SecurityWeek today announced the launch of the Critical Impact Awards, a new recognition program honoring the individuals, organizations, and technologies delivering measurable impact and contributions in industrial cybersecurity. Winners will be announced live at the 2026 ICS Cybersecurity Conference, taking place October 6–8, 2026, at the W Nashville, as the event celebrates its 25-year anniversary.
Unlike pay-to-play awards programs that have eroded trust across the technology industry, Critical Impact Awards are earned, not bought. Every nomination is reviewed by an independent judging panel against published criteria. Sponsorship has no influence on outcomes, and the panel publishes its rationale for each honoree, making the Critical Impact Awards the most credible recognition program in the cybersecurity industry.
“The people defending industrial and critical infrastructure rarely seek the spotlight, and too many awards programs reward marketing budgets rather than merit,” said Mike Lennon, Managing Director at SecurityWeek and Director of the ICS Cybersecurity Conference. “The Critical Impact Awards were designed to fix that, with recognition based on outcomes and evidence, and judged by practitioners, with nothing for sale.”
