Alan Paller

Alan Paller was a cyber security expert, the founder of the SANS Institute, and the founder and former president of SANS Technology Institute.

Biography

Alan Terry Paller was born on September 17, 1945, in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1967, he graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He received his master's degree in 1968 from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
After graduation, he worked for the Institute for Defense Analyses where he learned of security risks in computer systems for missile-defense needs. Paller co-founded the SANS Institute in 1988 with his wife to promote efficient system management and secure operations.
In 2005, he founded the SANS Technology Institute where he held the position of the President Emeritus.
His influence on the industry was recognized through various accolades and appointments, including testifying before the US Senate and House of Representatives and receiving the Azimuth Award in 2005. In 2010, he was named as one of seven people “worth knowing in cyber security” by the Washington Post. In 2012, he was named, along with Jeff Moss, as co-chairs of the United [States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security] task force on cyber skills.
Paller died in 2021 at the age of 76.

Legacy

Paller helped establishing of the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation, an organization that hosts hacking challenges aimed at high school and college students, promoting their participation in the field and held the title of president. The foundation awards students who have demonstrated their abilities through Global [Information Assurance Certification|GFACT certification] exam with the Alan Paller Honor Scholarship by giving both financial award and the status of Scholar with Honors.
Center for Internet Security honors his memory through the Alan Paller Laureate Program. The Program awards eligible organizations, academic institutions, or individuals.