Online financial fraud has evolved into a sophisticated industry, and one of the most alarming new threats is known as pig butchering. This is not a niche cybercrime — it is a global, highly organised yet decentralised, and rapidly growing scam that preys on victims through social engineering and deception, and takes place entirely online. The scam will successfully target and exploit victims, often the elderly or emotionally vulnerable, and friends and family members will be entirely unaware until after the scammer has finished their work. ...

LM Studio lets organisations run open-source AI models entirely on-premises, keeping confidential risk data private. By eliminating third-party cloud exposure, it provides compliance, risk, and internal audit teams with a secure, cost-effective framework for safe AI adoption. Further reading LM Studio website

Logical fallacies are errors in reasoning that undermine the validity of an argument. Recognising logical fallacies is essential for developing critical thinking, empowering you to objectively evaluate arguments and avoid being misled. A July 2024 article in the BBC’s Future series sets out 7 logical fallacies you can train yourself to spot whenever you hear an argument being made. When people are trying to persuade you, they sometimes reach for underhand tricks like the ‘appeal to ignorance’ or ‘whataboutism’ to seem more convincing. BBC Future ...

Effective communication and preparation are key to successful meetings and decision-making processes. One powerful technique that can significantly enhance the outcome of your meetings is the "pre-wire." This concept, which involves holding preliminary discussions before the main meeting, ensures that all participants are on the same page and any potential concerns are addressed in advance. When I was with APM I learned the phrase “pre-wire.” A pre-wire is simply the meeting before the meeting. As consultants it was important to share the meeting agenda with the customer and be aware of any concerns that they may have. As a manager I still find pre-wires important. For example, we always review the IT Steering Committee agenda with the chairperson a few days in advance of the meeting. The better prepared I am for the pre-wire the better the Steering Committee meeting will go. ...

Less than a month until the new American administration, Wired predicts what will change in US cybersecurity policy - and regulations. Wired predicts shifts in U.S. cyber policy under the new administration; if accurate, this would mean a lighter regulatory touch. It remains to be seen how industry will respond. [… ] “more regulation will be dismantled than introduced.” Biden’s presidency was “riddled with new cyber regulation” that sometimes confused and overburdened industry, he adds. “The new White House will be looking to reduce regulatory burdens while streamlining smart compliance.” ...