The dual nomination underscores the company's shift toward a unified, architecture-driven approach to security. PKWARE focuses on persistent data protection, ensuring encryption remains intact regardless of whether a file resides on an endpoint, in the cloud, or within a mainframe. This methodology aims to eliminate the need for complex, manual migration projects by deploying new cryptographic standards through routine agent updates. Tonya Cannady, President and Chief Revenue Officer at PKWARE, noted that the platform is designed to alleviate the operational burden on security teams by automating discovery and classification in an era increasingly dominated by AI pipelines. Gary S. Miliefsky, publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine, cited the firm’s ability to anticipate future threats while providing cost-effective, innovative mitigation strategies as the primary driver for the selection. PKWARE currently supports over 1,200 enterprise clients, including major financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase, Citi, and Bank of America. Final winners will be announced during CyberDefenseCon 2026, scheduled for October 20-21 in Orlando.