The Humanist Association of Connecticut

The typos are gone. The awkward grammar is gone. The "Dear Sir/Madam" is gone. AI has given attackers flawless writing, perfect impersonation, and the ability to personalize thousands of scams at once. This 30-minute session looks at how phishing has changed and what still works to stop it.
We'll cover:

• How AI changed the game: polished, personalized emails built from public info like LinkedIn profiles and company websites
• Beyond the inbox: voice cloning, deepfake video calls, text message scams, and QR code phishing
• Real-world examples: the executive who was never on the call, and the "vendor" invoice that looked perfect
• Why old advice fails: "look for spelling mistakes" no longer protects anyone
• What actually works: verification habits, MFA, email security controls, and a culture where people feel safe reporting mistakes

Attendees will leave knowing what modern attacks look like and with a few simple steps they can put in place right away, whether they run a business or just have an inbox.

Our speaker is Scott "Scambuster" Gombar, founder and Chief Information Security Officer of Nwaj Tech, a Connecticut cybersecurity and managed IT firm that protects small and mid-sized businesses across the Northeast. He is a member of ISACA Greater Hartford, the CISSP Southern Connecticut chapter, and the New Haven County Bar Association.
We meet for coffee and conversation at 6:30 PM followed by Scott's presentation at 7:00 PM.

Our book for November is Job: A Comedy of Justice by science fiction author Robert Heinlein.

From Wikipedia:
Job: A Comedy of Justice is a [1984] science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. The title is a reference to the biblical Book of Job and James Branch Cabell's [early fantasy] Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice.

The story examines religion through the eyes of Alex, a Christian political activist who is corrupted by Margrethe, a Danish Norse cruise ship hostess – and who loves every minute of it. Enduring a shipwreck, an earthquake, and a series of world-changes brought about by Loki (with Jehovah's permission), Alex and Marga work their way from Mexico back to Kansas as dishwasher and waitress…On the way they unknowingly enjoy the Texas hospitality of Satan himself, but as they near their destination they are separated by the Rapture – Margrethe worships Odin, and pagans do not go to Heaven.

"[A] fascinating and thought-provoking work – one to make you smile, to make you wonder, and to make you care!" – New York Times Book Review

Supplementary reading for the discussion is ***Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice ***by James Branch Cabell.

All members of the Humanist Association of Connecticut are welcome to attend. If you have something to bring to the board or wish to attend, please contact our president. The link to attend will be sent out prior to the meeting.