Cyber Empathy
47 episodes - English - Latest episode: 25 days ago -Meet the people who lead their work in cybersecurity and privacy with empathy and who go beyond technology to inspire lasting change.
Learn how to use cybersecurity and privacy as a lens to understand and improve your online habits so you can make more mindful decisions about your digital life.
Let's build bridges and genuine human connections and help those who need their guidance the most.
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Episodes
Empathy over ego: why we're angry at the wrong people in cybersecurity
April 02, 2024 03:00 - 58 minutes - 53.3 MBWhenever someone says humans are the weakest link in cybersecurity, besides educating through fear, they are crafting a narrative, creating a reality in people's heads, and making them feel helpless against cyber criminals. My guest, Lianne Potter, feels utterly differently about how to educate people on cybersecurity. Instead of fear, she advocates for empowering them through trust, autonomy, and, above all things, reciprocity. Lianne is a Cyber Anthropologist, Head of Security Operatio...
A hacker's guide to changing the world
March 19, 2024 04:00 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MBJoshua 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 though...
Who says cybersecurity can’t be fun? How humor bands us together
March 05, 2024 04:00 - 48 minutes - 44.1 MBJavvad 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 respo...
A convincing case for optimism: why data privacy is coded into our culture
February 20, 2024 04:00 - 51 minutes - 47.5 MBHow 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 in...
The underrated role of self-awareness in cybersecurity with Alyssa Miller
February 06, 2024 04:00 - 49 minutes - 45.4 MBIf you boil cybersecurity down to its essence, you'll find a hacker doing their best to educate, communicate, and help people see the world the way they do: with curiosity and the innate desire to understand it and make it better. Yet what's the community reaction when a message fails to land as expected? It’s (still too) often victim-blaming, a sarcastic remark, or a vague piece of advice to do more of… something. To our guest, Alyssa Miller, it all comes down to self-awareness and under...
Creating change through hacking, teaching, and leading
January 23, 2024 04:00 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBI’ve had dozens of conversations exploring the need for empathy and compassion in cybersecurity, from supporting victims of cybercrime to acknowledging the data we protect are not numbers on a screen but real people’s experiences. Yet the transformation empathy is capable of goes way beyond cybersecurity. It seeps into the teams and companies we build, the relationships we influence through technology, it guides leadership, and so much more! That’s why I’m delighted to open Season 5 of C...
Mission before money: refocusing cybersecurity on what matters
December 12, 2023 04:00 - 49 minutes - 45.1 MBIn an industry whose goal is to protect people, purely profit-driven marketing makes no sense - and certainly doesn’t work. After over a decade of running digital marketing for high-growth B2B technology startups, my guest, Dani Woolf, realized marketing is wildly different in information security. It took her four years after joining the cybersecurity industry in 2018 to create Audience 1st, a customer research agency built on four pillars: curiosity to truly understand audiences empa...
From code to compassion: how to use Nonviolent Communication to elevate cybersecurity
November 28, 2023 04:00 - 55 minutes - 51 MBThe blame game is a strong reflex in cybersecurity for many people. Pointing fingers at the human error that caused the breach, complaining about the CEO who didn't invest enough resources or training in cybersecurity, and taking it out on the CISO are all common occurrences. And they don’t help anyone. Blaming harms everything that empathy in cybersecurity represents and works so hard to change in the industry: connection, trust, personal growth, and making meaningful progress. But there...
Cybersecurity craves human connection
November 21, 2023 04:00 - 50 minutes - 46 MBCybersecurity has a human heartbeat. The variety of backgrounds that people in this space have enriches an industry that is day by day more interested in its human side. Different experiences bring new perspectives and ways of doing things to a community that craves human connection. Our guest, the extraordinary Maril Vernon, is the perfect example. Coming from the social media marketing space, Maril took the cybersecurity industry by storm, becoming the 2023 Cybersecurity Woman Hacker o...
Neurohacking: blending science, security, and sound
November 14, 2023 04:00 - 37 minutes - 34 MBA̶l̶m̶o̶s̶t̶ every route in cybersecurity lands on empathy. Despite its ultimate goal of protecting data, information security remains a people-focused discipline, with paths that lead to it as varied as they come. Yet the magic happens when hackers with the most unconventional backgrounds use their hacking skills to break down things and reconnect them in surprising ways. My guest, Pete Herzog, a humble giant in the cybersecurity space, is the perfect example of this. Pete is the Co-fou...
Cybertrauma: the invisible scars of constant connectivity
November 07, 2023 04:00 - 50 minutes - 46.7 MBAmong the undeniable advantages of the hyperconnected world we learned to live in, some adverse effects lurk behind the algorithm's rewards. They’re damaging our personal and professional relationships and younger generations' sense of reciprocity, attention span, and ability to assess danger. Our world is already a mesh between digital and analog experiences, rapidly leaning into making virtual interactions the norm. So what can we expect to happen to us, biological beings, in non-biolo...
Where passion meets purpose: exploring security as a universal value
October 31, 2023 04:00 - 39 minutes - 36.6 MBThe world has seen many transformations in the workspace during the last few years; some of them stuck, some didn't. Workers prioritizing personal relationships over economic benefits, for instance, is not considered a fad anymore; it is the norm. The relationship people developed with their jobs has radically changed, and empathy played a major role in that transformation. Slowly but surely, we are witnessing how cybersecurity detaches from the old and cold "it's just business" approach....
Why being kind is the harder thing to do
October 24, 2023 03:00 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MBIn today's episode, I'm joined by one of the first people who raised the empathy flag in cybersecurity and inspired the creation of this podcast, Jayson E. Street. Despite National Geographic describing him as a "World Class Hacker," he sees himself simply as a Hacker, a Helper, and a Human. Discover the transformative power of conscious kindness as he bares his soul in a deeply personal and heart-stirring conversation. Navigating the intricate dance of human imperfections, Jayson shares m...
Why cybersecurity thrives on authenticity, confidence, deep empathy
October 17, 2023 03:00 - 49 minutes - 45.6 MBThe "good vs. evil" battle is an integral part of cybersecurity's origin story. While it’s motivating and energizing, it also comes with language derived from military vocabulary, that brings a certain level of hostility and aggression. That’s why, often, the language we use in cybersecurity alienates the very people we’re trying to help. In this episode, the kind and compassionate Dr. Jessica Barker joins me for a conversation about the most underrated skill in cybersecurity: empathy. W...
The 7 habits of highly empathetic people
October 10, 2023 03:00 - 55 minutes - 50.7 MB“Knowing and not doing is the same as not knowing.” Join Sebastian Avarvarei and myself as we dive deep into the layers of self-development, cybersecurity, and the crucial blend of technical acumen with soft skills. Sebastian, with his rich experience in security, sheds light on his evolution from proficient technical leader to becoming a deeply compassionate leader in the cybersecurity industry. I can’t wait for you to discover his unique approach to leadership, the influence "The 7 Hab...
Facing fear and finding joy - how I put empathy to work
October 03, 2023 03:00 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MB"To see others more clearly, set aside your opinions, advice, and judgment, and put their truth above your own." Greg McKeown In this episode, as an opener for Cyber Empathy's fourth season, I'll take you through some updates on the show and my personal life and share the topics we will be exploring this season. I’ll share how my loved ones’ unconditional love supported me through the taxing situations I had to deal with in the last year, and how our community granted me the honor of two aw...
Ethical hackers and the legacy of the Hacker Manifesto
May 23, 2023 03:00 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MBThinking of The Hacker Manifesto solely as a rant against corporations, the government, and all authorities is reductive. The volume also appeals to curiosity and a constructive rebellious spirit, which form the basis of hacker culture. Curiosity fuels hackers to break things down and figure out how they work so they can improve them. It also drives them to ask questions that are different, unexpected, and that lead to paths less traveled. In today's episode, we go down one of those paths ...
Empathy in cybersecurity is about picking a side
May 09, 2023 03:00 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MBRegardless of the power, wealth, or influence a person or company might have, the only thing that can protect them from being hacked is another great (ethical) hacker. Although the dark side of cybersecurity has several routes to explore and experiment with, they all have the same destination, and – spoiler alert – it is never a happy place. That’s why empathy in cybersecurity is about picking a side: you either use your skills to harm people or to protect them from cybercriminals. In tod...
How to engage the Human OS in cybersecurity with the Heart, Head, and Hands method
April 25, 2023 03:00 - 48 minutes - 44.6 MBDo you know what happens when "the ask is too high and the trust is too low" in cybersecurity? Requests related to cybersecurity fall flat. If you’re frustrated that clients and colleagues don’t see the value of your work and don’t take your advice to heart, this episode offers the fix you need. Along with Advisory CISO and Cybersecurity Strategist J. Wolfgang Goerlich (“Wolf”), we delve into the critical roles of empathy and communication in addressing complex security challenges. Joi...
Practical empathy is crucial to attracting cybersecurity talent
April 11, 2023 03:00 - 49 minutes - 45.6 MBMany young writers feel every subject in cybersecurity has already been exhausted. This is probably true for many topics, but that doesn't mean the conversation is over. Diversity is one of the industry's main traits, which means people from around the world can (and should!) bring their own perspectives and experiences, making an already culturally wealthy space even richer. Today's guest is Joe Pettit, Director at Bora, the go-to place for IT Security marketing professionals needing to ...
Cybersecurity is about loving other people
March 28, 2023 03:00 - 42 minutes - 39.3 MBWhat do Hercules and ancient Greek philosophers have to do with cybersecurity? Today’s guest, Anastasios Arampatzis, Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Specialist and Cybersecurity Content Writer, helps us make that connection and draw inspiration from stories that have remained relevant for millenia. Anastasios reminds us that we need more heroes in cybersecurity to help people turn their relationship with digital security from fear into friendship. It’s much more exciting to follow a hero’...
Creating psychological safety in cybersecurity
March 14, 2023 04:00 - 46 minutes - 43 MBPsychological safety doesn't just help performance. It also creates space for us to name problems, admit vulnerabilities, and then find ways to get better. Besides keeping technology safe to use, cybersecurity also needs to protect the people using it. Arguably, this is the most important goal for this industry. That’s why cybersecurity specialists are responsible for making things safer, but also for making people feel safe. To achieve this, specialists in the information security space n...
Why security teams need an empathy filter
February 28, 2023 04:00 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MBEveryone who works in cybersecurity needs this reminder from time to time: people who are not in this space aren’t obsessed with the latest attacks and their impact. They probably don’t care at all because they already have other difficult projects they’re working on or personal issues that stretch them thin. Any security team that wants to be effective and make a difference needs to keep this idea at the top of their mind when rolling out an awareness campaign or sending out an email. Ov...
From fear to friendship: how positive language boosts cybersecurity awareness
February 14, 2023 04:00 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MBPoor communication is a major roadblock in getting people to adopt cyber-safe habits. It also created a major disconnect between information security specialists and the people they serve. For instance, threat-filled emails with a negative or sometimes threatening tone only confuse non-IT experts who need simple explanations and psychological safety to learn. This makes empathy essential in the cybersecurity space because it’s a constant reminder that things which are quick and easy for ...
How emotions shape human behavior in cybersecurity
November 01, 2022 04:00 - 45 minutes - 41.8 MBPeople are critical to advancing cybersecurity on all fronts, whether it’s keeping an organization safe or building safer software. Using security software or rolling out an awareness course is not enough. You need to understand how people interact with the system and where following best practices fails them – and why. This allows the creation of user-friendly policies that make people feel supported instead of hounded for their mistakes. A more empathetic approach to building relationship...
Rethinking communication in the cybersecurity space
October 18, 2022 03:00 - 39 minutes - 35.8 MBOne of the biggest barriers to promoting safe practices in cyberspace is attitude – both from users and from specialists in the industry. People who’ve never experienced a cyberattack have a difficult time understanding the need for taking precautions in their digital lives because the consequences are abstract and far removed from their daily lives. This is absolutely natural given information security has been around for a second compared to human evolution. Most people see best pract...
The value of approachability in cybersecurity
October 04, 2022 03:00 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBThe key to being a successful cybersecurity expert is to be approachable and understand the needs of others. Cybersecurity is a continuous process that touches on many critical organizational functions. It is, therefore, a bad idea to run it in a silo that is unapproachable by teams from other departments. When cybersecurity personnel are approachable, people feel more comfortable consulting them and following their instructions. This helps in creating a safety-first culture that can impr...
The value of approachability in cyber security
October 04, 2022 03:00 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBThe key to being a successful cybersecurity expert is to be approachable and understand the needs of others. Cybersecurity is a continuous process that touches on many critical organizational functions. It is, therefore, a bad idea to run it in a silo that is unapproachable by teams from other departments. When cybersecurity personnel are approachable, people feel more comfortable consulting them and following their instructions. This helps in creating a safety-first culture that can impr...
The art of listening
September 20, 2022 03:00 - 30 minutes - 28 MBThe biggest communication problem we have is that we listen with the intention of replying instead of understanding. This takes away the safety net that a speaker is expecting to have and closes the door on empathy. That is why it is important to practice the critical art of listening if you wish to grow in how you practice empathy. Mastering it will help you connect with others in a generous and meaningful way. Today, I will focus on the critical points that I got after going through a l...
Attaining a fulfilling life in the cybersecurity industry
September 06, 2022 03:00 - 38 minutes - 35 MBWhen you take time to replenish, you can serve from the overflow and avoid burnout. Cybersecurity is a stressful industry that demands a lot of commitment from professionals in it. Sometimes, people in this industry focus so much on the task at hand that they forget to replenish themselves. This, in most cases, results in burnout or a significant reduction in the quality of their work. That’s why practicing self-care, self-empathy, and assertiveness are essential parts of personal and prof...
Building emotional resilience to fight disinformation
March 15, 2022 04:00 - 39 minutes - 35.7 MBIn the world of cybersecurity, not all information is power. In fact, “only the right amount of the right information is power.” Too much information can easily lead to sensationalization of the threat and this can overwhelm even the most concerned audience. Bewildered people rarely consider actionable steps that can improve their security posture, because they have to use their resources to make sense of all the details coming towards them. That’s why leaders in the cybersecurity communit...
The role of empathy in the fight against stalkerware
March 08, 2022 04:00 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBIn today’s social media-dominated world, the word stalking has been flipped to mean being harmlessly followed online, getting a ‘like’, getting a retweet, having your profile viewed constantly, among others. In fact, some even see it as a good thing because it shows how interesting one’s life is. But, that’s just one side of the coin. The other side is dark. Stalkers use technology to abuse their victims emotionally by tracking and controlling their every move – everyone they call, text, o...
The empathetic side of secure software development
March 01, 2022 04:00 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBIn the high stake world of software development, it is easy to put aside empathy and prioritize meeting deadlines. After all, developers are key players when you want to reduce time-to-market or deliver regular updates. This can easily lead to the important aspect of application security not getting as much attention as it deserves. In some cases, it might even be relegated to the “extra-not-a-must” features category. However, when empathy accompanies the entire development process, it eas...
Cybersecurity tips for small business owners
February 22, 2022 04:00 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBReality check: most cyberattacks and privacy infringements are not a result of sophisticated hacking done by malicious adversaries who want to hold your system hostage or steal all your data. They result from the victim falling into a criminal's trap by clicking on “interesting” malicious links or (re)using weak credentials all over their online accounts. Most people who aren’t in tech won’t even know their device was attacked or their credentials stolen. In fact, a majority of infringemen...
Cybersecurity books that help us understand technology
February 15, 2022 04:00 - 38 minutes - 34.8 MB“It doesn’t go wrong, it starts wrong.” This captures the privacy and security challenges that existing and new technologies alike are facing. When you read about how government agencies are accessing your personal data, don’t get caught up on the actual collection event. You should be just as (or more!) concerned that companies are intentionally developing and promoting software products which allow them or third parties to spy on you. This is why software developers play a key role in ...
Perfect privacy vs. good enough privacy
February 08, 2022 04:00 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBPrivacy gets thrown around a lot these days. But talking more about it doesn’t often solve the problem of its lack of emotional resonance with most people. Although we instinctively know what privacy is, if you’d ask most people to explain it to others, they might feel puzzled. Because so many elements come together to form our privacy, it often becomes disconnected from what we care about the most. That’s what makes it so difficult for most people to react to aggressive, persistent attack...
How empathy helps decision-makers connect the dots
February 01, 2022 04:00 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBIt’s almost impossible to build a culture where security is central to big decisions without someone leading the way – someone who cares so deeply that they’re able to gain the board’s trust and support. How? Building a shared vocabulary, a shared understanding of complex challenges, and by creating a safe space to discuss them. These are all fundamental factors to making cybersecurity a priority for C-level executives. Today I’m joined by Claire Pales, the director of the security consu...
Making a positive contribution to cybersecurity
January 18, 2022 04:00 - 35 minutes - 32.3 MBCreating 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...
Replacing fear with empathy in cybersecurity communication
January 11, 2022 04:00 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBIn the cybersecurity field, communication strategies will only take you as far as your understanding of human nature extends. Our guest today is Melanie Ensign, founder and CEO of Discernible, which helps organizations overcome communication challenges in cybersecurity and privacy. She is also the press lead for DEF CON, the biggest hacker conference in the world. With a keen focus on what really makes communication an effective process that supports cybersecurity and privacy initiatives...
How a technology journalist creates empathy
January 04, 2022 04:00 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBTechnology has permeated almost all aspects of our lives and, with the current advancements, it’ll seep into even more layers of society. Sometimes, tech holds a mirror to us, as humans. Just like us, it can’t thrive in isolation. Similar to us, tech expands and evolves through the sustained work of communities of users and developers. The only way to truly understand how this interdependence is impacting our society is to talk to people about their personal experiences with technology. Few...
Building and Selling Cybersecurity Solutions - with Empathy
December 07, 2021 04:00 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBHow do you develop and sell a cybersecurity solution without sensationalizing it to create fear and panic buying? Well, you need to build trust with potential customers by being empathetic of their position and the threats they are facing in their context. When you approach it from a kind and ethical place, cybersecurity is a positivity-filled and community-centered industry that functions best when people look out for each other. My guest today is Saaim Khan, founder of Jumpstart Security...
Empathy in Digital Assets Security
November 30, 2021 03:00 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBDigital assets such as cryptocurrencies are revolutionizing how we transact and store wealth. However, they have introduced new cyber threats that go beyond just protecting your password. Every month, millions of dollars' worth of digital assets are lost to malicious hackers. Apart from the advancement of hacking tools and skills, the other big contributor to these losses is poor cybersecurity practices. Many digital wallets companies do not take time to explain to their customers the risk...
Empathy in Ethical Hacking
November 23, 2021 04:00 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBHow do you remain empathetic when your job is to act like an attacker and point out issues with security systems? With all its military language, cybersecurity can feel very aggressive but this offensive security specialist shows us that it doesn’t have to be. Today I’m joined by Alexei Doudkine, penetration tester and co-founder of Volkis. I deeply resonate with how he puts his 10+ years of experience on the offensive side of cybersecurity to good use and challenges the status quo. He sha...
Cybersecurity - A designer’s perspective
November 16, 2021 04:00 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBCyber security goes beyond protecting your digital assets! The unique part of cybersecurity is that the more you know about it, the less secure you feel. This can limit your digital experience and even cause anxiety because you constantly feel exposed to invisible threats. Design and user experience make a substantial contribution to making online security and privacy easier to understand and manage. Visual cues and certain types of interactions with websites, apps, and other digital produ...
Am I being tracked? Solutions to online user tracking
November 09, 2021 03:00 - 29 minutes - 27 MBAre you making mindful choices in your digital life? Many companies have been profiting from exploiting your data, whether you choose to share it or unknowingly do so while using online services. One of the most commonly used methods of exploitation is tracking. The good thing is that there are many empathetic people and companies that are also working to protect us from it. Today I’m joined by Dave Smyth, designer and developer with a keen passion for privacy and ethics. Dave is using e...
A considerate view to cybersecurity
November 02, 2021 04:00 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBA secure world is a better world! In a world where technology is advancing at lightning speed, security can sometimes seem to be lagging behind. This is especially so if you are not an IT guru who understands cybersecurity concepts very well. This is a gap that can be filled by caring people sharing trustworthy information and experiences to help others. Today I’m joined by Chris Kubecka, the founder, and CEO of HypaSec. She’s also the Distinguished Chair at the Middle East Institute Cy...
Why I chose an empathetic approach to cybersecurity
October 26, 2021 05:00 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MBToday, I’ll share with you how I ended up in the field of cybersecurity and how I am trying to bridge the gap between the general perception and what it really feels like to work in it. I feel privileged to be sharing my experience with you as well as showing the role empathy plays to this important discipline. Tune in and listen to the first episode of Cyber Empathy. You’re in for an exciting and informative experience! I hope you will get a new perspective on cybersecurity as you navigate...