Threat Vector – "Hacker Movies Then vs. Now"

Podcast: Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks
Host: David Moulton (Palo Alto Networks)
Guest: Ben Haskam (Global Content Leader, Palo Alto Networks; Author, Control Alt Delusion series)
Date: November 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Threat Vector takes a unique, lighter spin by examining the portrayal of hackers and cybersecurity in classic films compared to modern realities. Host David Moulton speaks with Ben Haskam, who has authored the Control Alt Delusion series—deep dives into hacker movies through a cybersecurity lens. Together, they discuss the accuracy, impact, and cultural legacy of films like WarGames, The Net, and Hackers, while reflecting on how these cinematic visions have shaped public perception and even influenced real cybersecurity policy.

Main Discussion Themes

1. Why Revisit Hacker Movies?

• Genesis of the Control Alt Delusion Series:
  Ben Haskam leveraged his background in film and recent viewing of The Net to create essays examining hacker movies with a modern cyber lens.
  • "I have a film background. And I had just watched The Net and thought, like, film is there? Oh, yeah, I'd say no notes, but we'll get into that later." — Ben Haskam [02:10]
• Targeted at making cybersecurity digestible for executives and broad audiences through pop culture.

2. The Cultural Impact of Hacker Films

• Movies and TV are key drivers for public perception and understanding of hackers and technology.
  • “It is probably the most digestible medium for, you know, the broader audience to sort of, you know, glean, like, what is cybersecurity like and how is a hack performed?” — Ben Haskam [04:11]
• Iconic movies make complex cybersecurity topics accessible—even when accuracy falls short.

Deep Dives on Classic (and Cult) Hacker Movies

WarGames (1983)

• Personal Resonance:
  Ben’s own “WarGames” moment: He admits to “hacking” (via social engineering) his high school’s grading system, inspired by the film.

  • “When I was in high school, I, I hacked, if you will, into my school system and changed my grade...doing the...what he did of, of uncovering the password.” — Ben Haskam [06:36]

• Technical Review:

  • Accurate Aspects:
    • War dialing and the concept of backdoor passwords have real-world analogues.
    • Simple AI logic—Joshua wants to “win the game.”
  • Implausible Tropes:
    • "It's like finding out, like the one thing protecting Fort Knox is like an unlocked screen door." — Ben Haskam [08:53]
    • Black-and-green screen hacking, easy system access, and the direct link between the "game" and nuclear defense stretch believability.
    • Hollywood’s depiction of AI as capable of “learning futility” is a dramatic but unrealistic leap.

• Enduring Influence:

  • The film led directly to real policy discussions (e.g., with President Reagan).
  • "Think about what WarGames did and influencing actual policy...he [Reagan] watched the movie and turned to his national security advisor and said, could that happen?...Okay, we need to [address] this." — Ben Haskam [32:04]

The Net (1995)

• Early Internet Paranoia:

  • Captured fears about the power—and fragility—of digital identity just as ordinary people were coming online.
    • “It was like this cultural, like, alarm bell...the digital identity is fragile and the systems we trust, a lot of the times can, you know, turn on us in the wrong hands.” — Ben Haskam [19:10]

• Implausible Elements:

  • Sandra Bullock's character being completely erased from society: “My dad...was like, it is ridiculous that Sandra Bullock lives next door to you and you don't know who she is.” — Ben Haskam [15:17]
  • The Net’s scenario is melodramatic—a person's identity being deleted for individual exploitation lacks financial motive compared to real-world identity theft.

• Lasting Legacy:

  • Brought digital paranoia to the mainstream.
  • “There's people still have that digital paranoia out there of like what, what this was and like what it could be.” — Ben Haskam [20:15]
  • Set a blueprint for Hollywood’s melodramatic approach to cybersecurity risk.

Hackers (1995)

• Cult Classic Status:
  • Known for over-the-top style and creative visuals rather than accuracy.
  • “It's the most delusional movie we've done so far in terms of like, in terms of like substance and style.” — Ben Haskam [22:57]
• Memorable Scenes – The Gibson Hack:
  • Instead of coding, characters fly through psychedelic 3D data cities—a far cry from real hacking.
    • “They're literally flying through, like, a psychedelic 3D cityscape...That is not how it works. For those of you wondering, even to this day, still doesn't work that way.” — Ben Haskam [23:39]
• What it Got Right:
  • Captured the “ethos” of early hacker culture: curiosity, anti-authoritarianism, belief in open information.
  • “The hacker manifesto...captured the spirit of the subculture...intellectual curiosity and kind of the belief that information should be free and democratic.” — Ben Haskam [26:03]
• What Would a Modern Hackers Look Like?
  • Sequels today would be darker, focusing on financial motivations, gray areas, and defenders—not just idealistic rebels [29:43].

The Influence of Hacker Films on Public Perception and Policy

• Movies as a Primary Shaper:

  • For better or worse, Hollywood continues to shape public attitudes and policy around cybersecurity.
  • “I think almost exclusively, you know, these movies, you know, for good or bad, it is shaping...public perception. It's, it's shaping policy.” — Ben Haskam [32:04]

• Storytelling as a Tool for Security Pros:

  • Security leaders use narratives and analogies from hacker films to communicate risk to non-technical audiences.
    • “It provides this common ground for technical and non-technical audiences...the movies did a good job of creating that urgency and creating that common ground for us to understand, like, the dangers around it, even if it is through a melodramatic lens. I'm. I'm okay with that.” — Ben Haskam [35:20]

Are Modern Films More Realistic?

• General Assessment:
  • Even modern productions fall back on visual clichés—typing frantically, progress bars, etc.
• Notable Exception:
  • “The one thing I will call out, though, is Mr. Robot. You know, I think Mr. Robot really did a nice job of showing, you know, audiences what it was like and how it is now.” — Ben Haskam [37:25]
  • Films like Leave the World Behind show aftermath/consequences rather than the hack itself, which can be just as impactful.

Top Ridiculous, Entertaining Scenes

• Swordfish (2001):
  • Cited as the “most delusional” yet: Hugh Jackman is forced to write a complex worm in 60 seconds at gunpoint.
    • “Not only would this take longer than 60 seconds, it would take weeks, if not months. And this is, like, with a team of people, right?” — Ben Haskam [39:22]
    • “Swordfish was, to me, like, the moment that they said, we're gonna make this sexy, and we don't care about, like, any sort of logic or realism at all.” — Ben Haskam [39:22]
  • Highly recommended for its spectacular, if impossible, depiction of hacking.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On AI Logic Then vs. Now

  • “Joshua was playing chess by the rules...where I think today, AI is changing the rules of the game constantly...it's not confined to the rules of the chessboard, if you will.” — Ben Haskam [11:28]

• On Digital Paranoia’s Endurance

  • “There’s people still have that digital paranoia out there...even to this day are still afraid of [the internet].” — Ben Haskam [20:15]

• On Storytelling for Security Awareness

  • “They really did a good job of like simplifying really complex things about cybersecurity. And I think like it provides this common ground for technical and non technical audiences.” — Ben Haskam [33:37]

Key Timestamps

• [02:10] – Origins of Control Alt Delusion and revisiting hacker movies
• [06:36] – WarGames inspires real-life “hacking”
• [08:41] – Plausible vs. implausible elements in WarGames
• [14:35] – How The Net shaped perceptions of the internet
• [19:10] – Digital identity and enduring digital paranoia
• [22:35] – Hackers' cultural impact and cult status
• [23:39] – The Gibson hack scene’s surrealism
• [26:03] – The true early hacker ethos in film
• [32:04] – Films’ influence on public policy and perception
• [35:20] – Narrative as a bridge for technical/non-technical communication
• [37:25] – Mr. Robot and newer, more realistic portrayals
• [39:22] – Swordfish: peak of Hollywood hacking implausibility

Where to Find More

• Control Alt Delusion Essays:
  https://paloaltonetworks.com/perspectives (Perspectives section)
• Ben Haskam on LinkedIn:
  (search “Ben Haskam”)
• Upcoming movies in the series:
  Sneakers, Disclosure, Leave the World Behind, Zero Day, Swordfish

Overall Tone

Playful, nostalgic, and accessible while providing informed, detailed critiques. Both host and guest blend personal anecdotes, technical evaluations, and cultural musings, making the complex world of cybersecurity cinema both relatable and thought-provoking.