The Invisible Threat

Once in a digital city named Cyberland, life hummed along harmoniously with bytes and bits flowing like traffic on a highway. People were blissfully unaware of an invisible threat, lurking in the shadows, much like germs in our physical world. This threat? Cyber infections, capable of wreaking havoc with a single click.

The First Case

It began with Tom, an average Cyberland resident. Tom was a bit careless online, using the same password for everything and clicking on every link that came his way. One day, he received an email titled “Free Money!”, and without a second thought, clicked on the link. The next thing he knew, his computer was locked, displaying a ransom note. The virus, named “LockItDown,” had struck.

The Spread

Like a contagious virus, LockItDown spread from Tom’s computer to others. It moved through shared networks, emails, and even infected USB drives. Businesses faced disruptions, personal data was compromised, and the digital harmony of Cyberland was shattered. People were scared, and chaos ensued.

The Awakening

Amidst this turmoil, a cybersecurity expert named Ava emerged. She saw the pandemonium and realized that this was not just a technological problem but a behavioral one. She began educating the residents about “Cyber Hygiene,” drawing parallels with washing hands and covering sneezes in the physical world.

The Hygiene Movement

Ava introduced simple yet effective practices: using strong, unique passwords, updating software regularly, being skeptical of unknown links and attachments, and using antivirus software. She likened these practices to wearing masks and sanitizing hands, but for the digital realm.

Turning the Tide

Slowly, the residents of Cyberland began adopting these cyber hygiene habits. As they did, the spread of LockItDown virus reduced. People became more vigilant, spotting phishing emails and avoiding suspicious websites. Businesses implemented better security protocols, making it harder for malware to penetrate.

The New Normal

Eventually, the LockItDown virus was contained. Cyberland had learned a crucial lesson: in the digital world, hygiene is just as important as in the physical one. Cyber hygiene became a part of everyday life, a new normal. Schools taught it, businesses practiced it, and individuals lived it.

The Everlasting Lesson

The story of Cyberland serves as a reminder of the importance of cyber hygiene. In a world increasingly reliant on digital connections, the health of our digital lives is as crucial as our physical well-being. By practicing good cyber hygiene, we can protect ourselves from the invisible threats that lurk in the vast digital landscape.

In Cyberland, they learned it the hard way, but their story can be our foresight. Let’s not wait for a digital pandemic to teach us the importance of cyber hygiene.

It is not just our employer’s business that is at stake now. Since the COVID pandemic began, our WFH model created a new threat landscape for us personally and included new risks to our families, spouses and children. Our new job is to protect and defend in a new digital world, and we need to lean into it and dominate our domain. Our new job is human risk management.

If we don’t, we can’t expect that bad guys will pass us by. There will be no acceptable excuses in the future. If we are connected to the Internet, we ride alone and we own it all.