Psybersecurity

#Psybersecurity
by: Ryan K. Louie, MD, PhD

As the world of devices and technology becomes more and more inter-connected with the daily lives of people, the security of each becomes one and the same. The boundaries between what is digital and what is human have become less distinct. Security issues that were previously thought of being specific to one particular domain are now likely to be relevant to several domains. There are many definitions of psybersecurity, and the term is not a new one. I am a psychiatrist by training, and so psybersecurity to me means the combination of psychiatry + cybersecurity. Psybersecurity looks into how cybersecurity impacts the human element of security, including a person’s mental health. Cybersecurity and cyberattacks have direct impacts on mental health, ranging from the cyber defenders to the victims. Security issues in technology can result in changes in the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and behaviors of people. An understanding of these dynamics in psybersecurity will form the basis of a more resilient and more effective human network of security.