CSO Online Honors 64 Security Organizations with 2026 CSO Awards
In a move to celebrate excellence in cybersecurity, CSO Online announced the 64 winners of its prestigious 2026 CSO Awards. This annual event recognizes organizations that have undertaken exceptional initiatives in security leadership, demonstrating measurable impacts on their businesses. The awarded projects represent a range of innovative strategies in tackling modern cybersecurity challenges, pivoting around key concepts such as zero trust architecture, artificial intelligence (AI) automation, behavioral change management, and cloud security transformation.
As the landscape of cyber threats continues to evolve and grow more complex, security teams are finding ways to adapt their strategies despite operating within tight resource constraints. The initiatives honored by CSO Online serve as powerful examples of how organizations can effectively address these pressing security issues.
Among the noteworthy projects, several winners are making significant strides in transforming security culture through inventive training methodologies. An exemplary case is Copart, a global online car auction company boasting a workforce of 12,000 employees. In a bid to enhance cybersecurity awareness, Copart successfully revamped its training program, seeking to embed secure behaviors into employees’ daily routines, much like the instinctual act of buckling a seatbelt. The new approach replaced the outdated manual training format with an automated, adaptive program that delivers role-based phishing simulations along with immediate micro-training sessions. Incorporating gamification techniques—with live leaderboards, achievements, and automated reporting—allowed the company to engage its employees effectively. The results were striking; phishing reporting rates surged from a mere 17-24% to an impressive 55-60%. Within just one year, the program facilitated a staggering 202,992 simulations, featuring over 950 unique scenarios tailored to meet the diverse needs of its employees.
Other awardees tackled a variety of technical challenges, focusing on security frameworks that align with zero trust principles and automation. The Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) undertook a notable initiative known as the Zero Trust Data Governance Initiative. Recognizing the risks inherent in healthcare data handling, they aimed to eradicate any confidential member information from non-production environments. This strategic move drew attention to a prevalent issue within the healthcare sector, where data privacy and cybersecurity risks loom large. Utilizing AI-driven, automated data masking technology from Perforce Delphix, HMSA managed to successfully anonymize over 50 terabytes of sensitive data across various platforms without hindering operational functions.
Hensel Phelps Construction adopted a unique approach, utilizing automation to enhance productivity even with limited resources. The company’s five-member security team engaged in dedicated "automation weeks" aimed at systematically removing manual tasks from their workflow. As a result of these efforts, they successfully automated more than 1,250 hours of work annually through a program known as Project SAM (Security Automation Member).
Another significant area of focus among the awardees was cloud security transformation. K&N Engineering, for example, implemented a forward-thinking code-to-cloud security framework following vulnerabilities identified in a cyber insurance assessment of their software deployment tools. By integrating security checkpoints at every stage of the development lifecycle across AWS and Azure environments, the initiative enabled the organization to identify and address vulnerabilities proactively before software deployment. This shift-left strategy not only offered near real-time visibility into risk exposure but also bolstered compliance measures.
McDonald’s, a global giant operating 44,000 locations across 100 countries, also received accolades for its "Securing the Arches" project. The initiative sought to address the intricate security challenges linked to their vast operational landscape, wherein 95% of locations are run by local franchisees. The company’s mobile app, which connects approximately 250 million consumers, further added to the complexity of their security requirements.
For security leaders considering future initiatives, the approaches demonstrated by these award-winning organizations provide invaluable insights. The projects underscore the necessity of cultivating a security-conscious culture alongside technological adaptation. Whether achieved through gamification, executive engagement, or interdepartmental collaboration, the importance of cultural change is evident. Automation and zero trust principles are emerging as pivotal themes for enhancing security operations without necessitating proportional increases in staffing.
Organizations grappling with similar challenges in areas such as security awareness, data governance, resource limitations, or cloud security can greatly benefit from these practical examples. Key takeaways from these implementations highlight the critical roles of metrics tracking, sustained executive backing, and the strategic focus on automating high-impact manual tasks.
For further details on these remarkable achievements in cybersecurity innovation, the complete article can be found on CSO Online’s website.