The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) has won the 2026 SC Award for Best Professional Certification Program for its Trusted AI Security Expert (TAISE) credential, a training program focused on the secure development, deployment, and governance of generative AI systems.
The recognition comes as organizations continue adopting AI tools at a rapid pace, often while security, governance, and risk management practices are still catching up — especially as more teams begin formalizing AI governance practices across the business.
At the same time, regulatory and standards bodies are introducing new guidance around AI oversight, creating demand for training that helps practitioners better understand how to manage AI-related risk.
“We are grateful for the recognition and excited to continue helping shape the next wave of AI-powered security professionals,” said Rick Blue, AVP of Global Learning & Training Partnerships at Cloud Security Alliance in a message to eSecurityPlanet.
A certification focused on AI security and governance
TAISE was recognized in a category that highlights professional organizations offering structured education and credentials for cybersecurity practitioners.
The self-paced program is intended to help professionals build a foundational understanding of how generative AI systems should be secured and governed in enterprise environments.
Topics covered in TAISE include GenAI architecture and design, AI use cases and ethics, model lifecycle and threat taxonomy, governance and risk management, data privacy and security, and cloud security considerations for AI systems.
The program also covers areas such as explainability, bias mitigation, zero trust, MLSecOps, and continuous monitoring — reflecting the broader set of technical and governance challenges organizations are increasingly facing as AI adoption expands, including issues related to synthetic media and deepfake detection.
Responding to a changing risk landscape
The award also highlights how AI security is becoming a more defined area of focus across cybersecurity and enterprise risk teams.
As businesses begin integrating AI into internal workflows, products, and decision-making processes, practitioners are increasingly expected to understand not only how these systems work, but also how they should be governed and secured — particularly as threats such as AI phishing and model abuse become more common.
That includes familiarity with emerging frameworks and regulatory efforts such as the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, the EU AI Act, and developing ISO standards.
In that context, certifications like TAISE reflect a growing interest in formal training that helps security and governance professionals evaluate AI systems more critically and identify potential security, privacy, and safety risks earlier in the adoption process.
Developed with academic collaboration
CSA developed the certification in collaboration with Northeastern University, combining industry-oriented training with academic input.
The program also includes a TAISE Prompt Library, which provides guided prompts and exercises designed to help learners apply concepts in a more practical way.
As AI becomes more embedded in enterprise operations, demand is likely to increase for training that addresses both the technical and governance side of adoption.
CSA’s SC Award win suggests that some AI security certifications are becoming a more established part of the broader cybersecurity training landscape.