I spent an hour this week explaining to someone that no, ChatGPT cannot reliably fact-check itself, and yes, that's a problem when your entire business strategy depends on it being right. They looked at me like I'd just told them Father Christmas works part-time at Argos. The Swing That Crosses Borders 40 Times a Minute … Continue reading Breach of Confidence: 24 April 2026 →

There is a certain kind of argument that appears every time encryption comes up. Yes, yes, privacy is lovely. But think of the children!!! And just like that, the conversation is over. Because once someone has wheeled in children, terrorists, organised crime, and a shadowy man in a basement who definitely has a beard, anyone … Continue reading Why We Actually Need End-to-End Encryption →

I've spent the week watching people earnestly debate whether AI will replace security analysts. The real threat isn't AI taking your job. It's having to sit through another webinar about it. France Wants a Divorce France has announced plans to reduce dependency on US tech, which apparently includes ditching Windows. Bold move. The problem with … Continue reading Breach of Confidence 17 April 2026 →

I spent most of one day this week trying to access a perfectly ordinary online service and felt like I was applying for witness protection. By the end of it, I’d supplied a password, a code, a backup code, a second email, and what felt like several pieces of emotional verification. We are constantly told … Continue reading Breach of Confidence: 10 April 2026 →

Someone sent me a photo last week. It was me, about fifteen years ago. And I looked good. Not "good for someone who has since surrendered to gravity" good. Actually good. Fit. Hair that was black rather than its current negotiations with grey. My first reaction was something between pride and grief. Because I remember … Continue reading Dear me, you already are →

I once tried to assemble IKEA furniture this week without looking at the instructions. Got halfway through before realising I'd built something structurally sound but utterly useless. Feels like a decent metaphor for most security programmes. America Discovers It Doesn't Make Routers Anymore The US just banned foreign-made routers because malicious actors kept using them … Continue reading Breach of Confidence: 3 April 2026 →

I am currently recovering from minor surgery... but nothing in surgery is minor as I struggle to move and need assistance with pretty much everything. Thanksfully I am on painkillers. Not the glamorous sort that inspire a new Operating System or terrible life choices in Las Vegas, but enough to leave me staring at the … Continue reading 7 Reasons Kids Are Overrated Until Suddenly They’re Your Entire Support Infrastructure →

I've been watching my phone battery go to 37% lately and it's giving me anxiety even though I know I can make it through the day. This is why I don't think I'll ever be able to live with an electric car. The Scanner That Scanned Itself Trivy, the widely used security scanner that's been … Continue reading Breach of Confidence – 27 March 2026 →

In 1966, an MIT computer scientist named Joseph Weizenbaum built a chatbot called ELIZA. It was extremely simple by today's standards which simply rephrased whatever you typed as a question.  Tell it "my boyfriend made me come here" and it would respond "your boyfriend made you come here?" It was nothing more than a party … Continue reading When Your Best Friend Is a Bot Who Never Says No →

I'm in Antwerp, Belgium to attend CyberNova. European travel is nice. As my friend Erich says, "you fall over in Europe and land in another country" which isn't wrong. It takes me longer to get to the airport than the flight over to Brussels. Although, ever since Brexit, it pains me every time we can't … Continue reading The Tut of Superiority →