SANS Institute Launches "Securing the Next 250" Campaign to Strengthen the Federal ICS Cyber Workforce
Specialized ICS security training and GIAC-backed certification paths targeted at federal agencies, National Guard units, and mission-focused contractors
Bethesda, MD, June 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The White House's March 2026 Cyber Strategy for America names securing critical infrastructure a top national security priority. SANS's own 2026 Cybersecurity Readiness in Government Survey found staff cybersecurity training and awareness among the top underfunded functions across public-sector agencies, cited by 41% of respondents. In direct response, SANS Institute today launched "Securing the Next 250," positioning its ICS Security curriculum as the specialized training standard for U.S. government agencies, National Guard units, and mission-oriented contractors responsible for defending the nation's critical infrastructure. The campaign coincides with the SANS ICS Summit and runs through July 4, 2026, America's 250th anniversary.
“The women and men defending our nation's critical systems, in uniform and out, deserve training worthy to their vital mission. Not IT security repackaged for OT, but rather world-class training purpose-built for the environments they operate in, taught by world-class practitioners," said Michael Harrison, a retired Army lieutenant colonel whose combat deployments and time at the Pentagon and White House sharpened his view of the importance of cybersecurity. "Our ICS instructors have defended these systems where the stakes are real for every single American and apply that real-world expertise in the classroom. There is no more noble mission than defending this nation's critical infrastructure, and we consider it a privilege to train those who answer that call."
SANS ICS Security comprises seven courses covering the practitioner spectrum from foundational awareness through advanced response and assessment, with an eighth course in development. Associated GIAC certifications include the Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional (GICSP), GIAC Critical Infrastructure Protection (GCIP), and the GIAC Response and Industrial Defense (GRID). The curriculum is organized into role-based learning paths covering the range of federal workforce needs, from program leaders and cyber defenders entering industrial missions to engineers taking on security responsibility and advanced assessment teams and is available for private onsite or virtual delivery tailored to specific agency and unit environments.
"The National Guard has a direct role in protecting the critical infrastructure that keeps states and the nation running," said Robert M. Lee, CEO & Co-Founder of Dragos, SANS ICS Practice Lead and member of the National Guard. "Building that capability requires training grounded in how these systems actually work and what defending them in a federal context actually demands."
The campaign is designed for federal teams that need to move from policy mandate to demonstrable workforce readiness, with a curriculum and certification path built specifically for that context.
Federal agencies, National Guard units, and contractors can explore ICS Security courses and learning paths at https://go.sans.org/fed-ics. Organizations interested in private agency or unit training can contact a federal training advisor through the same page.
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Jenn Elston SANS Institute 301-654-7267 jelston@sans.org
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