Put on a hood and Saved the World: Cybersecurity in movies, TV Shows, and Anime

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Can I watch a TV series about hackers and become a hacker myself? Yes, but there is a caveat. Read about how cybersecurity is presented in the cinema and how the image of a hacker affects future information security specialists in this article.

Films about computer geniuses and high technologies have been shot for several years. Despite the fact that the topic of IT in cinema has gained particular popularity in the last 10 years, cyber-masterpieces of cinema were shot even before the beginning of the XXI century. For example, the legendary film "Hackers" in 1995 or "The Matrix" in 1999.

In films about hackers and programmers, the characters appear in different circumstances, but mostly the authors romanticize the image.

Sergey Polunin
Head of the Infrastructure IT Protection Group "Gazinformservis"

Personally, I understand exactly how some elements of cybersecurity are shown in movies. In the end, the viewer is shown a certain understandable stereotype, which on the one hand should fit into the plot, and on the other – should not be too out of line with what the mass audience knows about hackers. I am sure that all other professions in the cinema are also shown schematically, and the same policemen, doctors and firefighters also have something to say about the authenticity of what is happening on the screen. And it's not bad really, after all, movies should be fun to watch. This is not an educational film, but entertainment, so many assumptions can be more than justified.

If films related to cybersecurity were made according to all the rules of the profession, then no one would watch them except, perhaps, the security people themselves. The routine of cyber security doesn't look nearly as impressive as in the cameras of videographers. Otherwise, it would be a movie or TV series about how a network node is scanned for several hours in a row, or how specialists analyze the logs of an information system after an attack by intruders.

But still, most of the information security specialists surveyed by CyberMedia watch films related to the IT sphere and their profession in particular. And many films in this category even pushed them to choose a profession and inspired them to become real white hackers.

It doesn't happen that way​

As a rule, in films and TV shows, all professions undergo a series of metamorphoses in order to become more spectacular, interesting and dynamic. So, in films about hackers, the struggle between an attacker and a team of security guards unfolds not by demonstrating hours of sitting at a computer screen, but is accompanied by the theft of a laptop in a dangerous chase, under the whistle of bullets, followed by breaking into an office or hacking the Pentagon security system by pressing two laptop keys and then exploding, which is visible from space.

Anton Bochkarev
CEO / Founder "Third Party"

As a rule, when I see how cybersecurity is shown in movies and TV shows, I feel funny and a little sad. Probably, similar feelings are experienced by historians from historical cinema, who know perfectly well that " everything was wrong." I have the feeling "it doesn't happen that way" and the thought "what the hell is on his monitor?". Usually, what is shown does not correspond to reality in almost any way.

By the way, a cartoon hacker from the movie was shown very funny, in the short film "Kung Fury", where the hacker even hacked time and space.

Cybersecurity experts themselves believe that to achieve a greater degree of realism, films and TV series about information security primarily lack the budget for consultants and scenario flexibility. If consultants are listened to, especially in large "blunders", and the budget allows you to make changes, then you can achieve a balance between accessibility to a wide audience and realism.

Exception to the rule​

The main exception to the rule, according to Russian information security experts, was the acclaimed TV series Mr. Robot, released in 2015. Several experts in the field of information security called it their favorite and pushed them to choose a profession.

Anton Bochkarev
CEO / Founder "Third Party"

The well-known TV series "Mr. Robot" did not use complete information security consultants, and every line of the code used was realistic. And several IP addresses were deliberately nonexistent, so as not to cause a wave of attempts to hack the real address by fans of the series. But even there, some of the results achieved were theoretically possible, but in practice extremely unlikely. Still, this is my favorite TV show. I also watched it when I was just starting my career in Pentest.

Kirill Filimonov
RADCOP Penetration Testing Specialist

I want to definitely highlight the series "Mr. Robot". No doubt about it. Back then, in 2017, a classmate advised me to pay attention to this masterpiece. And I followed his advice. The decision was fateful. I did not consider computer science and programming an interesting field for me, but from the very first minute the image of the main character of the series, a security engineer by day and a kulhatsker by night, firmly stuck in my youthful consciousness. It was then that I made a rather emotional decision to devote my life to computer security. I was immediately hooked by the authenticity of the series and the presence of a competent technical part. I watched a bunch of episodes at a time, and then another and another. I had a huge desire to learn computer security, so strongly was I influenced by the image of Eliot Alderson. By the way, many of my friends in the field of offensive security were also motivated by the TV series "Mr. Robot", I wonder how many thousands of people around the world made such an emotional decision, like me.

It was this series that attracted the special attention of IT specialists, and especially cybersecurity specialists, not only with its fascinating plot, high-quality shooting and acting, but also, first of all, with the elaboration of details. The creators of the film used the help of information security consultants to make not only a spectacular, but also a realistic story of a young hacker programmer.

Top 5 movies and TV shows about hackers​

In addition to the most popular TV series "Mr. Robot" among IT specialists, there are a number of other cinema products that can be called the best films about hackers.

Action-detective The Person of Interest ("Suspect"). At a certain point, not since the first episode, computer genius Harold Finch appears in the story with a mission to protect humanity from deadly dangers that autonomous artificial intelligence informs him about.

The 1998 action-thriller film Enemy of the State ("Enemy of the State") with Will Smith as a lawyer who became a hacker by fate. The film raises issues of information warfare, information security of the whole country, as well as the safety of personal data of citizens.

A thriller based on the biography of the most famous CIA agent Snowden ("Snowden"). Edward Snowden is an American technical specialist and special agent, a former employee of the CIA and the US National Security Agency, who published data on the total surveillance of citizens of various states by American special services around the world.

Of course, the list can not do without the legendary thriller Hackers ("Hackers") in 1995. The film is about a group of hackers who are engaged in hacking commercial structures for fun. They accidentally invade someone else's attack on a large corporation, which can lead to a real catastrophe on earth and become suspects because of this.

Who Am I-Kein System ist sicher ("Who am I") is a dynamic film about a young hacker who challenges society and himself, dreaming of getting out of the image of a "downtrodden" boy. He commits a series of daring hacks and becomes the most wanted hacker in the world.

Anime about hackers​

Since the 90s of the last century, the theme of high technologies and, in particular, stories about hackers have been actively developing in Japanese animation. Cybersecurity market players noted animated films of both this and last century, which can be called the best anime about hackers.

Sergey Zybnev
Security Analysis Specialist, Awillix

One of the most famous titles, of course, is "Ghost in the Shell" in 1995 and its allotropic modifications (for example," Psycho-Pass " in 2012). GitS is an attempt to analyze a future in which technology and cybersecurity play a key role in society and the formation of individuals, addressing the moral dilemmas associated with the use of technology to maintain order and manipulate the population.

Despite the fact that the title does not explicitly contain references to cybersecurity, "Neon Genesis Evangelion" of 1995-1996 qualitatively reveals elements of high technologies and cybernetics, setting the background of the main events. This is especially evident when one of the characters who created the Magi system explains the principles of its functioning and integration with the NERV system. In the course of several attacks, antagonists use techniques that almost completely repeat the key points of hackers 'behavior in the system under study, touching upon the issues of invasiveness of the load and the complexity/importance of analyzing the consequences of hackers' work.

Slightly less well-known globally, but more dearly loved by the information security community is the title "Serial Experiments Lain" from 1998. Unlike GitS, SEL approaches the topic of cybersecurity in a more philosophical and metaphorical way, leaving the opportunity for independent interpretations and forming one's own opinion about the tonality of the observed facts of the impact of technologies on human life, as well as on the role and functions of a person in the real world and cyberspace.

In 1999, Fuji TV released an anime aimed at a pre – school audience, focusing on adventure, friendship, and potential cybersecurity issues that the audience will have to face in just a few years - "Digimon Adventure". The action of "Digimon Adventure" takes place in the Digital World, which is a reality that exists inside the network. The world is populated by Digital Monsters-Digimons, interaction with which often includes elements that resemble hacker actions. Also, in some episodes, the characters have to deal with distortions and viral digimons. It is also important that the moral of the first season is the idea of following the rules of behavior in the Digital World, since it is connected with the real world. That is, what we will later begin to call "digital hygiene". The perception of cybersecurity has ceased to have an abstract philosophical character – the realization has come that it is now part of our reality: the problems have become more real, and the recommendations have become clearer.

Chronologically, it would be correct to mention the title" Battle Programmer Shirase " in 2003. If GitS and SEL are quite difficult titles from the point of view of perception, then BPS is qualitatively different from them, demonstrating the same problems of social aspects of a hacker's life: isolation, perception of society, balance between real and cyber life, but in a more humorous and easy way.

Summer Wars 2009 is a title dedicated entirely to hacking and cybersecurity issues. The main plot begins with a hacker attack carried out by the AI Love Machine: LM hacks the OZ virtual platform and gains access to user accounts, which leads to serious consequences in the real world. SW is a good combination of science fiction and family drama, allowing the audience to see the potential risks and challenges associated with cybersecurity.

Although the 2014 Zankyou no Terror title does not directly address the issue of cybersecurity, but focuses on the topic of terrorism, moral dilemmas, and social criticism, cybersecurity is a significant part of the plot: the main characters explain the basic principles of encryption and encoding quite well, explaining the potential shortcomings of certain algorithms and showing the importance of personal responsibility in implementing models. the moral of the title openly raises questions about the ethical aspects of using technology for terrorist purposes and the consequences for society.

Anime is a fairly popular genre among IT professionals and information security specialists in particular. Among the relatively recent releases, we can also highlight "Cyberpunk: Running on the edge", filled with steampunk aesthetics.

Result​

Movie characters-hackers are often different from real ones, and their activities are much more colorful and dynamic than in real life. Perhaps documentaries show hackers closer to reality, but popular TV shows and anime have become truly inspiring, especially for those who are still thinking about a career in information security.

Despite the hackneyed image of a sociopathic introvert programmer in a hood and dark clothing, he continues to be stubbornly exploited by film industry workers. But there are many pictures where the hacker turns out to be a real hero saving the world or at least the country.

Many films and TV shows have been made on the topic of hacking for every taste, and there is a whole repository with relevant media materials.