Celebrating Excellence: Mike Holcomb Named Practitioner of the Year – ICS/OT Defender, Community Choice Award

At Safeguards Consulting, we take immense pride in recognizing the outstanding achievements of our team members who go above and beyond to make a difference in security.  

Today, we are proud to spotlight our Senior Cyber Security Advisor, Michael “Mike” Holcomb, who has been honored with the prestigious Practitioner of the Year – ICS/OT Defender, Community Choice award at the 2025 SANS Difference Makers Awards. 

This distinguished award is a testament to Holcomb’s steadfast dedication, deep expertise, and impactful contributions in the critical field of Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Operational Technology (OT) security. As cyber threats continue to evolve and pose significant risks to the infrastructure that powers our daily lives, safeguarding these systems has never been more vital. 

Advancing Cybersecurity Best Practices in Critical Infrastructure 

Holcomb’s commitment extends beyond day-to-day defense. Through thought leadership, mentoring, and hands-on guidance, he has been instrumental in advancing cybersecurity best practices within the ICS/OT community. His holistic approach combines technical expertise with strategic insight, enabling organizations to build robust security postures that adapt to the ever-changing threat landscape. 

His tireless efforts have not only mitigated risks for countless critical infrastructure operators but also fostered a culture of security awareness and proactive defense. This award reflects the high regard the community holds for Holcomb as an influential advisor, advocate, and innovator in the field. 

As he stated in the attached press release from SANS, “It can't be the OT side of the house and the IT side of the house. It's all the same house we live in, and we're trying to protect." 

Inspiring the Safeguards Consulting Team and Beyond 

Holcomb’s recognition as the Community Choice award recipient highlights the broad-based support and admiration he has earned from peers, clients, and industry leaders alike. At Safeguards Consulting, he stands as a shining example of professionalism and dedication that inspires our entire team to strive for excellence every day. 

His leadership encourages us to push boundaries, embrace new challenges, and continuously seek innovative solutions to protect the vital systems that underpin our society’s safety and functionality. 
 
Continued Leadership in Cyber Defense 

As we celebrate this remarkable achievement, we also look forward to his continued leadership in securing the future of industrial control systems and operational technology. His expertise remains a cornerstone of our mission to empower organizations with the knowledge and tools needed to defend against emerging cyber threats. 

On behalf of everyone at Safeguards Consulting, we are proud to extend congratulations to Holcomb for this well-deserved accolade. His contributions are not only advancing the field of ICS/OT cybersecurity but also making our communities safer and more resilient every day. 

To watch the entire award presentation, visit:  

https://youtu.be/2Lwch5NEkWs  

To view Holcomb accepting his award and to hear his speech, click: 

https://youtu.be/2Lwch5NEkWs?t=2724 

To learn more about the award, visit:  

2025 SANS Difference Makers Awards: The Winners and Moments That Defined the Night | SANS Institute 

Strengthening Security: Milestones for Schreiber and SIA's Counter-UAS Working Group

Safeguards Consulting is proud to share an exciting update from our Security Industry Association (SIA) friends and our Founder, Mark Schreiber!  

Our firm is proud to have had Schreiber actively representing us within SIA's Counter-UAS Working Group for the past few years since its inception, and we are excited to see what they achieve together within this new year. This group of esteemed experts, founded in 2023, focuses on actively supporting, "the work needed to accomplish the recommendations of the Domestic Counter-UAS National Action Plan put forth by the Biden administration and further educate and give authorities options to mitigate UAS attacks".  Additionally, the group also collaborates with external organizations while also recruiting other industry experts aligned to track and monitor supportive legislation; and identify, educate, and engage with legislators. 

Some of their major milestones thus far include:  

+ Leading presentations at the SIA GovSummit and ISC Security Events conferences 

+ Authoring a series of articles on important drone and counter-UAS topics.  

+ Communicated support for S. 1631, the Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act of 2023.  

+ Providing topic input for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security speaker at the SIA National Capital Region Security Forum’s June 2023 counter-UAS event 

And so much more!  

However, the group has also recently provided guidance to SIA in their new blog post, "How to Spot a Drone: Guidance From Experts in SIA's Counter-UAS Working Group - Security Industry Association". In the blog post, Lauren Bresette, Senior Manager of Government Relations at SIA, outlines essential strategies for identifying drones in various environments. The post also emphasizes the importance of understanding drone characteristics, including size, shape, and sound, as well as the context of their operation, such as location and time of day. Additionally, Bresette highlights various guidance from the Counter-UAS Working Group, providing readers with practical tips for recognizing drone activity and distinguishing it from other aerial objects. The piece advocates for awareness and vigilance in both public and private spaces to enhance safety and security, especially in sensitive areas.  

We hope you will consider reading their piece in full as linked below as it serves as a valuable resource for those seeking to improve their ability to spot drones and respond appropriately.  

Stay tuned for more updates as they continue their efforts to combat drone threats!  

To learn more about SIA's Counter-UAS Working Group, visit:  

Counter-UAS Working Group - Security Industry Association 

To read the full article, visit:  

How to Spot a Drone: Guidance From Experts in SIA's Counter-UAS Working Group - Security Industry Association 

Up in the sky! It's a bird? It's a crewed aircraft? It's a drone?: How to Spot a Drone According to SIA’s Counter-UAS Working Group

Have you ever found yourself gazing up at the sky, much like the civilians in a Superman cartoon, eagerly trying to spot a drone soaring overhead? That feeling of wonder and curiosity as you search for that unreachable flying machine can be both exhilarating and a little surreal. 

Thanks to guidance from the Security Industry Association (SIA)'s Counter-UAS Working Group, you can now more effectively identify drones or uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS).  

In a recent blog post titled "How to Spot a Drone: Guidance from Experts in SIA's Counter-UAS Working Group," the association's Counter-UAS Working Group provides important tips and tricks for identifying drones. We are also proud to announce that our Founder, Mark Schreiber, is a member of this prestigious group.  

The article included the group's top three tips for making it easier for the general public to identify these aircraft. These tips include:  

(1) Using Visual Cues: Aircrafts or drones typically have two strobes. There is usually a red light on the left wing and a green one on the right. However, most commercial quadcopter drones have two red and two green. Therefore, when trying to identify an object as a drone, look for the strobes and also consider viewing the unknown object with lowlight filtering binoculars as this should also help.  

(2) Utilizing Flight Trackers: Numerous commercial flight trackers and night sky guides are at your disposal to help you discern whether the object soaring above is a plane on an approved flight path or if the twinkling lights are simply planets or stars in an exceedingly clear night sky. 

(3) Listening out for Noise: According to insights from the Public Broadcasting System, drones generally produce quieter sounds but emit higher-pitched buzzing noises, in contrast to the roar of jet engines or propellers. When an object is flying close enough to be heard, this auditory information can assist in identifying what is soaring above. 

Therefore, as you embark on your journey to identify the potential threat, remember that just like Superman, you have powerful resources and knowledge at your disposal. Armed with these tips, you should be well-equipped to start navigating the skies in search of any drones with the proper level of confidence. 

For more help identifying UASs or drones, visit:  

How to Spot a Drone: Guidance From Experts in SIA's Counter-UAS Working Group - Security Industry Association 

To learn more about SIA's Counter-UAS Working Group, visit:  

Counter-UAS Working Group - Security Industry Association 

Schreiber To Speak at BSides Security Conference 2023→

We are excited to share that our Founder and President, Mark Schreiber will be speaking at the BSides Security Conference in Greenville, SC on October 28th, 2023! The conference will take place from 7:30 to 4:30 p.m.

BSides is an event driven by information security community members. These events serve to create collaboration among all of its attendees by having them take part in various events such as discussions, demos, and more. 

Schreiber will be presenting at 10:25 a.m. on "Drones: A Converged Threat to Cyber and Physical Security Teams". In his session, he will cover...

• The current capabilities of drones and counter-drone systems. 

• How to identify their legal and regulatory operating environments. 

• Practical actions that all organizations can implement to address this disruptive technology. 

We hope to see you in attendance! 

To learn more about the event visit: 

Home | Bsides Greenville

To read more about Schreiber's session visit: 

Schedule | Bsides Greenville

ISC West 2023 Reminder!

We’d like to send out our final reminder about SIA’s ISC West 2023 event happening next week in Las Vegas! We are thrilled to be at this incredible networking and educational event! If you’re a corporate security officer looking to make some security improvements, please reach out to Mark Schreiber to plan a meeting while at ISC West! Don’t forget about Mark’s two sessions happening on the 29th and 30th, “Proper Planning for a Security Improvement Project” and “Drones and Airspace Situational Awareness - The Evolving Security Paradigm”. 

Link to event: https://www.discoverisc.com/west/en-us.html  

Links to each session’s details: https://www.discoverisc.com/west/en-us/session-list/session-details.3111.179615.proper-planning-for-a-security-improvement-project.html 

https://www.discoverisc.com/west/en-us/session-list/session-details.3111.177023.drones-and-airspace-situational-awareness-_-the-evolving-security-paradigm.html 

2022 ISC West Conference: How Practical Is It to Add Drone Services To Your Company?

Mark Schreiber presented to the 2022 ISC West Conference back on March 22nd on the implementation and usage of drones (UAS) and counter-drone (CUAS) technologies. The presentation was targeted towards physical security Integrators, Manufacturers, and Security Service Providers to discuss if and how drone services should be added to their company. Schreiber takes an unbiased approach to the topic since the goal is to ultimately support the end-user (client) and there are many different approaches of doing so.

He analyzed traditional contract models and non-traditional contract models, as well as existing drone companies that adhere to the models presented. Just like any other technology, there are negatives with UAS and CUAS technologies which Mark covers to avoid any potential risks to the company.

The ultimate goal of the presentation was to educate security integrators on drones since they are a relatively new technology in the industry. Mark Schreiber presented alongside Jason Cansler, Chief Operating Officer of UASidekick LLC and to learn more about the ISC West Conference visit the link below.

https://www.iscwest.com/en-us/seminars/sessions/session-details.2492.141955.how-practical-is-it-to-add-drone-services-to-your-company.html