Amit Yoran, who founded the cybersecurity company Durable entered the general public market as CEO, died on Friday. He was 54.
Yoran's death was confirmed by Tenable in a Press release from Saturday. While the corporate said his death was unexpected, Yoran went on vacation early last month as a result of his battle with cancer.
Details of the funeral haven’t yet been announced, the corporate said on Saturday.
Yoran took the helm of Tenable in 2016, his last leadership role in cybersecurity. He previously served as President of RSA Security from 2014 to 2016. According to his LinkedIn page, Yoran founded and led NetWitness as CEO between 2006 and 2011 before it was acquired by RSA.
His decades-long profession in cybersecurity also included government and nonprofit work. Yoran served as National Cybersecurity Director for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from 2003 to 2004. Since 2019 he has sat on the board of the Center for Internet Security.
Two years into Yoran's tenure, Tenable went public on the Nasdaq stock exchange. At the time, the IPO was considered successful story for cybersecurity firms on Wall Street.
Yoran called the corporate's give attention to the pain points of enterprise technology unique out there and likewise noted its successful transition to a subscription model. According to Yoran, greater than half of the Fortune 500 firms were Tenable customers in 2018.
“We have become one of the most trusted and popular brands in cybersecurity,” he said said CNBC on the time of Tenable's IPO. “Only the best and most powerful private companies have the opportunity to go public. And that gives us a place on a much bigger stage to tell our story.”
Tenable CFO Steve Vintz and chief operating officer Mark Thurmond have served as co-CEOs since Yoran's medical leave in December. They will proceed to share the role while the board searches for a everlasting successor, the corporate said.
Yoran had expected his leave to last only a couple of months and said his condition was a “treatable situation,” in line with a note to staff published on his LinkedIn page. He had “complete confidence” in Vintz and Thurmond to run the corporate in his absence.
“We have a lot to do and there is no time to waste,” Yoran wrote. “As I take a short break to prioritize my health, I will remain as connected as possible while giving myself the space to fully heal. “I am deeply grateful to each of you, not only for the dedication you bring to your work, but also for…” the sense of community we’ve built together.”
Yoran also served as chairman of Tenable, a position that can now be held by Art Coviello, the corporate's lead independent director. In a press release, Coviello called Yoran an “extraordinary” leader, colleague and friend.
“His passion for cybersecurity, strategic vision and ability to inspire those around him have shaped Tenable’s culture and mission,” Coviello said. “His legacy will continue to guide us in the future.”
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