Today is the Day Cybersecurity Changed Forever: From Protection to Propulsion
Every field has its Galileo moment — that instant when someone looks at what everyone else has been looking at and sees something entirely different.
Today — January 21st, 2025 at 7:48PM — cybersecurity has had that moment.
Almost from the moment I stepped into this field from years of HR and social work, I’ve been looking for a way to evolve it. Some of my first YouTube videos questioned the seeming incongruencies in the profession.
Why is a profession with “security” in its name so obsessed with attack?
I didn’t get it. It didn’t make sense. So, I did what I was born to do. I began to ask questions where answers already existed and started shifting my mindset about what security really is.
All my years of working and researching has led me to this simple truth:
Cybersecurity has the same function as a car’s brakes.
The function of brakes is to enable controlled movement. Your car’s brakes are the mechanisms that allow you to accelerate confidently, respond quickly, and operate strategically.
These days, every business runs on Information Technology (IT). Whether you’re selling products, delivering services, managing customers, or just keeping the lights on — you’re using IT systems to get it done.
It’s like how cars run on engines. You can’t get anywhere without an engine and fuel. If your whole business depends on IT systems (engines) to run, you need a way to control all that power — to use it confidently and strategically. That’s where cybersecurity comes in.
Cybersecurity is like your car’s braking system because it’s a risk management process. It’s not there to stop you — it’s there to give you control.
Want to take that corner fast? Your brakes help you do it safely. Want to navigate heavy traffic? Your brakes give you the control you need.
Same thing with your business. When you have the right controls in place, you can move fast when you need to, slow down when you have to, and navigate challenges with confidence.
How do you feel about the brakes on your car? Are you ambivalent toward them? Do you think they’re a waste of money? Do you feel coerced into having them? Did it take government regulations to make you get them?
You can drive a car without brakes. The car will work, but you will have little to no control and will eventually hurt yourself or someone else, or come to a complete standstill because you’re afraid and don’t feel safe enough to drive.
Nobody has to be threatened with penalties to drive with brakes on their car.
Nobody complains about “brake compliance” or sees their braking system as a necessary evil.
Why? Because we inherently understand that brakes aren’t just about stopping — they’re what enables us to safely go faster. We SEE and EXPERIENCE the VALUE of brakes.
When we are courageous enough to shift our perspective from cybersecurity as “attack and defense” to cybersecurity as the control system that enables confident movement — everything changes.
Just as your braking system gives you the confidence to navigate highways, sharp turns, and challenging conditions, proper cyber risk management gives your business the control it needs to move fast, pivot quickly, and grow confidently.
When a small government contractor embraces security as their control system:
- They can onboard new team members in days instead of weeks because their risk management system is built for rapid, secure scaling. Imagine being able to say “yes” to that new contract because you know exactly how to safely expand your cleared workforce.
- They can start work on higher-value contracts immediately because their control systems are already operating at the required security levels. No more waiting months to meet new contract requirements — they’re already built into your operations.
- They can collaborate with prime contractors confidently because their data handling processes are designed for secure sharing. When a prime asks, “Can you handle CUI?” the answer is an immediate “yes” because control points are already in place.
Consider this: A government contractor recently spent $75,000 on emergency CMMC preparation. Another contractor, operating with security as their control system, spent less than $20,000 on their entire assessment process because evidence collection and compliance were just natural outputs of their regular operations.
With cybersecurity risk management as your control system, audits become validation of how you already operate, not expensive emergency drills.
This isn’t theoretical. It’s like having anti-lock brakes when you hit an icy patch — you don’t have to think about it, the control system is already there, letting you navigate challenges at speed.
The question isn’t whether you need cybersecurity controls— just like the question isn’t whether you need brakes. The question is: How well do your control systems enable you to operate, compete, and achieve your business goals?
Implications for Cybersecurity Training
The new approach focuses on learning through real workplace scenarios, where professionals work on tasks that match what they would do on the job. Instead of following a strict list of steps or memorizing rules, this method helps them think about cybersecurity in a business frame, preparing them to handle industry-specific challenges and grow their skills.
Training becomes more relevant and actionable when learners are tasked with solving problems that reflect business challenges, like forming a secure team in 48 hours or scaling operations while maintaining compliance.
Ready to Transform Cybersecurity Training?
Cybersecurity training should empower professionals to act as drivers of business success, not just guardians of compliance. Our curriculum design model, evaluation framework, and innovative approach to training redefine how we prepare cybersecurity professionals for the challenges of today and the opportunities of tomorrow.
Contact me today to learn how the Ypifany model can help you:
- Design training programs that prioritize workplace readiness.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of current cybersecurity practices.
- Build a workforce equipped with the skills to drive your organization forward confidently.
Let’s work together to shift the cybersecurity paradigm from “protection” to “propulsion.”
