Antivirus, firewall and IDS products

Threat landscape grew in complexity in 2019, no respite in sight

Check Point’s annual state of security report shares some 2019 trends and looks ahead to 2020 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 42

In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Caroline Donnelly, Clare McDonald and Brian McKenna greet the new decade with reflections on the Travelex ransomware attack and Dominic Cummings’ call for data science to rejuvenate Whitehall. And they take stock of the retail sector’s grim 2019, while remembering to mention the big story of the moment: Harry and Meghan Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK
• Clare McDonald, Business Editor
• Brian McKenna, Senior Analyst, Business Applications

PowerTrick backdoor used to target high-value businesses

Threat actors are exploiting a PowerShell-based backdoor called PowerTrick to go after high-value targets, warns SentinelLabs Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Broadcom flogs Symantec enterprise security unit to Accenture

Acquisition is set to make Accenture a global leader in managed cyber security services Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top 10 cyber crime stories of 2019

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 cyber crime stories of 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top 10 cyber security stories of 2019

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 cyber security stories of 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Finnish government supports local authorities in cyber security initiative

The Finnish government has committed resources to a cyber security project aimed at local authorities Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Group-IB CEO talks up global threat landscape

Public attribution of cyber attacks could backfire while a global cyber norms framework won’t emerge until a catastrophic incident occurs, says the head of Singapore-based Group-IB Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Security Think Tank: Data-centric security requires context and understanding

The belief that effective perimeter security is the best way to protect data is a fallacy that is being repeatedly exposed. We must recognise the need for a data-centric security model to protect data from both internal and external threats, but what does this mean for security professionals? Continue Reading

By

• Eoin Keary

How commodities firm ED&F Man solved its threat detection challenges

After a minor server breach, leading commodities trader turned to Vectra’s Cognito service to expose hidden threats, spot privilege misuse, and conduct conclusive investigations Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Hackers primed to exploit 5G to Wi-Fi handover flaws

Warning that attackers will find new vulnerabilities to access voice and data on 5G mobile phones as carriers hand off calls and data to Wi-Fi networks to save bandwidth Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

Tenable buys Indegy to integrate IT and OT security

Acquisition of industrial security specialist Indegy will create a unified, risk-based platform spanning both IT and OT security for Tenable Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: In-depth protection is a matter of basic hygiene

The belief that effective perimeter security is the best way to protect data is a fallacy that is being repeatedly exposed. We must recognise the need for a data-centric security model to protect data from both internal and external threats, but what does this mean for security professionals? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Managed services fuelling APAC security market

Spending on managed security services will account for almost half of Asia-Pacific’s cyber security market by 2023, as global and local providers shore up their offerings in the region Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Attack on Labour shows need for DDoS defence but should alarm few

After being hit by two DDoS attacks in the space of 24 hours, many commentators are convinced the UK’s Labour Party is the victim of foreign interference in the General Election campaign. It probably isn’t Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nordic SMEs lack the money needed for cyber security

Businesses and governments in Denmark and Norway are working together to address a cyber security shortfall for SMEs in each country Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Shared responsibility model key to solving 5G security problem

Both buyers and sellers need to cooperate to solve the thorny issues around 5G security Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Trend Micro insider breach exposes need for data-centric protection

Simple measures could have saved consumer security product supplier from insider breach Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Take responsibility for cyber security basics, urges NCSC CEO

At the launch of its third annual review, NCSC head Ciaran Martin appealed for individuals and businesses to address the fundamentals of cyber security hygiene to help lighten the load Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sodinokibi emerging as a diverse, multi-vector threat to businesses

McAfee shares insight into the Sodinokibi ransomware campaign gleaned from its network of honeypots Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Private equity swoops on Sophos

British cyber security star picked up by technology sector investors for $3.9bn Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Small business guide: How to keep your organisation secure from fraudsters and hackers

Doing a few things well can keep your organisation protected from common cyber attacks and fraudsters Continue Reading

By

• Jan Youngren

IBM, McAfee among founders of open source security alliance

A group of cyber security suppliers have come together to form the Open Cybersecurity Alliance Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

LogRhythm touts unlimited data plan for SIEM systems

SIEM supplier introduces three-year, term-based pricing plan that lets enterprises ingest as much data as they want without breaking the bank Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Nodersok malware campaign is infecting thousands, Microsoft warns

Thousands of Windows endpoints in the US and Europe have been infected by a new fileless malware campaign in the past few weeks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Overinvestment breeds overconfidence among security pros

CISOs have made an abundance of security investments in multiple suppliers, but this might not be the right approach Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Kaspersky eyes enterprise business, opens APAC transparency hub

The security firm wants to engage with enterprises and use its newly launched Malaysian Transparency Centre to burnish its credentials Continue Reading

By

• Edwin Yapp

Silence APT group eyes APAC banks

Russian-speaking advanced persistent threat group has set its sights on banks in the region, customising its arsenal for targeted attacks Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Malware still top security threat, say infosec pros

Malware remains the top security threat to organisations, with ransomware still considered to be the top malware threat and lack of budget the biggest obstacle to defence, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

What are network firewalls? Test your network security IQ

Network firewalls have been an essential part of network security since the internet began. This quiz covers what network firewalls are and tests your security expertise. Continue Reading

By

• Michaela Goss, Senior Site Editor

DCMS funding aims to increase diversity in cyber sector

A funding round has been announced as part of the Cyber Skills Immediate Impact Fund (CSIIF) with aims of encouraging more diverse talent into the UK’s cyber security sector Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Digital domain identified as major security threat by Norway’s intelligence service

Norway's intelligence services has revealed the extent of the threat posed to the country by cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Cyber attackers using wider range of threats

Businesses need to ensure they are able to defend against a wide range of threats in the face of increased malicious Office documents, Mac malware and web application exploits, report shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Applying AI to road safety

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we visit a Tokyo project where artificial intelligence is helping to improve road safety by detecting potential subsidence. As bug bounty programmes become popular, we look at what’s involved and the pitfalls to avoid. And we discuss digital development in healthcare with NHS England. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Inside F5’s cyber security playbook

F5 Networks' CISO talks up measures that the application delivery and security specialist is employing to fend off cyber attackers that come knocking on its doors Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Beware of security blind spots in encrypted traffic

The growth of encrypted traffic has put the spotlight on intrusion prevention systems that help to surface cyber attacks conducted under the cloak of network encryption Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Security Think Tank: Proper segregation is more important than ever

What are the security benefits and challenges of segregating IT environments, and how best are these challenges overcome? Continue Reading

By

• Emma Bickerstaffe, Information Security Forum (ISF)

Using data science at Sainsbury’s

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to one of the UK’s leading retailers, Sainsbury’s, about its data science strategy and how it helps the firm to better understand customers. We take a detailed look at the evolution of the business intelligence market and the impact of big data. And we find out how simulated disaster management can tackle the security skills gap. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Supercomputers are playing a major role in the transformation of experimental science

Combining unified threat management with other security systems and a strategic CISO is essential to defend against threats. Continue Reading

Layer your approach to web security

Combining unified threat management with other security systems and a strategic CISO is essential to defend against threats Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

VMware firewall strategy to focus on 'known good' behavior

VMware is taking a different approach to firewalls by focusing on 'known good' behavior to better police east-west traffic within enterprise environments. Continue Reading

By

• Rob Wright, Senior News Director

Singapore can now certify security products based on Common Criteria

The city-state is has attained the status of a Certificate Authorising Nation, enabling it to evaluate and certify security products under the Common Criteria standard Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

What are the CDN options for enterprises?

We look at how content delivery networks can give your organisation’s web presence a literal edge Continue Reading

By

• Rene Millman

A guide to choosing cloud-based security services

Cloud-based security services can help organisations with a growing cloud footprint to reduce cost and address the manpower crunch in cyber security Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Security Think Tank: UTM attractive to SMEs, but beware potential pitfalls

How can organisations best use unified threat management tools to help stem the tide of data breaches? Continue Reading

By

• Maxine Holt, Omdia

Security Think Tank: Many routes to UTM to boost security capabilities

How can organisations best use unified threat management tools to help stem the tide of data breaches? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Dutch pharma firm Centrient switches out MPLS for Cato SD-WAN

Centrient Pharmaceuticals, a Netherlands-based drug company, has switched out its global MPLS service in favour of a high-performance software-defined WAN from Cato Networks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Pay attention to attribute-based system access permissions

At the close of 2018, we asked CW Security Think Tank contributors to name one thing predicted for 2018 that did not happen, one thing that was not predicted and did happen and one thing that should happen in 2019, but probably will not Continue Reading

By

• Simon Persin, Turnkey Consulting

APAC cyber security landscape to be more tumultuous in 2019

Amid growing cyber threats, the Asia-Pacific cyber security landscape will not get any rosier in 2019 unless organisations start shoring up their cyber hygiene Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

APAC firms warm up to SD-WAN to solve networking woes

A third of enterprises in the APAC region have already deployed SD-WAN at most of their sites, while 55% are in the process of doing so, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

APAC security spending tipped to reach new highs

Security services will be the largest and fastest-growing slice of the overall security pie in the Asia-Pacific region Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

How Starbucks is using Splunk to automate mundane security tasks

Coffee giant Starbucks is using Splunk to automate some of its more tedious security tasks to reduce the workload for its cyber staff Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Norwegian state discusses vulnerabilities with IT sector

Government is collaborating with the country’s IT industry to improve the availability of security expertise Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Equifax fined by ICO for security failings

The Information Commissioners Office has fined Equifax UK in relation to a data breach at its UK parent last year Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Two-thirds of emails not clean, says research

Two-thirds of emails don't make it to the inbox because security systems consider them unsafe, according to research Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Public cloud use surges among DDoS attackers, research shows

According to data accrued by DDoS mitigation firm, Link11, the number of attackers that rely on public cloud services soared during the 12 months to June 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Cyber criminals outspend businesses in cyber security battle

Cybercriminals are flexing their financial might and UK organisations are facing more attacks as a result Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

An insider’s look into the dark web

A principal research scientist at Sophos offers a glimpse into the abysses of the dark web in a bid to uncover what cyber crooks are up to Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

A third of organisations do not have a security expert, survey shows

Around a third of organisations are vulnerable to cyber attacks due to a lack of dedicated in-house cyber security experts, finds Gartner survey Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Linux targeted by illicit cryptocurrency miners

Cryptojacking is increasingly being used by cyber criminals to raise funds, Watchguard report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber security – why you’re doing it all wrong

Most organisations can list the IT security tools and controls they have, so why do most of them still get the security basics wrong? Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tucker, Human Firewall

Brexit a greater risk to UK financial system than cyber attack

While Brexit is seen as the biggest risk to the stability of the UK financial system, cyber attack is the most difficult risk to manage for over half of firms Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Singapore faced cyber attacks during Trump-Kim summit

Russian attackers allegedly scanned IP phones in the city-state for vulnerabilities, although it was unclear what they were after or whether they were successful Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Security Think Tank: Focus on data protection, but do not rely on DLP alone

Why is it important to know where data flows, with whom it's shared and where it lives at rest – and what is the best way of achieving this? Continue Reading

By

• Emma Bickerstaffe, Information Security Forum (ISF)

How was a Cisco firewall vulnerability exploited by threat actors?

Threat actors exploited a critical Cisco firewall vulnerability that received a CVSS score of 10. Discover how this flaw works and how it was exploited with Judith Myerson. Continue Reading

By

• Judith Myerson

Grab outlines its approach to cyber security

Singapore-based ride-hailing company prefers detective controls rather than preventive ones to deter cyber threats – an approach it claims is less intrusive and costly to implement Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Finland government examines centralised cyber defence

The Finnish government is attempting to centralise its fight against increasing cyber threats to its infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

City Police use Lego simulation to teach businesses cyber security

City of London Police are offering to train business leaders and IT security in cyber security using a Lego simulation that is surprisingly close to real life Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

British banks target Israeli security technology

British banks are turning to Israel’s high-tech sector to protect against cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Business at risk from unidentified network traffic, report warns

A lack of network traffic visibility poses significant security challenges to businesses, a report on network firewalls warns Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government to set up £13.5m cyber security centre

Located at the 2012 Olympic Park, the London Cyber Innovation Centre could create up to 2,000 jobs in cyber security Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dutch SMEs’ cyber security is insufficient

Nowhere in the Netherlands is digitisation as big as it is in small and medium-sized enterprises, but the sector still has a lot to do in terms of cyber security Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Slingshot router malware: a warning for businesses

A stealthy malware that has been used to carry out cyber espionage undetected for six years should raise a red flag to businesses, say security commentators Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Mac malware more than doubled in 2017

Malware targeting Apple Mac computers more than doubled from 2016 to 2017, according to security firm Malwarebytes Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Only half of ransomware payments honoured

Only half of ransomware victims who pay ransoms to cyber criminals recover their data, a report reveals, pointing to a need for more effective strategies to deal with these attacks Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Antivirus tools: Are two programs better than one?

Antivirus software is crucial to your device's security. However, less is often more, especially when considering a secondary free antivirus program. Nick Lewis explains why. Continue Reading

By

• Nick Lewis

Tech industry signs cyber security charter

Nine technology organisations have signed a cyber security charter aimed at raising the level of cyber security internationally Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Norway’s government backs cyber defence mobilisation

Norway has accelerated plans to scale up its national security infrastructure against threats emanating from the cyber domain Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Third party cyber breach risk set to rise

Third party cyber security risk should always have been a priority, but this has never been more important than it is now in light of new technology risks and data protection regulations Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

GDPR: Don’t panic, but seize the chance to build trust, says ICO

With the compliance deadline for the EU’s GDPR just 112 days away, the UK’s information commissioner has urged organisations not to panic, but to seize the chance to build trust with customers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Automating basic security tasks

How can organisations evolve their security operations teams to do more automation of basic tasks and cope with dynamic IT environments? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

AI is moving towards acceptance in cyber security, says Check Point

Artificial intelligence is well on its way to being a useful tool in the cyber security professional’s kit, but according to Check Point, there are still big challenges to overcome Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UAE tech growth prompts firms to review internal IT security

As IT becomes more prominent in the UAE economy, more and more internal connections between people and systems are created, all of which need to be secured Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

Cyber attacks in 2017 drive Nordic security efforts

The volume of cyber attacks last year has increased boardroom focus on security in the Nordic region Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Sweden steps up cyber defence measures

Sweden is tightening up its cyber security defences as part of a wider national security strategy Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Top IT priorities for Nordic CIOs in 2018

Nordic CIOs tell Computer Weekly about their intentions for the year ahead Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Antimalware software: How can Windows 10 disable it?

Kaspersky Lab recently accused Windows 10 of acting as an antivirus block to third-party antimalware software. Discover how your software is being blocked and how this can be fixed. Continue Reading

By

• Nick Lewis

UK government blames North Korea for WannaCry cyber attack

The UK and US governments say a North Korean group was responsible for the ransomware attacks that hit the NHS and other organisations globally this year Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Barclays Bank stops offering Kaspersky software to new users

Bank is no longer offering customers Kaspersky anti-virus software after UK security agency issues warning Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Lauri Love: how reformed hackers halted the WannaCry virus

Lauri Love presents a compelling story of the WannaCry malware that nearly brought down the NHS, and the behind the scenes work of former hackers, and security researchers that helped to prevent lives being lost. Love is facing extradition to the US after allegedly taking part in a hacking protest over the death of internet pioneer Aaron Swartz, who faced jail for using a hidden computer to downloading academic journals at MIT. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

My brother Lauri Love should have the right to a trial in the UK

Lauri Love should face trial over hacking allegations in a British Court, rather than be extradited to the US, where his extraordinary skills will be lost to society, says his younger sister Continue Reading

By

• Natasha Love

NAO calls on NHS to ‘get its act together’ after WannaCry attack

The NHS could have prevented the WannaCry cyber attack had it followed basic IT security best practice, according to National Audit Office boss Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

RSA’s Middle East cyber security conference gains its own identity

RSA Abu Dhabi conference focuses on region’s cyber security needs as digital technology deployments expand Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

People with non-IT backgrounds could help fill cyber security skills gap

Organisations should look to fill cyber security roles with people who are curious and have work experience rather than focusing solely on graduates Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Danish shipping giant Maersk recovering from major Petya cyber attack

Company confirms attack took down its IT system across multiple sites and business units, but has now been contained Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Singapore authorities issue alert on Petya ransomware

The country’s emergency response team has called for users to boost their cyber defences as the Petya ransomware rages through IT systems in Asia and Australia Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Microsoft admits Windows 10 disables third-party security software

Microsoft has admitted Windows 10 disables some third-party security software, but claims this is purely because of compatibility issues Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security as a service on the rise in the UAE

Organisations in the United Arab Emirates are increasingly turning to security services Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

How UK organisations are leaving themselves open for cyber attack

UK organisations are leaving themselves wide open to cyber attack despite huge investments in cyber security systems, according to two former hackers now working in cyber defence Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Interview: F-Secure’s Mikko Hyppönen on the Nordics, Russia and the internet of insecure things

Computer Weekly sat down with Finnish cyber security expert Mikko Hyppönen to talk about security in the Nordics, Russia and the trouble with connected devices Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo