A talk given at ComfyCon's Summer 2020 Online Conference about Mental Health in the Workplace, focusing on the Information Security Industry. Recording Link: (to be added)

1. Mental Health and the Information
Security Community:
We Need To Talk
ComfyCon AU | Summer 2020
Simon Harvey | @pingudownunder | linkedin.com/in/simonharvey

2. TLP: GREEN
[CHATHAM HOUSE RULES FOR ANYTHING SAID OR
SHARED BY THE AUDIENCE IN THE CHAT]
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3. The Lawyers Made Me Say This
I’m really scared of having to fill out the forms
Who am I?
• Architect Answer: ”it depends”
• I’m a “normal” InfoSec Consultant/Architect.
• Completed some Mental Health First Aid Training (MHFA Australia).
• I’m not a medical or mental health professional.
• Advice and examples, if any, are general in nature and intended as
such.
• If you are affected by this topic, please seek advice.
• Your Doctor
• Contacts on the final slide
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Should I be talking about this?
SOURCE: TWITTER

4. Corporate Affairs Made Me Say This
plus, I’m really scared of having to fill the HR forms
• All views are my own, based upon personal
observations and experience.
• I am not representing anyone else, including, but
not limited to:
• my employer, past, present or future
• any organisation I volunteer for
• anyone mentioned in this talk
• the cat
• anyone else.
• The buck stops with me.
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5. What is a Mental Health Issue?
How’s that different to a Mental Health Illness?
Mental Health Issue
• A decline of “Good” Mental Health
• Symptoms of mental health becoming poorer
• Some symptoms of Mental Illness
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Mental Illness
• A diagnosable medical condition by a qualified
medical professional that causes disability
• Affects a person’s thinking, emotional state and
behaviour
“Disrupts the persons ability to work, carry out daily activities and engage in satisfying
personal relationships”
– World Health Organisation
SOURCES: ABS.NATIONAL SURVEY OF MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING 2007; AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF HEALTH AND WELFARE STUDY, 2011; MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AUSTRALIA
TRAINING / MANUAL 4TH ED.

6. What is a Mental Health Issue?
Illustrative Examples
Poor Mental Health
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Mental Illness
SOURCE: MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AUSTRALIA TRAINING / MANUAL 4TH ED.
Well
Becoming
Unwell
Unwell
Illness
/ Crisis
 😱
• Depression
• Suicidal thoughts
• Anxiety
• Psychosis
• Substance use
• Alcohol
• Drugs
• Prescription Medications
• Gambling problems
• Eating disorders
• Severe Depression
• Self-injury
• Suicidal thoughts & behaviours
• Severe panic attacks
• Post-traumatic events
• Aggressive behaviours
• Severe psychotic states
• Severe effects from alcohol use
• Severe effects from drug use
• Psychological addiction
Frequency, Duration & Severity

7. Is this just an issue in Information Security?No. #straya
• 3rd biggest cause if “disease burden” in
Australia
• “cause of Premature Death of
Disability”
• second only to Cardiovascular
Disease/Cancer
• Biggest cause of Disability … by far
• Top 3 Affected Industries:
• 1) Professional Services
• 2) Hospitality
• 3) Everyone below 25 years old.
SOURCES: ABS.NATIONAL SURVEY OF MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING 2007; AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF HEALTH AND WELFARE STUDY, 2011
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Males Females
Anxiety Disorders 10.8% 17.9%
Depressive/Bipolar
Disorders
5.3% 7.1%
Substance Use
Disorders
7% 3.3%
Common Mental
Illnesses
17.6% 22.3%

8. Why?
Example Driving Forces
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• Personality Types
• “Imposter Sydrome”?
• Nature and variety of the work we we do?
• Red vs. Blue?
• Focus on “negative" Risk Management
• Consulting & Management & Operations
• Our little silo …
• Cyber Cyber Cyber Cyber Cyber Cyber
• 2020 
• Threat Landscape
• Regulatory and Environmental Changes?
• Organisational or Industry Culture?
• “Why can’t you just …”
• “Why don’t they listen?”
• Supplier/Client Risk and Accountability?
• “Wrong Cover on your TPS Report!!!”
• 24 x 7 x 365 … are we exhausted?

9. The same applies to our customers...
Social Engineers / BECs & Spear Phishers / “CyberAPTs” already know this … and we cause it …
SOURCE: ERIC PINKERTON, “SATELLITES OF LOVE”, CRIKEYCON 2017 9
• People, process and technology
• Pinkerton’s paradox
• PAE
• PAL
• PFU
• Demoralised? Unfocused?
• mind on “other things”?
• Corporate/organisational culture
• Workplace support
• “I know better than you”

10. Why isn’t the Government doing anything?
Actually, they are (reactively). We need to be proactive.
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11. What else?
actually, our community is stepping up
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Internationally Locally
• Stigma is starting to be break down –
acknowledging the problem.
• @InfoSanity.org
• https://www.omsihelp.org
• Formal Training e.g. Mental Health First Aid
• MHFA Mental Health First Aid Guidelines Booklet
(Amazon Kindle) & https://www.mhfa.com.au
• AISA / AusCERT / CrikeyCon / BSides
• AWSN
• WYWM
• Men’s Shed
• Industry and Community Mentoring
• NGOs increasing focus on Tech Industry

12. What can you and I do?
Don’t be afraid to ask.
• Keep an eye out for each other
• Peers, managers, reports, clients, service providers, colleagues, friends, everyone.
• Look for changes in people’s behaviour.
• Confidentiality and Trust – don’t force the issue
• It’s not about you/me, its about the sufferer …
https://www.headsup.org.au/supporting-others/starting-a-conversation
https://www.headsup.org.au/supporting-others/helping-a-workmate
• If you are suffering… don’t be afraid to ask.
• Your GP is your best friend here.
Sources: ruok.org.au, mhfa.org.au , headsup.org.au 12

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Questions and Discussion
• LifeLine
• 13 11 14
• lifeline.org.au
•BeyondBlue
•1300 22 46 32
•beyondblue.org.au
•HeadSpace
•1800 650 890
•headspace.org.au