As AI agents are given more access and autonomy, testing needs to go beyond whether they follow instructions. Katie Barnett looks at recent incidents involving OpenAI and other AI agents, and what they tell us about permissions, controls and testing what an agent is actually capable of doing.
Katie Barnett, Toro’s Director of Cyber Security, was quoted in SC Media UK following incidents involving AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic during security testing. The article looks beyond the “rogue AI” headlines to examine what the incidents mean for CISOs, including agent permissions, sandboxing, monitoring and the need for greater visibility over how AI agents are being used.
Financial institutions have invested heavily in security, but more tools, policies and reporting do not necessarily mean greater resilience. Katie Barnett and Gavin Wilson look at the risks financial institutions should be paying closest attention to in 2026, from social engineering and physical security to third-party dependencies, insider threats and AI.
A convincing LinkedIn profile and a few mutual connections can make a stranger seem legitimate. Katie Barnett looks at how fake recruiter profiles can be used to build trust, gather information and create the groundwork for more targeted attacks.
Technology alone cannot stop today’s cyber threats. While organisations continue to invest in advanced security tools, attackers increasingly target the people behind them. In this interview, Peter Connolly, CEO of Toro Solutions, explains why human behaviour has become the primary attack surface in modern security, how criminals exploit trust through social engineering and AI-powered attacks, and why building a culture of resilience is critical to protecting organisations. He also explores the convergence of cyber, physical and human security, and the leadership capabilities needed to stay ahead of an evolving threat landscape.
Your inbox is more than a place for messages – it’s the key to your digital identity. From banking and payroll to healthcare and legal services, control of your email account can give cybercriminals access to almost every aspect of your life. In this practical guide, Katie Barnett, Director of Cyber Security at Toro Solutions, explains why your inbox is one of your most valuable assets and outlines the simple steps that can dramatically reduce your risk, from enabling passkeys and multi-factor authentication to using password managers and separating email accounts by purpose.
Understand why cyber due diligence is essential before an acquisition. Identify hidden cyber risks, protect deal value and make informed investment decisions.
Before trusting an MSP with privileged access to your systems and data, ask these five essential cyber security questions. Learn how to assess access controls, governance, endpoint security, incident response and supplier risk to make more informed decisions.
From ticket fraud to credential theft, explore how World Cup 2026 scams blur the lines between cyber, physical and people security risks.
Discover the indicators that your organisation is ready for Red Team testing and how realistic adversary simulations can help strengthen resilience across cyber, physical and human security.
Your email account is more than just a messaging platform – it’s the control layer for your digital life. Learn why compromised inboxes lead to wider breaches and discover practical steps to secure your accounts, reduce exposure and protect sensitive information.
In this piece, Katie Barnett argues that insider risk is often misunderstood as a problem of malicious intent when in reality it more often develops gradually through stress, fatigue, financial pressure or disengagement. Many incidents are preceded by subtle behavioural changes that go unnoticed or unaddressed, leaving organisations reacting too late. Her focus is on shifting from a purely technical or disciplinary response to one that recognises the role of wellbeing, culture and early intervention. Supporting people earlier, she suggests, is not a soft option but a more effective way to reduce risk before it escalates.
