As Mariah Carey says: "It's tiiiiime"! The holidays are right around the corner, gift guides are...
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Did you know October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month? We’re only three weeks away!
All October, tech companies, cybersecurity firms, and publications are focused on raising awareness about protecting digital information. Now is the perfect time to gather your data points, identify spokespeople, and refine your media list to ensure your client’s name is included in the conversations.
If you haven’t updated your targets recently, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered! Here’s a list of the top 30 cybersecurity journalists you need to keep on your radar (and an example of a pitch that secured solid coverage.)
1 - Matt Kapto, CyberSecurity Dive
Matt Kapko is a Senior Reporter at Cybersecurity Dive. He has been a journalist for more than 20 years, writing about technology since before the dawn of the iPhone and covering media well before it was social. The lifelong Californian has covered visionaries and trends in telecom, enterprise, network infrastructure, social media and marketing.
X: @mattkapko
LinkedIn: Matt Kapko
Based in Long Beach, California.
2 - Sean Lyngaas, CNN
Sean Lyngaas is CNN’s cybersecurity reporter. He reports on all forms of hacking, along with government and corporate attempts to thwart them. Sean has been a reporter focused on cybersecurity for nearly a decade. He was the senior reporter for CyberScoop, where he consistently broke the news on election security and cybersecurity issues facing the energy, health and manufacturing sectors and as a correspondent for Federal Computer Week and Smart Grid Today.
In 2017, he received a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting to investigate cybersecurity in the nuclear sector, and his reporting on the subject spanned Europe and the U.S.
X: @snlyngaas
Based in Washington, DC.
3 - John Sakellariadis, POLITICO
John Sakellariadis is a cybersecurity reporter at POLITICO, focusing on election security, cybercrime, critical infrastructure protection and government surveillance.
Before POLITICO, John worked as a freelance technology and cybersecurity journalist and as a national security research assistant at the American Enterprise Institute.
LinkedIn: John Sakellariadis
Based in Washington, DC.
4 - Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai, TechCrunch
Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai is a Senior Writer at TechCrunch, covering hacking, cybersecurity, surveillance, and privacy. Before TechCrunch, Lorenzo worked at VICE Motherboard, focusing on long-form features and investigations. Most of his work is driven by scoops and developing deep sources in the industry.
X: @lorenzofb
LinkedIn: Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai
Based in New York, New York.
5 - Bree J. Fowler, CNET
Bree Fowler is a Senior Writer at CNET, writing about cybersecurity and digital privacy. Before joining CNET, she reported for The Associated Press and Consumer Reports. Bree is a standout figure to watch as she is recognized as an expert at the RSA Conference.
We hosted Bree on Coffee with a Journalist back in August 2023. For more tips on how to pitch Bree, check out our blog!
X: @breejfowler
LinkedIn: Bree Fowler
Additional Pitching Resources: Coffee with a Journalist Podcast
Based in New York, New York
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6 -Sam Sabin, Axios
Sam Sabin is a cybersecurity reporter at Axios and author of the twice-weekly Codebook newsletter. As her newsroom's sole cyber reporter, she reports on all cybersecurity issues that matter to a general audience. Sam’s top coverage priorities in 2024 are artificial intelligence, nation-state hacks and election security, but she also focuses on stories about government surveillance/spyware and ransomware.
Tips for pitching: Sam highlights that Axios isn't a trade publication! Make it clear in the email why a general audience should care. No product announcements. She only accepts PR pitches via email! [sam.sabin@axios.com]
Sam is a standout figure to watch as she is recognized as an expert at the RSA Conference.
LinkedIn: Sam Sabin
Based in Washington, DC.
7 - Sead Fadilpašić, Tech Radar
Sead is a seasoned freelance journalist based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He writes about IT (cloud, IoT, 5G, VPN) and cybersecurity (ransomware, data breaches, laws and regulations). In his career, spanning over a decade, he’s written for numerous media outlets, including Al Jazeera Balkans. He’s also held several modules on content writing for Represent Communications.
LinkedIn: Sead Fadilpašić
Based in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
8 - Mark Albertson, SiliconANGLE
Mark Albertson is a senior writer for theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s live streaming studio. He is an experienced technology reporter, recognized by Onalytica as a "Who's Who In Cloud Influencer" and named to Peerlyst’s “24 Powerful Cybersecurity Journalists.” Before SiliconANGLE, Mark wrote for the San Francisco Examiner, Blasting News, and CBS-Bay Area.
X: @techagony
LinkedIn: Mark Albertson
Based in San Francisco, California area.
9 - Dan Lohrmann, GovTech
Daniel J. Lohrmann is an internationally recognized cybersecurity leader, technologist, keynote speaker and author.
He works with cybersecurity technology companies to provide insights and long-term strategic support. Dan is a Senior Fellow with the Center for Digital Government and a contributor to Government Technology magazine.
Dan has more than 30 years of experience in the computer industry, beginning his career with the National Security Agency. He has advised senior leaders at the White House, National Governors Association (NGA), National Association of State CIOs (NASCIO), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), federal, state and local government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, small businesses and non-profit institutions.
X: @govcso
LinkedIn: Dan Lohrmann
Based in East Lansing, Michigan.
10 - Kevin Collier, NBC News
Kevin Collier is a reporter covering cybersecurity, privacy and technology policy for NBC News. His work sheds light on critical developments in cybersecurity and international affairs. Before NBC News, Kevin was a reporter for CNN and a Cybersecurity Correspondent at Buzzfeed.
LinkedIn: Kevin Collier
Based in Brooklyn, New York.
11 - Maria Korolov, Network World
Maria Korolo is an award-winning technology journalist and contributing writer for Network World covering AI and cybersecurity. She has over 20 years of experience covering enterprise technology, mostly for IDG publications -- CIO, CSO, Network World, Computerworld, PCWorld, and others. She is also speaker, a sci-fi author and magazine editor, and the host of a YouTube channel.
Email story pitches to [maria@korolov.com]
LinkedIn: Maria Korolov
Based in Belchertown, Massachusetts.
12 - Jess Lyons, The Register
Jessica is The Register's cybersecurity editor, leading our coverage of topics ranging from government IT to best practices for defenders. Jessica has more than 20 years of experience in publishing, with roles ranging from news editor to managing editor.
She also hosts video interviews with CxO-level veterans and other subject-matter experts on the challenges facing the IT industry.
Jess is a standout figure to watch as she is recognized as an expert at the RSA Conference.
LinkedIn: Jessica Lyons
Based in Santa Cruz, California.
13 - Maggie Miller, POLITICO
Sean Lyngaas is CNN’s cybersecurity reporter. He reports on all forms of hacking, along with government and corporate attempts to thwart them. Sean has been a reporter focused on cybersecurity for nearly a decade. He was the senior reporter for CyberScoop, where he consistently broke the news on election security and cybersecurity issues facing the energy, health and manufacturing sectors and as a correspondent for Federal Computer Week and Smart Grid Today.
In 2017, he received a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting to investigate cybersecurity in the nuclear sector, and his reporting on the subject spanned Europe and the U.S.
X: @snlyngaas
Based in Washington, DC.
14 - Martin Matishak, The Record
Martin Matishak is the senior cybersecurity reporter for The Record. Prior to joining Recorded Future News in 2021, he spent more than five years at Politico, where he covered digital and national security developments across Capitol Hill, the Pentagon and the U.S. intelligence community.
LinkedIn: Martin Matishak
Based in Washington, DC.
15 - David DiMolfetta, NextGov
David DiMolfetta covers cybersecurity for NextGov/FCW. Previously, he researched The Cybersecurity 202 and The Technology 202 newsletters at The Washington Post and covered AI, cybersecurity and technology policy for S&P Global Market Intelligence.
X: @ddimolfetta
LinkedIn: David DiMolfetta
Based in Washington, DC.
16 - Christian Vasquez, CyberScoop News
Christian covers industrial cybersecurity for CyberScoop News. He provides readers with in-depth analyses of emerging threats, policy changes, and technological innovations in the field of cybersecurity. Christian previously wrote for E&E News at POLITICO covering cybersecurity in the energy sector.
Reach out: [christian.vasquez@cyberscoop.com]
X: @chrismvasq
LinkedIn: Chris Vasquez
Based in Washington, DC.
17 - Sergiu Gatlan, Bleeping Computer
Sergiu is a news reporter who has covered the latest cybersecurity and technology developments for over a decade. He has a keen eye for emerging threats and technological advancements. Sargiu's recent work includes reporting on significant updates from Microsoft, major data breaches, and key vulnerabilities in widely used software.
Email [sergiu@bleepingcomputer.com] or Twitter DMs for tips.
X: @serghei
LinkedIn: Sergiu Gatlan
Based in Iaşi, Romania.
18 - Sead Carter Pape, American Banker
Carter Pape covers cybersecurity and financial crime prevention in banking and financial services for American Banker. He was previously a reporter for The Times-Independent in Moab, Utah and has twelve years of programming experience, nine of which have been in the workplace
LinkedIn: Carter Pape
Based in Davis, California.
19 - Kyle Alspach, CRN
Kyle Alspach is a Senior Editor at CRN who focuses on cybersecurity. His coverage spans news, analysis and deep dives into the industry, with a focus on fast-growing segments such as cloud security, application security and identity security. Kyle specializes in taking a deeper look into important trends, companies, and people in cybersecurity.
Kyle has covered the tech industry for more than a decade and previously was the Senior Technical Editor at CRN from 2016 to 2021. Before rejoining CRN in early 2023, he was the cybersecurity reporter at VentureBeat and Protocol.
X: @kylealspach
LinkedIn: Kyle Alspach
Based in New York, New York.
20 - Sophia Fox-Sowell, StateScoop & EdScoop
Sophia Fox-Sowell reports on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and government regulation for StateScoop. She was previously a multimedia producer for CNET, where her coverage focused on private sector innovation in food production, climate change and space through podcasts and video content. She earned her bachelor’s in anthropology at Wagner College and master’s in media innovation from Northeastern University.
LinkedIn: Sophia Fox-Sowell
Based in San Francisco, California.
21 - Suzanne Smalley, The Record
Suzanne Smalley is a reporter covering privacy, disinformation and cybersecurity policy for The Record. She was previously a cybersecurity reporter at CyberScoop and Reuters. Earlier in her career, Suzanne covered the Boston Police Department for the Boston Globe and two presidential campaign cycles for Newsweek. She lives in Washington with her husband and three children.
Based in Washington, DC
22 - Aaron Holmes, The Information
Aaron Holmes is a reporter covering tech focusing on enterprise and cybersecurity. Before joining The Information, he has previously written for Business Insider, The New York Daily News, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and The Tampa Bay Times. He has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS Los Angeles, Cheddar, and SiriusXM Radio to discuss his work.
LinkedIn: Aaron Holmes
Based in New York, New York.
23 - Charlie Osborne, ZDNET
Charlie Osborne is a cybersecurity journalist and photographer at ZDNET and CNET. She is an experienced journalist and copywriter in business, cybersecurity, finance, and commerce. Charlie has extensive experience reviewing and analyzing computing solutions, cybersecurity tools, and internet technologies. Known for rigorous testing and expert recommendations, Charlie helps readers make informed decisions about their tech investments and internet security.
LinkedIn: Charlie Osborne
Based in London, England.
24 - Edward Gately, Channel Futures
Edward Gately is a senior news editor who covers cybersecurity, new channel programs and program changes, M&A and other IT channel trends. His reporting covers a broad spectrum of topics within the tech world, including significant mergers and acquisitions, emerging cybersecurity threats, and advancements in IT infrastructure.
LinkedIn: Edward Gately
Based in Phoenix, Arizona.
25 - Pietje Kobus, Healthcare Innovation
Pietje Kobus is an editor at Healthcare Innovation. She write pieces on new trends in the healthcare industry on policy, IT, cybersecurity, AI, finances, and more. Pietje is also interested in facilitating webinars, panels and interviews with subject matter experts.
Linkedin: Pietje Kobus
26 - Derek Johnson, CyberScoop
Derek B. Johnson is a CyberScoop reporter, whose beat includes cybersecurity, technology, elections and the federal government. He was a former senior editor and reporter at SC Media for more than three years, where he wrote features and covered cybersecurity news from across the public and private sector
He has provided award-winning coverage of cybersecurity news across the public and private sectors for various publications since 2017.
LinkedIn: Derek Johnson
Based in Washington, DC.
27 - Tom McKay, IT Brew
Tom McKay is a senior reporter for IT Brew, a cybersecurity and IT newsletter with Morning Brew. He previously worked as a staff writer for Gizmodo, where he covered the intersection of tech, politics, and online extremism, and as a reporter on Mic's politics desk. His work has appeared on sites as varied as Yahoo News, AOL, HuffPo, Business Insider, Snoop Dogg's Merry Jane, Wonkette and The Daily Banter. He lives in DC, where he does his best to avoid any place frequented by tourists that isn't a Smithsonian.
X: @thetomzone
LinkedIn: Tom McKay
Based in Washington, DC.
28 - Ionut Ilascu, Bleeping Computer
Ionut Ilascu is a technology writer focused on cybersecurity. He writes about malware, vulnerabilities, exploits, security defenses, and research and innovation in information security. Ionut's articles offer deep insights into the world of cyber threats and protections, and his recent cover a wide array of topics, from malware and exploits to security innovations and the impact of major breaches on organizations. His work has been published by Bitdefender, Netgear, The Security Ledger and Softpedia.
29 - Carrie Pallardy, Information Week
Carrie Pallardy is a Contributing Reporter who writes and edits in a variety of industries including cybersecurity, healthcare, and personal finance. She covers topics such as AI's impact on sustainability, AI regulations, and the future of data centers. Carrie also reports on major cyberattacks, data breaches, and IT infrastructure challenges, providing clear and timely insights into these critical areas.
LinkedIn: Carrie Pallardy
Based in Chicago, Illinois.
30 - Paul Wagenseil, SC Magazine
Paul Wagenseil is a custom content strategist for CyberRisk Alliance, leading the creation of content developed from CRA research and aligned to the most critical topics of interest for the cybersecurity community. He is interested in cybersecurity, information security, cybercrime, encryption, secure messaging, privacy, and malware. Paul previously held editor roles focused on the security market at Tom’s Guide, Laptop Magazine, TechNewsDaily.com and SecurityNewsDaily.com.
Linkedin: Paul Wagenseil
Based in Brooklyn, New York.
If you’ve made it this far—congratulations! You now have 30 new cybersecurity journalists to pitch for Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
Not sure where to start? Take a look at this example to help you get started:
Sub - Scammers targeting children on Roblox: What parents should know
“Hey [name]-
[Company], one of the most respected threat hunting teams in the cybersecurity industry, is calling attention to scammers targeting children on Roblox, a popular online game with nearly half of its 65 million players under the age of 13. It features an in-game currency called “Robux” that can be used to purchase items like clothes or weapons for your avatar - creating a profitable market for scammers. [Company]’s threat expert [SME] is available for interviews to share more about top tricks [Company] is seeing attackers use on Roblox and what steps parents need to know to keep their children safe, such as:
- Don’t open links or download files sent by unknown sources
- Be suspicious of requests to perform unusual actions like trades
- Use the platforms built-in security features, like two-factor authentication and enabling a security pin
With the holidays (and Cybersecurity Awareness Month) around the corner, this is especially timely for [region] viewers. Are you interested in this story? If so, I’m happy to coordinate an interview with [SME].”
One last pro tip! To avoid any confusion, we recommend spelling out "Cybersecurity Awareness Month" rather than using the abbreviation.* Happy pitching!
* Cybersecurity Awareness Month has historically been abbreviated to "NCSAM." This acronym is now commonly associated with sensitive material involving the exploitation of minors.
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