Optery Wins Top Anti-Phishing Award for 2026

Cyber Defense Magazine recognizes the company for its innovation in protecting against data-driven cyber threats.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Cybersecurity

Isometric editorial illustration of a secure geometric vault structure, symbolizing automated data security and threat reduction.
Optery was named the winner of the Transformational Anti-Phishing award at the 2026 Cyber Defense Magazine Top InfoSec Innovators ceremony. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you trust your employer to effectively protect your personal data from online security threats?

Optery received the Transformational Anti-Phishing award at the 2026 Cyber Defense Magazine Top InfoSec Innovators Awards. The company is recognized for its automated technology that removes personal information from data broker sites to prevent attacks.

Why it matters

Threat actors frequently exploit personal information exposed on data broker sites to launch phishing, smishing, and vishing attacks. By automating the removal of this data, companies can significantly reduce the digital footprint accessible to malicious agents.

Optery provides an automated system that clears personal information from data broker and people-search sites. The platform is SOC 2 Type II attested and includes a self-service administrative dashboard for security and IT teams to manage employee data.

The players

Optery

A privacy technology company that specializes in removing personal information from data broker and people-search websites.

Cyber Defense Magazine

A publication established in 2012 that focuses on information security news and hosts annual awards for innovators in the field.

The details

Optery leverages search technology to scan for and remove employee profiles that could be used for social engineering campaigns. The service has seen notable industry validation, including being named the Best Overall Data Removal Service of 2026 by CNET.

Timeline

  1. Cyber Defense Magazine was founded in 2012.

  2. Optery received the award on October 26, 2026.

The Tech Race

This award highlights the ongoing transition from manual data privacy management to automated, compliance-backed security solutions. Optery competes within an evolving market where companies must proactively strip personal details from data brokers to neutralize modern social engineering.

Businesses using this service can reduce the amount of public data available to hackers, potentially protecting employees from targeted phishing campaigns. The platform's administrative dashboard allows IT teams to monitor and clear employee profiles from third-party sites.

The takeaway

Proactive data removal is becoming a standard security practice to mitigate risks associated with public-facing personal information. Organizations should consider auditing their employees' digital footprint to minimize exposure to social engineering threats.

Further reading

For more information on the evolving threat landscape, visit the Cybersecurity section.

More information

View the complete list of Top InfoSec Innovators for details on the 2026 award program.

Live Poll

Do you trust your employer to effectively protect your personal data from online security threats?