One of our reliable IT sources has brought to our attention a very important issue considered to be a danger of cybersecurity: Isolation. How does this particular aspect, which affects every human on earth at some point or another, impact cybersecurity? In what ways does isolation professionally affect us the most? Perhaps by first determining what its cause is, we would have a clearer understanding of how it can be neutralized.

Before the pandemic hit, most people were working within an office environment of some sort, with co-workers and/or customers, or other types of humans with whom we were accustomed to interacting. When things went downhill for most companies, these interactions became increasingly sparse, sometimes moving all the way to nonexistent. Remote working, outsourcing, etc., and having meetings via video conferencing, all became necessary, and then the new normal. This has led to extreme and pervasive feelings of isolation. So, how does this affect cybersecurity? The answer revolves around exposure.

“The lack of networking, the lack of conversations, and of comparing notes can leave everyone much more exposed. That watercooler chatter, business breakfasts, and the like, helped people know what is going on…And with many employees electing to continue working from home, the danger stemming from this disconnect will continue. While there are no perfect substitutes for the organic, spontaneous interchange of office chatter, there are still ways to stay ‘connected’ during the pandemic.”

• Join a group or an association
• Continue talking frequently with one another, virtually
• Maintain your business social media accounts
• Network, network, network

All of these ways allow “notes to be compared and threats to be sized up.” Keep in mind, especially by following the above suggestions, that you already have a support group within your company. This remains true even if the walls of your workplace have morphed into the walls of your home office.