Leesburg, Virginia – We are thrilled to announce that James Gorman, Chief Information Security Officer at Hard2Hack, has been named a winner in Cyber Defense Magazine’s Top Global CISO Awards for 2025. This marks an extraordinary three-year streak of recognition, with James previously winning the prestigious award in 2023 and 2024.
This achievement represents a remarkable milestone in cybersecurity leadership excellence. Out of thousands of candidates competing globally, James has consistently demonstrated the innovation, strategic vision, and operational excellence that define elite information security leadership. The award will be presented at CyberDefenseCon 2025, taking place October 28-29 at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, Florida.
A Journey of Consistent Excellence
James’s journey with this award began in 2023 when he first received the recognition. His work has focused on detecting and precisely identifying ransomware threats and ensuring rapid post-attack recovery capabilities. In 2024, he earned the award for the second consecutive year, cementing his reputation as a cybersecurity leader who consistently delivers results.
Now in 2025, as CISO and founder of Hard2Hack, James has once again proven why he stands among the world’s most elite information security professionals. This three-year winning streak places him in exceptionally rare company within the global cybersecurity community.
The Top Global CISO Awards program, now in its 13th year, employs rigorous judging criteria to identify the most innovative cybersecurity leaders worldwide. Judges—including cybersecurity industry veterans, trailblazers, and market makers—evaluate candidates based on several critical factors:
- Executive Communication Excellence: Demonstrated success in communicating complex security concepts to boards and senior-level executives
- Breach Prevention and Response: Proven track record in detecting and stopping breaches and data loss
- Regulatory Compliance Mastery: Building powerful risk reduction programs that ensure compliance with industry regulations
- Innovation and Leadership: Implementing cutting-edge security solutions that protect organizations from evolving threats
“Chief Information Security Officers are the first responders of cyberspace and deserve to be recognized for their tremendous achievements as they fend off cyber criminals, cyber terrorists, malicious insiders, and nation-state sponsored attacks,” said Gary Miliefsky, Publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine.
James Gorman’s Impact at Hard2Hack
With over 35 years of experience in cybersecurity, network engineering, and IT operations, James brings unparalleled expertise to his role at Hard2Hack. As a Fractional CISO and CTO, he has successfully guided organizations across various industries through complex security challenges, including ransomware remediation, business email compromise incidents, and credential compromise responses.
James’s expertise spans multiple critical compliance frameworks that are essential for modern organizations:
- CMMC 2.0: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification for defense contractors
- FedRAMP: Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program
- PCI DSS: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard
- HITRUST: Health Information Trust Alliance framework
- ISO 27001: International standard for information security management
- NIST CSF 2.0: A risk-based framework developed by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
His leadership has resulted in numerous transformative achievements, including migrating PCI- and HITRUST-compliant workloads to Azure, achieving first-time FedRAMP readiness assessments, and implementing greenfield PCI-certified infrastructures in record time. These accomplishments demonstrate his ability to balance security requirements with operational efficiency and business objectives.
Building Cyber Resilience for the Future
At Hard2Hack, we believe that effective cybersecurity is a continuous process rather than a one-time implementation. Our philosophy centers on cyber resilience—the recognition that in a world where 100% security is not possible, organizations must be resilient as they strive to be secure.
James has been instrumental in developing this approach, which includes:
Comprehensive Risk Assessments: Identifying vulnerabilities across IT infrastructure, data, personnel, and third-party interactions
Incident Response Planning: Creating clear procedures and protocols for identifying, containing, and recovering from cyber incidents
Security Culture Development: Fostering organization-wide awareness and commitment to cybersecurity practices
Advanced Technology Implementation: Leveraging AI and machine learning for predictive analytics and automated response mechanisms
This forward-thinking approach has helped our clients become truly hard to hack, protecting their digital assets from the full spectrum of cyber threats while enabling digital transformation and innovation.
James’s contributions to the cybersecurity industry extend well beyond his work with individual organizations. He has served as vCISO and CTO for many organizations and currently works with multiple organizations simultaneously, including SecureG, where he develops universal security technologies for next-generation secure PKI; Working Excellence, where he heads their Cyber Security Practice; and Betterworld Technology, where he is the CISO and leads their vCISO program.
His thought leadership in the field is widely recognized. James has authored numerous articles on critical topics, including cyber resilience, AI security, and compliance frameworks. He also serves as a cybersecurity instructor, teaching certification courses ranging from foundational cybersecurity defense to advanced cyber resiliency for IT managers.
In 2025, Hard2Hack’s vCISO program—developed and led by James—also received a Global InfoSec Award from Cyber Defense Magazine, further validating our approach to helping organizations build robust security programs.
A Legacy of Innovation and Excellence
James’s three consecutive Top Global CISO awards represent more than individual recognition—they reflect Hard2Hack’s commitment to delivering world-class cybersecurity solutions and advisory services. Our approach combines deep technical expertise with strategic business acumen, helping clients across industries protect their most valuable digital assets.
From providing security assessments and certifications for healthcare Business Associates to building data center infrastructure for identity and payment platforms, our track record demonstrates consistent delivery of scalable, resilient, and cost-effective outcomes. James has successfully led teams through multiple audits, certifications, and migrations, often achieving unprecedented results such as moving from greenfield to PCI-certified infrastructure in just six weeks.
As cyber threats continue to evolve in sophistication and scale, the role of the CISO becomes increasingly critical to organizational success. The recognition James has received for three consecutive years validates our approach at Hard2Hack: combining technical excellence with strategic leadership, maintaining unwavering focus on compliance and risk management, and continuously adapting to meet emerging threats.
We are incredibly proud of James’s achievement and grateful for the recognition from Cyber Defense Magazine and the distinguished panel of judges. This award motivates us to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in cybersecurity, helping our clients build truly resilient security programs that enable business growth while protecting against the full spectrum of cyber threats.
As we celebrate this milestone, we remain committed to our mission: helping organizations become hard to hack through comprehensive cyber resilience and security advisory services. With James’s leadership and our team’s dedication, we will continue delivering innovative solutions that meet the highest standards and regulations, enabling our clients’ digital transformation and growth.
Congratulations to James Gorman on this exceptional achievement, and to all the other Top Global CISO winners who continue to defend the digital frontier with innovation, dedication, and excellence.
About Hard2Hack
Hard2Hack provides cyber resilience and security advisory services, helping clients protect their digital assets from cyber-attacks, data breaches, and other cyber threats. We offer risk assessments, security audits, compliance assessments, incident response, and crisis management services. Our experienced cybersecurity professionals develop customized security solutions that address unique client needs and challenges while staying aligned with industry best practices and regulatory requirements. We believe that effective cybersecurity is a continuous process, and we work with clients to establish a culture of security awareness and constant improvement to stay ahead of emerging threats.
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