Cognitive Security Institute

🔔 Reminder: CSI Webinar with Dr. Sae Schatz – at 11AM EST! Cognitive warfare isn’t coming—it’s already here. Join us today at 11:00 AM EST for a session with Dr. Sae Schatz as she explores the evolution of cognitive warfare, from traditional propaganda to today’s hyper-targeted influence ops. 🧠 Don’t miss this deep dive into the tools, tactics, and strategies shaping the future of information conflict. 📅 April 16 ⏰ 11:00 AM EST 🎤 Speaker: Dr. Sae Schatz 🔗 Not registered? Apply to join the CSI community: https://lnkd.in/g6hPrHY7 #CognitiveWarfare #CognitiveSecurity #CSICommunity #InfoOps #InfluenceOperations #CyberPsychology

🎥 Now Streaming: Inside a Ransomware Gang – Social Dynamics, Roles & Resilience with Dalya Manatova What happens when we stop viewing ransomware gangs as faceless threats—and start analyzing them like organizations? In this talk, Dalya Manatova, Doctoral Researcher in Security Informatics at Indiana University, uses leaked chat logs from a ransomware group to unpack the social dynamics and internal structures that make these groups tick—and keep them alive even after takedowns. 📊 Using qualitative coding, linguistic analysis, and organizational theory, Dalya maps out: 🔹 How relationships form inside criminal groups 🔹 The emergence of specialized roles 🔹 How social resilience allows groups to rebrand, rebuild, and persist ▶️ Watch now: https://lnkd.in/edh287ar #Cybercrime #Ransomware #CognitiveSecurity #CyberThreats #OrganizationalResilience #CyberBehavior #CSICommunity #Infosec #SecurityResearch

📢 The NIST Special Publication from our ConnectCon 2024 workshop has been released as NIST Special Publication (SP)1332! Titled: Workshop Summary Report for ConnectCon 2024: “Minding the Gaps in Human-Centered Cybersecurity” 📖 Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ecdPwGjj This new NIST publication is an important contribution to the growing field of human-centered cybersecurity—and we’re proud that the Cognitive Security Institute contributed to the conversations and expertise that informed it. The report explores how cognitive fatigue and mental overload affect analysts and operators in high-pressure environments, and what can be done to design more resilient, human-supportive systems. Key takeaways include: 🧠 The current environment continues to demonstrate that adversaries are outpacing the industry and research communities’ capacities to keep up. ⚠️ The uncertainty around how to measure human-centered cybersecurity impacts needs to be addressed to enhance the effectiveness of human-centered cybersecurity efforts and interventions. 🔧 There is a clear need for human-centered cybersecurity definitions and goals. The industry needs to standardize terminology and provide a clear value proposition for implementing human-centered cybersecurity interventions. We’re excited to see this kind of work gaining traction—and to see ideas central to CSI’s mission reflected in national-level research. #CognitiveSecurity #HumanCenteredSecurity #NIST #CognitiveDepletion #SecurityOperations #BehavioralSecurity #CSICommunity #CyberSecurity

🧠 Upcoming CSI Webinar – Foundations and Facets of Cognitive Warfare with Dr. Sae Schatz Like it or not, cognitive warfare is here—and it’s not going away. Join us for a session with Dr. Sae Schatz, one of the leading minds at the intersection of cognition, technology, and international security. Dr. Schatz will walk us through the evolution of cognitive warfare, from its early roots in propaganda to today’s complex influence operations powered by digital platforms and psychological targeting. You’ll also get a visual breakdown—a mind map—of the key tools, tactics, and technologies in the cognitive warfare domain. 🧠 Expect insights on: ✔️ The history and trajectory of cognitive warfare ✔️ Tools and tactics shaping influence operations ✔️ How to think strategically about cognitive defense 📅 April 16, 2025 ⏰ 11:00 AM EST 🎤 Speaker: Dr. Sae Schatz 🔗 Want to attend? Apply to join the CSI community: https://lnkd.in/g6hPrHY7 #CognitiveWarfare #CognitiveSecurity #InfluenceOperations #InfoOps #HumanCenteredSecurity #CSICommunity #CyberPsychology #InformationEnvironment

Check out this amazing book review of The Traitor’s Tale by former CSI speaker James Lawler! https://lnkd.in/gCa9TrP4 #cognitivesecurity #espionage #insiderthreat

Trevor is a guy after my own heart! Failure is such a big shared fear, but it can be one of the best teachers, especially in the realm of innovation.

We’re excited to welcome Tim Pappa as a keynote speaker at #Honeynet2025 in Prague! 🇨🇿 🕵️♂️ Talk title: “Welcome to the Party, Pal”: How Die Hard Can Help Us Design Cyber Deception Influence Models Built on Signaling More Than Infrastructure Get ready for a fresh perspective on deception, influence, and yes — Die Hard. 📅 June 2, 2025 📣 Early birds, CFP & Sponsorships are open! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ePxv3AYX #Deception #CyberSecurity #Honeynet2025 #Prague2025 #Honeynet

The Agentic Economy has the potential to unlock trillions of dollars in GDP growth by enabling personal digital agents that represent individual interests in the digital world. Checkout the podcast along with Chris Glanden Charlie Northrup Keenan Hale

Why Rock & Punk Rock Matter in the Age of Cognitive Warfare 🤘 Let’s talk about guitars, noise, and something most defense white papers won’t mention: Subversive joy. In an era defined by narrative manipulation, algorithmic echo chambers, and information warfare, rock and punk rock are not just music genres—they are psychological tools of resistance and repair. Here’s why: 1. Punk is Psychological Armor. It teaches you to scream back at the system, to resist homogenization. In environments where conformity is weaponized, authentic expression becomes an act of defiance. That’s defense. 2. Rock Rebuilds Internal Infrastructure. When you feel broken, a good riff reminds you that you still have structure. Rhythm. Pulse. You’re still alive. That’s resilience. 3. Subversive Creativity Disrupts Control Mechanisms. Authoritarian systems fear unpredictability. They fear art that laughs. That questions. That connects across borders. That can’t be neatly categorized. That’s offense. 4. Collective Energy = Cognitive Immunity. Whether in a pit or a headphone moment at 3am, that raw connection reminds you: You’re not alone. In cognitive terms, that’s anchoring. That’s counter-influence. That’s how we build mental interoperability. 5. Human Dignity = Liberty Through Creation. Cognitive warfare attacks agency, identity, connection. Music—especially the unruly kind—restores all three. When you make noise, you reassert that you exist. When others hear you, you matter. In short: Rock is not noise—it’s neurological disruption with a soul. Punk is not chaos—it’s coherent resistance to oppressive design. And every time we gather—digitally, physically, creatively—to shout, strum, remix, or dance in ways no machine could ever replicate, we’re reinforcing something much deeper than style: We’re defending our minds, our dignity, and our right to be beautifully human. Let’s never forget: The future doesn’t just need cybersecurity. It needs sound. It needs story. It needs soul. Too weird to fail. Too loud to break. Still here. Big. Bada. Boom!💥

In our latest episode, Rob Allen talks about how he strives to be the DIYer that ThreatLocker CEO Danny Jenkins is. 🛠️ He even shared a story about his impressive new ability to fix mistakes and how that mindset aligns with cybersecurity—always adapting, learning, and evolving. 💥 Whether it's DIY or securing your network, it’s about improving, fixing errors, and staying ahead of the game. Tune in to hear how this approach can make all the difference! What’s your biggest DIY (or cybersecurity) fail—or win? Share with us in the comments! 👇 Watch: https://lnkd.in/eRRcQKhi Listen: tinyurl.com/4k5345vn #DIYFails #Cybersecurity #ZeroTrust #HomeProjects #CyberSecurityPodcast #NoPasswordRequired #CyberFlorida #DannyTheDIYLegend David C. Cyber Florida at USF: The Florida Center for Cybersecurity K. Melton John Clabby