A short time ago, in our very own galaxy, Star Wars fans of every age got their latest fix! With mixed reviews from critics and audiences, Star Wars: The Last Jedi has been scrutinized from every angle this month…except one. While some lament certain plot choices and quibble over this film’s impact on the larger Star Wars canon, WatchGuard CTO Corey Nachreiner dug into The Last Jedi to see what security lessons we can draw from the story in a column in GeekWire.
Whatever your feelings on the latest Star Wars movie, it’s packed with cybersecurity parallels and educational takeaways you can use to better protect yourself and your business. Here are a few security tips Corey highlights in his column:
- Don’t fall victim to an X-wing ‘Head fake’ – “As a cybersecurity Jedi, remember, “it’s a trap!” When you see a DDoS attack, don’t concentrate on that alone. Batten down all the hatches, and guard all your network services while you investigate. Although DDoS attacks really can be just a DDoS attack, you never know when rebel forces might use one to sneak real network bombs into your systems.”
- Never trust a criminal master cracker – “If you consider yourself a Jedi of the light, never work with the dark side of the Force, no matter how alluring. If someone is a proven criminal, do not share sensitive information with them, or work with them at all. More importantly, don’t pay cyber ransoms. This just encourages these criminal nerf herders that crime indeed pays.”
- Deploy cyber decoys to lure the Dark Side – “In cybersecurity, deception technologies vary, but in general they put “fake” systems on your internal network that appear to be your real servers. The goal of these systems is to dupe cyber attackers into concentrating on them, thus missing or ignoring your real valuable systems. Not only do these decoys prevent criminals from breaking into your real systems, they also act as a warning that hackers have compromised your other defenses. In Jedi terms, deception technologies offer the capability to tell attackers, “these are not the servers you are looking for.”
For more information on how to become a cybersecurity Jedi, read Three lessons from ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ on GeekWire. And, may the cyber Force always be with you!