Hacking Cybersecurity Training: Escape Rooms & Entrepreneurial Thinking with Amy Stokes-Waters

On this week's edition of the Razorwire podcast, Jim sits down with Amy Stokes-Waters, CEO of The Cyber Escape Room Co. Amy brings her unique entrepreneurial perspective from a non-traditional background, transitioning into cybersecurity.

The conversation provides valuable insights for security leaders as Amy candidly discusses her innovative approach to security awareness training through immersive, gamified escape room experiences. She shares her views on critical issues facing the industry today, such as combating AI-enabled disinformation campaigns, addressing the cybersecurity workforce shortage driven by unrealistic job requirements and improving strategic communication between security teams and business executives.

Amy's experiences building her company and developing engaging training programmes make for a compelling discussion. Security professionals will gain new insights into creative methods for better educating end users and elevating cybersecurity's importance across the organisation. Her frank opinions and fresh mindset provide a thought provoking perspective for security leaders navigating the evolving threat landscape.

Key Talking Points

1. Innovative Security Training: Discover how Amy's company uses escape room experiences to teach important cybersecurity concepts, from phishing to insider threats, making learning engaging and memorable.

2. Changing Threat Landscapes: Hear about the impact of ransomware on businesses big and small, the evolution of insider risks and how AI is shaping the future of information security.

3. The Human Element in Cybersecurity: Gain insight into the importance of strategic leadership in cybersecurity roles and how businesses can navigate the challenges of educating teams and customers about the growing complexity of threats.

Tune in for a fascinating discussion that sheds light on new methods of strengthening cybersecurity awareness and the vital role human factors play in protecting our digital worlds.

"I don't know many people that proactively undertake security awareness training, you know, sitting watching videos and animations and all that kind of thing. I genuinely don't know anyone that does that as a hobby, but I think it's something that's super important."

Amy Stokes-Waters

Listen to this episode on your favourite podcasting platform: https://razorwire.captivate.fm/listen

In this episode, we covered the following topics:

- Cybersecurity Awareness via Escape Rooms: How immersive escape room experiences can be more beneficial than traditional methods utilised in cybersecurity education.

- Insider Risk Management: Overcoming the challenges businesses face from internal threats and the risks of employees being exploited by ransomware attackers.

- Impact of Cloud Migration on Security: How the shift to cloud computing during the lockdown affected the security of supply chains.

- Artificial Intelligence and Disinformation: The dangers of AI in creating and spreading disinformation in geopolitical contexts and its potential risks in cybersecurity.

- Cybersecurity in Small Businesses: We discuss the vulnerability of small businesses as integral parts of larger supply chains and the specific security challenges they face.

- Career Reflections and Advice: Insights on personal growth in the cybersecurity field and the importance of reflecting on one’s mistakes and learning from them.

- Evolving Role of CISOs: How the role of Chief Information Security Officers is changing.

- Legal and Regulatory Aspects in Cybersecurity: Discussion on the emergence of cyber law, the importance of effective communication during security...