Who says cybersecurity can’t be fun? How humor bands us together

03/05/24 • 48 min

Javvad is a brilliant Security Awareness Advocate, Speaker, sharp industry commentator, and one of the most prolific bloggers in the community. His natural talent for making the cybersecurity industry's most technical and complicated matters easy to understand is a gift and an inspiration.

Join me as Javvad masterfully dissects the negativity and the rationalization bias, using brilliant analogies to explain the disconnect between cybersecurity specialists' expectations and people’s responses to digital challenges.

And, if you’re up for it, help us answer this question: how can we make cybersecurity fun for people?

PS: This is not my AI-generated voice, but rather my adapter-damaged one. I only noticed the terrible quality after the recording, so please bear with me - or just skip to Javvad's parts, which are flawless!

Episode Highlights:

What we really need to be teaching people about cybersecurity (4:50)
How to deal with the curse of knowledge (10:10)
The best way to keep cybersecurity connected to people's realities (19:20)
How to rebrand the cybersecurity team - and why we need this (24:10)
The problem with rational thinking (28:30)
Why cybersecurity is evolving beyond tech-focused conversations (38:50)

Resources:

Book - Javvad Malik - 50 Ways To Survive & Thrive In Cybersecurity

Connect with Javvad:

Let's connect!

And, if you’re up for it, help us answer this question: how can we make cybersecurity fun for people?

Episode Highlights:

What we really need to be teaching people about cybersecurity (4:50)
How to deal with the curse of knowledge (10:10)
The best way to keep cybersecurity connected to people's realities (19:20)
How to rebrand the cybersecurity team - and why we need this (24:10)
The problem with rational thinking (28:30)
Why cybersecurity is evolving beyond tech-focused conversations (38:50)

Resources:

Book - Javvad Malik - 50 Ways To Survive & Thrive In Cybersecurity

Connect with Javvad:

Let's connect!

Previous Episode

A convincing case for optimism: why data privacy is coded into our culture

How many accounts on different websites do you have?

Sharing our personal information online as a condition to access content has become a reflex. We hit the "I've read and agree to the terms and conditions" button without thinking about it. In fact, only a handful would notice if anything else is written in that box.

Yet things are starting to change; those worried about data privacy aren't only hackers anymore. The wave of awareness that questions what companies do with the personal information we share with them has started spreading to every corner of the cybersphere.

My guest, the brilliant and passionate Merry Marwig, is optimistic about the future of the data privacy landscape and believes it is already going through a positive transformation.

Merry is a Volunteer Advisor at The Plunk Foundation, a Privacy Consultant at DataGrail, and, as you'll see throughout our conversation, overly excited about data privacy tech.

Merry's thoughts on the evolution of data privacy programs stay firmly rooted in the reality of her research and data-driven approach, factors which also fuel the change seeping into people's perception over these issues, and the link between privacy and security.

With Merry’s help, you’ll also understand the emotional toll privacy harms have on you, me, and everyone else, and how ethical use of consumers' information can actually boost a company's growth, plus much more.

Episode highlights:

How privacy and security are different, but related (1:20)
The emotional toll of privacy harms (6:50)
Understanding how our data gets resold online (15:10)
Why now is the right time to do the right thing about data privacy (17:20)
How younger generations see data privacy (24:40)
Why privacy is part of our culture (29:30)
How our understanding of privacy is deepening (38:50)
Why even marketers are moving to privacy (46:40)

Connect with Merry:

Let's connect!

Next Episode

A hacker's guide to changing the world

Joshua Corman is a security strategist, philosopher, and co-founder of I am The Cavalry, a collective of professionals from technology, law, and public policy who work to mitigate the impact software-enabled and always-connected devices have on public safety and human life.

We had a deeply moving conversation about Joshua's influential work in cybersecurity, the birth of I Am The Cavalry, and his experiences navigating tough life transitions.

Using his masterful ability to capture thoughts, feelings, and experiences, Joshua brings to life the essence of building genuine connections, fostering trust, and caring deeply for others - and the role these play in using cybersecurity for a worthy goal.

Episode Highlights:

Joshua shares a valuable lesson a stranger taught him about empathy (3:10)
About the feeling that gave birth to I Am The Cavalry (8:00)
Why bother? Because we want to be safer sooner (15:40)
There's nothing more intoxicating than having an impact, material progress, and tangible wins (22:40)
What is the next wave of empathy in cybersecurity (28:20)
You don't need to be famous to make the world better (36:40)

Resources Mentioned: