Jay Bavisi is the Co-Founder and President of EC-Council, a company specializing in information security education, training, and certification. Established in response to the cybersecurity challenges highlighted by the events of 9/11, EC-Council focuses on addressing cyber terrorism and related security concerns on a world scale. The organization is thought for creating certification programs equivalent to Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH), Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (C|HFI), Secure Analyst (E|CSA), and Licensed Penetration Tester (L|PT).
Bavisi played a task in developing a partnership with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a United Nations agency, through the International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Threats (IMPACT). This collaboration aimed to reinforce information security awareness and capabilities across 194 member countries.
You launched EC-Council within the wake of 9/11 with a mission to construct global cybersecurity resilience. Are you able to share the story behind that founding moment and what motivated you to dedicate your profession to securing the digital world?
Within the aftermath of 9/11, it became painfully clear that security needed to evolve. We were now not just guarding borders. We were suddenly exposed in ways we hadn’t fully grasped, especially within the digital world. I noticed that the subsequent frontier of conflict and resilience was cyberspace. It was a wake-up call for governments, businesses, and individuals across the globe.
That moment became the place to begin for EC-Council. We saw a critical gap. There simply weren’t enough trained professionals who could protect our digital infrastructure. So, we got down to create a world force of ethical hackers; professionals who could think like adversaries but act with integrity to defend and secure.
That concept gave birth to the Certified Ethical Hacker certification (CEH).It was radical on the time. We weren’t just teaching tools or techniques. We were instilling a mindset. We were saying, learn the best way to break things so you already know the best way to protect them.
Over time, CEH became a world standard. But what truly drives me shouldn’t be just how far we’ve come, but what number of lives, businesses, and governments we’ve helped protect.
What began as a response to tragedy has develop into a lifelong commitment to constructing digital resilience. That mission still guides every thing we do today.
With over 350,000 cybersecurity professionals in your network, what changes have you ever noticed within the skillsets most in demand today—especially post-ChatGPT and generative AI?
Cybersecurity has all the time been a race against time. But with the explosion of generative AI, led by tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, your entire landscape has been reengineered. What used to take hours of manual effort can now be done in seconds with precision and scale. The accessibility of those AI tools has democratized capabilities that were once limited to elite threat actors. Now, anyone with a keyboard and curiosity can automate attacks, manipulate data, or impersonate identities at scale.
Let’s be clear: OpenAI didn’t create cybercrime. But its technologies together with those from other leading AI labs have supercharged what’s possible, for each defenders and attackers. The twin-use nature of generative AI means we’re living in a world where innovation and exploitation move in lockstep.
This shift has raised the bar for each cybersecurity skilled. It is not any longer enough to grasp basic security principles. Today, professionals must know the way AI works, how it might probably be exploited, and the way it changes the attack surface. Skills like adversarial machine learning, prompt injection detection, and red teaming with AI-based tools are quickly becoming core competencies.
We saw this transformation reflected within the CEH Threat Report. The info was clear threat actors are adapting fast. Our community must learn even faster.
At EC-Council, we now have built a culture around upskilling. From foundational certifications just like the Certified Cybersecurity Technician to AI specialized programs like CEH and CPENT, we’re enabling learners to constantly construct and sharpen their capabilities.
In cybersecurity, there isn’t a finish line. Those that commit to evolving, questioning, and learning are those who will shape the longer term of digital defense. Upskilling is not any longer about staying competitive. It’s about staying relevant and staying ready.
What makes the AI-powered CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) certification uniquely positioned to handle current and future threats?
The Certified Ethical Hacker certification has develop into synonymous with trust within the cybersecurity industry. When organizations search for professionals who can protect their systems proactively, CEH is the credential they depend on. It’s recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense and adopted by hundreds of employers worldwide, not only for its technical rigor, but since it represents readiness, resilience, and real-world relevance.
What makes CEH stand out today is the way it has evolved to handle a brand new class of threats powered by artificial intelligence. In its latest version, CEH does not only mention AI as a future concern. It brings it into the guts of the training experience. Learners interact with AI-driven adversaries in simulated environments. They’re exposed to over 550 attack techniques, lots of which now reflect how real attackers are using automation, machine learning, and artificial content to interrupt into systems.
CEH is designed to arrange professionals for what they are going to face, not only what’s written in textbooks. It follows a full-cycle approach: Learn-Certify-Engage-Compete framework. That journey creates muscle memory, strategic considering, and instinctive responses.
In a world where cyber threats are evolving by the hour, CEH is greater than a certification. It’s a signal to employers that you just aren’t only trained but prepared. And in cybersecurity, that form of trust is every thing.
How does EC-Council’s approach to training differ when preparing professionals to defend against AI-generated threats or to secure AI systems themselves?
We’re entering a cybersecurity era where threats aren’t only more complex but in addition increasingly autonomous. Defenders must now be able to counter attacks launched by intelligent systems that adapt, learn, and evolve. At EC-Council, we now have reimagined our training to reflect this reality. We don’t prepare learners for yesterday’s challenges. We prepare them for what comes next.
In CEH and CPENT learners are immersed in environments where adversaries use AI to mimic human behavior, automate breaches, and dynamically adjust their tactics. These aren’t academic exercises. They’re real-world simulations designed to sharpen instincts, not only understanding. Professionals learn the best way to defend systems that think and the best way to secure AI itself.
We also imagine that talent mustn’t be confined by geography. Through global initiatives just like the Certified Cybersecurity Technician Scholarship Program , we’re making these opportunities accessible to aspiring professionals in underserved regions. The goal is to construct a culture of security, globally.
This vision is powered by a sturdy ecosystem. EC-Council Learning , the world’s largest online cybersecurity library, provides on-demand access to hundreds of bite-sized lessons, updated constantly to reflect the newest threats, tools, and vulnerabilities. Whether you might be learning the best way to counter AI-generated attacks or brushing up on SOC procedures, ECL helps professionals stay ready; anytime, anywhere.
EC-Council University (ECCU) shapes the subsequent generation of cybersecurity leaders with a powerful foundation in academic and executive-level knowledge. EGS offers strategic enterprise solutions that help organizations construct mature cyber defense frameworks.
After which there may be the Hackerverse CTF our global cyber competition platform where knowledge meets pressure. Participants face off in red-versus-blue team battles, simulating real-time breaches, defending mission-critical systems, and dealing collaboratively to neutralize threats. It’s greater than a contest. It’s a proving ground that builds resilience, creativity, and the power to perform when it matters most.
That is how we prepare professionals to satisfy the longer term. With knowledge that’s current, environments which can be immersive, and platforms that encourage motion. Cybersecurity is not any longer only a profession. It’s a calling, and our mission is to equip the world’s defenders for that responsibility.
Your programs are recognized by global agencies just like the NSA and ANSI. How do you maintain such a high standard while rapidly evolving your curriculum to satisfy AI advancements?
It’s one thing to maintain up with change. It’s one other to remain trusted while doing it. For us, quality and agility must go hand in hand. That’s how we’ve earned and maintained recognition from global bodies just like the NSA and ANSI.
We have now a system that keeps us grounded in research while staying open to innovation. Our global team tracks emerging threats, analyzes recent attack vectors, and monitors developments in AI and cybersecurity. That intelligence feeds directly into our curriculum pipeline.
But speed alone shouldn’t be enough. Every update we make goes through a rigorous process. We pilot test it with seasoned professionals. We validate it in real-world environments like our cyber ranges. And we refine it based on feedback from those that live within the trenches each day.
Take CEH and CPENT for instance. Integrating AI simulations into those programs was not only a technical decision. It was a mission-driven one. We desired to ensure professionals were being trained in what they’d actually encounter not only what theory says they may.
What keeps our programs ahead is that this constant balance of innovation and integrity. We don’t just teach best practices. We construct programs that practitioners, governments, and global enterprises can trust. And we plan to maintain it that way.
What role does EC-Council envision playing in shaping global policy or regulation around AI in cybersecurity?
Policy is barely as effective because the insight it’s built on. At EC-Council, we imagine cybersecurity regulation have to be informed by those that face threats each day. That’s the reason we actively engage with policymakers, education ministries, standards bodies, and intergovernmental organizations to assist shape the frameworks that guide the longer term of digital security.
Our role shouldn’t be limited to curriculum development. We’re a part of a broader dialogue on how nations and institutions can construct resilience, especially as AI becomes more deeply integrated into each offensive and defensive capabilities. We bring to the table frontline intelligence from our vast network of cybersecurity professionals, threat researchers, and instructors across 145 countries. This provides us a novel vantage point—rooted in practical reality and global scale.
We contribute to the event of national workforce standards, advise on emerging AI competencies, and collaborate with governments to align cybersecurity education with national security goals. Our insights have helped define the structure of public-private partnerships, capacity-building initiatives, and the role of continuous learning in long-term resilience strategies.
Whether through certifications, enterprise training, academic programs, or research partnerships, we’re shaping not only how professionals are trained, but how nations prepare for the longer term. As AI continues to reshape the cyber domain, our mission is to make sure policy keeps pace with clarity, foresight, and integrity.
Do you suspect we’re approaching a degree where traditional security roles must evolve into “AI security specialists”?
The shift is already happening. AI is not any longer a specialized topic sitting on the perimeters of cybersecurity. It’s becoming a part of every function, from threat detection to identity management, from red teaming to vulnerability evaluation. Security professionals can now not afford to treat AI as a separate skill set. It’s now foundational.
We’re seeing the early signs of this transformation within the job market. Recent roles are emerging AI security researcher, synthetic identity analyst, LLM prompt risk evaluator. These aren’t just buzzwords. They’re signals that organizations need individuals who understand each cybersecurity and the mechanics of intelligent systems.
At EC-Council, we’re embedding AI across our entire certification ecosystem. It is not any longer reserved for advanced learners. Even in foundational courses, professionals are introduced to AI-driven threats and defense strategies. We’re teaching people the best way to think critically about machine learning pipelines, the best way to detect algorithmic bias, and the best way to prevent AI from being turned against the systems it was meant to guard.
The longer term of cybersecurity belongs to those that can bridge disciplines. As AI becomes embedded in every aspect of digital infrastructure, our defenders must grow just as sophisticated. This evolution shouldn’t be optional. It’s the subsequent chapter within the story of cyber resilience.
You’ve emphasized supporting startups beyond major tech hubs—how are you ensuring access to this funding and training across underrepresented regions?
At EC-Council, we’re continuously working to expand the reach of cybersecurity innovation. We’re seeing a few of the most promising ideas come from places far outside traditional tech corridors, often from professionals solving urgent challenges in real time, with deep local insight and limited resources.
To support this momentum, we’re running a $100 M global investment initiative that actively invests in cybersecurity startups demonstrating real-world impact, no matter location. We aren’t just offering capital. We’re providing mentorship, technical guidance, and access to EC-Council’s global platforms; helping startups grow their solutions and access international markets.
We’re giving priority to ventures led by EC-Council-certified professionals, as they create each technical expertise and a powerful ethical foundation to their work. These individuals understand the complexities of recent threats and are constructing solutions that align with industry needs and societal impact.
At the identical time, we’re increasing access to training in underserved regions. Through our Certified Cybersecurity Technician Scholarship Program, we’re opening doors for aspiring professionals in countries like Nepal and Malaysia. We’re also enabling learners all over the world to interact with high-quality content through our platforms, gaining the abilities they should contribute meaningfully to the sector.
We’re constructing an ecosystem that continues to grow by recognizing talent wherever it exists and supporting innovation that makes a difference globally.
What inspired EC-Council to launch a $100 million initiative now, and the way do you see AI changing the cybersecurity innovation landscape in the subsequent 5 years?
We launched $100 M global investment initiative since the landscape has modified. Innovation is not any longer confined to large corporations or academic labs. It’s being driven by practitioners by people within the trenches who’re seeing recent challenges and responding with daring, practical solutions.
The speed and scale at which AI is transforming cybersecurity is unprecedented. Over the subsequent five years, we expect to see major advances in predictive analytics, autonomous red teaming, AI-native SOCs, and real-time decision engines. These aren’t science fiction. They’re already taking shape in prototypes and early deployments.
But innovation alone shouldn’t be enough. It needs support. That’s the reason we created this initiative to fuel the subsequent generation of cybersecurity breakthroughs. We’re searching for startups that mix technical excellence with deep mission focus. We would like to back builders who understand the issue from the within and are ready to unravel it from the bottom up.
Our goal is to create a multiplier effect. We offer funding, mentorship, and global visibility. In return, we help scale ideas that may strengthen defense systems worldwide.
This shouldn’t be just an investment. It’s a commitment to the longer term of cybersecurity. A future where the perfect ideas get built, irrespective of where they arrive from.
What advice would you give to young professionals considering entering the cybersecurity field today—particularly those fascinated by AI?
Start with curiosity. That’s crucial trait on this field. You don’t want an ideal resume or a conventional background. What you wish is the drive to learn, the discipline to maintain going, and the courage to ask higher questions.
Cybersecurity is some of the meaningful careers you may pursue. It shouldn’t be nearly protecting data. It’s about protecting people, institutions, and the very fabric of our digital lives. And in case you are drawn to AI, that’s much more exciting. We’re originally of a brand new era where intelligent systems will shape how we defend every thing from personal devices to national infrastructure.
Dive into how models work. Break them. Fix them. Understand how attackers exploit them and the way defenders can fight back. Experiment. Learn. Collaborate. This shouldn’t be a solo journey. One of the best cybersecurity professionals work in teams, construct communities, and grow by sharing.
At EC-Council, we now have built a path for each stage of that journey. Whether you might be just starting with hands-on labs or pushing yourself in global competitions, there may be space for you here. The world needs ethical defenders who aren’t only expert, but driven by purpose. If that appears like you, then welcome to a field where you may make an actual impact.
