Beyond Binary
December 2023
Intro
In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, the attack surface transcends the streams of 1s and 0s flowing through the air, reaching into the realm of human interactions. Beyond the technical acumen required, cybersecurity demands a nuanced understanding of security awareness especially in large-scale organizations. When looking to drive security transformations or even improving security processes already existing, there are 3 important aspects we should consider: collaboration, a +ve attitude and overall acceptance of the human element.
🤝 Collaboration
One of the distinctive features that I have noticed of high performing teams in my very short cybersecurity consulting life is the ability to seamlessly collaborate. Looking beyond security risk assessments, building threat detection logic or hardening servers, effective cybersecurity consulting involves building bridges with colleagues as well as stakeholders across the organization. This is evident in consulting, where communication and cooperation are paramount.
Example
Consider a scenario where a technical firm is implementing a company-wide cybersecurity awareness initiative. Collaboration with HR, IT, and strategic leadership teams becomes instrumental in aligning technical advice with organizational goals. The ability to communicate complex cybersecurity concepts to non-technical stakeholders becomes a valuable skill, ensuring a unified approach to cybersecurity resilience.
➕ Positivity
Cybersecurity isn’t just about defending against external threats; it’s about instilling and fostering a culture of security internally.
“Culture is what people do when no one is looking.”
— Herb Kelleher
A positive attitude is everything, and is the glue that holds together the intricate fabric of cybersecurity awareness. This permeates across both the cybersecurity team and the entire organization thereby fostering an environment where everyone feels invested in the shared goal of security.
Example
Imagine a situation where a cybersecurity incident occurs despite robust awareness programs. A positive attitude enables the team to view this as an opportunity to learn and improve. Instead of finger-pointing, the focus shifts to understanding what went wrong, implementing corrective measures, and sharing lessons learned with the broader organization—a testament to the collaborative spirit in cybersecurity consulting. This is essentially a ‘glass half-full mindset’.
🙋🏻♂️ Acceptance of the Human Aspect
In life, mistakes are inevitable (much like Thanos), however, the ability to learn from them is what distinguishes a good from a great cybersecurity initiative. Acknowledging mistakes, learning from them, and fostering a culture that encourages continuous improvement and not dwelling on the ‘bad stuff’ is a key aspect of navigating the human side of cybersecurity. After all, we are human 😉
Example
Suppose a phishing simulation inadvertently causes some confusion and subsequent uneasiness among employees. Embracing a human-centric approach involves acknowledging the impact, addressing concerns, and refining future simulations based on feedback. This not only demonstrates a commitment to improvement but also humanizes the cybersecurity process, making it much more relatable to all involved.
Conclusion
In conclusion, cybersecurity is not confined to lines of code or technical expertise alone. It’s about understanding and navigating the most important thing we are trying to protect, the humans living behind the technology through enhancing collaboration, positivity and learning from mistakes.