PacoPacket?

Welcome to PacoPacket — where cybersecurity, AI, and culture collide (sometimes with sparks).

I’m Francisco “Paco” Campbell, a bilingual cybersecurity executive with over twenty years of experience turning complex security challenges into something humans can actually understand. I’ve built and led security, compliance, and risk programs at places like Google, Amazon, Oracle, and JPMorgan Chase — but this isn’t about corporate war stories.

PacoPacket is where I unpack technology’s weird, brilliant, and occasionally broken edges. Think of it as a weekly packet capture of the digital world — filtered through equal parts curiosity, sarcasm, and a deep respect for the engineers and dreamers building it.

Why PacoPacket?

Back in undergrad (geez, eons ago), our networking curriculum was straight from Cisco, so I spent a lot of time with Peter Packet — the cheerful little guy who explained how data travels across a network. I never earned my CCNA, but I did get the joke.

“Paco” is what people call Francisco when they actually know him. A “packet” isn’t the smallest unit of data, but it is how information makes its way through the internet — tiny bursts carrying something bigger. Together, they’re this newsletter: small packets of thought about large systems, and the pieces of shoestring and bubblegum that hold it all in place.

You’ll find musings and thoughts here about:

Security, risk, and the unintended consequences of “just automating it.”
The stories movies tell us about the future — and how right (or hilariously wrong) they turned out to be.
The lessons tech keeps relearning the hard way.

Professional yet human. Technical but not tedious. Playful, but never a joke.

And Who’s Paco?

I’m an Electronic Systems Engineer with Master’s in Engineering Management, Business Administration, and Cybersecurity and Leadership. I’m currently pursuing a Doctorate degree at Purdue where I explore how to make cybersecurity work for the average Jane/Joe. To continue with the alphabet soup, I hold a CISSP and a CCSP. If you want to know more about me, check out my LinkedIn profile:

www.linkedin.com/in/pacocampbell

Some Housekeeping

Employment Disclaimer

The views expressed on PacoPacket (“the site”) are my own and do not reflect those of any current, past, or future employers. All activities associated with the site — including, but not limited to, research, drafting, editing, and administration — are conducted independently, on personal equipment and technology platforms, and without obstructing any work commitments or deliverables.

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While the content of the site and its newsletter is not primarily mature, it may occasionally include strong language or discussion of complex or sensitive topics — for example, technology ethics, mental health, or human relationships with AI systems. Reader discretion is advised.

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Common Sense & Liability Disclaimer

The content on PacoPacket is for general informational, commentary, and/or entertainment purposes only. It should not be taken as professional, legal, medical, financial, or any other form of advice.

I’m not a lawyer, doctor, therapist, or financial advisor. I write to explore ideas, share analysis, and start conversations — not to provide guidance specific to anyone’s personal situation.

While I make every effort to be accurate and thoughtful, I might get things wrong. Use your own judgment, do your own research, and apply common sense when interpreting or acting on anything published here. Your mileage might vary.

If you notice an error or have a concern about any content, please feel free to reach out. I value accuracy and am open to corrections. Please refer to the "Contact" section on the top navigation bar.

AI Transparency

I use a range of AI-assisted tools in the research, writing, and editing process for the site. These include ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini, Apple Intelligence, Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Consensus, and Thesify.

These tools are used as augmenters — to help with research, analysis, wordsmithing, and rewriting — but never as autonomous authors. All final decisions about what appears on PacoPacket, including tone, structure, and substance, are made by me.

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Occasionally, posts may include links to external websites, articles, papers, or other resources. These links are provided solely for context, citation, or further reading.

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Comments Policy

I welcome and encourage thoughtful discussion in the comments. However, I reserve the right to edit or delete any comments submitted to the site without notice that are deemed to be spam, defamatory, abusive, off-topic, or that use excessive profanity or hateful language. Love one another, y’all.

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All content on the site is provided “as is” without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. I make no representations about accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any particular purpose, and I am not liable for any losses, damages, or misunderstandings arising from the use of this content, or for any errors or omissions within it.

These terms and policies are subject to change at any time without notice. Continued use of the site after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new terms.

Last updated: Monday, October 20th, 2025.

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