Opinion

Opinion

• Computing at the edge: Let’s get on board

  With the increasing complexity of networks today, whether it’s hybrid cloud infrastructure or time-sliced 5G, somehow we’ve got to manage it  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: SASE will become operational reality

  While still considered very much a buzzword, the pace of change in corporate networks and operational technology means secure access service edge (SASE) is becoming reality for many  Continue Reading

• Harness data to make better business conversations

  Productive business conversations require a data culture underpinned by data literacy and balanced by humanistic values  Continue Reading

• The value of open source in Europe

  Open source offers immense benefits across the private and public sector and enables organisations to tap into world-class expertise  Continue Reading

• Men’s Mental Health Month: How fintech can reduce anxiety around debt

  Umer Suleman of ethical investment firm Wahed explains how financial technology can reduce anxieties associated with debt  Continue Reading

• Lessons from Lisbon: Reflections on a week at Web Summit

  Russ Shaw, founder and CEO of Tech London Advocates and Global Tech Advocates, assesses the key takeaways of Web Summit 2021  Continue Reading

• How software development will change in 2022

  Businesses need a pipeline of software-enabled functionality that has to be delivered quickly and reliably without overworking software teams  Continue Reading

• How can specialist retailers get closer to their customers?

  In many cases, a customer needs more than just picking an item off the shelf or opening a box left on the doorstep – they need domain expertise  Continue Reading

• Back to the past with government identity

  The UK government plans to spend up to £400m developing yet another digital identity system – why is taxpayer money going into a time warp when there is surely a better and cheaper way?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: SASE – more than the sum of its parts?

  Airbus Cybersecurity’s Paddy Francis asks what makes an integration of the various components of SASE more the sum of their parts, and what are the benefits and pitfalls?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: What to find out before investing in SASE

  Petra Wenham of the BCS shares her thoughts on what organisations need to consider as they investigate whether or not to invest in secure access service edge technology  Continue Reading

• Flexible working hours the key for increased productivity

  With flexible working shifting from being a privilege to a necessity, company leaders must ensure their workers have a high-quality network service, efficient resources, hardware and cloud services, says Whit Andrews, distinguished research ...  Continue Reading

• How the tech sector can lead the green revolution

  Tech has often been highlighted as a contributor to climate change, but technology innovation will be central to achieving a net-zero economy  Continue Reading

• Building bridges to better diversity

  Tibco CIO Rani Johnson describes how the C-suite need to make themselves uncomfortable if they are to increase diversity in their organisations  Continue Reading

• The ICO is right to push back against government meddling

  Some criticisms of the ICO are justified, but the answer to that is not to give Whitehall more oversight over the data protection regulator, argues legal expert Edward Machin  Continue Reading

• Zero trust: Now is the time

  The cyber security industry has been talking about a zero-trust approach to security for just over a decade, but now it’s time to move towards full implementation because it is more appropriate than ever, and it is rapidly gaining support from ...  Continue Reading

• The Secret IR Insider’s Diary – this is not a fashion show

  In the latest pages taken from their diary, the Secret IR Insider reveals why organisations should be worried about every threat, not just the latest and greatest  Continue Reading

• Watching me, watching you – challenging the rise of digital surveillance at work

  Unprecedented levels of digital monitoring at work is embedding a culture of surveillance, despite workers’ opposition to the practices, says Prospect Union  Continue Reading

• Reaching the data gold standard: dream or reality?

  The pandemic has forced businesses to adopt digital technology at a record pace but most organisations find themselves at the beginning of a long journey towards making the most of their data  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: SASE – marketing buzz or the future of security?

  SASE architectures promise to prevent multiple types of cyber attacks, but deciding whether SASE is right for your organisation will require understanding whether SASE is a fit for your use cases in IT  Continue Reading

• How tech can help companies make bigger strides towards sustainability

  Sustainability must be at the centre of a digital strategy – not a sideshow or an afterthought  Continue Reading

• Is SASE mere vendor hype? It’s more nuanced than that

  There’s no doubt that SASE is being overhyped, but nevertheless the concept holds value that security teams should not discount, according to PA Consulting analysts  Continue Reading

• Changing the rules against cyber attacks

  UKRI’s John Goodacre reveals how projects supported by the Digital Security by Design Challenge aim to improve cyber security resilience, beginning with the very fundamentals of computing  Continue Reading

• Building better data foundations to make the most of AI

  The UK government's national artificial intelligence strategy relies on businesses putting in place the foundations for better use of data – EY research highlights the challenges ahead  Continue Reading

• The future is digital, so why is Britain’s national strategy waterfall?

  UK government policy is dominated by old, traditional attitudes – rather like the waterfall approach to IT projects. Unless policymaking adopts digital-style approaches, the UK is doomed to long-term decline  Continue Reading

• Six strategic plays for UK government IT initiatives and their implications for policy

  The UK government needs to decide what being digital means – and there are a number of options to consider. Policymakers have to choose, if the benefits of transformation are to be achieved  Continue Reading

• No easy fix for vulnerability exploitation, so be prepared

  Vulnerability management and disclosure is a tricky business with ethical and business ramifications for software vendors, CISOs and ethical hackers alike – and CISOs sit right in the middle of this  Continue Reading

• Doing the right thing: How CISOs should approach responsible disclosure

  Owen Wright, responsible for penetration testing and adversary simulation at Context, part of Accenture Security, advises how CISOs should approach responsible disclosure  Continue Reading

• Encryption protects the marginalised – and it’s under threat

  Encryption keeps marginalised groups connected and safe, but new regulatory attempts to break it put them at risk  Continue Reading

• How to prevent developer burnout

  The pandemic has led to more pressure on software developers, many of whom have reported increased levels of stress and anxiety  Continue Reading

• Addressing the backup dilemma to ransomware recovery

  Everyone knows good backups are essential if one is to recover from a ransomware attack, but using them effectively poses challenges that IT teams need to know about  Continue Reading

• Open source for good

  Imagine volunteering to build a home for a struggling family and the entire community shows up to help – that is what open source is all about  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Responsible vulnerability disclosure is a joint effort

  By working hand-in-hand, developers and security researchers can both play a vital role in ensuring newly-discovered vulnerabilities are addressed appropriately, writes Paddy Francis of Airbus CyberSecurity  Continue Reading

• Five tips to bridge application management service gaps

  The watermelon effect is defined in the ITIL 4 Foundation guide as a breakage between the SLA client wants and what the service provider delivers  Continue Reading

• New strategies needed to close the cyber security skills gap

  Teaching cyber security in schools is a long-term solution to a present-day problem  Continue Reading

• Invest in cyber security with confidence using a structured approach

  Cyber security has never been more challenging or important in rapidly changing business, regulatory, IT and threat environments. There is a need for a more structured approach to investment  Continue Reading

• Britain needs its amazing migrants

  Fintech entrepreneur Michael Kent explains why Britain needs migrants and why government policy and media horror stories will damage the UK’s economy and reputation  Continue Reading

• Keeping the UK in the global race to adopt digital identity

  The UK government’s proposed digital ID trust framework is a step in the right direction, but more is needed to ensure the successful adoption of digital identity across the economy  Continue Reading

• ICO cookie consent: How will the plan affect businesses?

  A data privacy and compliance expert considers what the ICO’s proposals for an overhaul of cookie consent procedures could mean for businesses  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Embracing vulnerability management for the greater good

  When it comes to vulnerability management, CISOs should define a responsible disclosure policy so that they can receive and manage identified vulnerabilities transparently, practically and collaboratively, says Paul Watts of the ISF  Continue Reading

• Local Digital Capital Index: A framework for levelling up

  How can the tech sector ensure digital equality across the UK in support of the government's levelling-up agenda? TechUK is trying to set the benchmarks  Continue Reading

• UK AI strategy focused on economic growth, resilience and ethics

  Chris Eastham of law firm Fieldfisher looks at the government’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, and the merits of the 10-year plan and its approach  Continue Reading

• Will the end of furlough help fill tech vacancies?

  The closure of the government’s furlough scheme may not help the tech sector fill the most technical vacancies, but it could bolster available talent for the longer term  Continue Reading

• Rebooting the hospitality sector with technology

  Technology is playing a crucial role as the hospitality sector rebounds after the coronavirus pandemic  Continue Reading

• Why UK firms should reconsider jurisdiction in technology contracts after Brexit

  UK companies may need to reconsider how they draft some IT contracts with suppliers since the country left the European Union  Continue Reading

• Facial recognition cannot be a standalone authentication method

  As more organisations look to facial recognition to improve their digital identity practices, they must remember that it cannot stand in isolation  Continue Reading

• UK data plans aim to boost growth but will they isolate the UK from its international friends?

  The UK government has made strong statements about the nation’s post-Brexit data strategy but must be careful not to undermine its global credibility  Continue Reading

• Managing cyber risk through integrated supply chains

  High-profile supply chain cyber attacks have caused huge disruption this year. PA Consulting’s Carl Nightingale considers key questions business leaders should be asking of their organisations  Continue Reading

• Dear Chancellor: Unlocking private sector collaboration is the key to tech growth

  Chancellor Rishi Sunak asked the tech sector for ideas to promote growth – startup hub Plexal makes its case in response  Continue Reading

• Putting data at the heart of policymaking will accelerate London’s recovery

  A new initiative to encourage better data sharing between London’s private and public sectors can play an important role in recovering from the pandemic  Continue Reading

• IR35 reforms: Tech firms warned off relying on high-risk compliance workarounds

  Several months have passed since the onset of the IR35 reforms in the private sector, but compliance with the rules remains an ongoing process, warns Brookson Legal’s Matt Fryer  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Optimising privacy, post-GDPR

  Airbus CyberSecurity CTO Paddy Francis explores the impact of regulation on data protection, and how it has changed how one goes about optimising data privacy in the enterprise  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: A response to planned data protection changes

  The ISF’s Emma Bickerstaffe assesses how organisations might respond to proposed changes to the UK’s data protection regime  Continue Reading

• The rise of the chief risk officer

  The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has seen chief risk officers take their rightful place in the boardroom  Continue Reading

• UK’s new data protection strategy risks costing business more than it gains

  The apparent business benefits of pursuing data adequacy agreements around the world may not be as enticing as they at first appear  Continue Reading

• Protecting children in the digital playground

  The ICO’s Age Appropriate Design Code ushers in a new set of standards that advance children’s rights in the digital age  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Managing data securely throughout its lifecycle

  Managing data in a secure manner is key to ensuring its integrity and therefore its value to the organisation, as well as reducing risk from breaches and misinformation  Continue Reading

• Using geospatial data to unlock innovation in the property sector

  Louise Weale from Ordnance Survey argues that geospatial data is key to unlocking business innovation in the property sector  Continue Reading

• Supply chain cyber security is only as strong as the weakest link

  A spate of high-profile cyber attacks has highlighted the criticality of supply chain security and put new pressures on security leaders. How can we ensure that cyber security remains robust down the full length of supply chains?  Continue Reading

• How the cyber security market is evolving

  The cyber security market has gained even greater importance in the post-Covid era and continues to grow and evolve. But what factors are driving trends in that market and what should your organisation consider when making cyber security investments?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Steps to a solid data privacy practice

  Petra Wenham of the BCS shares her expertise on building, or rebuilding, a solid business data privacy practice in a post-Covid-19 world  Continue Reading

• Basel III: How fintech can provide allocated gold for banks

  Banking rules that were over 10 years in the making as a response to the financial crisis have finally come into effect, marking a seismic shift for European banks and their dealings with gold – potentially completely altering the landscape of ...  Continue Reading

• The ransomware debate – to pay or not to pay?

  The debate around banning ransomware payments is highly nuanced, and we must take care to avoid overt victim-blaming, in favour of an open and honest approach, says SASIG’s Martin Smith  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Data privacy not in isolation, but on a spectrum

  The gap between data privacy and data governance is narrowing, and security leaders need to be aware of the implications, says KuppingerCole’s Anne Bailey  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Data privacy and ethics in a post-Covid world

  The radical change caused by the pandemic requires new approaches to data privacy practice, says PA Consulting’s Daniel Gordon  Continue Reading

• Why the government’s Innovation Strategy must not become a missed opportunity

  The UK has a problem with R&D spending, but the new government plan to address this leaves too many important decisions unresolved  Continue Reading

• Firms struggle to manage their innovation ecosystems

  A lack of governance and performance mechanisms is hindering firms from getting the most out of suppliers in their innovation ecosystems  Continue Reading

• The unintended consequences of digital transformation

  Digital transformation offers organisations a way to change fundamentally the way they operate  Continue Reading

• Five tips to ensure your crisis comms plan is ready for a cyber attack

  Business leaders take note: standard crisis communications plans are inadequate if you have fallen victim to a cyber attack. HPL’s Ted Birkhahn shares five tips to make sure you are ready to face the public  Continue Reading

• Gartner: Purchasing enterprise PCs during a global chip shortage

  How can organisations purchase enterprise PCs during a global chip shortage? They need to outsmart the crisis  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Consider cyber policies and procedures as you welcome employees back

  With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect ...  Continue Reading

• Government-led innovation can help cyber startups find a market

  There are many reasons why early-stage cyber startups often struggle to get off the ground, but government-backed programmes can help them find a path  Continue Reading

• Sparsely staffed offices: the new post-pandemic cyber gap

  With many offices still operating at limited capacity, a red teaming expert reveals how his job is getting easier, and why this is a problem  Continue Reading

• The Secret IR Insider’s Diary: It’s all gone quie...

  The ‘Q’ word isn’t one that’s really used in incident response, says the Secret IR Insider, largely because as soon as you use it, something happens  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: A return to the office is not a return to normal

  With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect ...  Continue Reading

• Is tech team remuneration opening up a new form of cyber risk?

  Failing to reward cyber security staff in line with increases for other members of the tech team could open up new risks to organisations  Continue Reading

• Can a web app ever be truly secure?

  Despite the wealth of vulnerability detection tools and practices, there remains a vast array of web application security breaches  Continue Reading

• Professionals need protection from the Computer Misuse Act

  The UK needs cyber legislation fit for the 21st century, so it is important for the industry to get behind the government’s proposed reform of the Computer Misuse Act  Continue Reading

• Are you betting your future on the worst gambling odds in the world?

  Gambling is a high-risk strategy. Doing nothing in the face of the threat from ransomware and hoping for the best provides some of the worst odds you will ever come across  Continue Reading

• Choose the right ITSM tool for digital era success

  IT service management (ITSM) tools are essential for many organisations to help optimise the design, delivery, support, use and governance of IT, but not all ITSM solutions are created equal, therefore selecting the right one is crucial  Continue Reading

• Why identity is the central problem for the future of the internet

  As debate rages over who has the right to control user identities online, is the concept of decentralised identity about to have its day?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Reopening is an opportunity to reassess wider security posture

  With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: As offices reopen, address patching and ‘build drift’

  With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Returning workers to the office: Is your security posture up to date?

  With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect ...  Continue Reading

• Going back to office networks, only to dismantle them once and for all

  With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect ...  Continue Reading

• The secret to building a future-proof cyber security team

  In a post-pandemic digital world, where cyber criminals see a feast of opportunities, what are the secrets to building a world-class cyber security function?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Hydration, hiring, hacking – lessons in post-Covid risk

  With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect ...  Continue Reading

• UK data exchanges with EU can continue after adequacy decision - but for how long?

  For now European businesses can continue to send data to the UK without additional safeguards and paperwork. How long will it last?  Continue Reading

• Ethical hacking: What, why, and overcoming concerns

  We find out why and how hitting your own business with a cyber attack can help improve security  Continue Reading

• How Covid-19 accelerated cloud investment in the financial world

  Cloud computing is no longer a thing of the future for banks that want to remain competitive  Continue Reading

• Banking tech fraud: How to trace and recover your money

  Even when stolen assets are sent offshore, the special powers of the English civil court system mean all may not be lost  Continue Reading

• How CIOs can help their organisations accelerate digital transformation

  Companies need to win the trust of their customers to gather the data they need to transform their businesses  Continue Reading

• Universal Credit: What went wrong, and what we learned

  The architect of one of the biggest and most controversial government policies – and IT failures – of the past decade gives his inside view of the project, and how Computer Weekly was a thorn in their side  Continue Reading

• It’s time to hit fast forward for digital jobs

  With huge numbers of people left unemployed by the pandemic, and continuing skills gaps in technology, now is the time to start joining dots and helping more people into long-term tech careers  Continue Reading

• European ‘chat control’ plans in the name of ‘child safety’ threaten end-to-end encryption

  Proposals by European Commission to search for illegal material could mean the end of private messaging and emails  Continue Reading

• Why a data-driven world should consider an oath of ethics

  The Hippocratic Oath is perhaps the most widely known of Greek medical texts – and such an oath is needed in data science  Continue Reading

• Shaping a Digital Strategy to support UK productivity and jobs

  With an all-party parliamentary group calling for evidence on digital skills, there are three key areas that policymakers should address    Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: To secure printers think process, technology and people

  Though rarely discussed in a cyber context, the prevalence of connected printers and MFPs poses security risks both technological and physical. What does a print security strategy need to take into account?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Time to accept printers will leak data

  Though rarely discussed in a cyber context, the prevalence of connected printers and MFPs poses security risks both technological and physical. What does a print security strategy need to take into account?  Continue Reading

• Why agility is the key to secure software

  Continuous delivery of software product releases demands continuous security. Businesses and regulators are right to wonder whether organisations are valuing cyber security by the design of their products  Continue Reading