The Story Behind Humans of Cybersecurity

Quick: what do you think of when you hear the word cybersecurity? If you’re like most people, you might be imagining some hoodie-clad guy feverishly coding in a basement. Or maybe you’re envisioning a faceless, shadowy crew of foreign hackers, committed to disrupting U.S. government and business and sending us all into an apocalyptic tailspin. Perhaps you’re just pondering what to have for lunch today, because “cybersecurity” makes your eyes glaze over with either confusion or information overload.

Whatever you’re thinking about, Humans of Cybersecurity — a new section on Context devoted to all things related to the human face of cybersecurity — is here to expand that aperture. It’s a space where you’ll discover the people, places and ideas that are changing the way you live your life online. You’ll learn about the people in the field who spend as much time during the day thinking about the social impact of their work as they do about its technical elements. They know that the implications of feeling safe sharing information online are massive. Just think about how your own behavior would change if you thought you couldn’t trust websites with your credit card information. And they recognize that building products and designing software that everyone will use requires harnessing a diversity of perspectives and experiences.

Here at Humans of Cybersecurity, you’ll be able to learn about some of those perspectives, to dive into the experiences of people working to make sure we build our lives — including our businesses, infrastructure and governments — to withstand the ever-evolving threats and embrace the always-expanding possibilities of the Digital Age.

Megan Garcia directs New America’s Women in Cybersecurity Project. Elizabeth Weingarten leads the project’s work to champion women’s voices in media, and is the Deputy Director of New America’s Better Life Lab. This post is the first in a new dedicated section on Context called Humans of Cybersecurity.

Humans of Cybersecurity celebrates stories of the people and ideas that are are changing our digital lives. It is part of New America’s Women in Cybersecurity Project, which seeks to dramatically increase the representation of women in the cybersecurity/information security field by fostering strategic partnerships with industry leaders, producing cutting-edge workforce research, and championing women’s voices in media. This is a project of New America’s broader Cybersecurity Initiative, which aims to clarify and connect the often disjointed debates and policies that surround the security of our networks.