Dr. Jason R.C. Nurse, Associate Professor in Cybersecurity at the University of Kent and Director of Science and Research at CybSafe, joins ITSPmagazine at RSAC 2025 to discuss how people’s attitudes shape their cybersecurity behaviors—at home, at work, and everywhere in between.
Drawing from a global survey of over 7,000 individuals, Dr. Nurse presents data that reveals a fundamental challenge: while many individuals recognize the importance of cybersecurity, a significant number also find it intimidating and frustrating. Nearly 43% of participants shared that they feel overwhelmed by security measures, highlighting a persistent disconnect between the intent of security protocols and the lived experience of users.
This disconnect manifests in inconsistent behaviors. At home, people may take extra precautions to protect their personal lives and families. At work, however, there’s a tendency to outsource responsibility to the employer. This duality—heightened vigilance in personal spaces and relaxed caution in professional environments—creates vulnerabilities in a world where attackers don’t care where the device or user happens to be.
The conversation emphasizes the need to rethink how we approach cybersecurity education, awareness, and design. Dr. Nurse advocates for a “usable security” model—systems that protect users without demanding overly technical knowledge or creating friction. He uses the example of biometrics and seamless phone authentication to show how good design can improve both security and user satisfaction.
To illustrate the connection between knowledge, attitude, and behavior, Dr. Nurse brings humor into the mix with a memorable analogy involving Kit Kats. Just as knowing something is delicious can shape our cravings and actions, understanding security in relatable terms can lead to more proactive behaviors.
The episode wraps with a candid reflection on trust and novelty in the face of emerging AI systems—like self-driving cars. Dr. Nurse questions whether people truly trust new technologies or if they’re simply seduced by convenience and innovation.
This is a conversation about what it really takes to build a security-conscious society—one that understands people as much as it understands threats.
Listen to the full episode to hear how mindset, usability, and cultural attitudes are reshaping the human side of cybersecurity.
___________
Guest:
Dr. Jason R.C. Nurse, Associate Professor in Cybersecurity at the University of Kent | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrcnurse/
Hosts:
Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com
Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine | Website: https://www.marcociappelli.com
___________
Episode Sponsors
ThreatLocker: https://itspm.ag/threatlocker-r974
Akamai: https://itspm.ag/akamailbwc
BlackCloak: https://itspm.ag/itspbcweb
SandboxAQ: https://itspm.ag/sandboxaq-j2en
Archer: https://itspm.ag/rsaarchweb
Dropzone AI: https://itspm.ag/dropzoneai-641
ISACA: https://itspm.ag/isaca-96808
ObjectFirst: https://itspm.ag/object-first-2gjl
Edera: https://itspm.ag/edera-434868
___________
Resources
Learn more and catch more stories from RSA Conference 2025 coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/rsa-conference-usa-2025-rsac-san-francisco-usa-cybersecurity-event-infosec-conference-coverage
Catch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverage
Want to tell your Brand Story Briefing as part of our event coverage? Learn More 👉 https://itspm.ag/evtcovbrf
Want Sean and Marco to be part of your event or conference? Let Us Know 👉 https://www.itspmagazine.com/contact-us
___________
KEYWORDS
sean martin, marco ciappelli, jason r c nurse, rsac 2025, cybersecurity, behavior, mindset, usability, ai, trust, event coverage, on location, conference
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By ITSPmagazine, Sean Martin, Marco Ciappelli
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Dr. Jason R.C. Nurse, Associate Professor in Cybersecurity at the University of Kent and Director of Science and Research at CybSafe, joins ITSPmagazine at RSAC 2025 to discuss how people’s attitudes shape their cybersecurity behaviors—at home, at work, and everywhere in between.
Drawing from a global survey of over 7,000 individuals, Dr. Nurse presents data that reveals a fundamental challenge: while many individuals recognize the importance of cybersecurity, a significant number also find it intimidating and frustrating. Nearly 43% of participants shared that they feel overwhelmed by security measures, highlighting a persistent disconnect between the intent of security protocols and the lived experience of users.
This disconnect manifests in inconsistent behaviors. At home, people may take extra precautions to protect their personal lives and families. At work, however, there’s a tendency to outsource responsibility to the employer. This duality—heightened vigilance in personal spaces and relaxed caution in professional environments—creates vulnerabilities in a world where attackers don’t care where the device or user happens to be.
The conversation emphasizes the need to rethink how we approach cybersecurity education, awareness, and design. Dr. Nurse advocates for a “usable security” model—systems that protect users without demanding overly technical knowledge or creating friction. He uses the example of biometrics and seamless phone authentication to show how good design can improve both security and user satisfaction.
To illustrate the connection between knowledge, attitude, and behavior, Dr. Nurse brings humor into the mix with a memorable analogy involving Kit Kats. Just as knowing something is delicious can shape our cravings and actions, understanding security in relatable terms can lead to more proactive behaviors.
The episode wraps with a candid reflection on trust and novelty in the face of emerging AI systems—like self-driving cars. Dr. Nurse questions whether people truly trust new technologies or if they’re simply seduced by convenience and innovation.
This is a conversation about what it really takes to build a security-conscious society—one that understands people as much as it understands threats.
Listen to the full episode to hear how mindset, usability, and cultural attitudes are reshaping the human side of cybersecurity.
___________
Guest:
Dr. Jason R.C. Nurse, Associate Professor in Cybersecurity at the University of Kent | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrcnurse/
Hosts:
Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com
Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine | Website: https://www.marcociappelli.com
___________
Episode Sponsors
ThreatLocker: https://itspm.ag/threatlocker-r974
Akamai: https://itspm.ag/akamailbwc
BlackCloak: https://itspm.ag/itspbcweb
SandboxAQ: https://itspm.ag/sandboxaq-j2en
Archer: https://itspm.ag/rsaarchweb
Dropzone AI: https://itspm.ag/dropzoneai-641
ISACA: https://itspm.ag/isaca-96808
ObjectFirst: https://itspm.ag/object-first-2gjl
Edera: https://itspm.ag/edera-434868
___________
Resources
Learn more and catch more stories from RSA Conference 2025 coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/rsa-conference-usa-2025-rsac-san-francisco-usa-cybersecurity-event-infosec-conference-coverage
Catch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverage
Want to tell your Brand Story Briefing as part of our event coverage? Learn More 👉 https://itspm.ag/evtcovbrf
Want Sean and Marco to be part of your event or conference? Let Us Know 👉 https://www.itspmagazine.com/contact-us
___________
KEYWORDS
sean martin, marco ciappelli, jason r c nurse, rsac 2025, cybersecurity, behavior, mindset, usability, ai, trust, event coverage, on location, conference
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