2025-10-23 –, Europe
Cybersecurity isn't just about technology; it’s fundamentally about people. Cybersecurity's human element is undeniable. It is not merely about firewalls and code; it's a human game. Recognizing the link between psychology and psychological safety in cybersecurity frontlines, particularly within incident response, is crucial. Enough with the blame game! We need a culture where taking risks, sharing ideas, and learning from failures are actually rewarded and recognized for their contribution to an organizations’ overall success.
Cultivating psychological safety can be challenging, especially in high-stakes environments like cybersecurity incident response. Building this environment isn't easy. It is not always fun. It means putting people before tech, and committing to strategies to prioritize people over technology and effectively, integrate psychological safety into onboarding, fostering a culture of trust and transparency from day one. By prioritizing psychological safety, organizations can unlock the full potential of their cybersecurity teams and significantly bolster their defenses against cyber threats. Recognizing the vital role of the human factor, we unlock the true potential of our CSIRTs and build a stronger defense against new and emerging threats. Staying ahead of the curve in the constantly changing cyber warfare landscape requires an adaptive and resilient defense.
This presentation will emphasize that cybersecurity is not solely about technology, but fundamentally relies on people. It will highlight the critical importance of psychological safety within cybersecurity incident response teams, advocating for a culture that values risk-taking, idea sharing, and learning from failures. The presentation will also discuss the challenges of cultivating psychological safety in high-pressure cybersecurity environments and offer strategies for prioritizing people over technology, integrating psychological safety into onboarding processes, and fostering trust and transparency. By recognizing the human factor in cybersecurity, organizations can unlock the full potential of their teams and establish a robust defense against evolving cyber threats.
Cristiana Brafman Kittner is a subject matter expert in cyber threat intelligence with a focus on Chinese military strategy and the development of the People's Republic of China's distributed cyber threat ecosystem. With over two decades of experience in military strategy, weapons analysis, and strategic geopolitical analysis, Cris has made contributions to cybersecurity controls, specifically NIST 800-53. She is a board member with The Diana Initiative and Torchlight and serves as a mentor and coach with Girl Security, The Women's Society for Cyberjutsu, and the Executive Women's Forum. She has significant experience as a trusted advisor providing cutting-edge cyber threat intelligence and risk management solutions to enterprise customers across various industries, as well as senior executives and government officials.