Introduction
The AttackIQ Champions Program is a cybersecurity advocacy initiative that recognizes and rewards practitioners who publicly champion threat-informed defense — whether that means promoting AttackIQ Academy, the AttackIQ platform, or the principles behind operationalizing MITRE ATT&CK. If you believe in what we’re building and want to help spread the word, this program was built for you.
The practitioners who get ahead in this industry aren’t always the most technically skilled. They’re the most visible. They share what they know, engage publicly with ideas that matter, and build reputations that follow them from job to job.
The AttackIQ Champions program exists to help you do exactly that.
What is AttackIQ Academy?
If you’re new here, a quick orientation: AttackIQ Academy is a free, award-winning cybersecurity education platform built around Threat-Informed Defense. Since launching in 2020, the Academy has grown to serve 80,000+ students across 180+ countries, with all courses available for (ISC)² Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits.
The catalog spans the full spectrum — from foundational concepts for practitioners just entering the field to advanced threat-centric strategies for experienced teams and security leaders.
You won’t find sales pitches inside the courses. You’ll find frameworks, methodologies, and practical skills that translate regardless of what tools or platform you’re running. Courses cover adversary emulation, detection engineering, MITRE ATT&CK operationalization, purple teaming, CTEM, and more. Whether you’re brand new to security or a CISO building a mature program, there’s something in there for you.
What Is the AttackIQ Champions Program?
Champions advocate for AttackIQ. That might mean advocating for AttackIQ Academy, the AttackIQ platform, threat-informed defense methodology, or the company overall. The form that advocacy takes is flexible. The only real requirement is that it be genuine.
This is a practitioner-first community program built on a simple bet: that the people who’ve gotten real value from threat-informed defense principles are the most credible voices to talk about them.
Why We Built This Program
We didn’t design the Champions Program in a vacuum. We built it because practitioners were already doing the work.
A handful of people convinced us this needed to be official. Their advocacy for AttackIQ Academy and threat-informed defense was already happening organically — in LinkedIn posts, in conversations with peers, in the way they talked about their own career development. The Champions Program just makes it formal, gives it structure, and makes sure people like them get something back for the effort they’re already putting in.
Today, the program officially launches.
Meet our 4 Founding Champions
Ryan Williams (Australia)
Lead Security Engineer at Applied Computing and Editor of HVCK Magazine
Ryan’s path into cybersecurity is anything but conventional — he spent years in the entertainment industry before COVID ended that chapter and forced a reinvention. He found AttackIQ Academy, worked through the catalog, and never looked back. As an offensive security enthusiast, the Breach and Attack Simulation learning path was the first one he finished.
“The content gave my understanding a framework to fit into. It wasn’t about selling a product — these are core fundamental principles that can be applied across everything. That knowledge armed me with what I needed when I was going into interviews.”
— Ryan Williams, Lead Security Engineer at Applied Computing
Raymond Kirk, CISSP, PMP® (USA)
AI Risk Management Solutions Consultant at Notion
“The content is extremely consumable and engaging. I needed vendor-neutral materials that would actually educate and not try to sell. That was one of the things I really appreciated.”
— Raymond Kirk, AI Risk Management Solutions Consultant, Notion
Dr. Omar Sangurima (USA)
Cybersecurity Program Manager at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
“I constantly kept telling myself, how is this free? Truly. Like how this is, just the level of training that’s there. How expansive it is, how in-depth it is. I just kept asking myself, like, is this free? Let me finish as much as I can before it’s not.”
— Dr. Omar Sangurima, Cybersecurity Program Manager at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Daniel Haney (USA)
Founder, Director at Secure By Design
“The Foundations of AI Security class made sense. The price was right. And I’ve been promoting it as much as I can since I completed it.”
— Daniel Haney, Founder, Director at Secure By Design
What Do AttackIQ Champions Receive?
This program is built to be reciprocal. As a Champion, you receive:
- 50 AttackIQ Flex credits
- Early access to Academy courses before public release
- A published spotlight on AttackIQ Academy and social channels
- Swag and priority invites to select field events
- Publish content under your own name on our platform
That last one is worth paying attention to. A byline on a credible platform builds your professional profile in ways a standalone LinkedIn post simply cannot.
What Are the Requirements to Become an AttackIQ Champion?
Social advocacy: Two LinkedIn posts per month, using prompts and assets we provide.
Quarterly activity (your choice): One activity per quarter from a menu you choose: a video conversation, a blog post, a panel discussion, a webinar appearance, or a structured feedback session on upcoming courses or features. You pick based on what fits your schedule and comfort level.
One thing we will never ask about: your security environment, your internal tooling, or anything that would require a security disclosure review. Your expertise and career perspective are fair game. Your company’s infrastructure is not.
How Do I Apply to the AttackIQ Champions Program?
If you’re an AttackIQ Academy student or an AttackIQ customer who believes in what we’re building and wants to say so publicly, come join us.
Applications are open now at academy.attackiq.com/champions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AttackIQ Champions Program?
The AttackIQ Champions Program is an advocacy initiative for cybersecurity practitioners who want to publicly promote threat-informed defense and AttackIQ Academy. Champions receive platform credits, early course access, publishing opportunities, and professional visibility in exchange for social posts and quarterly content contributions.
Is AttackIQ Academy free?
Yes. All AttackIQ Academy courses are available at no cost. Courses are also eligible for (ISC)² CPE credits.
Do I need to be an AttackIQ customer to apply?
You can apply as either an AttackIQ Academy student or an AttackIQ customer. If you’ve taken Academy courses and believe in the mission, you’re eligible.
How many LinkedIn posts do Champions need to make?
Champions commit to two LinkedIn posts per month. AttackIQ provides prompts and visual assets to make this easy.
Will I need to share information about my company’s security tools or environment?
No. AttackIQ will never ask about your security environment, internal tooling, or anything that would require a security disclosure review. The program is focused on your expertise and career perspective, not your company’s infrastructure.
What kind of quarterly activities can I choose from?
Champions choose one activity per quarter from a menu that includes video conversations, blog posts, panel discussions, webinar appearances, and structured feedback sessions on upcoming Academy courses or features.
