The Software Report is pleased to announce The Top 25 Cybersecurity Executives of 2025. These leaders are operating at a pivotal intersection of business risk, software complexity, and geopolitical exposure. They run companies that protect software supply chains, manage vulnerabilities at scale, monitor and respond to live threats, and help governments and enterprises coordinate security across cloud, SaaS, and hybrid environments.
Their work is technically rigorous and strategically critical. Some are building detection engines that process billions of code commits; others are redefining vulnerability disclosure policy, driving AI safety standards, or coordinating national responses to ransomware attacks. Across sectors—from finance to government to infrastructure—these executives are shaping how security is built, enforced, and understood.
Among this year’s awardees, we recognize John Hurley, Chief Revenue Officer of Optiv, who is driving the firm’s revenue and go-to-market strategy as it delivers cybersecurity programs to nearly 6,000 companies across a range of industries. Iftach Orr, Co-Founder and CTO of ActiveFence, leads the development of AI safety tools that help protect over three billion users from online threats, supporting content moderation in more than 100 languages. Doug Howard, CEO of Pondurance, brings over 30 years of leadership in cybersecurity to his role guiding the firm’s delivery of managed detection and response, digital forensics, and compliance services tailored to midmarket organizations.
These leaders are shaping how cybersecurity adapts to real-world complexity—designing the platforms, protocols, and response models that make large-scale protection both possible and sustainable. This year’s awardees were selected for their track records of execution, strategic leadership, and direct contributions to improving how organizations manage digital risk. Please join us in honoring The Top 25 Cybersecurity Executives of 2025.
1. John Hurley
Company: Optiv
Title: Chief Revenue Officer
John Hurley has more than 25 years of experience in the technology industry, driving success for global, commercial, and enterprise organizations. As Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) for Optiv, he is responsible for the company’s revenue-generation strategy and go-to-market approach to drive sustainable growth.
Hurley joined Optiv from Quantum, where he served as CRO and had oversight of a global sales organization and all routes to market. He also led Quantum’s transition from a traditional hardware business to software-only, subscription, and SaaS offerings. Previously, Hurley spent the majority of his career in various leadership roles at Cisco and Dell, spanning sales, go-to-market strategies, and growth marketing.
Hurley is active in the community and committed to helping foster the next generation of leadership. He serves and has served as a board member or executive sponsor for a number of philanthropic organizations, including the University of Michigan Mott Classic, American Hospital Association Dallas, Cystic Fibrosis of Michigan, Van Andel Institute, and the Connected Women’s Group of Midwest Technology Leaders. Hurley holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from The Pennsylvania State University.
2. Sanjay Beri
Company: Netskope
Title: Founder and CEO
Sanjay Beri is the Founder and CEO of Netskope, a leader in modern security and networking, delivering optimized access and real-time, context-based security for users, devices, and data. Its Netskope One platform, powered by its Zero Trust Engine and NewEdge network, is trusted by thousands of customers, including more than 30 of the Fortune 100. It enables organizations to reduce risk and gain full visibility and control over cloud, AI, SaaS, web, and private applications, providing robust security and enhanced performance.
Beri brings more than 20 years of experience to his current role, with particular expertise in the cloud, networking, and security industries. His unique business sense combined with his technical acumen, vision for the future of the industry, and unwavering focus on culture have contributed to his ability to build a world-class team at Netskope.
Before joining Netskope, Beri was a VP and general manager of access and security and the Pulse Business Unit at Juniper Networks and, before that, a senior product manager of security at McAfee. Earlier in his career, he worked as a software design engineer at Microsoft. Beri graduated from the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business with an MBA, from Stanford University with a master’s degree in electrical engineering, and from the University of Waterloo with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering.
3. Brian Murphy
Company: ReliaQuest
Title: Founder and CEO
Brian Murphy is the Founder and CEO of ReliaQuest, a cybersecurity company that empowers security teams to detect, contain, and respond to threats within minutes. Its GreyMatter platform enables enterprise security teams to maximize the value of their current or future technology stack, enhancing visibility and automation without requiring data centralization or tool standardization. Built on over a decade of experience, ReliaQuest offers both optionality and modularity to put the customer at the center of the platform.
Murphy has grown ReliaQuest from a boot-strapped startup to a high-growth unicorn with a valuation of over $1 billion, more than 1,200 team members, and more than $350 million in growth equity, with firms such as FTV Capital and KKR Growth.
In addition to his current role, Murphy serves as Board Chair for Embarc Collective, Florida’s fastest-growing startup hub, is a CEO Council Member for the CNBC CEO Council, and is a Member of the Forbes Technology Council. He graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance.
4. Shlomo Kramer
Company: Cato Networks
Title: Co-Founder and CEO
Shlomo Kramer is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cato Networks. Cato Networks delivers a world-leading single-vendor SASE (secure access service edge) platform that offers a quality customer experience by enabling threat prevention, data protection, and rapid incident detection and response. Its open and modular architecture combines SD-WAN, a purpose-built global cloud network, and an embedded cloud-native security stack, allowing businesses to replace costly, rigid legacy infrastructure.
With a passion for creating and fostering successful IT-focused businesses, Kramer is also the co-founder of Check Point Software Technologies and Imperva. As a network security expert and serial entrepreneur, he is a board director and founding investor in several security, fintech, and software companies, including Fundbox, Exabeam, Gong, Aqua Security, and At-Bay.
Kramer holds a master’s degree in computer science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Tel Aviv University.
5. Frank Teruel
Company: Arkose Labs
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Frank Teruel is the Chief Operating Officer of Arkose Labs, the leading global account security company. At former companies, he has held GM, SVP, and COO positions, reflecting the breadth of his business acumen and leadership experience. Frank has spent the majority of his career leading Silicon Valley public and private technology companies in the digital identity, anti-fraud, and cybersecurity space, dedicating more than 20 years to helping the world’s largest enterprises detect and prevent fraud and cybercriminal activity and ensuring trustworthy consumers have seamless online experiences.
He is known for building high-performing teams, driving value, and achieving material business outcomes. Frank was instrumental in the successful ThreatMetrix $830M all-cash acquisition by RELX/LexisNexis Risk Solutions. His leadership style is built on a strong desire and ability to quickly develop a deep understanding of all facets of a company: product, market, customers, and sales cycle. Prior to Arkose Labs, he was the CFO for Mitek Systems (NASDAQ: MITK). Frank started his career at PwC. For the past 12 years, Frank has served as an adjunct professor at Santa Clara University in the MBA program, imparting real-world wisdom and helping to develop the next generation of business leaders.
Arkose Labs is a leading global account security provider offering a comprehensive platform that combines proprietary device identification, phishing protection, email intelligence, scraping prevention, API security, and bot management. The world’s leading consumer brands—including two of the top three banks, Microsoft, Expedia, and Roblox—rely on the company’s unified platform to reduce customer friction while preventing account takeovers, fake account sign-ups, and SMS toll fraud. Its Security Operations Center (SOC) provides actionable insights from an extensive cross-industry intelligence network, which monitors legitimate traffic and attack patterns across global enterprises.
With unparalleled proactive support for internal security teams, Arkose Labs goes beyond conventional security by actively partnering with customers to sabotage attacker profitability and disrupt threat actor groups like Storm-1152. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, the company maintains a global presence with offices throughout APAC, Central America, EMEA, and South America.
6. Nikesh Arora
Company: Palo Alto Networks
Title: Chairman and CEO
Nikesh Arora is the Chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks, a leading cybersecurity company trusted by more than 80,000 organizations worldwide. The company provides comprehensive AI-powered security solutions across network, cloud, security operations, and AI, enhanced by the expertise and threat intelligence of Unit 42. Its focus on platformization allows enterprises to streamline security at scale, ensuring protection fuels innovation.
During Arora’s tenure of seven years, he has led the company through a major transformation to become a global leader in AI and cybersecurity, and the security partner of choice for enterprise organizations and governments around the world. Before joining Palo Alto Networks in 2018, Arora served as president and chief operating officer of SoftBank Group Corp.
Prior to that, Arora spent ten years at Google, where he was senior vice president and chief business officer, president of global sales operations and business development, and president of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa regions. His career also includes serving as chief marketing officer for the T-Mobile International Division of Deutsche Telekom AG, and CEO and founder of T-Motion PLC, which merged with T-Mobile International in 2002.
Arora holds an MBA from Northeastern University, a master’s degree in finance from Boston College, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology at Banaras Hindu University.
7. Sumedh Thakar
Company: Qualys
Title: President and CEO
Sumedh Thakar is the President and CEO of Qualys. The Qualys Cloud Platform uses a single agent to continuously deliver critical security intelligence while automating the full spectrum of vulnerability detection, compliance, and protection across IT systems, workloads, and web applications—whether on premises or in endpoints, servers, public and private clouds, containers, or mobile devices. Founded in 1999 as one of the first SaaS security companies, Qualys maintains strategic partnerships and integrates its capabilities with cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure, as well as with leading managed service providers and global consulting firms.
As a cybersecurity visionary, Thakar is passionate about making the world’s digital journey safer. His education and early experiences as a coder led him to Qualys, where he joined the company as an engineer. Thakar became president and CEO in 2021. In 2019, he was named president, and prior to that, he was chief product officer, driving the company’s vision of making enterprise security more efficient and disrupting the VM space with integrated capabilities like patch management and cybersecurity asset management. He is a co-inventor of five U.S. patents for cybersecurity technology in Qualys offerings.
Previously, Thakar was an engineer at Intacct, an early cloud-based financial and accounting software provider. He also worked at Northwest Airlines, developing complex algorithms for its yield and revenue management reservation system. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Savitribai Phule Pune University.
8. Iftach Orr
Company: ActiveFence
Title: Co-Founder and CTO
Iftach Orr, Co-Founder and CTO of ActiveFence, is a globally recognized authority in machine learning (ML) and Generative AI safety and security, with over 15 years of experience in architecting and scaling mission-critical, high-performance systems. At ActiveFence, Iftach drives the company’s mission to empower platforms, Foundation Models companies, and enterprises to protect and secure the online landscape using advanced ML algorithms and innovative Generative AI strategies.
Prior to founding ActiveFence, Iftach served as VP of R&D at SimilarWeb, where he led groundbreaking initiatives and played a critical role in an elite Israeli military intelligence unit, sharpening his expertise in online security.
Iftach is also a trusted advisor to regulators and major tech companies worldwide, guiding them through the complexities of evolving online risks, particularly in the rapidly changing landscape of Generative AI. His insights help shape policies and strategies to mitigate emerging threats and ensure a safe and secure online world.
9. Assaf Rappaport
Company: Wiz
Title: Co-Founder and CEO
Assaf Rappaport is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Wiz. Wiz enables organizations of all sizes and industries to rapidly identify and eliminate the most critical risks across AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI, Alibaba Cloud, and Kubernetes, empowering them to build faster and more securely. Its cloud security platform helps teams protect everything they build and run in the cloud. Trusted by leading companies, Wiz combines speed and depth of visibility to deliver a secure and seamless user experience.
Since launching the company in 2020, Rappaport has led Wiz to become a fast-growing cybersecurity and software company. Previously, Rappaport was co-founder and CEO of Adallom, a leading cloud access security broker (CASB) acquired by Microsoft in 2015. He led Microsoft’s Cloud Security group and served as general manager of the company’s Israel R&D Center. Earlier in his career, Rappaport managed several strategy-focused projects in Israel and Australia while working for McKinsey & Company, and he is a veteran Captain of the elite 8200 intelligence unit of the Israeli Defense Force.
Rappaport holds a master’s degree in computer science from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in computer science, physics, and mathematics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
10. Michelle Drolet
Company: Towerwall
Title: Founder and CEO
Michelle Drolet is the Founder and CEO of Towerwall, a woman-owned cybersecurity business dedicated to helping organizations protect their critical data and IT infrastructure. Towerwall provides a comprehensive technology and solution set that ranges from setting up formal information security program plans to company-wide security policies. These collectively address integrated risk management, compliance, immediate mitigation, vulnerability management, and incident response, including the option of an onsite a virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO).
With over 26 years of experience in the information security industry, Drolet has built and led a team of experts delivering advanced cybersecurity solutions across a wide range of sectors. A prominent leader in data security preparedness, renowned for her extensive expertise in network and cybersecurity, her insights into prevention strategies and emerging trends make her a sought-after expert in the field. Drolet’s approach to cybersecurity underscores the importance of teamwork, emphasizing that robust security is built on strong teams and organizational culture, rather than solely on individual efforts or technology.
Drolet is also a member of the Forbes Technology Council, where she shares insights on emerging trends and best practices in cybersecurity. Prior to founding Towerwall, she served as President of CDG, Inc. and held the role of project manager at Access Technology. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and political science from Northeastern University.
11. Doug Howard
Company: Pondurance
Title: CEO
Doug has over 30 years of experience as a technology leader and innovator in security with a highly developed background in business development, M&A, operations, engineering, marketing, sales, and executive leadership. In his previous role at RSA as Vice President of Global Services and IT Innovation, he provided leadership support for RSA’s strategic vision and global operational execution, various Dell Governance Programs, and the M&A exit to STG from Dell. A former member of the U.S. Air Force, Doug holds a bachelor’s degree in Management and Marketing from Strayer University.
12. Beenu Arora
Company: Cyble
Title: Co-Founder and CEO
Beenu Arora is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cyble, a global cyber intelligence startup backed by Y Combinator and leading venture capital firms, including Blackbird Ventures, Spider Capital, King River Capital, Summit Peak, and others. The company equips organizations to manage cyber risks through AI-powered, actionable threat intelligence. A specialist in collecting intelligence across the deep web, dark web, and surface web, Cyble enables proactive threat detection and response for a wide range of global clients.
With over 19 years of experience in the field, Arora has honed his skills and knowledge in cyber intelligence, security operations, incident response, and risk management, working across various sectors and regions. As an Indian-origin Australian cybersecurity expert, he brings a global perspective, having worked for companies in Australia, Asia, and the U.S. As the CEO of Cyble, he leads a global team of experts and innovators who leverage AI-powered actionable threat intelligence to help the company’s clients manage cyber risks, with the vision to make the digital world safer and more secure.
In addition to his current role, Arora is a member of the Forbes Technology Council as well as the global leadership community, YPO. He holds MBA degrees from Columbia Business School and London Business School.
13. Sonali Shah
Company: Cobalt
Title: CEO
Sonali Shah is the CEO of Cobalt. Cobalt combines talent and technology to provide end-to-end offensive security solutions that enable organizations to remediate risk across a dynamically changing attack surface. As the innovators of Pentest as a Service (PtaaS), Cobalt empowers businesses to optimize their existing resources, access an on-demand community of trusted security experts, expedite remediation cycles, and share real-time updates and progress with internal teams to mitigate future risk.
Shah is a seasoned business leader and product visionary with more than 20 years of experience scaling high-growth businesses across the cybersecurity landscape. She has a proven track record of leading B2B SaaS companies from inception to successful exits. Previously, Shah pioneered the first cybersecurity risk rating platform, Bitsight Security Ratings, developed product vision and strategy for Human, and drove the transformation of legacy application security technology at Veracode and Invicti to enable early and frequent testing of web applications and APIs. Shah also played a strategic role in the successful sales of both Veracode and Invicti. Prior to these roles, Shah was an investment banker with Credit Suisse.
Shah serves on the Shibumi Board of Directors and is a Board Advisor to ThreatX. She also enjoys working with educational non-profits through Hestia and the GreenLight Fund and advising entrepreneurs through Springboard Enterprises and Astia. Shah holds an MBA from The Wharton School and a master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics.
14. Daniel Schiappa
Company: Arctic Wolf
Title: President, Technology and Services
Dan Schiappa is the President of Technology and Services at Arctic Wolf, a provider of cloud-native security operations. Its Arctic Wolf® Aurora Platform offers services including Managed Detection and Response (MDR), Managed Risk, Managed Security Awareness, and Incident Response, delivered through its Concierge Delivery Model. The company’s security team works as an extension of internal teams, offering 24/7 monitoring, detection and response, and ongoing risk management to help organizations strengthen their security posture.
In his role, Schiappa is responsible for driving innovation across product, engineering, security services, alliances, and business development teams to help meet demand for security operations through Arctic Wolf’s growing customer base. Before joining Arctic Wolf, Schiappa was an EVP and Chief Product Officer of Sophos. Before Sophos, Schiappa served as senior vice president and general manager of the Identity and Data Protection Group at RSA, the Security Division of EMC. He has also held several GM positions at Microsoft Corporation, including Windows security, Microsoft Passport/Live ID, and Mobile Services. Prior to Microsoft, Dan served as CEO of Vingage Corporation. Schiappa studied computer science at the University of Central Florida.
15. Michelle Zatlyn
Company: Cloudflare
Title: Co-Founder, President, and Co-Chair
Michelle Zatlyn is Co-Founder, President, and Co-Chair of Cloudflare, a connectivity cloud company that provides cloud-native security, performance, and networking tools for organizations of all sizes. Its platform supports faster, more secure access to applications and networks while aiming to reduce operational complexity. Cloudflare operates one of the world’s largest networks, blocking billions of threats daily for customers worldwide.
In addition to her current role, Zatlyn currently serves on the boards of directors of Atlassian and the World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders Foundation. Prior to co-founding Cloudflare, Zatlyn held positions at Google and Toshiba and was a founding team member of I Love Rewards. Earlier in her career, she worked at Investor Economics as a research analyst and consultant. Zatlyn holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and business from McGill University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
16. Danny Allan
Company: Snyk
Title: CTO
Danny Allan is the Chief Technology Officer of Snyk, a leader in secure AI software development. Snyk empowers organizations to build fast and stay secure by integrating security into developer workflows. Its AI Trust Platform enables secure software delivery through trusted insights and automated remediation, serving over 4,500 customers globally.
Allan is technology executive with 25 years of experience and a passion for solving customer challenges. With a proven ability to quickly understand and align products, technology, and market research, he has led two successful strategic exits to IBM and VMware. As Snyk’s CTO, Allan leads product strategy, roadmap, corporate information systems, and security research functions. He oversees the company’s current offerings as well as its near-term platform vision.
Prior to joining Snyk, Allan served as Chief Technology Officer at Veeam Software, where he was responsible for technical strategy, product strategy communication, and oversight of the Kasten and Cirrus engineering teams. He was also previously CTO at Desktone, where he led business and technology strategy until the company was acquired by VMware. He also held leadership and strategy roles at Watchfire, which was acquired by IBM, and earlier in his career, founded and served as the CEO of Stellarite. Allan holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce and information systems from Carleton University.
17. Brian Roche
Company: Veracode
Title: CEO
Brian Roche is the Chief Executive Officer of Veracode and a recognized expert in application security engineering, cloud-native technologies, cloud operations, and AI. Veracode provides application risk management tools designed for modern software development, with a platform powered by extensive code scanning data and an AI-assisted remediation engine. Its solutions support security throughout the software development lifecycle—from code creation to deployment—offering tools such as static and dynamic analysis, software composition analysis, container security, and penetration testing.
Roche is a long-standing cybersecurity leader and early advocate of the DevOps movement. He is a frequent speaker on topics including AI, application security, and digital transformation. Over his 25-year career, he has led global software and services teams at EMC, Cognizant, and Medidata, with a focus on scaling technology and driving organizational change. He has also served as a strategic technology advisor through his work with the Cloud Foundry Board. As a leader, Roche strives to create environments where teams move fast, stay focused, and deliver results that matter. He graduated from the Berklee College of Music with a master’s degree in writing and production.
18. Tom McAndrew
Company: Coalfire
Title: CEO
Tom McAndrew is the CEO of Coalfire, a cybersecurity and compliance services provider for the technology, healthcare, and finance industries. Coalfire specializes in cyber advisory, assessment, and security. The company also develops cutting-edge technology platforms that automate defenses against security threats for the world’s leading enterprises, cloud providers, and SaaS companies. The company is the foremost provider of FedRAMP compliance assessments and penetration testing services in the United States.
McAndrew is recognized as a leading cybersecurity expert in both the commercial and government sectors. Under his leadership, Coalfire’s Sales and Delivery teams have grown the business an average of over 40% annually over the past five years while supporting more than 2,000 customers annually. He has also been critical in establishing the company’s vision and implementing new services to meet growing challenges in cybersecurity in such areas as cloud computing, forensics, penetration testing, architecture, and cyber engineering, while also expanding Coalfire’s compliance and assurance services.
Prior to Coalfire, McAndrew worked in information security and weapons systems for the U.S. Navy. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, holds an MBA from the University of Washington, a Master of Science degree in Information Technology from the University of Maryland Global Campus, and a Master’s certificate in Space Systems from the Naval Post-Graduate School.
19. Yaron Galant
Company: Kiteworks
Title: Chief Product Officer
Yaron Galant is the Chief Product Officer of Kiteworks, a company aiming to empower organizations to effectively manage risk in every send, share, receive, and use of sensitive data. The Kiteworks platform provides customers with a Private Data Network that delivers data governance, compliance, and protection. The platform unifies, tracks, controls, and secures sensitive data moving within, into, and out of organizations.
Galant joined Kiteworks in 2017 and brings 25 years of experience in product strategy, management, and development to his role. A pioneer in security and analytics, Galant has played a leading role in the creation of the Web Application Security space and has taken several products and organizations from early stage to commercially deployed, scalable solutions.
Before joining Kiteworks, Galant was CEO and founder of Vieu Labs, where he led the creation of new modalities for interacting and collaborating through video. Previously, he was chief product officer at Quantifind, where he helped transform raw technology into a predictive analytics solution for marketing executives. Galant has filed 16 patents and holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science from Tel Aviv University.
20. Trishneet Arora
Company: TAC Security
Title: Founder, Chairman of the Board, and CEO
Trishneet Arora is the Founder, Chairman of the Board, and CEO of TAC Security, a leading global cybersecurity company specializing in vulnerability management. The company’s flagship product, ESOF (Enterprise Security in One Framework), excels in cyber scoring, cyber risk quantification, and leveraging advanced AI for vulnerability assessment and penetration testing. TAC Security holds prestigious certifications like CREST, PCI ASV & ISO 27001, and partners with tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, and Meta for CASA (Cloud Application Security Assessment).
Arora is responsible for setting the overall direction and product strategy for the company. Under his leadership, TAC Security has expanded globally, serving more than 150 clients across 15 countries, including the U.S., Canada, the UK, and regions in Europe and India. He is exceptionally passionate about securing cyberspace and started his entrepreneurial journey in 2013 at just 19. From there, under his leadership, TAC Security has been securing the world’s top brands and governments while disrupting cyberspace.
21. Gal Nakash
Company: Reco
Title: Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer
Gal Nakash is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Reco. Reco provides Dynamic SaaS Security, a platform designed to address the growing security gap caused by SaaS sprawl, including the rise of unsanctioned apps, AI tools, and rapidly changing configurations. Its solution continuously monitors the full SaaS lifecycle—tracking applications, users, data, and permissions—while identifying misconfigurations, over-permissioned accounts, and potential threats. Powered by its AI-based knowledge graph, Reco enables security teams to discover and prioritize risks across sanctioned and shadow SaaS environments. The company supports fast integration of new apps and partners with organizations such as AWS, Wiz, and Palo Alto Networks.
Nakash is an active and motivated professional with a proven track record of generating and building innovative research groups, managing research and projects from idea to completion, designing educational training, and coaching individuals to success. He is responsible for technical strategy, risk management, and critical decision making and is experienced in all aspects of business development, including operations, finance, technology, and cooperation with partners.
Nakash first got his start in 2011 as a software engineer at the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel before rising to head of research, his most recent position prior to co-founding Reco. He graduated from The College of Management Academic Studies with a bachelor’s degree in economics.
22. Feross Aboukhadijeh
Company: Socket
Title: Founder and CEO
Feross Aboukhadijeh is the Founder and CEO of Socket, a developer-focused security platform that protects the modern software stack across dependencies, CI/CD pipelines, and developer environments. It helps organizations detect real threats and prevent supply chain attacks before deployment. Socket safeguards all industries, including technology, media, healthcare, and finance, detecting over 100 zero-day attacks every week, ensuring that critical applications stay secure, fast, and developer-friendly.
Aboukhadijeh is a renowned open-source developer and security expert, and he founded Socket in 2021 to tackle the growing threat of software supply chain attacks. With over a decade of experience and contributions to the JavaScript ecosystem—including projects like WebTorrent and StandardJS, which see over a billion downloads monthly—he recognized the need for a proactive, developer-friendly security solution.
Previously, Aboukhadijeh was a visiting lecturer at Stanford University and an open-source developer at Standard JS. Before that, he was an open-source developer at WebTorrent. Earlier in his career, he worked with Intel Corporation as a web developer and videographer. Aboukhadijeh earned a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Stanford University.
23. Daniel Tobok
Company: CYPFER
Title: CEO
Daniel Tobok is the CEO of CYPFER, a cybersecurity firm specializing in incident response, threat mitigation, and data restoration. The company operates globally with teams across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and the Caribbean, providing 24/7 support for organizations facing cyberattacks. CYPFER’s team includes incident responders, threat researchers, ransomware negotiators, and data recovery specialists. The firm works closely with law firms, insurance carriers, and large enterprises, offering hands-on support to help clients respond to attacks and strengthen their long-term resilience.
Tobok is an internationally recognized cybersecurity and digital forensics expert with more than two decades of experience advising clients across North America and Europe. He has worked closely with both private organizations and government agencies on matters ranging from ransomware recovery to national security investigations. He previously founded and led Cytelligence, which was acquired by Aon, where he then served as president of cyber solutions at Aon. He also held a leadership role at Telus following its acquisition of Digital Wyzdom, overseeing forensics, threat audits, governance, and cyber investigations.
In addition to his current role, he also serves as the president of TTG, an international, privately funded technology consulting company operating out of the Caribbean that invests and develops early-stage technologies tailored to business advantages through enabling communications, reducing risks, and providing high availability solutions. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing from York University.
24. Shira Rubinoff
Company: The Cybersphere Group
Title: CEO
Shira Rubinoff is the CEO of The Cybersphere Group, a cybersecurity consulting firm that delivers custom strategies and solutions to build resilience in an interconnected world driven by data, AI, and emerging technologies. They provide strategic advisory services to clients ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies and are supported by a renowned CISO advisory board.
Rubinoff is a recognized cybersecurity executive, cybersecurity and AI advisor, global keynote speaker, analyst, and author who has built two cybersecurity product companies and led multiple women-in-technology efforts. She also serves on the Boards of the Pace University Cybersecurity Program, CyberPro.AI, Leading Women in Technology, and other company advisory boards.
Rubinoff provides guidance to numerous Fortune 100 companies in areas related to cybersecurity, AI, and company thought leadership. She consults various organizations in areas of business development and organizational dynamics. She has published many articles and lectures on issues related to the human factors of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and related topics, and holds numerous patents in areas related to the application of psychology to improve information technology and cybersecurity.
Previously, Rubinoff was the chief cybersecurity officer at Techstrong Group. Earlier in her career, she founded Green Armor Solutions and served as president. Rubinoff earned a master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology from Hunter College.
25. Katie Moussouris
Company: Luta Security
Title: Founder and CEO
Katie Moussouris is the Founder and CEO of Luta Security, a firm that helps governments and organizations strengthen their vulnerability coordination programs. Luta Security assesses each client’s process maturity and operational capacity to design strategies aligned with their specific needs and long-term goals. Its work spans all phases of vulnerability coordination, with an emphasis on sustainable security improvements.
Moussouris brings over 20 years of experience to her current role. She is a noted authority on vulnerability disclosure and bug bounties, and founded Luta Security in 2016, fresh off the heels of launching Hack the Pentagon, the first-ever bug bounty of the US government. She advises companies, lawmakers, and governments on the benefits of hacking and security research to help make the internet safer for everyone.
Moussouris serves on three federal cybersecurity advisory boards: the DHS/CISA Cyber Safety Review Board, NIST’s Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board, and the Commerce Department’s Information Security Technical Advisory Council. She also previously led major initiatives at Microsoft, including its bug bounty programs and Microsoft Vulnerability Research. Before founding Luta Security, she served as chief policy officer of HackerOne. She attended Simmons College to study molecular biology and mathematics and simultaneously worked on the Human Genome Project at the MIT Whitehead Institute.
