Member Spotlight: Center for Internet Security

The Center for Internet Security (CIS) was founded in 2000, and next year marks its 25th anniversary. As a community-driven nonprofit, CIS is dedicated to making the connected world a safer place for individuals, businesses, and governments through collaboration and innovation. The organization is responsible for the CIS Controls® and CIS Benchmarks™, globally recognized best practices for securing IT systems and data. CIS leads a global community of IT professionals to continuously enhance these standards and provides products and services designed to proactively protect against emerging threats.

An interesting fact that many may not know about CIS is that it is also home to the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center® (MS-ISAC®) and the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center® (EI-ISAC®). These centers serve as trusted resources for cyber threat prevention, protection, response, and recovery, supporting U.S. state, local, tribal, and territorial government entities, as well as elections offices.

At CIS, leadership is not just about titles or authority—it is a set of actions that drive collaboration and inspire teams toward a shared goal. The CIS Leadership Principles guide the organization, emphasizing that leadership can be demonstrated at any level and by any team member. This philosophy fosters a strong, mission-driven culture where everyone is encouraged to take initiative.

CIS is widely recognized for its CIS Critical Security Controls and CIS Benchmarks, which are community-driven tools developed with the expertise of global cybersecurity professionals. These tools remain at the forefront of cybersecurity, with leading commercial cybersecurity products integrating CIS technology into their offerings.

Being a member of the Chamber aligns with CIS’s nonprofit mission to provide best practices and tools to cyber-underserved organizations, including small businesses and community groups. CIS is committed to sharing its resources to strengthen cybersecurity for all. While CIS has not yet fully utilized Chamber resources, the organization is eager to explore more opportunities for engagement.

With its headquarters in the Capital Region, CIS has a deep connection to the local community. Many of its 500 employees live and work in the area, further reinforcing its commitment to the region. The organization takes pride in being a thought leader in cybersecurity, with clients and partners recognizing CIS as a trusted global authority in the field.