespective of location, company size, or years of experience.
Cyber Security Professional of the Year - Professional and Financial Services
This award recognises the cyber security professional operating in any of the industries listed below either as an in-house employee or external consultant that has most effectively capitalised on market opportunities and driven demonstrable business growth while supporting the strengthening of the cyber security capabilities of their organisation through their participation in the cyber industry.
All cyber security professionals supporting the above industries are encouraged to participate, irrespective of location, company size, or years of experience.
Cyber Security Professional of the Year - Technology, Media, and Telecommunications
This award recognises the cyber security professional operating in a technology, media, and telecommunications organisation either as an in-house employee or external consultant that has most effectively capitalised on market opportunities and driven demonstrable business growth while supporting the strengthening of the cyber security capabilities of their organisation through their participation in the cyber industry.
All cyber security professionals supporting the technology, media, and telecommunications industries are encouraged to participate, irrespective of location, company size, or years of experience.
Cyber Security Rising Star
This award recognises the individual who has most effectively shaped their business’s success while supporting the strengthening of Australia’s cyber and national security capabilities.
It is open to any individual in the first five (5) years of their career within a cyber security capacity who has demonstrated a commitment to excelling professionally in a cyber security capacity as well as being on a rapid career trajectory and has made a positive contribution to the cyber security industry.
Female Cyber Security Leader of the Year
This award recognises the female cyber leader who has most effectively shaped their business’s success while supporting the strengthening of Australia’s cyber and national security capabilities.
It is open to all female professionals who hold a management/leadership position in a business, organisation or institution that supports the cyber industry.
Female cyber leaders working across all areas of the cyber industry, including primes, SMEs, university or research institutions, consultancies, industry associations or any other cyber business, are encouraged to participate.
Indigenous Cyber Security Leader of the Year
This award recognises the Indigenous cyber security leader who has most effectively shaped their business’s success while supporting the strengthening of Australia’s cyber and national security capabilities.
It is open to all Indigenous cyber security leaders working in a business, organisation or institution that supports the cyber industry.
Cloud Service Provider of the Year
This award recognises the cyber security business that is the most effective and innovative cloud service provider of the year.
It is open to all businesses working within the cyber industry regardless of specialisation that aim to strengthen Australia’s cyber security capabilities.
Cyber Security Consulting Business of the Year - Enterprise
This award recognises the enterprise-level cyber security consultancy that has most effectively capitalised on market opportunities and driven demonstrable business growth while supporting the strengthening of Australia’s cyber and national security capabilities through its participation in the cyber industry.
It includes all cyber security consulting businesses regardless of specialisation, such as strategy, operations, supply chain, security, analytical, professional services, graduate, IT transformations, delivery, decommissioning, M&A, supportability modelling and other related disciplines.
Cyber Security Consulting Business of the Year - SME
This award recognises the SME-level cyber security consultancy that has most effectively capitalised on market opportunities and driven demonstrable business growth while supporting the strengthening of Australia’s cyber and national security capabilities through its participation in the cyber industry.
It includes all cyber security consulting businesses regardless of specialisation, such as strategy, operations, supply chain, security, analytical, professional services, graduate, IT transformations, delivery, decommissioning, M&A, supportability modelling and other related disciplines.
Cyber Security Training Business of the Year
This award recognises the training institution or business that has most effectively capitalised on market opportunities and driven demonstrable business growth while supporting the strengthening of Australia’s cyber and national security capabilities through its participation in the cyber industry.
Data Server Security Business of the Year
This award recognises the cyber security business that has developed the most effective and innovative data/server security of the year.
It is open to all data/server security companies working within the cyber industry, regardless of specialisation, that aim to strengthen Australia’s cyber security capabilities. All cyber data/server security companies are encouraged to participate irrespective of size, revenue or geographic location/s.
Endpoint Security Provider of the Year
This award recognises the cyber security business that has developed the most effective and innovative endpoint security service of the year.
It is open to all endpoint security providers working within the cyber industry, regardless of specialisation, that aim to strengthen Australia’s cyber security capabilities. All endpoint security companies are encouraged to participate irrespective of size, revenue or geographic location/s.
GRC Provider of the Year
This award recognises the cyber security business that has developed the most effective and innovative governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) service of the year.
It is open to all GRC service providers working within the cyber industry, regardless of specialisation, that aim to strengthen Australia’s cyber security capabilities. All GRC service providers are encouraged to participate irrespective of size, revenue or geographic location/s.
In-house Cyber Security Response Team of the Year
This award recognises the in-house cyber security response team that has best adapted to and overcome the challenges of operating in the cyber security domain throughout 2023.
It is open to all in-house cyber security response teams, regardless of the industry in which the parent company operates. All businesses with an in-house cyber security response team are encouraged to participate irrespective of size, revenue or geographic location/s.
Indigenous Cyber Security Business of the Year
This award recognises the Indigenous cyber security business that has most effectively capitalised on market opportunities and driven demonstrable business growth while supporting the strengthening of Australia’s cyber and national security capabilities through its participation in the cyber industry.
It includes all Indigenous cyber security businesses, regardless of specialisation, operating across domains such as land, aerospace, naval, space, medical, packaging, textiles or clothing, engineering services, systems engineering and integration, C4ISR, multidomain, logistics and warehousing, professional services and administration, sales, marketing and communications, facilities services and construction, hospitality, consumables, and all other cyber-related disciplines.
Network Cyber Security Business of the Year
This award recognises the cyber security business that has developed the most effective and innovative network cyber security service of the year.
It is open to all network cyber security companies working within the cyber industry, regardless of specialisation, that aim to strengthen Australia’s cyber security capabilities. All network cyber security companies are encouraged to participate irrespective of size, revenue or geographic location/s.
Ransomware Protection Business of the Year
This award recognises the cyber security business that has developed the most effective and innovative ransomware protection service of the year.
It is open to all ransomware protection companies working within the cyber industry, regardless of specialisation, that aim to strengthen Australia’s cyber security capabilities. All ransomware protection companies are encouraged to participate irrespective of size, revenue or geographic location/s.
Research institution of the year
This award recognises the research institution that has developed the most effective and innovative cyber security research and development throughout 2023.
It is open to all research institutions that are currently working within the cyber security domain, regardless of specialisation, that aim to strengthen Australia’s cyber security capabilities. All research institutions are encouraged to participate irrespective of size, revenue or geographic location/s.
SIEM Provider of the Year
This award recognises the cyber security business that has developed the most effective and innovative security information and event management (SIEM) service of the year.
It is open to all SIEM service providers working within the cyber industry, regardless of specialisation, that aim to strengthen Australia’s cyber security capabilities. All SIEM service providers are encouraged to participate irrespective of size, revenue or geographic location/s.
SOC Provider of the Year
This award recognises the cyber security business that has developed the most effective and innovative security operations centre (SOC) service of the year.
It is open to all SOC service providers working within the cyber industry, regardless of specialisation, that aim to strengthen Australia’s cyber security capabilities. All SOC service providers are encouraged to participate irrespective of size, revenue or geographic location/s.
Threat Detection Business of the Year
This award recognises the cyber security business that has developed the most effective and innovative threat detection service of the year.
It is open to all threat detection businesses working within the cyber industry, regardless of specialisation, that aim to strengthen Australia’s cyber security capabilities. All threat detection service providers are encouraged to participate irrespective of size, revenue or geographic location/s.
This is required.
Thank you for your interest in the Australian Cyber Awards 2025.
Please find the attached category descriptions.
For any additional information, or any questions, please contact Imogen Taylor at [email protected] or alternatively call 0405 174 723.
We look forward to seeing your submission.
Best wishes,
Australian Cyber Awards team
Thank you for submitting! Please check your email.