International Best-Selling Author of A Hacker I Am, Foresight Book Series, Co-Author The Shadow World Series | Head Unicorn - Cyber Unicorns | AISA Member Board of Directors | Cyber Journalist | Cyber keynote Speaker.
Four months ago was the moment you can see below, I was awarded the AUSCERT Award for Individual Excellence in Information Security. An amazing moment I will not forget. I honestly have had a very humbling year with awards and industry recognition that have truly filled my heart. I have won two industry awards (This one and MVP at the recent Women in Security Awards by Source2Create), I was listed as part of Cybercrime Magazine Who's Who of the Cyber Security Industry, and I have also won four international book awards - three from the US and one from the UK. Epic if you ask me. I don't do the things I do for recognition or awards, though; I do them because I will make a difference in this world, it's not negotiable. So, what is my point with this post? Well, when I received this award, I was given a SANS Institute training voucher. Honestly, an amazing thing to receive that would allow me to do further training from a very highly respected provider. But I am at a stage in my career where I feel that this (although still epic) would better help someone else a little earlier on in their Cyber career. So with that in mind, I asked permission from AUSCERT and SANS Institute to regift my voucher. I asked if I could provide my voucher to either AWSN - Australian Women in Security Network or Baidam Pty Ltd to enable either AWSN to support the journey of an amazing woman in our industry or for Baidam to help continue to support Indigenous aspirants looking at a career in this space. One of these vouchers, in my mind, would be a great help to any individual on their career journey with the support of either organisation. The cool thing is, SANS matched my offer to regift the voucher, allowing me not to choose between Baidam or AWSN. So, both Baidam and AWSN have now chosen two amazing individuals who have already (or soon will) receive these vouchers to help them become who they already have the potential to be... A real pay-it-forward story, one I am proud to help create. One that makes this award you see below feel so much sweeter... #Payitforward #AusCERT #SANS #CyberUnicorns #Baidam #AWSN
A grand gesture from you, Craig, and it's an example for the industry. Nice to meet you here, Sir, and I believe we will meet in person at AusCERT 2026.
You deserve it
You deserved every award mate, not because you’re working towards them, but the opposite, you deserve them because you want to help people, the community, and the industry. This is why people follow and listen to you, you’re a genuine person, who genuinely wants to help others.
Congratulations Craig. A much deserved recognition to you
Great idea and unsurprising from you. Good on SANS for stepping up as well. May the recipients have a great career from the opportunity
Congratulations on winning the Individual Excellence in Information Security Award and for sharing your kindness with others.
This is great Craig Ford ✨️🙌 This is what it's about 😊👌
Massive congrats Craig, along with a very selfless act. Well deserved.
Head of Delivery - Cyber Resilience & Engineering
4wThat’s wonderful Craig Ford. A small but impactful act 👏 And well done to AusCert and SANS institute to being flexible and matching it. Such acts can go a long way. To you it would be another (well deserved) accolade, and to someone else new to the industry, and with the high cost of living a life changing act of kindness that they will remember for a long time.