When it comes to describing Mison Riggins, she is her own eloquent expert. As a “tech writer by day and slayer of cybersecurity ignorance by night,” she is Inspired eLearning’s resident genius on all things IT protection.
Inspired eLearning offers turn-key security awareness and compliance programs to their customers. They aim to enlighten end users on the threat landscape while also offering the tools they need to be the front line of defense for their organizations. Riggins points to her company’s anti-phishing simulator, PhishProof, that fortifies end users with the knowledge and tools to actively combat against phishing attacks.
“Exposure to simulated phishing examples inoculate users against blindly clicking on malicious links,” she said. “Moreover, we’ve equipped users with the ability to actively report against phishing attacks with PhishHook, our reporting tool that sits on your email client as an add-in. Education, inoculation and thwarting phishing attacks is Inspired eLearning’s three-pronged approach to shoring users as the front line of defense.”
When it comes to her position as Inspired eLearning’s subject matter expert on cybersecurity, Riggins is open and honest about her limits. She is a life-long learner and is the first to admit that she doesn’t know everything there is to know about cybersecurity (or any other subject, actually).
“Technology, especially in cybersecurity, is ever evolving and there is always something new to learn,” Riggins said in an interview. “By keeping an open mind and having a willingness to learn from those around me, regardless of rank, position, or level of experience. I always aim to develop my skills in the field professionally and personally.”
“My colleagues know that I will be the first to admit that I’m wrong. I view it as a learning opportunity. As such, when I spout security protocols or actively participate in promoting a Security First culture, my colleagues are receptive and often take my suggestions into action.”
Riggins received her Master’s from EC-Council University in security science with a specialization in information assurance and has published several key works on cybersecurity subjects including the frontline defense against hackers. As someone wise in the ways of cyber-risk, she believes its important to adopt a security first mindset that transcends an individual department or company.
“While cybersecurity encompasses a broad spectrum of areas, as an end user, we must be more aware of what kinds of technology we are inviting into our homes. IoT, AI, and machine learning are all areas that are infiltrating our daily lives,” Riggins explained. “Security measures need to be thought out and built into the design phases of these products and part of the on-going software development life cycle.”
As a cybersecurity professional, Riggins sees the deception technology space growing and anticipates that artificial intelligence and machine learning will play an important role in fraud detection and perimeter security.
When she thinks about her career, she sees herself wanting to continue being a bridge and spokesperson for techies and non-techies. Riggins wants to break down the barriers in the name of cybersecurity – communication and transparency is desperately needed between stakeholders if companies want to protect themselves.
In terms of the future, she believes that cybersecurity awareness is for all ages, all fields and all who use technology. “Cybersecurity should be the foundation and basis for every new product or idea. Just as we grow learning to brush our teeth, lock the doors, look both ways before crossing the street, we must instill cybersecurity hygiene into our daily routines,” she stated. “If you are willing to give your 4-month old baby a mobile device that has access to the internet, then you must begin instilling good cyber hygiene habits within your family now.”
