5 Cyber Security Lessons You Can Learn From Superheroes

Every single person out there experiences the affects of superheroes – whether they know it or not. As children, we see the cartoons and read the comics. As adults, we follow all the Chris’ (Evans, Hemsworth, and Pratt) through the Marvel series of movies. We see the moves and watch the adventures unfold. Superheroes are everywhere. Heroes come in many forms from the Power Rangers to Superman and Wonder Woman. 

All of these superheroes act as the protection that the world needs – even when the world doesn’t ask for it. You can watch these characters for hints about what you need in terms of cyber security. In superhero movies, mistakes are made and then fixed. 

For example, Tony Stark works with Bruce Banner closely to protect the planet. In doing so, they create a whole new cyber enemy to fight. This is a smart enemy; he used the information he stole from the network against the earth. It all sounds a little familiar, doesn’t it? Hackers and cyber thieves reach inside our networks. They take what they want and use it to cripple our businesses. This is why we have to highlight the importance of cyber security as much as possible. There is no real life Tony Stark and Bruce Banner putting their heads together to save the world; that we know of, anyway!

Currently, children are among the most informed consumers of consumer technology that exist. Adults are doing well with understanding the way that technology works. But children are growing up with it as much as they are the Batman and Superman movies of today. Without proper cyber security, we’re in a situation where we are vulnerable. If we load all of our information onto a network somewhere, it’s susceptible to hacking and can be stolen. 

There are a great many issues when it comes to security online. We need to learn as much as possible to avoid any enemy threats. According to IBM, human mistakes cause over 95% of cyber security breaches. We set common passwords, and we don’t download the latest antivirus, which leaves us open to attack at all times. We are clumsy with our own security. 

Why? Well, it’s not because Tony Stark is absent from the education we need in cyber security. Training and education are as important as anything else. We have to do as much we can to educate consumers so that we can have the tightest security possible. If we learn the best way to protect ourselves online, we may feel more confident and comfortable.

Children today are as comfortable with technology as they are watching the latest in the Avengers movie series. Their access to technology and networks is astounding, with youngsters learning HTML and coding at a rapid rate. It’s a language as familiar as English. Children as young as 11 or 12 can hack into their own school systems to adjust their grades.

This isn’t a malicious, but it proves that if a child can do this, schools are not ready for a larger attack. It teaches us that underestimating the technology and cyber skills of the next generation is a foolish thing to do!

Technology that we develop is not going to keep us safe if we don’t stick to the basics. However, the inspiration that we get from our favorite superheroes can make all the difference. With this in mind, let’s take a  look at five cyber security lessons that you can learn from your favorite superheroes.

Purdue Global

  • Experience world class education online!
  • Purdue Global offers 180 programs at associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels
  • Competency-based ExcelTrack™ Programs may allow you to earn your degree faster and for less money
  • Cyber Security Programs Include:
    BS in Cyber Security
    MS in Cyber Security Management
    Graduate Certificate in Information Security

Southern New Hampshire University

  • Take advantage of some of the nation’s most affordable tuition rates, while earning a degree from a private, nonprofit, NEASC accredited university
  • Multiple term start dates throughout the year. 24/7 online classroom access.
  • Cyber Programs Include:
    BS in Cybersecurity – General Track, Data Analytics or Project Management Track
    MS Cybersecurity – General Track or IT Management

Strength, Resilience, Honor

If there is one lesson we can all learn from our heroes out there, it’s that we need the strength and resilience to keep our online networks secure.

It takes more than shopping around for the best deal to ensure that you have proper security in place. You have to invest in the right security services for your business. Then you manage that investment properly to prevent the information that you hold being at risk. You have to keep your defenses up, Hulk it out if you must. 

Cyber security lesson number 1. You must focus on remaining firm in your stance for internal education for your staff and reviewing your security programs regularly. After all, this is all Bruce Banner would have done!

Five Heads Are Better Than One

Captain America was an excellent Captain. He proudly served his country, and he lasted through the years as an immortal brought on by science. However, it is the science and the encouragement of Bucky to join the army that turns him into a world-saving hero who helps defeat Thanos *spoiler alert*. Captain America worked far better as part of the Avengers, and you must apply this to your business, too. Cyber security lesson number 2. The maintenance of your business network is not something to put on one person.

You have to look at the bigger picture, ensuring that your vendors, engineers, managers, and suppliers all work together to be the best. Data delivery, firewall management, and online security all have to be managed by one seamless team of people rather than an individual. This way, when you next have to think about upgrades and improvements, you can see any weak links in the chain and manage any incidences that show you that you won’t be able to achieve your goals.

A Friend Isn’t Always A Friend

Companies everywhere worry about external breaches to their system, but what happens when the threat comes from an unexpected place? If you know your superheroes, you’ll have heard of the Winter Soldier. Bucky was a hero in the army until he was brainwashed by Hydra. He becomes an assassin and does everything possible to destroy Nick Fury. 

Of course, Cap reminds Bucky of who he is. He turns from the Winter Soldier back to being Bucky again. But it was already too late to undo the damage that he had caused along the way. As Captain America found out, a friend isn’t always a friend. Sometimes, the threat is someone close to you – even an internal colleague. 

Risks to your network don’t always have to be from an external hacker who wants your data and your money. Sometimes, the threat is the person you’ve put in charge of your network. They may have been paid by someone else to extract as much information as possible. 

Attacks on your system could easily slip through the net when you can’t see that the enemy is right in front of you all along. It’s always smart for a business owner to bring in more than one expert to assess the technology and network issues, secure the devices, and ensure that everyone is safe.

Cyber security lesson number 3. Once you know you can trust the people that you work with, you can ensure that your devices and your network are secure once more.

Old Fashioned Values Still Matter

Tony Stark had a fractious relationship with the man who taught him everything that he knew: his father. The one thing that their relationship taught him, though, is that old fashioned values should still stand. Captain America believed the same thing, standing up for the old fashioned values of America – the country he loved.

Cyber security lesson number 4. In your business, you have to be able to uphold these values and continue to employ old school solutions, even to new technology. You need to continue to train the people on your cyber security team, and you need to manage your company passwords and access to certain information to succeed. The end user is often not aware of the holes created in the network, and nor should they be. 

Network managers have to ensure that the devices are working correctly at all times. Everyone must work together for the future of your business to be secured. Tony Stark drew on his father’s knowledge to complete new molecular structures to save the world. You might not save the world in your business networks, but you’ll undoubtedly save your business!

You Need The Right Mind

Ah, Bruce. Bruce Banner. He knows how to Hulk out when necessary, but otherwise, he is the brains behind the operations that save the Avengers. Not just him, but Scott Lang. Granted, he’s no scientist, but he’s the brains behind the rescue of the mother of The Wasp from the Quantum Realm. He’s also the only one who brings the idea to Stark and Banner about the Quantum Realm being used for time travel *another spoiler alert!*. These science guys? They’re smart. They can create a good plan and see it through to the end with the right insight and mind to manage the result at the end. 

Innovation is one thing that every business owner needs to see to ensure that security is kept as tight as possible. People who threaten your business intelligence will do their best to learn your methods first before they try to steal from you. Cyber security lesson number 5. With the right people on your team, you can avoid this happening. The best security experts can keep up to date on everything necessary for keeping your business from being in a vulnerable position.

Thanos may have snapped his fingers and wiped out half the universe, but with the help of three science-minded men, they undid his work – sorry, more spoilers!

Data prevention in a business is crucial for it to succeed. Unwanted activity is hard to manage, but it can be done with the right team players and the same goal in mind. Your team has to prioritize company defenses and be your own superheroes.