Perhaps the most frustrating thing about cybersecurity for security professionals is that many of us non-security types simply don't keep all those rules front of mind.
And who can blame us? PowerPoints and online tests aren't exactly the types of experiences we're likely to remember and engrain in our day-to-day.
But, if you actually get hacked and lose control of your information or wade into some ransomeware that forces you to wire some cryptocurrency to a stranger, you'll probably never forget that experience.
And that experiential learning is at the core of what Austin-based Living Security is doing with its security training experiences. The startup's escape rooms present teams of employees with an exciting storyline. Then, the team has to work together to solve puzzles and escape the room within a set period of time.
But in this case, the escape room narrative can weave in customized security training, ranging from corporate spying to email threats and sophisticated hacking.
And the idea is catching on. Living Security is working with 50-plus organizations, including Fortune 500 companies. And this week the startup announced it has closed a $1.25 million seed round led by Active Capital, a San Antonio venture capital firm founded former Rackspace leaders.
Other investors included Cathexis Ventures, a Houston- and Boston-based firm, and Austin startup accelerator and investor Capital Factory. Living Security also noted that it is joining Capital Factory's accelerator. And Pat Matthews, founder and CEO of Active Capital, is joining Living Security’s board of directors.
The company currently has three jobs posted.
The new investment comes a couple months after Living Security launched its Cyber Escape platform, a gamified digital training platform that uses short interactive videos and puzzles to train employees on security issues. The company then provides analytics on your employees' risk level and benchmark against other organizations in your industry.
“We are excited to scale our products and grow the impact of our mission to help organizations combat cyber threats through immersive and impactful security awareness training experiences,” Ashley Rose, CEO of Living Security, said in a blog.
Cyber Escape- Simon Says Trailer from Living Security on Vimeo.
