The Feedback Factor: How Effective Feedback Drives Cybersecurity Excellence
Technical skills and knowledge are undoubtedly essential for anyone working in cybersecurity, whether you're a pentester or a SOC analyst, or something else entirely. However, at Soft Side of Cyber, we believe that the true potential of cybersecurity professionals can only be unlocked when they excel in their
Mastering Essential Soft Skills for Cybersecurity Professionals: A Guide to Implementing the CISO's Strategy
The Soft Side of Cyber Podcast We launched our first podcast episode on youtube, iTunes, Spotify, and Google Play. Subscribe and give it a listen today! Listen on youtube Technical expertise is super important in our field. But here's the thing: soft skills are just as crucial when
Metacognition: ‘Thinking About the Thinking’ is the Key to Professional Success
This article was a guest post from Jonathan Todd. So you’ve been told you need “soft skills” to succeed in cybersecurity, and you’re probably familiar with some of the most important ones: 1. Empathy: The ability to see a challenge from another’s perspective. 2. Intelligence: The ability
From Words to Action: Crafting OKRs and Assembling the Team
Our last two posts in this series have discussed building a cybersecurity strategy and then communicating it to those needing to know. This need to develop a robust cybersecurity strategy is only getting more significant. However, the strategic plan doesn't add value until it is turned into action.
Soft Skills: The Key to Successfully Implementing Your Cybersecurity Strategy
Last week, Rob talked about how to formulate a cybersecurity strategy. This week, we would like to take the next step and discuss ways to implement that strategy. Developing and implementing a cybersecurity strategy is critical for protecting sensitive data, maintaining business continuity, and building customer trust. However, simply having
Developing an Effective Strategic Plan for Cybersecurity: Balancing Cybersecurity Risks and Business Goals
Writing a strategic plan is hard work. Writing a good one is very humbling. It's just words on a page, you might tell yourself, but this is the direction-setting document your organization will use to inform its work over the coming months to possibly years. Cybersecurity has become
Write Like a Pro: 7 Tips for Better Cybersecurity Reports
In today's digital age, cybersecurity is more important than ever. As cyber-attacks become more sophisticated and frequent, the need for highly skilled cybersecurity professionals who can protect organizations from malicious actors has never been greater. But, as we've been preaching, technical expertise is not the only
Dealing with imposter syndrome in cyber
Cybersecurity moves fast. There is enormous demand, and moving up into more senior roles can happen quickly. As a result, we frequently find ourselves in unfamiliar situations, sometimes with intense pressure. I have spoken with so many people in this field about their struggles with feelings of inadequacy. Wikipedia defines
These Shoes Aren't Comfortable
The power of having empathy for our peers
Breaking the Silence: How to Speak Truth to Power in Cybersecurity and Save Your Business from Disaster
Speaking truth to power is a critical aspect of cybersecurity. It ensures that decision-makers are informed about the actual state of their organization's cybersecurity posture. The facts we're referring to are accurate and complete information about the organization's security risks, vulnerabilities, and potential threats.
From Good to Great: The 5 Pillars of a High-Performance Cybersecurity Culture
Cybersecurity culture across an organization is a huge determinant of success or failure, failure or resilience. What does culture mean to cybersecurity, though? Is it security awareness? Is it the collaboration between security teams and other functional teams? Is it the willingness of people to report potential security incidents? Maybe
Testifying in Court: So you wanted to be a digital forensic examiner?
I have a deep love for digital forensics and all the deeply technical work that goes along with it. But all the carved files and exif data in the world mean nothing unless you can share that information in an approachable and understandable way. One of the most challenging venues
