Cybersecurity isn't just about technology; it’s fundamentally about people. Cybersecurity's human element is undeniable. Recognizing the link between psychology and psychological safety in cybersecurity frontlines, particularly within incident response, is crucial. Research emphasizes the importance of a blame-free culture where individuals can take risks, share ideas, and learn from mistakes, fostering consistent success.
Cultivating psychological safety can be challenging, especially in high-stakes environments like cybersecurity incident response. Strategies to address this include prioritizing people over technology, integrating psychological safety into onboarding, and fostering a culture of trust and transparency. By prioritizing psychological safety, organizations can unlock the full potential of their cybersecurity teams and bolster their defenses against cyber threats. This approach aligns with global perspectives on effective cybersecurity practices, ensuring a resilient and adaptive defense in the face of evolving cyber risks.
Cristiana Brafman Kittner has over two decades of experience in military strategy, weapons analysis, and strategic defense with a focus on cyber threat intelligence. Currently, Cris is the Chief Analyst at Google Cloud's Product Security Engineering and provides enterprise customers across various industries as well as senior executives and government officials with cutting-edge cyber threat intelligence and risk management solutions. She is a subject matter expert in cyber threat intelligence with a focus on Chinese military strategy, particularly on the development of the People's Republic of China's cyber threat landscape and ecosystem. Cris is a board member of The Diana Initiative and Torchlight. In her spare time, Cris is also engaged as a mentor and coach with Girl Security, The Women's Society for Cyberjutsu, and the Executive Women's Forum.
