[Governance -& Risk Management](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/governance-risk-management-c-93) , [IT Risk Management](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/risk-management-c-431) , [Vulnerability Assessment -& Penetration Testing (VA/PT)](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/vulnerability-assessment-penetration-testing-vapt-c-433)Longtime Tenable CEO, NetWitness Head Amit Yoran Dies at 54===========================================================Yoran’s Passing Comes 10 Months After Cancer Diagnosis, 1 Month After Taking Leave [Michael Novinson](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/authors/michael-novinson-i-4923) ([MichaelNovinson](https://www.twitter.com/MichaelNovinson)) • January 4, 2025 [](https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/longtime-tenable-ceo-netwitness-head-amit-yoran-dies-at-54-a-27218#disqus_thread) * * * * * [Credit Eligible](/premium/pricing ‘As a BankInfoSecurity.com annual member, this content can be used toward your membership credits and transcript tracking.’)* [](/premium/pricing ‘As a BankInfoSecurity.com annual member, this content can be used toward your membership credits and transcript tracking.’)* Get Permission* Amit Yoran – a West Point graduate who founded NetWitness, sold the company to RSA and took Tenable public – died Friday. He was 54.**See Also:** [New OnDemand -| Cyber Risk Graph: Solving the Data Problem of Proactive Security](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/webinars/new-ondemand-cyber-risk-graph-solving-data-problem-proactive-security-w-5368?rf=RAM_SeeAlso)Yoran was diagnosed in March 2024 with a treatable form of cancer, and in December temporarily stepped away from his role as Tenable’s CEO after learning he needed additional treatment. Tenable [said](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/01/04/3004249/0/en/Tenable-Announces-the-Passing-of-Chairman-and-CEO-Amit-Yoran.html) in a press release Saturday that Yoran ‘unexpectedly passed away,’ with Chief People Officer Bridgett Paradise telling employees in a message [shared](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7281336439454281728/) to LinkedIn, ‘this news may come as a shock ‘ (see: [*Tenable’s Amit Yoran Takes Medical Leave; Interim CEOs Named*](/tenables-amit-yoran-takes-medical-leave-interim-ceos-named-a-26980)).’Amit was an extraordinary leader, colleague, and friend. His passion for cybersecurity, his strategic vision, and his ability to inspire those around him have shaped Tenable’s culture and mission,’ Tenable Lead Independent Director Art Coviello [said](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/01/04/3004249/0/en/Tenable-Announces-the-Passing-of-Chairman-and-CEO-Amit-Yoran.html) in a statement. Coviello worked with Yoran at RSA during the early 2010s, and will become Tenable’s chairman of the board as a result of Yoran’s passing.Yoran became Tenable’s chairman and CEO in December 2016 following the retirement of co-founder and longtime leader Ron Gula, and has also served as the company’s president since May 2018. He led the Baltimore-area exposure management vendor through its $250 million Nasdaq initial public offering in July 2018, where Tenable received a $2.1 billion valuation. The company is now worth $4.69 billion.’Amit was one of the true OGs in cybersecurity, and we grew up together in this space,’ CrowdStrike founder and CEO George Kurtz [wrote](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/georgekurtz_im-deeply-saddened-to-hear-about-the-passing-activity-7281366399430639617-paaH/) Saturday on LinkedIn. ‘Despite being at competing companies over the years, Amit and I always made time to connect. He was a brilliant leader who understood the mission of protecting organizations and people at a fundamental level.’### Yoran Leaves Lasting Legacy for Tenable, Cybersecurity IndustryDuring Yoran’s eight years leading Tenable, he grew the company’s annual sales to $798.7 million and its headcount to nearly 2,000 employees. Tenable leads the $2.3 billion vulnerability management market with 29% share, IDC found. Tenable made seven acquisitions during Yoran’s time as CEO, including cloud security vendor Ermetic for $265 million and cloud-native DevOps security firm Accurics for $160 million (see: [*Tenable CEO on Using AI to Spot Exploitable Vulnerabilities*](/tenable-ceo-on-using-ai-to-spot-exploitable-vulnerabilities-a-22454)).’He was not just a visionary leader but a true mentor and friend,’ Piyush Sharrma, the CEO of Accurics who spent two years at Tenable, [said](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7281374633247830016/) on LinkedIn. ‘His guidance, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to both the security industry and his team were inspiring. Amit had an incredible ability to connect with people on a personal level, always offering his support and advice with a generosity that was unmatched.’Tenable last month appointed Chief Financial Officer Stephen Vintz and Chief Operating Officer Mark Thurmond to serve as interim co-CEOs. The company said Saturday it’ll continue to operate under the leadership of Vintz and Thurmond as Tenable’s board conducts a CEO search, which will include both internal and external candidates. Vintz joined Tenable in 2014, while Thurmond joined Tenable in 2020.’Amit was our fearless leader and visionary who inspired us and many others with his passion and zeal for life,’ Vintz [wrote](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7281338452816609280/) on LinkedIn. ‘Anyone who was fortunate enough to know Amit will tell you he approached every challenge with determination, excitement and genuine respect for others.’Prior to joining Tenable, Yoran co-founded and led NetWitness before selling the firm to RSA, where he was president for two years. He also founded and led Riptech, an MSSP acquired by Symantec in 2002. Yoran graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1993 with a bachelors in computer science, and was the U.S. Homeland Security Department’s national cybersecurity director.’Amit is one of the people who’s directly responsible for the success I’ve experienced in the past 25 years, and it’s due to his friendliness and generous nature that was a core part of his personality,’ Netography CEO Martin Roesch [wrote](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7281384112727232512/) on LinkedIn. ‘Every time we talked, it was an old friendship picked up where we last left off.’Amit Yoran is survived by his brothers Dov and Elad Yoran, who are both in cybersecurity. Elad worked with Amit at Riptide, led cloud security startup Vaultive for four years, and today is a board member and advisor to a number of security organizations. Dov worked with both his brothers at Riptech, spent years as a leader in Cisco’s security business group, and now leads cyber investigation startup Command Zero.’Late last night, we lost a brother, a father, a son, a husband, a veteran, an industry titan and a drinking buddy,’ Dov Yoran [wrote]( https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7281421794425675777/) on LinkedIn. ‘Amit Yoran was a force of nature. He was a true hero in how he touched and helped so many people in so many unthinkable ways.’  #### [Michael Novinson](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/authors/michael-novinson-i-4923)*Managing Editor, Business, ISMG* Novinson is responsible for covering the vendor and technology landscape. Prior to joining ISMG, he spent four and a half years covering all the major cybersecurity vendors at CRN, with a focus on their programs and offerings for IT service providers. He was recognized for his breaking news coverage of the August 2019 coordinated ransomware attack against local governments in Texas as well as for his continued reporting around the SolarWinds hack in late 2020 and early 2021.[](https://twitter.com/MichaelNovinson) [](mailto:mnovinson@ismg.io)  ##### [Expel: Firms Still Threatened by Old Vulnerabilities](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/expel-firms-still-threatened-by-old-vulnerabilities-a-22715?rf=RAM_Resources) [whitepaper](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/whitepapers/staying-ahead-curve-advancements-trends-in-vulnerability-management-w-12350?rf=RAM_Resources)##### [Staying Ahead of the Curve: Advancements and Trends in Vulnerability Management](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/whitepapers/staying-ahead-curve-advancements-trends-in-vulnerability-management-w-12350?rf=RAM_Resources) ##### [OnDemand Webinar -| Third-Party Risk, ChatGPT -& Deepfakes: Defending Against Today’s Threats](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/webinars/ondemand-webinar-third-party-risk-chatgpt-deepfakes-defending-against-w-4656?rf=RAM_Resources) ##### [OnDemand Webinar, View Now: Vulnerability Management in Proactive Cybersecurity](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/webinars/ondemand-webinar-view-now-vulnerability-management-in-proactive-w-4328?rf=RAM_Resources) [whitepaper](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/whitepapers/risk-based-vulnerability-management-ciso-executive-guide-w-10170?rf=RAM_Resources)##### [Risk-Based Vulnerability Management: A CISO Executive Guide](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/whitepapers/risk-based-vulnerability-management-ciso-executive-guide-w-10170?rf=RAM_Resources) [Governance -& Risk Management](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/governance-risk-management-c-93)##### [Longtime Tenable CEO, NetWitness Head Amit Yoran Dies at 54](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/longtime-tenable-ceo-netwitness-head-amit-yoran-dies-at-54-a-27218) [Governance -& Risk Management](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/governance-risk-management-c-93)##### [Apple Settles ‘Hey Siri’ Lawsuit for $95 Million](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/apple-settles-hey-siri-lawsuit-for-95-million-a-27217) [DDoS Protection](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/ddos-protection-c-359)##### [Japanese Businesses Hit By a Surge In DDoS Attacks](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/japanese-businesses-hit-by-surge-in-ddos-attacks-a-27216) [Governance -& Risk Management](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/governance-risk-management-c-93)##### [Microsoft, Ping, Okta Dominate Access Management Gartner MQ](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/microsoft-ping-okta-dominate-access-management-gartner-mq-a-27214) [Standards, Regulations -& Compliance](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/standards-regulations-compliance-c-435)##### [US CISA Issues Final Cyber Rules for Restricted Bulk Data](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/us-cisa-issues-final-cyber-rules-for-restricted-bulk-data-a-27215)[Overview](https://www.govinfosecurity.com/webinars/risk-management-framework-learn-from-nist-w-255) * Twitter* Facebook* LinkedIn* * * From heightened risks to increased regulations, senior leaders at all levels are pressured to improve their organizations’ risk management capabilities. But no one is showing them how – until now.Learn the fundamentals of developing a risk management program from the man who wrote the book on the topic: Ron Ross, computer scientist for the National Institute of Standards and Technology. In an exclusive presentation, Ross, lead author of NIST Special Publication 800-37 – the bible of risk assessment and management – will share his unique insights on how to:* Understand the current cyber threats to all public and private sector organizations;* Develop a multi-tiered risk management approach built upon governance, processes and information systems;* Implement NIST’s risk management framework, from defining risks to selecting, implementing and monitoring information security controls.Presented By———— [Presented By](/authors/ron-ross-i-558)—————————————#### [Ron Ross](/authors/ron-ross-i-558)*Sr. Computer Scientist -& Information Security Researcher, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)*
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