Lisa Plaggemier: Empowering Digital Safety for All

In the latest Kitecast episode, Lisa Plaggemier, the Executive Director of the National Cybersecurity Alliance, discusses what it takes to empower digital safety for all peoples and organizations. With an extensive background in marketing, operations, and cybersecurity, including a decade at Ford Motor Company and senior roles at CDK Global and InfoSec, Lisa brings a wealth of experience and lessons learned to the topic. Her focus is on helping businesses and individuals protect themselves in the digital world, which enables organizations to develop better cybersecurity risk management strategies.

Lisa emphasizes the importance of consistent and clear communications when it comes to cybersecurity awareness. She highlights the success of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, an initiative founded by the National Cybersecurity Alliance, attributing its effectiveness to the consistency of the message over time. Lisa also stresses the need to demystify cybersecurity for the average person, making it more attractive and less intimidating to adopt safe online practices.

One of the key challenges Lisa identifies is the knowledge gap between IT professionals and business owners, particularly in small businesses. To address this gap, the National Cybersecurity Alliance launched a training class tailored to educate business leaders on managing cybersecurity as a function of their business. The organization also recognizes the importance of early cybersecurity education, with plans to develop age-appropriate content for children in collaboration with PBS Kids.

Lisa shares insights from the National Cybersecurity Alliance’s annual survey, revealing alarming trends such as the persistence of insecure password practices and the overconfidence of younger generations in their ability to navigate cybersecurity risks. She also discusses the need for widespread adoption of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and the role of social media companies in mandating more stringent security measures.

In addition to the above, Lisa emphasizes the National Cybersecurity Alliance’s commitment to promoting cybersecurity awareness through various initiatives, including the creation of a comedic series called Kubikle Series to engage a broader audience. With her expertise and dedication to the cause, Lisa—and the National Cybersecurity Alliance—continue to play a crucial role in empowering individuals and organizations to stay safe in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaplaggemier/

National Cybersecurity Alliance: https://staysafeonline.org/

Kubikle Series: https://kubikleseries.com/ 

Check out video versions of Kitecast episodes at https://www.kiteworks.com/kitecast or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/KiteworksCGCP.