Rising Star in Cyber Security.
Every settled name in this field was once the youngest person in the room with a point to prove. This category honours the early-career defenders already changing how the people around them work, and the panel scores them on what they have done, not how long they have been doing it.
The 2026 Rising Star
Jubilian Ho Hong Yi was named Rising Star in Cyber Security in 2026. An Information Security graduate of the Singapore Institute of Technology and an OffSec instructor, he has put time into the communities that bring new people into the field, from Division Zero to Cyber Youth Singapore. The panel recognised the breadth of that contribution this early in a career.
A decade of winners sits in the Hall of Fame.
What the panel scores against
Three things carry weight here. The first is the work itself, evidence that the nominee built, broke, defended or researched something real, and that it stood up when other people looked at it. The second is reach, the proof that the work helped beyond the nominee's own desk. The third is trajectory, the sense that this is the start of a long contribution rather than a single bright moment.
The category exists because the field renews itself one person at a time. A SOC analyst who writes the runbook the whole team now follows, a student who finds a flaw and reports it well, a graduate who quietly mentors the next intake: these are the records the panel is built to read.
What a winning record looks like
Strong nominations are specific. They name the project, the research, the talk or the community, and they let someone else verify it. They show the nominee owning a decision and carrying its outcome, not sitting near a team that did the work.
Weak nominations lean on potential alone. Promising, eager, one to watch. The panel respects potential, but it scores evidence. A nominee who has shipped something, however small, and can show who it helped, will always read more strongly than a glowing reference with nothing behind it.
The criteria the panel scores against
The Rising Star in Cyber Security award acknowledges an emerging professional who has demonstrated exceptional promise early in their career. It celebrates individuals who are already making a measurable impact through creativity, skill, and commitment despite only recently entering the industry — those who show potential for future leadership and are driving positive change from the outset of their careers.
- 01Achievement
- Evidence of early-career accomplishments and measurable successes that demonstrate excellence and potential.
- 02Proactiveness
- Evidence of taking initiative, anticipating challenges, and actively seeking opportunities to contribute and innovate.
- 03Dedication
- Evidence of a strong commitment to professional growth, continuous learning, and advancing within the cybersecurity industry.
- 04Contribution to the Industry
- Evidence of positive contributions to the wider cybersecurity profession through collaboration, innovation, or thought leadership.