Hackers and cybercrime prevention

Storage technology explained: Ransomware and storage and backup

We look at ransomware attacks, and the importance of good backup practice as well as immutable snapshots, air-gapping, network segmentation, AI anomaly detection and supplier warranties Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Adventures in AI at Tripadvisor

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how travel site Tripadvisor is embracing AI to offer new products and services to its users. Gartner says the chance of a successful digital project is like ‘flipping a coin’ – we went to its annual IT leadership symposium to ask why. And we examine what companies must do to comply with the EU’s new NIS2 cyber security rules. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

An explanation of cybercrime

Cybercrime is a real and illegal threat, just like traditional crime. Learn about cybercriminals and effective prevention strategies to safeguard yourself online. Continue Reading

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• Sabrina Polin, Managing Editor

UK consumers losing more than ever to holiday scams

Last Christmas, UK consumers lost over £11m to cyber criminals. This year, to save them from tears, the NCSC and Action Fraud are teaming up to launch an anti-fraud campaign Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

What is a whaling attack (whaling phishing)?

A whaling attack, also known as 'whaling phishing' or a 'whaling phishing attack,' is a specific type of phishing attack that targets high-profile employees, such as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief financial officer, to steal sensitive information from a company. Continue Reading

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• Scott Robinson, New Era Technology
• Ben Lutkevich, Site Editor
• Casey Clark, TechTarget

CW APAC – Trend Watch: Modernising security operations

Organisations everywhere know the risks of cyber security complacency. In this handbook, focused on modernising security operations in the Asia-Pacific region, Computer Weekly looks at how Australia is bolstering its defences, Splunk and Cisco’s integration, and Palo Alto Networks’ ‘precision AI’. Continue Reading

How Kaspersky is driving growth in APAC

Kaspersky is leveraging its threat intelligence capabilities and local market knowledge to navigate geopolitical tensions and expand its footprint across the Asia-Pacific region Continue Reading

Reinventing security operations for the modern threat landscape

Organisations must modernise their security operations to fortify their defences and navigate the evolving threat landscape Continue Reading

Williams Racing F1 team supports kids cyber campaign

A multi-region campaign will teach pre-teen children cyber security basics – with a little help from Formula 1 star Alex Albon Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ping CEO on ForgeRock integration and future of identity

Ping Identity CEO Andre Durand discusses the company’s unified roadmap, commitment to customer stability and growth plans in the evolving identity landscape following the merger with ForgeRock Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

China’s Volt Typhoon rebuilds botnet in wake of takedown

Nine months after its malicious botnet comprising legacy routers was disrupted by the Americans, Chinese APT Volt Typhoon is rebuilding and presents as persistent a threat as ever Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ex-boxer fights US government over legality of Sky ECC cryptophone intercepts

Lawyers for former heavyweight boxer Goran Gogic argue that US prosecutors’ reliance on messages obtained by a European police hacking operation into the SKY ECC encrypted phone network breaches the US constitution Continue Reading

An explanation of ethical hackers

Ethical hackers protect businesses by identifying vulnerabilities. They use the same techniques as malicious hackers, but for the greater good. Continue Reading

By

• Kaitlin Herbert, Content writer

Microsoft fixes 89 CVEs on penultimate Patch Tuesday of 2024

High-profile vulns in NTLM, Windows Task Scheduler, Active Directory Certificate Services and Microsoft Exchange Server should be prioritised from November’s Patch Tuesday update Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Zero-day exploits increasingly sought out by attackers

Threat actors increasingly favour zero-day exploits to attack their victims before patches become available, according to the NCSC and CISA, which have just published a list of the most widely used vulnerabilities of 2023 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

More data stolen in 2023 MOVEit attacks comes to light

Over a year since the infamous MOVEit Transfer cyber attacks affected thousands of organisations, more new victims have come to light after an anonymous threat actor leaked their data on the dark web Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Police cloud project raises data protection concerns despite legal reforms

Ongoing data protection issues with the use of hyperscale public cloud infrastructure by UK police could complicate the ambitions of nine forces to move their common records management system into the cloud Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

How quantum computing could reshape financial services

Experts at the Singapore FinTech Festival predict quantum computing will improve risk management, investment strategies and fraud detection in the financial sector, while also posing new challenges for data security Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

ESET shines light on cyber criminal RedLine empire

ESET publishes fresh data on the inner workings of the RedLine Stealer malware empire, which was taken down at the end of October Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

AI a force multiplier for the bad guys, say cyber pros

CIISec’s annual report on the security profession finds evidence of growing concern that artificial intelligence will ultimately prove more useful to threat actors than defenders Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CISA looks to global collaboration as fraught US election begins

The US' CISA cyber agency has unveiled a two-year International Strategic Plan to advance collaboration and improve resilience against shared risks and threats Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

RedLine, Meta malwares meet their demise at hands of Dutch cops

A multinational action led by authorities in the Netherlands has resulted in the takedown of the notorious RedLine and Meta infostealer malwares Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dutch critical infrastructure at risk despite high leadership confidence

Stark paradox in Dutch cyber security landscape has business leaders expressing high confidence in their IT infrastructure as cyber attacks rise Continue Reading

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• Kim Loohuis

Government hails Cyber Essentials success

Scheme to help keep organisations’ IT safe and secure has given businesses more confidence they won’t fall victim to a cyber attack Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Detect ransomware in storage to act before it spreads

Anomaly detection and immutable copies can be frontline tools against ransomware – we look at the role storage can play against the latest techniques employed by ransomware gangs Continue Reading

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• Stephen Pritchard

Democracy campaigner to sue Saudi Arabia over Pegasus and QuaDream spyware in UK court

Pro-democracy campaigner Yahya Assiri given permission to file legal action in London court against Saudi Arabia over its use of Israeli spyware Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Danish government reboots cyber security council amid AI expansion

Denmark’s government relaunches digital security initiative to protect business sectors and society at large Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Can AI be secure? Experts discuss emerging threats and AI safety

International cyber security experts call for global cooperation and proactive strategies to address the security challenges posed by artificial intelligence Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

NCSC chief warns of gap in cyber threats and defence capabilities

The UK and its allies must take collective action to improve their cyber resilience and repel the increasing volume of severe cyber attacks, says NCSC chief Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

EU cyber security bill NIS2 hits compliance deadline

The EU’s NIS2 bill will harmonise how companies and member states approach cyber security, but its success will depend on how well it is implemented and enforced Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

NCSC expands school cyber service to academies and private schools

The National Cyber Security Centre is expanding its PDNS for Schools service to encompass a wider variety of institutions up and down the UK Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Reinventing security operations for the modern threat landscape

The growing pace of digital transformation has opened new avenues for attackers, making traditional security measures obsolete. Organisations must modernise their security operations to fortify their defences and navigate the evolving threat landscape Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

What is the Mitre ATT&CK framework?

The Mitre ATT&CK -- pronounced miter attack -- framework is a free, globally accessible knowledge base that describes the latest behaviors and tactics of cyberadversaries to help organizations strengthen their cybersecurity strategies. Continue Reading

By

• Paul Kirvan
• Kinza Yasar, Technical Writer
• Ben Lutkevich, Site Editor

NCSC issues fresh alert over wave of Cozy Bear activity

The NCSC, FBI and NSA publish updated warning about Cozy Bear’s activities, highlighting a range of vulnerabilities the threat actor is using to set up its cyber attacks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

What is threat intelligence?

Threat intelligence, also known as cyberthreat intelligence, is information gathered from a range of sources about current or potential attacks against an organization. Continue Reading

By

• Paul Kirvan
• Michael Cobb
• Ivy Wigmore

Government launches cyber standard for local authorities

Local government bodies are being invited to take advantage of a new NCSC-derived Cyber Assessment Framework to help enhance their resilience and ward off cyber attacks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Recorded Future finds ransomware victims before they get hit

Threat intel specialists at Recorded Future have shared details of newly developed techniques they are using to disrupt Rhysida ransomware attacks before the gang even has a chance to execute them Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Internet Archive web historians target of hacktivist cyber attack

The Internet Archive nonprofit digital library and Wayback Machine operator has been attacked by pro-Palestinian hacktivists Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Australia bolsters cyber defences with security bill

Legislation tackles IoT security and establishes a Cyber Incident Review Board to bolster Australia’s cyber resilience Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Withers

MoneyGram customer data breached in attack

MoneyGram confirms that customer data has been stolen in an incident that appears to have started with a social engineering attack on its IT helpdesk staff Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK Cyber Team seeks future security professionals

Young people from across the UK have a chance to represent the country in international competitions and advance their future careers in cyber security Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Secureworks: Ransomware takedowns didn’t put off cyber criminals

The number of active cyber criminal ransomware gangs has surged by almost a third in the space of 12 months, according to the latest intelligence from Secureworks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK’s cyber incident reporting law to move forward in 2025

The UK government says that enforced cyber incident and ransomware reporting for critical sectors of the economy will help to build a better picture of the threat landscape and enable more proactive and preventative responses Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

IBM: Data breach cost in ASEAN hits new high

The average cost of a data breach in ASEAN grew by 7% from last year, as organisations grapple with increasingly distributed IT environments and complex security systems Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

UK telcos including BT at risk from DrayTek router vulnerabilities

A series of vulnerabilities in DrayTek's Vigor router product lines affects multiple comms service providers in the UK, according to new analysis Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCSC celebrates eight years as Horne blows in

Outgoing NCSC interim leader Felicity Oswald shares her thoughts on the body’s work over the past eight years as she hands over the reins to incoming CEO Richard Horne Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cups Linux printing bugs open door to DDoS attacks, says Akamai

The Cups Linux printing vulnerabilities disclosed at the end of September would seem to have a nasty sting in their tail, according to researchers at Akamai Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft files lawsuit to seize domains used by Russian spooks

Microsoft has been given permission to seize multiple domains used by the Russian state threat actor Star Blizzard as part of a coordinated disruption effort undertaken ahead of the US elections Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

SOC teams falling out of love with threat detection tools

Security operations centre practitioners are fed up of being flooded with pointless alerts and many no longer have much confidence in their threat detection tools, according to a report Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Rise of the cyber clones: When seeing isn’t believing

It is frighteningly easy to clone someone else's identity using readily-available artificial intelligence tools Continue Reading

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• Jake Moore, ESET

UK and Singapore to collaborate on supporting ransomware victims

At the fourth Counter Ransomware Initiative Summit in the US, both the UK and Singapore have committed to working on new guidance designed to better support victims and undermine cyber criminal business models Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Unmasked: The Evil Corp cyber gangster who worked for LockBit

The NCA has named and shamed a prominent member of the Evil Corp cyber crime collective who also worked as an affiliate of the LockBit ransomware gang as the UK unveils new sanctions against 16 Russian cyber criminals Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Post Office ditches MoneyGram after cyber attack

The Post Office offered a short extension to enable it to asses the impact of the MoneyGram cyber incident, but the contract has now expired and MoneyGram services are no longer available in Post Office branches Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK on high alert over Iranian spear phishing attacks, says NCSC

The NCSC and counterpart agencies in the US have issued a warning over enhanced Iranian spear phishing activity targeting politicians, journalists, activists and others with an interest in Middle Eastern affairs Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Printing vulnerability affecting Linux distros raises alarm

Security pros need to get in front of a series of vulnerabilities affecting the Cups Linux printing service after an apparently botched disclosure process saw technical details published in advance of a patch Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Closing the curtain on cyber security theatre

Leaders must redefine expectations, rethink responsibility and eliminate unproductive practices to move towards real security, says Gartner vice-president analyst Richard Addiscott Continue Reading

By

• Richard Addiscott

Racist Network Rail Wi-Fi hack was work of malicious insider

Police have revealed that this week’s racist cyber attack on public Wi-Fi networks at stations across the UK appears to have been the work of a malicious insider, after arresting an employee of one of the service providers Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Islamophobic cyber attack downs Wi-Fi at UK transport hubs

An apparent hacktivist attack disrupted public-facing Wi-Fi networks at UK rail stations to display Islamophobic content Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Splunk and Cisco integration moving apace

Splunk is rapidly integrating with Cisco’s technology to enable seamless transitions between their platforms while delivering advanced threat detection capabilities Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Money transfer firm MoneyGram rushes to contain cyber attack

Money transfer specialist MoneyGram services remain down several days after a network outage developed into a full-blown cyber security incident Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Unique malware sample volumes seen surging

BlackBerry’s latest ‘Global threat intelligence’ report details a surge in unique malware samples as threat actors ramp up the pace of targeted attacks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Powering Britain’s economy – datacentres gain in status

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the UK government has finally classified datacentres as critical national infrastructure – we ask, what took it so long? We assess the impact of the EU’s new energy efficiency rules on datacentre operators. And we discuss the power of information and diversity with the chief data officer at Legal & General. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

UK, US and Canada to collaborate on AI and cyber security

International collaboration agreement will see the governments of Canada, the UK and the US work together to research, evaluate and test new defence technologies Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

HSBC tests post-quantum VPN tunnel for digital ledgers

Encryption required for post-quantum cryptography will have a material impact on the performance of distributed ledgers Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

NCSC exposes Chinese company running malicious Mirai botnet

The NCSC and its Five Eyes allies have published details of the activities of a China-based cyber security company that is operating a Mirai IoT botnet in the service of government-backed intrusions Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Europol provides detail on Ghost encrypted comms platform takedown

Law enforcement bodies from across the world have revealed how they collaborated to bring down encrypted network Ghost and the new ways of working that have been established with Europol at the centre Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

What is email spam and how to fight it?

Email spam, also known as 'junk email,' refers to unsolicited email messages, usually sent in bulk to a large list of recipients. Humans send spam, but more often, botnets are responsible for sending it. Continue Reading

By

• Paul Kirvan
• Rahul Awati
• Taina Teravainen

Police make arrests after hacking Ghost encrypted comms app

An international police operation has penetrated an end-to-end encrypted communications service allegedly used by organised criminals in Australia, Ireland, Sweden and Italy Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

First CyberBoost Catalyse startup cohort named

The first group of companies named to a cyber incubator programme run by Plexal and the National University of Singapore includes two growing UK businesses Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Crest secures FCDO funding to help overseas countries increase their cyber-readiness

Non-profit Crest is launching an initiative to help overseas, private-sector firms get better prepared for cyber threats Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

UK unites nations to discuss closing global cyber skills gap

The UK government invites representatives from around the world to a summit to discuss how to address global IT security skills gap Continue Reading

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• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

UN-backed cyber security report highlights global shortfalls in preparedness

In the three years since the UN-backed cyber security report was published, countries have been making a concerted effort to protect themselves from cyber threats, but there’s more to do Continue Reading

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• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Cyber workforce must almost double to meet global talent need

Research from ISC2 finds global cyber workforce needs additional 4.8 million people to fully secure businesses Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Teenager arrested in TfL cyber attack investigation

New security measures following the cyber attack, which took down some of TfL’s services, have led to delays in contactless roll-out Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

ICO and NCA sign MoU to provide joint support for cyber crime victims

UK data protection watchdog joins forces with law enforcement agency to provide more support for organisations that fall victim to cyber crime and ransomware attacks Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

ANZ CIOs to prioritise cyber security investments in 2025

Cyber security remains high on the agenda for ANZ CIOs, followed by data analytics, cloud and generative AI Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Multiple Veeam vulns spark concern among defenders

Veeam users are urged to patch a series of vulnerabilities in the firm’s Backup & Replication product to get out ahead of potential exploitation by ransomware gangs Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Developing nations need the UN cyber crime treaty to pass

The UN cyber crime treaty is flawed but represents a move in the right direction for developing nations seeking greater digital sovereignty Continue Reading

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• Kyle Hiebert, Computer Weekly

Longstanding Darktrace CEO Poppy Gustafsson to step down

Darktrace CEO Poppy Gustafsson is to leave the AI cyber company she helped build with Mike Lynch after more than a decade, following its acquisition by a private equity firm Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCSC and allies call out Russia's Unit 29155 over cyber warfare

The NCSC and counterpart agencies from the US and other countries have exposed a long-running campaign of Russian cyber espionage and warfare conducted by GRU Unit 29155 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fog ransomware crew evolving into wide-ranging threat

The emergent Fog ransomware gang appears to be changing up its victimology in search of more cash-rich victims Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ongoing TfL cyber attack takes out Dial-a-Ride service

The Dial-a-Ride assisted transit service for disabled people had to temporarily suspend part of its operations as Transport for London deals with an ongoing cyber attack, but the service has now been recovered Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

PyPI loophole puts thousands of packages at risk of compromise

Thousands of PyPI packages are at risk of an attack technique dubbed Revival Hijack, which exploits a loophole in the platform’s package naming feature Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fraud and scam complaints hit highest ever level in UK

The Financial Ombudsman Service says it recorded almost 9,000 complaints about fraud and scams from April to June, the most ever recorded Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Transport for London hit by cyber attack

London’s transport network provider TfL experiences cyber security incident, but reassures customers there is no impact on services Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK and Ukraine digital trade deal comes into force

The UK eases access to the deep tech startup community in Ukraine through digital-only agreement Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Norwegian Refugee Council leverages Okta for Good cyber scheme

Pietro Galli, CIO of the Norwegian Refugee Council, reveals how the globally distributed NGO has been taking advantage of the Okta for Good CSR programme to improve its own cyber security and data protection practice, and elevate good practice in the third sector Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Check Point secured for annual Security Serious cyber awards

The annual Security Serious Unsung Heroes awards, recognising the champions of the UK cyber security industry, are back once again, with a new headline sponsor joining the party Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov under formal investigation, released on bail

European Commission confirms it has powers to place Telegram under ‘direct supervision’ if it meets the threshold for regulation under the Digital Services Act Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Iranian APT caught acting as access broker for ransomware crews

Members of Iran-backed Pioneer Kitten APT appear to be trying to supplement their pay packets by helping Russian-speaking ransomware gangs to access their victims in exchange for a cut of the profits Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber law reform should be top of Labour's policy list

With Labour returning to 10 Downing Street after 14 years, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank panellists share advice and wish lists for the new government Continue Reading

By

• Craig Watt

US offers $2.5m bounty for on-the-run malware dev

US State Department puts a $2.5m bounty on the head of Angler exploit kit developer and ransomware crew member Volodymyr Kadariya as part of a major developing case Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Iranian APT Peach Sandstorm teases new Tickler malware

Peach Sandstorm, an Iranian state threat actor, has developed a dangerous new malware strain that forms a key element of a rapidly evolving attack sequence Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Kaspersky is driving growth in APAC

Kaspersky is leveraging its threat intelligence capabilities and local market knowledge to navigate geopolitical tensions and expand its footprint across the Asia-Pacific region Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Extending zero-trust principles to endpoints

By combining zero-trust principles with other security strategies and continuously monitoring and improving their security posture, organisations can effectively mitigate risks and protect their resources, says Gartner's Nikul Patel Continue Reading

By

• Nikul Patel

Public education on security must be a top priority for Labour

With Labour returning to 10 Downing Street after 14 years, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank panellists share advice and wish lists for the new government Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Palo Alto Networks bets on ‘precision AI’

Palo Alto Networks’ regional leader, Steven Scheurmann, explains how machine learning, neural networks and generative AI can help to prevent breaches in what it calls ‘precision AI’ Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

New Qilin tactics a ‘bonus multiplier’ for ransomware chaos

Sophos X-Ops caught the Qilin ransomware gang stealing credentials stored by victims' employees in Google Chrome, heralding further cyber attacks and breaches down the line. Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Pakistani national arrested over Southport ‘cyber terrorism’

Authorities in Pakistan have arrested a man on suspicion of cyber terrorism over his role in the spread of online misinformation in the wake of the Southport knife attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Podcast: Ransomware and what data storage can do about it

We talk to NetApp’s Chris McKean about ransomware attacks and the role of data storage in protecting against them Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor