#PixieDustSecurity or how Walt Disney Could Address the Biggest Issue in Cybersecurity: The CyberSec Triad Crisis
Jon Garside
Advisor & Ambassador , CYGNVS | Cybersecurity | Content | Enablement | Strategy | Technology Product Management Opinions are my own unless specified otherwise
When you hear "Walt Disney," what pops into your head? Wholesome family entertainment, the happiest place on earth, and Mickey Mouse’s indomitable ears. Now, hold that thought and picture this: Disney taking on the colossal beast that is the CyberSec Triad Crisis—the chronic shortage of trained, affordable, and available cybersecurity professionals. What if I told you the House of Mouse could help plug the gaping holes in our digital defenses? Buckle up, because we're diving into how Disney's magic could revolutionize cybersecurity.
Educational Storytelling on Steroids
Disney's storytelling is legendary. They don't just tell stories; they create cultural phenomena. Imagine if they pivoted that talent to cybersecurity training. Forget the dry, yawn-inducing manuals—think animated series that turn complex cyber concepts into thrilling narratives. Interactive simulations that gamify the intricacies of cyber defense. It’s not just learning; it’s edutainment. Disney could make understanding cybersecurity as compelling as binge-watching the latest Pixar masterpiece.
Cultivating the Next-Gen Cyber Army
Disney has a knack for capturing young imaginations. They could leverage that power to spark an early interest in cybersecurity. Picture a Disney Channel show where tech-savvy heroes tackle cyber threats. Or a blockbuster movie featuring a protagonist whose superpower is cyber expertise. These characters wouldn’t just save the world—they’d inspire legions of kids to see cybersecurity as the ultimate career path. Boom, talent shortage problem starts shrinking.
Training with Disney’s Infrastructure Muscle
Disney’s empire of theme parks, resorts, and media channels isn’t just for entertainment. They could repurpose these assets for large-scale cyber training initiatives. The Disney Institute, famous for its top-tier business courses, could roll out a cybersecurity curriculum. Imagine training labs and simulations set in the digital realms of Disney’s worlds. Hands-on experience that’s as immersive as it gets. It’s Hogwarts for hackers—but the good kind.
Forging Ironclad Partnerships
Disney’s brand is a juggernaut. They have the clout to broker game-changing partnerships with cybersecurity firms, universities, and government bodies. These alliances could birth comprehensive training programs, scholarships, and internships. Accessibility and affordability? Check. By injecting resources and star power into these initiatives, Disney could help close the gaping chasm between cybersecurity job vacancies and skilled professionals.
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Mainstreaming Cybersecurity Awareness
Let’s face it: most people are clueless about cybersecurity. But Disney has the cultural sway to change that. By embedding cybersecurity themes into their mainstream media, they could educate the masses. Imagine a blockbuster movie where the hero battles cyber threats, not just with brawn but with brains. Or a subplot in a popular series that teaches viewers about phishing scams and data privacy. Disney can make cybersecurity sexy and socially significant.
Conclusion
Disney diving into cybersecurity might sound like a plot twist, but it's one we desperately need. Their unparalleled ability to tell stories, reach global audiences, and wield immense influence positions them uniquely to tackle the CyberSec Triad Crisis. They could inspire a new wave of cybersecurity talent, create engaging and effective training programs, and raise public awareness about digital safety. It’s time we harness a bit of that Disney magic to secure our digital future. Because in the end, the real magic isn’t just in fairy tales—it’s in safeguarding the worlds we build, both real and virtual.
So, here’s to Mickey Mouse donning a digital cape. It’s about time we added a little pixie dust to our cybersecurity playbook.
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Penn State
4moThe topics discussed were very interesting, and the ideas were quite intriguing.
Co-Founder, Managing Partner Cerium Cyber, I help Small and Medium sized businesses save 30-50% off cost to create their cybersecurity and compliance programs
5moBTW, I’ll bet AT&T paid a lot more than $300k. I believe the decimal is really about three places to the left of reality. About $3 per client record.
Co-Founder, Managing Partner Cerium Cyber, I help Small and Medium sized businesses save 30-50% off cost to create their cybersecurity and compliance programs
5moIf a single storage vendor can take town THE telecom juggernaut we have a bigger problem than “training” enough mice to shore up the Magic. Get real. Nicely written piece. Fiction.
Co-Founder, Managing Partner Cerium Cyber, I help Small and Medium sized businesses save 30-50% off cost to create their cybersecurity and compliance programs
5moYeah… Pixie Dust is an apt metaphor. Nicely written piece. Fantasy. Look to the AT&T debacle this year. What did they pay to un-imprison their data from breach #2? ~$367,000, after negotiations. Negotiations? With criminals? Still haven’t resolved breach #1 if I have my data breach right. No matter. Snowflake. Great name for a compromised third party vendor who exposed ALL of AT&Ts clients’ text and voice logs. ALL of them. ALL OF THEM!! AND the data of other carriers using AT&Ts network, Mobile Virtual Network Operators, which is, basically ALL of them….ALL OF THEM! Cool that Disney, Lockheed Martin, Boeing Aerospace, many other key players can create a small, small world of their own to teach next generation hackers to defend the Magic Kingdom. But the reality is that a third party vendor yahoo ( that was Snowflake, remember?) can violate the Kingdom unknowingly. How is it that Mr Mouse don’t see that coming? Is it Because he was fantasizing about the next two generations of cyber defenders who are in third grade today. Can save us tomorrow? Just think about all those little mice running around defending our Kingdom in twenty years. Fantasy. C’mon folks. Get real
I treat people like people. Customer empath. Collector of hobbies.
5moInteresting take on Tiziana's challenge, Jon. I think that there is certainly something to be said of Disney's legendary ability to tell a story and then "socialize" it to the public in a way that sticks. Translating narratives like that could certainly help with cybersecurity awareness, and already has to some degree (ie The Inside Man series from KB4). I find an interesting correlation between cybersecurity awareness training and what I am going to say next. Digging into vendors using narratives to resonate with customers without relying on FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt), remains a stubborn challenge in cyber. If org leadership (particularly in the budget-controlling roles) better understood the existential threat to their businesses posed by cyber dangers, they might be more willing to allocate the appropriate funds to drive real change within their org. But to tell this without FUD is a conundrum. We spend a lot of time focusing on narratives in which the customer sees themselves (like vertical-focused case studies), but these generally lack the kind of story that Disney is famous for telling. I would be curious to know how you and Tiziana might tell these stories without relying on FUD or played-out stale case studies.