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Author: Clive Catton

Clive Catton MSc (Cyber Security)

Clive is the CISO at Octagon Technology Ltd with special responsibility for data privacy and cybersecurity. The world of business technology is constantly changing and to meet this challenge he recently graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with an MSc in Advanced Computer Security and Digital Forensics - this course is certified by the Nation Cyber Security Centre. His dissertation was on data privacy and classification in small businesses using Microsoft 365 for Business.

The degree is not the end of the studying – to keep current Clive spends some of his time at work simply reading and studying the latest technology trends and threats so our clients can benefit from this knowledge. This knowledge also shapes and supports the products and services Octagon delivers to clients.

To make full use of Clive’s Master’s degree in cybersecurity, Clive and Diana have a joint venture with an international research company to get access for our clients to up to date information, schemas, analytics, templates, actionable tools and guidance. Whatever the size of your organisation if you are not approaching IT, cybersecurity and information privacy in a way that supports and benefits you, they can help, from the boardroom to the shop floor.

Clive and Diana are also working on a project to provide flexible online cyber security training for businesses at CyberAwake - Train Your Team To Protect You Against Cyber Attacks. Clive is the cybersecurity consultant for the project.

Clive has a long running personal blog at Clive's Blog. Here he publishes articles about photography, walking, camping, technology, stuff he just likes and since January 1, 2012, he posts "a photo a day" on the blog.
Posted on 19 February 202520 February 2025

Privacy and Encryption

encryption is essential to privacy

Over the past few weeks, I have been writing about privacy for CyberAwake – I have linked the articles below – and at the same time, I was reading up on encryption for an article here last week on the value of encryption – Encryption or Not Encryption. Both sets …

Continue reading “Privacy and Encryption”

Posted on 18 February 202520 February 2025

Some good news about Ransomware

Globally the payments made in response to a ransomware attack have dropped significantly in the last year. Global ransomware payments plunge by a third amid crackdown | Cybercrime | The Guardian This is attributed to authorities and law enforcement agencies having successes with their investigations and prosecutions and a refusal …

Continue reading “Some good news about Ransomware”

Posted on 17 February 202520 February 2025

The edges of physical networks.

I spend a lot of time here talking about hybrid working and working from anywhere, but we have to remember for hybrid working there will be an office somewhere and that office will have cyber security requirements. This is something I am going to looking at in my next Back-to-Basics …

Continue reading “The edges of physical networks.”

Posted on 14 February 202528 February 2025

Because It’s Friday – Valentine’s Day

Valentine's card

It is Valentine’s Day so let’s find out what the best Scrabble score is. Because what else would you do on Valentine’s Day except play Scrabble! Vsauce talks about Scabble …and because it’s Valentine Day Although it is too late to order gifts online. There again do you need a …

Continue reading “Because It’s Friday – Valentine’s Day”

Posted on 12 February 202513 February 2025

Encryption or Not Encryption 

encryption should not be broken by anyone

I am a great advocate of clients using encryption to enhance their cyber security and I have written a number of articles explaining how encryption is an easy cyber security step to implement. Here are a couple of them:  In Support of Encryption  Email Encryption  I also think encryption is …

Continue reading “Encryption or Not Encryption “

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