The Loudest Voices in Security Often Have the Least to Lose

The loudest voices in cybersecurity are not always the ones who carry the risk. When advice comes without accountability, it creates noise, not resilience.

Years ago, during one of the many times I’ve been in London, I turned on the television one evening. When the television fired up, I found myself watching a political debate between the leaders of different political parties leading up to an election. In the UK parliamentary system, the chosen leader of the political party that wins the most votes is appointed Prime Minister by the monarch. Thus, although there is no direct election for the Prime Minister, I was effectively watching a debate between candidates for Prime Minister.

During the debate, one of the candidates (from a party I had never heard of) floated a policy idea that seemed to me to be a bit ridiculous. A candidate from one of the more well-known ...