For the past few years, I’ve used Cybersecurity Awareness Month as a chance to catch up on must-know trends and share insights from RSA, Black Hat and DEF CON. This year, I’m taking a different approach.
As a strategic communications and PR professional, staying current on the news is part of my daily routine. But beyond the headlines, I often turn to books that explore the industries and issues I’m most passionate about.
So, for Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025, I’m shining a light on a few book recommendations B2B tech marketers should consider adding to their reading list this October, along with a short list of reporters who offer valuable perspectives on the cybersecurity landscape year-round.
A Quick Nod to the Cybersecurity Trends
Industry trends matter, and 2025 has had no shortage of headlines. Generative AI remains at the center of cybersecurity debates, with one key question still up for grabs: Are defenders or attackers pulling ahead?
Market dynamics are shifting too. Forrester projects that cyber and AI investments will fuel double-digit enterprise software growth through 2029. M&A activity is ramping up, with Houlihan Lokey forecasting more large-scale strategic deals amid tighter funding for VC-backed firms. We’ve also seen headlines on North Korean IT worker fraud, vendor platform consolidation and the ever-growing wave of ransomware incidents.
These are all critical storylines, and the reporters I’ll share below are covering them better than anyone. But first, let’s talk books.
Four Books to Read This Cybersecurity Awareness Month
The following book recommendations go beyond surface-level analysis. Each title combines investigative rigor, sharp storytelling and real-world insight to explore how cybersecurity influences — and is influenced by — the broader forces of business, policy and society.
Whether you’re a B2B tech marketer looking to deepen your industry knowledge or simply curious about the evolving threat landscape, these reads offer valuable perspective.
1. Dark Wire: The Incredible True Story of the Largest Sting Operation Ever by Joseph Cox
Joseph Cox spent years reporting on Anom, the FBI’s covert app that criminals thought was secure. Dark Wire is his definitive account of how law enforcement secretly built a global wiretap into the criminal underworld. It’s part true-crime thriller, part cautionary tale about surveillance and privacy.
Why marketers should read: It’s a vivid reminder that cybersecurity is never static. Systems evolve, and so do the people exploiting them. At Walker Sands, we hosted Joseph for a fireside chat last year, and the discussion stretched into how new media models are reshaping cyber journalism. He co-founded 404 Media, and understanding how reporters like Joseph operate gives marketers sharper insight into how stories are told today.
2. Number Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall by Zeke Faux
Crypto went mainstream and then spectacularly collapsed. In Numbers Go Up, Zeke Faux followed the hype from luxury yachts to human trafficking rings in Southeast Asia, ultimately chronicling the fall of Sam Bankman-Fried and a $3 trillion bubble.
Why marketers should read: It captures how quickly a narrative can rise, dominate headlines and then unravel. In cybersecurity, we often see professionals dealing with hype cycles of their own. This book is a reminder to look past the buzz and understand what’s actually happening underneath. Zeke’s relentless pursuit of the story adds to the tension — I even reached out to let him know how anxious I felt at certain points (no spoilers!).
3. Click Here to Kill Everybody: Security and Survival in a Hyper-connected World by Bruce Schneier
In Click Here to Kill Everybody, Bruce Schneier unpacks the vulnerabilities of our hyper-connected world in a way anyone can understand, whether it’s crashing a car or tampering with a pacemaker. His definition and explanation of the Internet+ is one I think everyone should know.
Why marketers should read: Schneier has a rare gift for making the complex accessible without losing depth. For those of us who need to communicate cyber risks to broader audiences, it’s a masterclass in simplicity and clarity. If you want to get better at framing complex topics in ways that resonate, this book is a must.
4. A Hacker’s Mind: How the Powerful Bend Society’s Rules, and How to Bend Them Back by Bruce Schneier
I’m still working through A Hacker’s Mind as my pick of the month, but it’s already delivering. Schneier expands the concept of hacking beyond code to financial, legal, political, cognitive and AI systems.
Why marketers should read: It reframes hacking as a way of seeing the world: spotting loopholes, anticipating howpeople bend the rules and recognizing unintended consequences. For anyone working in cyber, it’s a perspective that sharpens your ability to connect dots across industries and issues.
Cybersecurity Reporters to Follow
Books give you depth. Reporters give you immediacy. As a PR professional, I rely on a mix of both, and I encourage marketers to do the same. Here are three (of many) journalists I consistently follow:
Sam Sabin, Axios
Author of the Future of Cybersecurity newsletter, Sam Sabin has a sharp lens on the industry. Her ability to juggle panels, scoops and analysis makes her one of the most reliable voices on where the landscape is heading. From an outsider’s perspective, I am constantly impressed by how much she does, moderating panels at major conferences, publishing smart stories, and even taking the time to join a Walker Sands panel to share her thoughts on how she prefers to communicate with PR pros. Add her to your news routine.
Zack Whittaker, TechCrunch
I look forward to starting every Monday morning by reading Zack Whittaker’s free weekly newsletter, ~this week in security~. It’s a clean, curated digest of what really matters, with enough depth to understand why. It is comprehensive without being overwhelming, and yes, the Cyber Cats and Friends section at the end is a delight. I don’t have a cat, but I did submit my French bulldog, Loaf – calling him “cyberloaf” – and I’m still holding out hope he gets a feature.
David Jones, Cybersecurity Dive
If I had to describe David Jones in one line, I would say he is on top of it. He turns around fast, high quality coverage at the intersection of cybersecurity policy, enterprise risk and the cybercrime economy. Breaches, zero-days, ransomware, threat groups and the business impact, he connects the dots. His newsletter and coverage are in my rotation for a reason.
Final Takeaways
Cybersecurity Awareness Month is always an opportunity to reflect on the threats, innovations and stories shaping the industry. This year, my advice is simple: Pick up a book and follow a reporter. Long-form reading sharpens your ability to connect dots, while following top journalists keeps you grounded in the real-time shifts that matter.
As B2B marketers and communicators, the more we broaden how we learn – from investigative reporters, from technologists, from sharp storytellers – the better we can help our cybersecurity clients cut through the noise.
If you’re ready to sharpen your cybersecurity strategic communications strategy, our team at Walker Sands is here to help. Contact us today.
