Unfortunately, large-scale cyberwarfare is a likely reality of our connected future. It’s a downside to having the convenience of instant information and communication via the Internet. This is our soft underbelly - hyperconnectivity that’s permeated all aspects of our organizations, society, and lives. I wish the threats and realities of cyberwarfare were as far-fetched as my grandma’s paranoia regarding alien abduction; however, the connectivity we’ve all become accustomed to is enabling the evolution of a whole new battlefield - cyber.

My Grandmama’s kitchen table was big - she kept three leaves in it year-round so it could seat over 20 people at a moment's notice. “Feeding folks” as she called it, was one of her deepest sources of joy. She was the human embodiment of the Crowded Table song by The Highwomen. From the time I stumbled out of my bedroom at 5 AM, to when I finally turned in for the night at 11 PM, there seemed to always be someone sitting and visiting at that mahogany masterpiece. She cooked “big” - always three to four times what was necessary for a meal - so there was always cold fried chicken, a cast iron skillet of biscuits, and an extra chocolate meringue pie or two ready to distribute to the neighbors, relatives, and random new friend she’d made when they plopped down at the table.