The Science of Security: The Psychological Impacts of Security Awareness Programs

SANS Summit schedule: http://www.sans.org/u/DuS Security Awareness professionals have been pushing training and awareness on information security best practices for some time now. Many companies have spent millions of dollars on computer and instructor-based trainings as well as awareness activities. However, few companies have really seen a behavioral change in their employees. Behavioral modification is hard, but not impossible. Once we realize that security awareness is a science, positive behavioral changes can take place, thus impacting the overall security posture of any organization. This presentation will examine how through security awareness programs utilizing positive psychology principles – Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Achievement, and Positive Emotions – we can directly impact the security risk appetite, behaviors and overall culture of our organizations and bring back the positivity in information security. About Shayla Treadwell Shayla currently leads Discover Financial’s Business Information Security Office and Information Security Education & Awareness program. Throughout her experiences, she has had the opportunity to wear multiple hats, yielding broad skills in training and development, people management, and project management. Shayla is a graduate of Bradley University with a B.S. in Marketing and Management and holds an M.S. in Organizational Leadership from Lewis University. Along with holding information security certifications and being a Six Sigma Green Belt, she is currently a Doctoral Candidate pursuing her Ph.D. in Business Psychology – Organizational Leadership from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.