Watch this video and pay attention to the way that movies distort hackers. Hacker Rates 12 Hacking Scenes In Movies And TV | How Real Is It? – YouTube Links to an external site. After watching the video, write a journal entry about how you think the media influences our understanding about cybersecurity.
The media influences our understanding of cybersecurity in both a positive and negative manner. Depending on how aspects of cybersecurity are portrayed in films and television can lead to more accurate beliefs of the cyber space, as well as misinformation being spread to the audience regarding cybersecurity processes. For example, media may sometimes reflect cyber threats and defenses in an oversimplified or exaggerated manner, either of which could lead to misconceptions arising over cybersecurity. A common portrayal of an exaggerated hacking scene in media is how quickly hackers can gain access to personal data. On the other hand, the media can also bring awareness to risks or safety precautions when cybersecurity is accurately depicted. For instance, the woman in the video mentions the dangers of password recycling and how participating in this action makes it easier for hackers to gain login credentials through a method known as credential stuffing.