These films aren’t just entertainment – they help explain the human, technical, and geopolitical forces behind modern security challenges. Each summary highlights which of the five themes it relates to.

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1. Sneakers (1992)

A light‑hearted but surprisingly insightful film about a team of security experts hired to test systems by breaking into them. Starring Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, and an excellent ensemble cast, it explores hacking, cryptography, and social engineering long before these topics were mainstream.
Relevance: Social Engineering; Cybersecurity Practices
Shows how human behaviour, trust, and misdirection can be exploited just as easily as technology.

2. Die Hard 4.0 (Live Free or Die Hard) (2007)

An action‑packed thriller built around the idea of a “fire sale” cyber‑attack – a coordinated assault on a nation’s digital infrastructure. While the action is exaggerated, the underlying themes of critical‑infrastructure risk, system interdependence, and cyber‑physical impact are very real.
Relevance: Cybersecurity Practices; Geopolitics; Real‑Life Cybercrime
Highlights how digital attacks can have real‑world consequences, especially when essential services are targeted.

3. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

A stylish true story about Frank Abagnale, a master of deception and impersonation.
Relevance: Social Engineering; Real‑Life Crime
Demonstrates how confidence and charm can bypass security far more effectively than technical attacks.

4. The Imitation Game (2014)

A dramatization of Alan Turing’s codebreaking work during WWII.
Relevance: Cybersecurity Foundations; Geopolitics
A reminder that information security has always shaped global conflict.

5. Snowden (2016)

A biographical thriller about Edward Snowden and the NSA leaks.
Relevance: Cybersecurity Practices; Real‑Life Cybercrime
Explores surveillance, insider threats, and the human side of security breaches.

6. Blackhat (2015)

A cyber‑thriller involving global hacking campaigns and digital sabotage.
Relevance: Cybersecurity Practices; Real‑Life Cybercrime
Stylised, but captures the scale and impact of modern cyber‑attacks.

7. The Social Network (2010)

The story of Facebook’s creation and the power struggles behind it.
Relevance: AI & Data; Geopolitics & Finance
A sharp look at data, influence, and the global reach of tech platforms.

8. WarGames (1983)

A teenager accidentally accesses a military supercomputer.
Relevance: Cybersecurity Practices; Geopolitics
A classic that still illustrates the risks of poor access control and unintended consequences.

9. The Big Short (2015)

A gripping look at the 2008 financial crisis.
Relevance: Geopolitics & Global Finance
Shows how financial systems, risk, and human behaviour collide – themes that overlap with cyber‑risk.

10. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

A spy thriller featuring surveillance, data tracking, and intelligence operations.
Relevance: Geopolitics; Cybersecurity Practices
Highlights how information is weaponised in global power struggles.