This post is a continuation of my answers to the questions posed in the Tribe of Hackers book. I am answering these questions before reading the other responses in the book in an attempt at self-assessment. And to mark any changes of insight after consuming the book. This is part 3 out of 4.
9. What is the best book or movie that can be used to illustrate cybersecurity challenges?
Of all of these questions, this is the one I have left blank for the longest, and I still honestly do not know what fills this the most. The only work that comes to mind might be Daemon by Daniel Suarez. I read this shortly after it came out, and it was scintillatingly wonderful and scary at the same time. For movies, Sneakers is the only example that comes to mind now. Maybe if I revisit this list, I’ll have better answers by then!
10. What is your favorite hacker movie?
Movies are a pastime of mine. I definitely have hacker-related movies that are guilty enjoyments like Antitrust, Swordfish, eXistenZ, Enemy of the State, Foolproof, Ghost in the Shell, Weird Science, and even a great movie like The Matrix.
However, my favorites boil down to two choices. Sneakers is wonderfully cute and I absolutely love the hacker team dynamic, but Hackers is alone near the top of my favorite movies. It has the best soundtrack (Halcyon On + On is my desert island song), great pacing, acting, and writing, and while it is somewhat ridiculous, it reflects a certain counter-culture caricature of how hackers viewed themselves in the 80s and early 90s. Yes, it is dramatized and unrealistic, but it never seems to take itself too seriously. It really captures a certain hacker ethic and culture in the process. Ultimately, it’s just fun and I could watch it over and over forever.
11. What are your favorite books for motivation, personal development, or enjoyment?
For personal and professional topics, at various times in my life, I tend to come back to The Book of Questions by Gregory Stock and The Rules of Work by Richard Templar. I will also dig up and re-read the full collection of Calvin & Hobbes as well.
For enjoyment, I come back around to reading fantasy books on occasion. I started reading adult level fantasy books around the 4th grade, and devoured them up to college years. I still play Dungeons & Dragons and fantasy video games, but sitting down with a good fantasy book allows me to revel in nostalgic moments exhumed from my childhood many innocent years ago. Those were some pure times.