Making a positive contribution to cybersecurity

Creating real change in people’s behavior is one of the biggest challenges in cybersecurity. That’s why I often tell people with no connection to this space that technology is secondary to human psychology when it comes to protecting the tech ecosystem our lives depend on (which is not an exaggeration). So the strategy companies choose to get their teams to care about information security practices is critical. Approach them with a checkbox-ticking attitude and you’ll just waste everyone’s time, deepening the rift between their universe and these foreign notions with zero emotional impact. But focus on building meaningful relationships and you get the opportunity to expand your ‘bubble of trust’ to bring out the best in others. This makes it easier for anyone to find a personal connection to cybersecurity principles and tactics, increasing their willingness to try them out on their own.Once you’ve achieved that moment of lift, you need consistency to prove that alignment between what you say and what you do – as an individual, as a team, or as a company. This allows us, the security advocates, to be effective in the long term, even as new challenges continue to crop up.There’s no better real-life example for this process than John Opdenakker, champion of web app security and security awareness – both at work and in his contribution to the information security community. We both share a keen interest in human psychology and the role empathy plays in advancing cybersecurity as a key element for stability, continuity, and progress in the tech world and beyond. In this episode, you’ll hear about how John practices empathy through his work and how it translates into real value for his colleagues. You’ll also learn about how creating relationships makes it easier to have meaningful conversations about cybersecurity. We’ve even included a real-life example of how an institution effectively handled a data breach in an empathetic way (yes, it can be done!).In this episode, you will learn:How John practices empathy to advance his security awareness work (05:15)The essential role good relationships play in creating a sustainable security culture (10:33) How John gets fellow security specialists to replicate his approach (12:52)Where he feels empathy is lacking the most in cybersecurity (19:34)The best communication strategy to create a positive impact in cybersecurity (27:08)Resources: Good security reflects our valuesCalibrate how you perceive and manage actual risksUM Cyber Attack SymposiumConnect with John:WebsiteTwitterLet’s connect!WebsiteLinkedInTwitter

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