GUEST COLUMN: The Best Cybersecurity Movies

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The Best Cybersecurity Movies

by Lewis Robinson

Since the internet was invented, we have always been susceptible to computer hackers. Some people and companies are more vulnerable than others. These days, you can prevent this type of activity if you educate yourself on how it happens in the first place. Hacking can also be prevented by keeping your computer up to date and avoiding opening fishy emails. You can learn a lot about cyber security by watching or reading about the following movies. 

Masterminds

This movie is about a very smart criminal who has planned a new scheme to make a lot of money by kidnapping some extremely rich people's children. He plans everything almost perfectly, not knowing that a teenage computer hacker is on to him. This kid usually uses his capabilities for fun but is now determined to use them for good.

Unfortunately for the school, they did not have a Ransomware subscription, that could protect them from hackers looking for ransom money in return for their private information. But it ends up being for the better because the teenage student is able to help save the kids who were kidnapped and put the criminal in jail. The teenage hacker is a hero in the end. 

Hackers

This movie came out in 1995 and is about a child who wrote a computer virus at the young age of 11 years old. He was caught and not allowed to touch computers until he became an adult at the age of 18. At that point, he meets a group of other teenage computer hackers and they build a common bond and start working with each other. One of the young hackers is played by the famous actress, Angelina Jolie. 

They come up with a scheme together that involves stealing money from a large company that their friend works for as a cybersecurity expert. They end up not being able to fully trust each other and all work against the others to try to get the money for themselves. This movie is unique as it is about young people who have all the power. 

The Net

This popular movie also came out in the year of 1995. The main character is the famous Sandra Bullock, who works as a computer programmer. She gets hired for a freelance computer job and she soon realizes that her coworkers are all dying suspiciously. She remembers being given a random computer disc that she has been using for her work. 

She takes a vacation in Mexico and meets a handsome and mysterious man who ends up looking for that exact computer disc. Bullock's character, Angela Bennett, finds herself accidentally involved in a conspiracy that is way bigger than her, and her identity gets stolen. She then takes action trying to get to the bottom of who is responsible for turning her life upside down. 

Office Space

This classic movie is a comedy about a group of friends who are absolutely miserable working their 9-5 job and strongly dislike their boss. The main character, named Peter Gibbons, is dating a woman who encourages him to undergo occupational hypnosis. He wakes up in a completely nonchalant state of mind, not caring at all about his job. He refuses to do any work at this point and gives up any of the efforts he once had. 

The company starts making huge changes that involve some of his favorite colleagues losing their jobs. In an attempt to get back at the company, his friend who is really good with computer programming hacks into the company's system to steal money and put it in a joint account of theirs.