The Human Firewall: Bridging UX Design and Cybersecurity - Part 1

Human by Design

What if the greatest cybersecurity threat isn’t a line of malicious code—but the design of your system itself?

In this groundbreaking episode of The Human Firewall, Marine Corps veteran, UX strategist, and cybersecurity innovator Eric Infanti reveals why the future of digital defense isn’t more firewalls or stricter protocols—it’s design that understands people.

Drawing from his transformative book, The Human Firewall: Bridging UX and Cybersecurity to Maximize Cyber Resilience, Eric dismantles the outdated myth that usability and security are at odds. He takes us on a powerful journey through real-world case studies, human psychology, and design failures that have led to some of the most catastrophic data breaches in history—all rooted not in weak code, but in human error born of poor UX design.

But this isn’t a story of blame. It’s a call to action.

With clarity, conviction, and compassion, Eric explores:

• Why 95% of cyber breaches are caused by design—not stupidity.
• How hackers exploit psychology more than software.
• What it really means to turn users from the "weakest link" into your first line of defense.
• How security and usability can work together to empower, educate, and protect.

At the heart of this conversation lies the ancient symbol of the Ouroboros—a serpent eating its own tail—representing the eternal cycle of creation and destruction. For Eric, it’s a metaphor for the dynamic, self-renewing dance between UX and cybersecurity. Together, they don’t compete—they complete one another.

Whether you're a designer, developer, CISO, or product leader, this episode will rewire how you think about security and design. It will challenge you to step into a new paradigm—one where humans aren't liabilities, but the heart of every secure system.

Because the future of cybersecurity isn't just technological—it's human.

It’s time to build the human firewall.

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