If you’re reading this blog, you are probably at least somewhat acquainted with the wonderful world of cybersecurity. Not only are words like malware, phishing and ransomware firmly entrenched in your vocabulary, they very likely conjure up memories of first hand, real world experiences.
But have you considered what the industry looks like to an outsider? How do mere satellites of the cybersphere perceive the world you all live in? Maybe it’s time to think about that.
I started at Eskenzi PR last week as a novice in the truest sense of the word. Cybersecurity simply was not on my radar. Like many of my colleagues and, as far as I can tell, the industry at large, I had ‘fallen’ into cybersecurity PR. One of those satellites has come crashing down to earth.
So, why am I telling you this? I believe that, as someone new to the industry, I am in a somewhat unique position. With the kindness and support of my colleagues I am steadily assimilating to my new world, but memories still linger of life on the other side, on the outside. I see this as a valuable perspective.
As the lines blur between my insider and outsider view, one question keeps jumping out at me – why aren’t we taking this more seriously? I know, you’ve heard this question thousands of times before, about cybersecurity, about climate change, about world war three, but please, bear with me.
To an outsider, the world of cybersecurity seems impenetrable. It is armoured by acronyms, abstract concepts and general ‘geek speak’. In a world of instant information, instant entertainment and instant gratification, people simply are not prepared to hack through that armour. Which is understandable. Not only this, but it gives many people the impression that the world of cybersecurity is ‘not for them’. Leave it to the IT whizzes and the geniuses in Silicon Valley.
What many of these people do not realise is that cybersecurity is for them. Tear away that armour and inside you will find not only major implications for every single one of us, but a deceptively exciting and interesting world.
One of the first things I learned about the cybersecurity industry is that it is under-staffed, under-funded and under-appreciated. The longer I have been here, the less I have understood this. Surrounded by the cyber-raconteurs at Eskenzi, my muddled view of the cybersphere as a dry, lofty world has been uprooted. How could I not be enthralled by stories of cyber-heists and cyber-espionage? Who wouldn’t want to be on the front lines in the fight against cyber-criminals? Why, with countless organisations losing vast amounts of money, is this not everyone’s top priority?
I suppose my point is, I’m glad to be here. I’m glad to be part of a team committed to presenting cybersecurity as the interesting, exciting and important industry that it so clearly is. Most of all, I hope that in my time here I can become as great of an asset to the cybersecurity industry as my colleagues.
So, if you’re an industry veteran, my advice is to consider the outsiders a little more. If you’re new to the industry, like I am, give it a little time. Break through that tough outer shell and you will find an inner world more exciting and rewarding than you could have ever imagined.
