Advertising Policy
Our commitment to quality, relevance, and transparency in cybersecurity advertising — updated for 2026 standards including AI/GEO disclosure requirements.
Overview
CyberAdX is a premium cybersecurity advertising network operated by CISO Marketplace, reaching over 25 million annual impressions across 11 specialized blogs, 66+ security tools, a podcast network (344+ episodes, 2.5M YouTube views), newsletters, and social channels. Our audience is CISOs, security engineers, compliance officers, and IT decision-makers across 103 countries.
Because our content is actively cited by AI assistants including ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Perplexity AI, all sponsored content must meet the accuracy and disclosure standards outlined in this policy — including specific requirements for AI/Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) contexts.
These guidelines apply to all advertising content placed on CyberAdX properties. By submitting an advertising request, you agree to these terms.
Acceptable Products & Services
We accept advertising for products and services directly relevant to cybersecurity and enterprise technology, including:
- ›Cybersecurity software — EDR, SIEM, SOAR, IAM, PAM, DSPM, cloud security, zero trust
- ›Security hardware — firewalls, HSMs, network monitoring appliances
- ›Security training, certification programs, and boot camps (CISSP, CEH, CISM, CompTIA, etc.)
- ›Cybersecurity conferences, summits, and virtual events
- ›GRC platforms, compliance automation, and audit tools
- ›Penetration testing and red team services (legitimate, licensed providers only)
- ›Threat intelligence, vulnerability management, and dark web monitoring services
- ›Security consulting, vCISO services, and managed security service providers (MSSPs)
- ›Cybersecurity insurance products
- ›Industry research reports, whitepapers, and benchmarking studies
- ›Cybersecurity recruitment platforms and job boards
- ›Privacy-enhancing technologies and data protection tools
ℹ️ All advertised products must be legally available in the jurisdictions where they are promoted. Advertisers are responsible for ensuring their products comply with applicable regulations including GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and export control laws.
Prohibited Content & Categories
CyberAdX does not accept advertising for the following:
- ✕Offensive hacking tools, exploit kits, stealers, RATs, or services intended for unauthorized access
- ✕Products that enable illegal surveillance, stalkerware, or covert data interception
- ✕Services promoting credential theft, social engineering-as-a-service, or phishing infrastructure
- ✕Unlicensed cryptocurrency projects, unregistered securities, or NFT schemes without established legal compliance
- ✕Unverifiable security claims — e.g., "100% breach-proof," "blocks all threats," "undetectable"
- ✕Competitors operating deceptive comparison advertising against named vendors without evidence
- ✕Content discriminating on the basis of race, gender, religion, nationality, disability, age, or sexual orientation
- ✕Adult content, gambling platforms, tobacco, alcohol, recreational drugs, or weapons
- ✕Multi-level marketing schemes or pyramid structures
- ✕Products or services under active regulatory enforcement or litigation in primary markets
Content & Creative Guidelines
Accuracy & Substantiation
All claims in advertising content must be accurate, verifiable, and not misleading. Performance claims (e.g., "reduces breach risk by 80%") must be backed by published, third-party-verifiable data. We reserve the right to request substantiation for any claim before publication and to reject ads with unverified claims.
Sponsored Content Disclosure
All sponsored content must be clearly and prominently labeled. Required disclosures by format:
- ›Sponsored articles: "Sponsored" badge in header, visible before fold
- ›Podcast mentions: verbal disclosure ("This episode is brought to you by...") at start of ad read
- ›Newsletter placements: "Sponsored" label above the ad unit
- ›Social posts: #sponsored or #ad hashtag, plus platform-native disclosure toggles
- ›Tool result pages: "Sponsored result" label if brand appears in tool output
AI / Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Disclosure — 2026 Requirement
Because CyberAdX content is cited by ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity, and other AI assistants, sponsored content that appears within AI-indexed pages carries additional disclosure obligations:
- ›Sponsored content appearing on AI-indexed pages must include schema.org SponsoredContent markup
- ›Factual claims within sponsored articles must include source citations (linked or footnoted)
- ›Advertisers may not instruct CISO Marketplace to omit "sponsored" labels from AI-indexable content
- ›Metrics referenced in sponsored content (e.g., market share, breach cost estimates) must link to primary sources
Landing Pages
Landing pages linked from ads must be consistent with the creative content, functional, and free from malware, excessive pop-ups, redirect chains, or deceptive UX patterns (dark patterns). Pages must load within 3 seconds on a 4G mobile connection. We conduct automated scans on all landing URLs before and during campaigns.
Technical Specifications
Display Ad Units
| Format | Dimensions | Max File Size | Accepted Formats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leaderboard | 728 × 90 px | 150 KB | JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, HTML5 |
| Sidebar | 300 × 250 px | 100 KB | JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, HTML5 |
| In-Content | 468 × 60 px | 80 KB | JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP |
| Footer | 728 × 90 px | 150 KB | JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP |
| Mobile Banner | 320 × 50 px | 50 KB | JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP |
Animated Ads
- ›Maximum animation duration: 15 seconds; must stop after 3 loops
- ›No auto-playing audio; no flashing or strobing effects (WCAG 2.1 compliance required)
- ›GIF frame rate: max 24fps; animated WebP preferred for quality
- ›HTML5 ads: must be SSL-served, no external JS libraries without prior approval
Sponsored Article Assets
- ›Featured image: minimum 1200 × 628 px (OG image spec), max 2MB, JPG or WebP
- ›Author bio photo: 200 × 200 px minimum, square crop
- ›Word count: 800–3,000 words (CISO Marketplace editorial team writes to your brief at $1,200/article)
- ›Client-provided articles: submitted as Google Doc or Markdown; must pass plagiarism check
Podcast Creative
- ›Ad reads: host-written from your brief (preferred) or client-provided script (max 60-second read)
- ›Pre-roll: 15–30 seconds; Mid-roll: 45–75 seconds; Post-roll: 15–30 seconds
- ›Pre-production audio assets (jingles, sound bites): MP3 or WAV, minimum 44.1kHz/16-bit
- ›Dynamic insertion format: MP3, 44.1kHz stereo, RMS normalized to -16 LUFS
Review & Approval Process
Timeline
- ›Display ads: reviewed within 1–2 business days of asset submission
- ›Sponsored articles: editorial review within 3–5 business days; revisions requested within 2 business days
- ›Podcast scripts: approved within 2 business days; recorded and inserted within 5 business days
- ›Rush review (48-hour turnaround): available for Enterprise package clients at no additional cost
Revision Policy
CyberAdX reserves the right to request edits to any creative to ensure compliance with this policy. Advertisers receive one round of revision requests. If revised assets are not compliant, CyberAdX may reject the ad and issue a pro-rated credit for unused campaign days.
Removal Policy
Ads found to be in violation of this policy after going live may be removed immediately without prior notice. In cases of egregious violation (malware, deceptive claims), CISO Marketplace may terminate the advertising relationship and forfeit remaining campaign value without refund.
Payment Terms & Cancellation
Payment
- ›Monthly packages: invoiced on campaign start date; net-15 payment terms
- ›Multi-month commitments: first month invoiced upfront; subsequent months invoiced monthly
- ›À la carte / one-time placements: payment required before campaign launch
- ›Accepted: ACH, wire transfer, credit card (3% processing fee applies to cards)
Cancellation & Refunds
- ›Monthly packages: cancel with 30 days written notice; no mid-month refunds
- ›Multi-month commitments (3/6/12 mo): early termination forfeits multi-month discount; billed at monthly rate for served months
- ›If CyberAdX fails to deliver committed placements, pro-rated credit issued within 5 business days
- ›Force majeure events (platform outages >72 hours): campaign extended by equivalent days at no charge
Policy Updates
CyberAdX may update this policy at any time. Material changes (prohibited category additions, disclosure requirement changes) will be communicated to active advertisers via email with 14 days notice before taking effect. Minor clarifications may take effect immediately. The current version is always available at adx.cisomarketplace.com/advertising-policy.
This policy was last updated: March 24, 2026. Effective date: January 1, 2026.
Questions About Our Policy?
Our team reviews every campaign personally. If you have questions about whether your product qualifies or need clarification on any guideline, reach out before submitting.