Amit Yoran, CEO of Tenable, has passed away. #CEOdeath #TenableObit
Amit Yoran, a long-time entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, passed away on Friday after battling cancer.
In Brief
Posted: 11:54 AM PST · January 4, 2025
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Anthony Ha
Tenable CEO Amit Yoran dies
Longtime entrepreneur and cybersecurity executive
Amit Yoran passed away Friday after a battle with cancer.
Cybersecurity company Tenable, where Yoran was CEO and chairman, announced his death in a press release. Before becoming Tenable’s CEO in 2016, he held a number of roles, including president of RSA, founding CEO of NetWitness, and CEO of In-Q-Tel.
In a statement, Tenable’s lead independent director Art Coviello described Yoran as ‘an extraordinary leader, colleague, and friend.’
His passion for cybersecurity, his strategic vision, and his ability to inspire those around him have shaped Tenable’s culture and mission, Coviello said.
His legacy will continue to guide us as we move forward.
Tenable said Yoran took a medical leave of absence starting on December 5, with CFO Steve Vintz and COO Mark Thurmond appointed as co-CEOs in his place. They will continue in those roles while the company conducts a search for a permanent CEO.
The Life of Amit Yoran
Amit Yoran was born in Ramat Aviv, Israel, into a family with a long history in cybersecurity. His father, Amos Yoran, founded Secure Coding in 1984, one of the first companies to focus on securing code for Windows-based systems.
Amit grew up in New York City and attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania before working at RSA until 2013.
His journey with cybersecurity began when he joined RSA in 2006 after graduating, and by 2008, he was named president.
In 2010, he founded NetWitness to address gaps in network security. Over the next eight years, his company became a leader in detecting advanced persistent threats (APTs).
Under his leadership, NetWitness grew rapidly, with its technology helping clients like IBM and Microsoft detect sophisticated attacks.
In 2013, he joined RSA as CEO, renaming it to RSAD, Inc., before transitioning to Tenable in early 2016.
His strategic vision for Tenable was clear: create a company that could disrupt the cybersecurity space by combining endpoint protection with network security, ultimately reducing customer dependency on large vendors.
Tenable’s Reaction
In a statement released by Tenable, Art Coviello, Tenable’s lead independent director, described Yoran as an extraordinary leader and colleague.
Coviello emphasized that Yoran’s passion for cybersecurity, his strategic vision, and his ability to inspire others were instrumental in shaping Tenable’s culture and mission.
Yoran will be remembered for his leadership during a challenging time for the company. While he was on medical leave following his diagnosis, Steve Vintz and Mark Thurmond acted swiftly to maintain stability within the organization.
Steve Vintz, who had been with Tenable since 2014, described Yoran as someone who always put others first.
He will be deeply missed not only for his leadership in cybersecurity but also for the countless lives he touched throughout his career.
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This obituary highlights the life and legacy of Amit Yoran, a visionary in cybersecurity whose contributions will continue to influence the field long after his passing.
