by Christopher Louie Jay Gemida
Our imaginations of superheroes from TV series, movies, comic books, and other media often lead us to envision ourselves in their shoes, defending humanity. A group of enhanced individuals known as The Avengers, including Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk, and others from Marvel Comics, are well-known for their powers, heroic deeds, wit, and appeal. Their primary drive is to protect Earth from various threats like alien invasions, world wars, security breaches, and more.
In today’s world, technology advances at an exponential rate. Most transactions occur digitally, with many people posting updates about their daily lives on social media and businesses striving to grow. This makes network security attacks increasingly common, as cybercriminals aim to compromise systems for personal gain.
Although superheroes with extraordinary powers are a far cry from reality, modern heroes in network security dedicate themselves to protecting digital infrastructure, data, and privacy from cyber threats. These individuals, professions, and organizations use technological expertise and skills to ensure our safety and security. They are akin to the Avengers, ready to assemble and safeguard humanity.
As part of the celebration of Information Security Month, on May 30, 2024, heroes from the Business Intelligence team and participants from various departments took on the challenge of Seidopro Shield: The Cyber Betrayal Crisis, an Avengers Escape Room experience. The plot described an operative who betrayed the Shield after falling under Loki’s trickery. The accomplice managed to breach the Shield system, gaining access to personal data and posing a threat to the superheroes with a bomb set to detonate at any moment. The teams had to search the room for clues to identify the traitor.
Our team’s main obstacle was that many of the issues presented in the escape room mirrored real-world challenges faced by businesses globally, such as privacy concerns and network intrusions. The majority of attacks are caused by ransomware, phishing, social engineering, IoT vulnerabilities, and other threats. It can often be difficult to determine whether you are under attack or have already been compromised—much like the red in Black Widow’s ledger that needs to be wiped out.
To defuse the device and uncover the offender, our team employed various techniques and strategies to search for clues and solve complex riddles and puzzles. The atmosphere in the room was humorous, nerve-wracking, and intense. While the power of friendship alone wasn’t enough to complete the quest, our group had fun and gained valuable insights from our near-escape experience.
We learned that, to prevent such incidents, companies need to conduct multiple seminars and provide knowledge training to employees. This enables them to identify potential threats and attacks and equips them with guidance on how to respond in such situations.
Organizations must also enhance their security measures—both digital and physical—to minimize or prevent attacks.
As individuals, members of organizations, and members of society, we have a responsibility to stay vigilant and aware. We must be cautious about what we post online and think before we click.
Lastly, be a hero for yourself and others by defending against potential threats and refusing to fall victim to them. Staying ahead of threats requires an offensive mindset to mitigate risks before they arise. As Thor aptly said, “I choose to run toward my problems and not away from them. Because that’s what heroes do.”
