Entries for the 2010 SC Awards U.S. are now closed.

The 2011 awards are just around the corner email Natasha Mulla to make sure you are included on updates on the SC Awards.

Readers Trust

Best Anti-Malware Solution
Includes anti-spyware, anti-spam, anti-virus, anti-worm solutions. Can cover both point solutions, as well as those tackling all these threats in one.

Best Messaging Security Solution
Will consider anti-spam, email content filtering, email encryption, email security and instant messaging security solutions.

Best Data Leakage/Extrusion Prevention
Includes solutions that help organizations safeguard their intellectual property and customers' critical data persistently -- inside and outside the company.

Best Encryption Solution
Generally, encryption products are either hardware-based, such as chipsets, or software-based. Software-based products range from whole disk/full disk encryption solutions that protect the hard drive to offerings that encrypt specific files or folders on the OS or removable devices, like USB drives. The end goal of these tools is to prevent unauthorized users from getting access to protected data through the use of keys and encryption mechanisms that vary product to product.

Best Endpoint Security Solution
Includes solutions that secure the endpoint - from desktop firewalls to NAC products.

Best Mobile Device Security Solution
Includes anything from hard disk encryptions solutions and tools that track lost mobile devices to USB/thumb drive security solutions.

Best Enterprise Firewall

Best Web Filtering Solution

Best Intrusion Detection/Prevention Solution
Includes both types of solutions offered individually, as well as combo packages.

Best Identity Management Solution
Includes user provisioning solutions, single sign-on, password management, etc.

Best Multi- and Second-factor Solution
Includes biometrics, smart cards, tokens, second-factor solutions that provide additional
security.

Best Integrated Security Solution
UTM devices and software that help companies address myriad security problems.

Best Managed Security Service
Covers email security, as well as services that run the IT security gamut.

Best Security Information/Event Management (SIM/SEM) Solution
These solutions collect, aggregate and analyze logs from network perimeter devices.

Best Computer Forensics Solution
Products can come from various classes of forensic tools.

Best Policy Management Solution
These solutions help in managing common device configurations, including network settings, such as IP address, subnet mask and virtual local area network membership. Devices may also use security settings, such as encryption keys, firewall rule sets, registry settings and permissible network locations for access.

Best Vulnerability Management Solution
These can include source code analysis tools and a database security assessment tool. These classes of software, combined with web application assessment/management tools, all have their places in the software development lifecycle.

Best Security Software Development Solution
Includes solutions that help developers, working for software vendors and internally for end-user companies, to create more source code in products.

Best Web Application Security Solution
The host of services and products that guard against website attacks by ensuring that their associated vulnerabilities and coding errors used by cyberthieves are corrected will be considered here.

Best IPsec/SSL VPN

Excellence Awards

Best Security Company
Nominees should be the tried-and-true, longer-standing companies that have been offering products and services to customers for at least two years. Nominations can come from all sectors. Areas that will be accounted for in the judging process include product line strength, customer base, customer service/support, research and development, company growth and solvency, innovation and more.

Rookie Security Company of the Year
Nominated companies should be new to the IT security field, offering at least one strong product that is within two years of its initial release. Nominees can come from any IT security product/service sector and will be continuing their efforts in further product development, customer growth, and overall fiscal and employee growth.

Best SME Security Solution
This includes product nominations from all product sectors specifically designed to meet the requirements of small- to midsized businesses. The winning solution will have been a leading solution during the last year, having helped to strengthen the IT security industry's continued evolution.

Best Enterprise Security Solution
This includes product nominations from all product sectors specifically designed to meet the requirements of large enterprises. The winning solution will have been a leading solution during the last year, having helped to strengthen the IT security industry's continued evolution.

Best Regulatory Compliance Solution
Nominated solutions should help organizations comply with specific regulatory requirements demanded of companies in the health care, financial services and government markets. Solutions should help customers meet mandates noted in such legislation as HIPAA, SOX, GLBA, FISMA or in guidelines noted by the likes of the FFIEC. Nominees must be prepared to offer references of customer who are engaged in or have already completed real, fully fl edged deployments, and should be ready to address specific questions posed to them during the judging process.

Professional Awards

CSO of the Year
Contenders should include those who work for end-user companies only. No vendor CSOs will be considered. Nominees are the cream of the crop, having spearheaded a viable IT security program, gained the support of their company's executive leaders, as well as their colleagues, and helped - through their indefatigable efforts - to propel the CISO/CSO position to a footing of influence within their organization and the corporate world as a whole. Specific projects, and undertakings, as well as over-arching security programs to propel these various goals, should be noted. Nominees should be prepared to answer further questions during the judging process, offer at least two references, and be amicable to holding confidential interviews with members of the SC editorial team if warranted.

Rising Information Security Professional
Entrants should include those practitioners who have been in the information security profession between two to three years. Nominations should come from employers, educators and mentors. Submissions should include the professional's career history, professional certifications, information about the contender's current position and responsibilities, and why he/she should be considered for this recognition. Additional details should include examples of exemplary work overseeing and/or handling information security technology deployments, information security policy/risk management planning development and/or implementation, initiatives tying information security plans to business goals, collaboration with other business units and higher-ups, etc. Two to three references from other colleagues, bosses, etc. should also be included.

Best Security Team
Contenders should only include end-user teams who have executed and are managing exceptional security programs; who have built a strong security program from a virtually non-existent one; who have successfully established and implemented an integral and/or innovative/cutting-edge component of their security program; who have spearheaded strong awareness and training programs for their end-users, customers or partners, etc.

Best Professional Certification Program
Programs are defined as professional industry groups offering certifications to IT security professionals wishing to receive educational experience and credits. Entrants can include organizations in the industry granting certifications for training and knowledge which they provide.

Best Professional Training Program
Programs are defined as those geared toward strengthening expertise of IT security professionals via training on secure coding, end-user awareness, and more by an outside industry expert. Entrants can include companies offering such training and which does not conclude with the winning of a particular professional certification.

Editor's Choice Award*
Based on information culled from SC Magazine events, through research conducted by the SC Magazine editorial team for various features and news articles, and conversations with/feedback from readers, analysts and vendors, this award is given to a group, person, company or product at the discretion of the U.S. editor-in-chief.

* This category does not accept nominations.