From Security Awareness to Cyber Mindfulness: My INCYBER Forum Canada Journey
There’s something electric about stepping onto a stage in a new city, facing an audience of cybersecurity professionals eager to challenge conventional thinking. My speaking engagement at INCYBER Forum Canada in Montreal was exactly that kind of energizing experience one that reinforced why the human element remains cybersecurity’s greatest challenge and greatest opportunity.
Decoding the Psychology of Cybersecurity
My presentation focused on a topic that’s often overlooked in our tech-driven industry: the psychology behind cybersecurity behavior. We invest billions in firewalls, encryption, and threat detection, yet the majority of breaches still trace back to human error. Why?
Because we’ve been approaching the problem wrong.
Traditional security awareness training treats humans as problems to be fixed clicking links they shouldn’t, using weak passwords, falling for phishing attempts. We lecture, test, and repeat, expecting different results. But behavior change doesn’t work that way.
I proposed a fundamental shift: moving from security awareness to cyber mindfulness. This isn’t just semantic wordplay it represents a completely different philosophy:
Awareness is passive knowledge: “Don’t click suspicious links.”
Mindfulness is active engagement: Understanding why we click, recognizing cognitive biases that make us vulnerable, and developing intuitive security thinking that becomes second nature.
The audience response was remarkable. Security professionals across sectors recognized what we’ve all experienced: awareness campaigns that check compliance boxes but don’t change behavior. The conversation we need is deeper about psychology, habit formation, cognitive load, and designing security that works with human nature rather than against it.
The Montreal Experience
Montreal’s blend of European charm and North American innovation created the perfect backdrop for INCYBER Forum Canada. The event brought together diverse perspectives from across the cybersecurity landscape from technical practitioners to policy makers, from startup founders to enterprise CISOs.
What struck me most was the genuine curiosity in the room. These weren’t professionals going through the motions at another conference; they were actively seeking new approaches to persistent challenges.
Gratitude to Exceptional Leaders
Events of this caliber don’t happen by accident they’re the result of visionary leadership and meticulous execution.
Vincent Riou: Your leadership and vision transformed INCYBER Forum into more than a conference it became a catalyst for meaningful dialogue about cybersecurity’s future. Thank you for creating space for unconventional ideas.
Alexa Charles: Your behind-the-scenes efforts ensured every detail contributed to an exceptional experience. The seamless execution reflected your dedication.
Ludmila Morozova-Buss: Your ability to bring together such exceptional individuals is truly remarkable. The caliber of professionals at this event reflected your commitment to fostering genuine collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Stephane Nappo: Thank you for your support, motivation and kind words.
The Power of Connection
Beyond the formal presentations, the real magic happened in the conversations between sessions, during the gala, and in those spontaneous moments when brilliant minds connect over shared challenges.
I had the privilege of engaging with professionals tackling diverse security challenges from protecting critical infrastructure to securing emerging technologies, from building security cultures to navigating complex compliance landscapes. Each conversation reinforced that while our contexts differ, the human challenges we face are remarkably universal.
The collaborative spirit in Montreal was palpable. People weren’t just networking they were genuinely exchanging insights, challenging assumptions, and building relationships that extend beyond business cards.
Why Cyber Mindfulness Matters Globally
The reception to the cyber mindfulness concept in Montreal validates what I’ve seen in my work across the UAE, Australia, and beyond: the cybersecurity community is ready for a more human-centric approach.
As we integrate AI governance, manage increasingly complex GRC frameworks, and defend against sophisticated threats, we cannot afford to treat humans as the weakest link. Instead, we must recognize humans as our most adaptive defense when properly engaged.
Cyber mindfulness isn’t about more training; it’s about fundamentally rethinking how we cultivate security behavior. It’s about psychology, empathy, design thinking, and understanding that sustainable security comes from internal motivation, not external enforcement.
Looking Forward
The conversations started in Montreal continue. The connections made are already yielding collaborative projects. The ideas exchanged are shaping how we approach security culture.
To the Montreal cybersecurity community: thank you for your warmth and hospitality. Thank you for engaging with unconventional ideas and for pushing the dialogue forward.
The journey from security awareness to cyber mindfulness is just beginning, and I’m grateful to have shared this stage with such forward-thinking professionals.
Interested in exploring how cyber mindfulness can transform your organization’s security culture? Let’s connect and discuss human-centric approaches to cybersecurity.
By – Pooja Shimpi | Cybersecurity GRC & AI Governance Advisor
