The 5 Love Languages of Cybersecurity

The 5 Love Languages of Cybersecurity
When it comes to building buy-in from the business, all cybersecurity needs is love -- especially when it comes to communication.

When most people, including the majority of us in the industry, think about cybersecurity, "lovable" isn't the first word that comes to mind. Cybersecurity has a "dark arts" reputation that conjures up images of shadowy hackers in hoodies slouched behind their laptops, out of sight from the rest of the organization except when it's time to serve up stern warnings to scare folks into staying safe online.


Of course, much of that is by design. Cybersecurity isn't an industry built on approachability; it's known for building digital barriers to protect networks, data, and devices. But leading with FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) won't get you far with key constituents at your company. In my experience, when it comes to building buy-in from the business, all cybersecurity needs is love — especially when it comes to communication.


That's where love languages — the five ways people express and experience love — comes in. The idea is that effective communication with loved ones means ditching a "me-first" mindset, so we understand their needs and act accordingly. The same is true for security. We can't have a "cybersecurity-first, business-second" mindset. We have to right-size security to each facet of the business so that we understand how each one operates, and how we can best support them. On Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share how these five love languages apply to cybersecurity and the teams we interact with.


The Love Language of Touch: EngineersLet's be clear. Your engineers — whether they're in product development, DevOps, or in your data center — aren't looking for a handshake or a hug. But they do want to ..

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