George Kurtz

George Kurtz
Born	(1970-10-14) October 14, 1970 Parsippany–Troy Hills, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, CEO, cybersecurity expert, race car driver
Known for	Co-founder and CEO of CrowdStrike; co-author of Hacking Exposed; founder of Foundstone

George Kurtz (born October 14, 1970) is a prominent American entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of CrowdStrike, a top company in the cybersecurity technology sector.

He established Foundstone, a firm specializing in security solutions and antivirus software, which was acquired by McAfee in 2004. At McAfee, he held the position of chief technology officer. Kurtz is also a co-author of Hacking Exposed: Network Security Secrets & Solutions. In 2024, he was recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Figures in Business.

In 2024, an update to CrowdStrike’s software led to a significant worldwide service outage impacting Microsoft Windows platforms.

Outside of cybersecurity, Kurtz invests in real estate development ventures located in Scottsdale, Arizona, and throughout the southwestern United States.

Additionally, he is an FIA Bronze-certified race car driver with Pro-Am class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Spa endurance races.

Early life and education

Kurtz was raised in Parsippany–Troy Hills, New Jersey and attended Parsippany High School. He started programming video games on his Commodore during fourth grade and created bulletin board systems while still in high school. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Seton Hall University located in South Orange, New Jersey.

Price Waterhouse and Ernst & Young

Following his graduation, Kurtz began his career at Price Waterhouse as a Certified Public Accountant. In 1993, he transitioned into the firm’s newly formed security division, where he specialized in penetration testing to uncover weaknesses within corporate networks. Subsequently, he joined Ernst & Young, continuing his work in penetration testing and contributing to the development of internet security standards. His early contributions helped shape foundational cybersecurity methodologies. After several years in these roles, Kurtz departed to start his own company.

Foundstone

In 1999, Kurtz founded Foundstone and co-authored Hacking Exposed, a cybersecurity guide that sold over 600,000 copies worldwide and was translated into more than 30 languages. Motivated by dissatisfaction with existing vulnerability assessment tools, he pioneered the concept and terminology of vulnerability management. Foundstone also established a unique business model combining high-level consulting with technology products—challenging industry skepticism about such integration. The company competed against peers like Internet Security Systems, which was later acquired by IBM.

Foundstone created educational programs targeting both novice and expert professionals focused on penetration testing and vulnerability management based on Kurtz’s Hacking Exposed. This effort helped build a global network of cybersecurity practitioners. Due to its innovation and influence on the market, Foundstone was acquired by McAfee in 2004.

McAfee

After selling Foundstone to McAfee in August 2004, Kurtz assumed the role of Senior Vice President and General Manager of Risk Management. In October 2009, he advanced to Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), directing McAfee’s technological vision and innovation initiatives. During his tenure as CTO, Kurtz was instrumental in managing significant cybersecurity events such as the 2010 Operation Aurora attacks targeting Google and others. He also led research efforts on threats including Night Dragon and Shady RAT.

In 2010, McAfee encountered a major issue when an antivirus update caused Windows XP machines to experience continuous reboot cycles due to removal of essential files. The problematic update was quickly retracted, with McAfee reporting minimal consumer impact. Kurtz stepped down from his executive positions at McAfee in October 2011.

Origins and Initial Development

In November 2011, Kurtz took on the role of "entrepreneur-in-residence" at the private equity firm Warburg Pincus, where he began crafting the concept for a new cybersecurity company. Alongside Gregg Marston and Dmitri Alperovitch, he co-established CrowdStrike in Irvine, California, officially unveiling the company in February 2012. The startup secured $25 million in seed capital from Warburg Pincus to support its early growth. CrowdStrike introduced an innovative cloud-native, intelligence-driven approach to cybersecurity, designed to replace conventional on-premises security systems. Their cloud-first methodology ensured minimal disruption to client system performance. The company’s primary offering, Falcon, was launched in 2013 and garnered recognition by being listed among the MIT Technology Review's 50 Disruptive Companies.

Expansion and influence

With its headquarters located in Austin, Texas and additional offices in Sunnyvale, California, alongside worldwide operations, CrowdStrike experienced notable expansion under the leadership of CEO Kurtz. The company went public in 2019 through an IPO on the Nasdaq stock exchange, reaching a market valuation close to $6.6 billion. CrowdStrike has earned a reputation for pioneering advancements in cybersecurity, particularly in the area of endpoint protection.

By March 2020, industry experts such as Andrew Nowinski from D.A. Davidson & Co. recognized CrowdStrike as a frontrunner in endpoint security solutions. An IDC report published in July 2020 identified it as the fastest-growing vendor within this sector. Its cybersecurity platform approach has drawn comparisons to Salesforce’s CRM and ServiceNow’s ITSM frameworks. In 2024, CrowdStrike was added to the S&P 500 index, marking it as the quickest cybersecurity company to achieve this milestone within five years following its IPO.

In 2024, Cybercrime Magazine awarded Kurtz the title of "Cybersecurity Person of the Year."

Nonetheless, in July 2024, a software update released by CrowdStrike triggered a significant service outage impacting Microsoft Windows users across various industries and government entities. This disruption caused system instability and unplanned restarts, leading to substantial economic consequences on a global scale.

Incident management and recovery

In response to the service disruption caused by the July 2024 software update, CrowdStrike, led by CEO George Kurtz, launched a comprehensive effort to manage and resolve the issue while minimizing its effects. Kurtz promptly issued a public apology within hours, acknowledging the seriousness of the event and expressing remorse for its impact on customers and stakeholders. A collaborative effort between Microsoft and CrowdStrike resulted in the development and deployment of an effective corrective patch that restored normal service operations. Engineers from both organizations worked in close coordination to identify the underlying cause and swiftly produce, test, and implement a fix that stabilized affected systems.

Throughout the resolution process, CrowdStrike maintained transparent communication by providing frequent updates on progress and detailing strategies aimed at preventing recurrence. Independent evaluations from industry analysts praised the company’s promptness and openness as exemplary practices in cybersecurity incident response and stakeholder communication.

Furthermore, CrowdStrike committed to conducting an extensive internal review of its software development lifecycle and quality assurance protocols to strengthen system resilience and avoid similar future disruptions.

Impact on cybersecurity advancements

Kurtz’s involvement with Foundstone starting in 1999 was instrumental in defining vulnerability management as both a discipline and terminology. Foundstone established essential concepts, procedures, and services—including enterprise-level vulnerability assessments, prioritized remediation strategies, and security training—that continue to underpin contemporary cybersecurity practices. Kurtz also co-authored Hacking Exposed: Network Security Secrets & Solutions, a seminal work that has influenced standards for vulnerability evaluation and penetration testing.

Throughout his career, Kurtz has been a strong proponent of cloud-native cybersecurity frameworks, emphasizing their benefits such as scalability, flexibility, and enhanced threat intelligence capabilities. The Falcon platform developed by CrowdStrike embodies this cloud-first philosophy and has played a key role in driving industry-wide transitions toward cloud-based security solutions.

Real estate portfolio

Beginning in 2019, Kurtz has been actively engaged in real estate development across the Southwestern United States, concentrating on projects that encompass residential, commercial, retail, and leisure facilities aimed at enhancing community health and fostering economic advancement in the region.

The Parque

In Scottsdale, Arizona, Kurtz acquired the former Cracker Jax property and, in 2023, proposed a comprehensive plan for “The Parque,” a 2-million-square-foot mixed-use development. The approved blueprint includes housing units, an office tower, dining establishments, retail outlets, a hotel, and a two-acre landscaped park.

The Promenade

Kurtz holds ownership of The Promenade, a retail center in Scottsdale that offers more than 600,000 square feet of shopping space and is distinguished by a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired spire. He has overseen enhancements focused on environmental sustainability and aesthetic improvements.

Scottsdale Quarter

In 2025, FalconEye Ventures, owned by Kurtz, completed the acquisition of Scottsdale Quarter—a 755,000-square-foot mixed-use complex located in Scottsdale. The purchase comes with plans to invest $100 million toward upgrading its upscale retail, office spaces, and residential offerings.

Motorsports career

Kurtz entered professional racing in 2016 through participation in the Pirelli World Challenge with TRG-Aston Martin Racing. Driving a McLaren 570S GT4, he captured the GTS Am class title in 2017. Progressing to the GT World Challenge America GT3 division by 2019 alongside teammate Colin Braun, he secured fifth place in the Pro-Am standings. The duo achieved eight podium finishes in 2020 and ended the season as runners-up in Pro-Am.

In 2021, Kurtz expanded his racing portfolio by entering IMSA’s LMP3 prototype category while maintaining his GTWC America involvement. That year featured victories at endurance races such as Sebring and podium results at Watkins Glen; however, missed events led to an overall sixth-place finish. The following year brought two IMSA podiums—including third place at the 24 Hours of Daytona—and dominance in GTWC America’s SRO3 class with ten wins out of sixteen contests.

For the 2023 season, Kurtz advanced to IMSA’s LMP2 class with his CrowdStrike team aligned with Algarve Pro Racing. Alongside teammate Ben Hanley, they triumphed at Petit Le Mans and another race but ultimately finished second in the championship standings. They also secured the Michelin Endurance Trophy for endurance competition success. That year marked Kurtz’s debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where he earned a class victory in LMP2 Pro-Am. Returning to GTWC America, he claimed Pro-Am honors despite placing third overall in SRO3. During the 2023–24 off-season, Kurtz and Braun won the Asian Le Mans Series championship with two victories.

After the CrowdStrike incident in 2024, Kurtz withdrew from racing for that season but made a comeback for the 2025 24 Hours of Daytona event.

Complete WeatherTech SportsCar Championship results

(key) (Races indicated in bold denote pole position; results shown in italics represent fastest lap)

Year	Team	Class	Car	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Pos.	Points
2021	CORE Autosport	LMP3	Ligier JS P320	Nissan VK56DE 5.6L V8	DAY 5†	SEB 1	MDO	WGL 2	WGL	ELK	PET 7	11th	968
2022	CORE Autosport	LMP3	Ligier JS P320	Nissan VK56DE 5.6 L V8	DAY 3†	SEB 5	MDO	WGL 2	MOS	ELK	PET 5	17th	921
2023	CrowdStrike Racing by APR	LMP2	Oreca 07	Gibson GK428 V8	DAY 2†	SEB 5	MON 3	WGL 1	ELK 7	IMS 3	PET 1	2nd	1958

^† Points contributed solely toward the Michelin Endurance Cup; excluded from overall LMP2 or LMP3 championships.

Full 24 Hours of Daytona Outcomes

Year	Team	Drivers	Vehicle	Category	Completed Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
2021	CORE Autosport	Jon Bennett Colin Braun Matt McMurry	Ligier JS P320	LMP3	737	31st	5th
2022	CORE Autosport	Jon Bennett Colin Braun Template:Country data SWETemplate:Namespace detect showall Niclas Jönsson	Ligier JS P320	LMP3	721	16th	3rd
2023	CrowdStrike Racing by APR	Template:Country data MEXTemplate:Namespace detect showall Esteban Gutiérrez Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Ben Hanley Matt McMurry	Oreca 07	LMP2	761	8th	2nd
2024	CrowdStrike Racing by APR	Colin Braun Template:Country data DNKTemplate:Namespace detect showall Malthe Jakobsen Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Toby Sowery	Oreca 07	LMP2	767	10th	2nd

Outcomes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans

Year	Team	Drivers	Vehicle	Category	Completed Laps	Overall Ranking	Category Ranking
2023	Template:Country data PORTemplate:Namespace detect showall Algarve Pro Racing	Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall James Allen Colin Braun	Oreca 07-Gibson	LMP2	322	20th	10th
				LMP2 Pro-Am			1st
2024	Template:Country data PORTemplate:Namespace detect showall CrowdStrike Racing by APR	Colin Braun Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Nicky Catsburg	Oreca 07-Gibson	LMP2	149	DNF
				LMP2 Pro-Am
2025	Template:Country data PRTTemplate:Namespace detect showall Algarve Pro Racing	Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Nicky Catsburg Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Alex Quinn	Oreca 07-Gibson	LMP2	362	30th	13th
				LMP2 Pro-Am	8th