Author Archives: Wayne Horkan

About Wayne Horkan

I’m a technologist and engineer, typically working in enterprise architecture and systems engineering.

The Forest and the Hounds: Dante’s Seventh Circle and the Political Economy of Despair

Dante’s Inferno presents the Seventh Circle of Hell as the realm of suicides and profligates, those who destroy the self, whether through despair or excess. This article explores the theological, philosophical, and symbolic dimensions of their punishment, revealing a moral economy where the will, once corrupted, leads to irreversible ruin, the ultimate truth: suicide is irredeemable.

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The Role of Cyber Risk Quantification, Scoring, and Benchmarking in Cyber Insurance

As cyber threats continue to evolve in scale, sophistication, and impact, the cyber insurance industry faces increasing pressure to adapt. Traditional approaches to risk assessment, which often relied on qualitative judgments and broad assumptions, are no longer sufficient in the face of complex digital ecosystems. The rise of cyber risk quantification, scoring, and benchmarking has transformed how insurers evaluate risk, price policies, and manage claims.

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More Influencer Bollocks: The Myths, Scams, and Overhyped World of Social Media Stardom

Influencer culture has taken over the digital landscape, promising fame, fortune, and free products for anyone with enough followers and a well-curated feed. From Instagram and TikTok to YouTube and beyond, the idea of becoming a full-time influencer is pitched as a dream lifestyle. But behind the filters, brand deals, and viral dances lies a world filled with exploitation, inflated promises, and, yes, bollocks.

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The Role of Cyber Insurance in Risk Management

Cyber insurance has become a vital component of organisational risk management, offering financial protection against cyber incidents such as data breaches, ransomware attacks, and business interruptions. As the frequency and impact of cyberattacks grow, insurance policies have evolved to address the unique challenges of digital risks.

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Cyber Value at Risk (CVaR): Measuring Worst-Case Scenarios

Cyber Value at Risk (CVaR) is a powerful methodology adapted from financial Value at Risk (VaR) models, designed to estimate the maximum potential loss from cyber incidents within a given confidence interval. CVaR focuses on worst-case scenarios, helping organisations understand the potential financial consequences of cyber threats and guiding strategic decision-making.

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More Digital Transformation Bollocks: The Overhyped Buzzword of Modern Business

“Digital transformation” is the corporate catchphrase of the decade, hailed as the key to unlocking innovation, agility, and competitiveness. From boardrooms to tech conferences, companies proudly proclaim their digital transformation journeys, often without a clear understanding of what the term actually means.

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Neurodivergent Couples: Why Autism and ADHD Pairings Are More Common Than You Might Think

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Romantic relationships between autistic and ADHD individuals are more common than many realise. Shared understanding, complementary traits, and the rise of neurodivergent communities all contribute to these increasingly visible partnerships. This article explores why these pairings work and what they can teach us about connection, communication, and neurodiversity.

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How CVSS Works: A Guide to Vulnerability Scoring

The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) is a widely used framework for evaluating and communicating the severity of software vulnerabilities. First introduced in 1999, CVSS has become the standard scoring method for organisations to prioritise security efforts and manage vulnerabilities systematically. By assigning numerical scores to vulnerabilities based on their characteristics, CVSS enables teams to assess risks and allocate resources effectively.

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Let’s Encrypt, But Let’s Not Regret: Linode CLI Updates Keep Breaking Our SSL Renewal Flow

Linode has long been a reliable platform for hosting production infrastructure, but frequent changes to the linode-cli are repeatedly breaking SSL certificate renewals via Let’s Encrypt. This article outlines the operational impact, the frustration, and what Akamai/Linode could do to restore developer trust.

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The Evolution of FAIR: Cyber Risk in Financial Terms

The Factor Analysis of Information Risk (FAIR) framework has emerged as a cornerstone in cyber risk quantification, enabling organisations to measure and communicate risk in financial terms. FAIR’s evolution represents a shift from traditional qualitative assessments to a structured, quantitative model that aligns cybersecurity strategies with business objectives. By breaking down risk into probability and impact components, FAIR provides decision-makers with actionable insights to prioritise investments and mitigate threats effectively.

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Thomas Pynchon Returns: What Shadow Ticket Means for Me

What’s that you say? Thomas Pynchon announces a new book to be released in October 2025? No frigging way, Dude. Will it be multi-episodic, akin to Gravity’s Rainbow? Mason and Dixon, Against the Day? V even? Or more accessible, Inherent Vice, Vineland, or Bleeding Edge? Am I buying a copy? Of course I am.

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Magic Mouse My Arse… Apple Doesn’t Build for the Neurodiverse… They Build for Neurotypical Convenience

For me, and for many neurodivergent people, the way we interact with technology isn’t just a matter of preference. It’s about accessibility, functionality, and ease-of-use in a world that too often ignores our needs. People like me who aren’t great at coordination or balance, and who have Autism, ADHD, Asperger’s, or Dyspraxia, struggle to use “simplified” products.

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More Cybersecurity Skills Gap Bollocks: The Myth of a Crisis

If you’ve followed cybersecurity headlines, you’ve probably heard about the “skills gap.” The narrative goes like this: organisations are under constant attack from cybercriminals, but there just aren’t enough qualified professionals to protect them. This shortage, we’re told, is a dire crisis threatening businesses and governments alike.

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Plato, Democracy, and the Path to Tyranny

Plato famously (and controversially) argued that all democracies inevitably collapse into tyranny. For a modern reader, raised on ideals of popular sovereignty, civil rights, and universal suffrage, this sounds alarmist or even offensive. But to dismiss Plato’s warning outright would be to miss a deeper meditation on the fragility of political systems and human nature itself.

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Steering Regional Resilience: Reflections on Two Years Supporting DSIT’s Cyber Local Programme

As Chair of the West Midlands Cyber Working Group, I’ve helped lead DSIT’s Cyber Local steering group for the region over the past two years. Working alongside regional experts, I’ve supported the selection of projects that strengthen cyber resilience on the ground, including Aston University’s powerful work on cyber violence against women and girls. This experience has reinforced just how critical locally informed funding is to building practical, inclusive, and impactful cyber capability.

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Oh Birmingham, My Birmingham

Oh Birmingham, my Birmingham. How did it come to this? Once proud. Once industrial. Once ambitious. Now, we stand at a low point: streets lined not with opportunity but with black bin bags and broken promises. Today, a major incident has been declared. Not for flood, nor fire, nor terror. But for rubbish.

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Mapping Cyber Risk Approaches: Bridging Quantification and Scoring

The diverse landscape of cyber risk methodologies, ranging from technical scoring systems like CVSS to financial quantification frameworks like FAIR, offers organisations multiple tools to manage threats. However, these tools often operate in isolation, creating challenges when aligning technical, operational, and financial risk perspectives. Mapping between these approaches bridges the gaps, enabling organisations to unify risk management strategies and enhance decision-making.

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Goodbye Anne Marie

So Monday we said goodbye to Anne Marie, sadly taken from us and her loving family too quickly.

Sorry I wasn’t always there, Anne. I’ll see you on the other side.

Thanks to Nick and Teresa and Grace and all Anne’s family and friends. Bless you all.

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Inside the CyberASAP 2025 Kickoff: Mentoring, Learning, and Supporting the Next Generation of Academic Cyber Innovators

I recently attended the CyberASAP Year 9 Kickoff as a mentor, and also took the opportunity to experience the first two days alongside the academic teams to better understand what they go through. This blog captures my reflections from all three days, covering IP, value propositions, stakeholder mapping, and some of the truly impressive innovations coming from UK universities. It also looks at the history and purpose of the programme and why it continues to matter in bridging the gap between research and real-world impact.

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A Beginner’s Guide to Cyber Risk Scoring

Cyber risk scoring is a critical tool for organisations to measure their cybersecurity posture, prioritise risk mitigation efforts, and communicate threats effectively. Unlike broader risk quantification methods, which often involve financial modelling and probability analysis, cyber risk scoring assigns a numerical or categorical value to risks based on their severity, likelihood, and potential impact.

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