Öryggiskóm

Öryggiskóm is a term used in Icelandic discussions of cybersecurity and risk management to describe a state in which individuals or organizations become immobilized or disengaged due to perceived excessive security controls. The term is primarily used in informal or academic discourse to discuss the human factors of security, rather than as a formal technical standard.

Etymology and scope: The word is a neologism formed from öryggi, meaning security, combined with a suffix intended to evoke coma, to signal a cognitive state of overload or disengagement. It is used to name a phenomenon rather than a specific technical vulnerability, and it is typically discussed in the context of usability, user experience, and policy design.

Causes and symptoms: Öryggiskóm can arise from overly complex authentication, frequent security prompts, alert fatigue, and security measures that disrupt workflow. Symptoms include hesitation or confusion in taking security-related actions, reliance on ad hoc workarounds, and reduced vigilance toward legitimate security cues, sometimes accompanied by a feeling of helplessness or resignation.

Implications and mitigation: The phenomenon can increase security risk if users bypass controls or fail to follow procedures, while also reducing productivity. Mitigation focuses on user-centered design, progressive disclosure of security requirements, risk-based and contextual controls, automation, clear prioritization of alerts, and ongoing training that emphasizes practical security without overwhelming users.

See also: security fatigue, human factors in information security, usable security, risk-based authentication, user experience design.