Hackers and cybercrime prevention

Utility supplier People’s Energy has entire customer list stolen

All 270,000 customers of People’s Energy, a renewable energy startup, have had their details compromised in a major data breach incident Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

SolarWinds cyber attack is ‘grave risk’ to global security

More victims of the SolarWinds Orion Sunburst cyber attack are being identified as the massive scale of the Russia-linked cyber espionage campaign becomes more clear Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dodgy browser extensions put social media users at risk

More than three million users of third-party browser extensions for Instagram, Facebook, Vimeo and others have been infected with malware, according to Avast Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

EU security strategy a ‘step up’ on cyber leadership, says Brussels

The EU’s new cyber security strategy forms a key component of Shaping Europe’s Digital Future, the Recovery Plan for Europe, and the EU Security Union Strategy Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NHS Scotland taps Check Point to secure Covid-19 data

NHS National Services Scotland is working with security firm Check Point to safeguard its sensitive data in the cloud and support its work on the coronavirus Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

FireEye and partners release SolarWinds kill-switch

A so-called kill-switch for the dangerous SolarWinds Sunburst attack should allay some user fears, but is not a full fix for the issue Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

SolarWinds cyber attack: How worried should I be, and what do I do now?

Security teams across the world are on high alert as more details emerge of the widespread SolarWinds ‘Sunburst’ attack. What do defenders need to do next? Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber crime victims in the Netherlands not reporting offences

Dutch victims of online crime rarely report it to the police and when they do, they are often dissatisfied Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

FireEye identifies flaw in networking monitoring software as US agencies attacked

Cyber security company says investigations have revealed security breach occurred because of a flaw in a network monitoring software Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

The week in ransomware: Foxconn and Randstad are high-profile victims

Foxconn and Randstad are laid low by cyber criminals, while Sophos spills on Egregor, and prognosticators turn to their crystal balls to divine how ransomware will develop in the next 12 months Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Disputed PostgreSQL bug exploited in cryptomining botnet

PGMiner cryptomining botnet remained unnoticed by exploiting a disputed CVE in PostgreSQL Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Surge in Covid-19 vaccine phishing scams reported

Check Point and KnowBe4 share details of a growing number of phishing campaigns using the prospect of a Covid-19 vaccine as a lure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber Helpline awarded lottery funding to support victims

The Cyber Helpline, a UK charity that provides emergency support to victims of cyber crime and online stalking, is to receive funding from the National Lottery Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

After critical year, Vodafone trains security sights on CNI market

Vodafone’s security head Steve Knibbs explains how he plans to bring the lessons of a transformative few years in cyber security to bear on new markets Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Data on Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine stolen in cyber attack

The European Medicines Agency has launched a full investigation into an apparent security incident that has seen documents on the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine stolen Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: SOAR to the next level with automation

SIEM and SOAR have much in common, but there are key differences between the two that may influence the best fit for your organisation. What should security pros consider when making a choice? Continue Reading

By

• Jason Yakencheck, Isaca

Amnesia:33 IoT flaws dangerous and patches unlikely, say experts

The disclosure of multiple flaws by Forescout has raised big questions for the developers of connected products, and for their users Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Patch Tuesday: Microsoft presents just 58 CVEs for Christmas

The final Patch Tuesday of 2020 contains 58 fixes, a minnow compared to some recent drops, but many are still of high importance Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

FireEye’s ethical hacking tools stolen in state-backed attack

Hacking tools used to conduct red team penetration testing were stolen in the state-backed attack on security firm FireEye Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top IT predictions in APAC in 2021

The Asia-Pacific region will continue to be a cradle for technology innovation in the new year, whether it is 5G services, artificial intelligence, cloud computing or cyber security Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Multiple D-Link routers found vulnerable to attack

Digital Defense discloses a remotely exploitable root command injection flaw in a number of D-Link wireless router devices Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Russian state actors exploiting VMware bug to hijack data, users warned

Russian APT groups are actively exploiting a vulnerability in VMware products to access protected data, according to latest warnings Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Where next for Windows?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, Windows is still the most-used operating system in enterprises – we look at where Microsoft aims to take it next. We examine some of the key questions for CIOs for their 2021 IT strategy. And we analyse the best practice in preventing distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

HMRC referred 11 data security incidents to ICO in 2019-20

HM Revenue & Customs shares details of a number of data security incidents that occurred during the 2019-20 financial year in its annual report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Grindr and others patch critical Android bug

Fixes for CVE-2020-8913 deployed as app developers shore up their defences against a disclosed Google Play vulnerability Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

A trillion dollars lost to cyber crime every year

Data collated by McAfee and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies highlights the growing impact of cyber crime Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Opportunistic Egregor ransomware is an emerging and active threat

Researchers at Recorded Future’s Insikt Group highlight links between the emerging Egregor ransomware and other strains, and offer guidance on defending against it Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber Aware campaign to help safeguard Christmas shoppers

New government campaign sets out to raise awareness of online shopping fraud in the run-up to Christmas Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Covid-19 vaccine supply chain attacked by unknown nation state

An unknown nation state actor is attempting to disrupt the supply of coronavirus vaccines Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Lax Android app developers putting millions of users at risk

Eight months after Google patched a critical vulnerability, developers have failed to update their apps, putting millions of users of apps such as dating services Bumble and Grindr at risk Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dangerous Trickbot evolves to target UEFI/BIOS firmware

Dubbed Trickboot by researchers, Trickbot’s new features enable malicious actors to read, write or even erase UEFI/BIOS firmware Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Covid-19: Cyber criminals will target vaccine programmes

Interpol issues a global alert to law enforcement as the UK becomes one of the first countries to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for use Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Double extortion ransomware will be a big theme in 2021

Defenders will see heightened levels of cyber crime next year as criminals pivot their attacks from data encryption to exfiltration Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Singapore government remains ‘juicy target’ for cyber attackers

The government is baking security into the design and implementation of its IT systems and looking to increase bug bounties to fend off cyber threats Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

DHL, Amazon and FedEx are most phished delivery services

DHL has emerged as the most imitated delivery brand in Europe, accounting for 77% of the total volume of phishing emails received in November 2020 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

22,000 malicious .uk domains suspended in past year

Nominet has suspended just over 22,000 domains in the 12 months to 31 October 2020, continuing a downward trend, and with less impact from Covid-19 than might be expected Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

What it takes for APAC firms to ride out the pandemic

Whether businesses will recover from the Covid-19 pandemic will depend on how they leverage technology to innovate, create new business models and build digital trust Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

IT Priorities: APAC enterprises readying recovery budget

Enterprises in Asia-Pacific are investing in cloud and other key technologies to not only survive but thrive in the post-pandemic world Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

How Grab is using technology to improve trust and safety

Southeast Asian unicorn Grab is tapping artificial intelligence and other technologies to keep its users safe and cyber criminals at bay Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

This Christmas, Covid-19 heightens retail security risks for everyone

Do you think it’s only retailers and consumers who need to consider cyber security when shopping online during the holidays? You’re dead wrong. This year, the Covid-19 pandemic and the shift to remote working has thrown a spanner in the works Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

APAC plagued by APT, ransomware attacks

The Asia-Pacific region was a primary target of advanced persistent threat groups, mostly from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia, that carried out 34 campaigns between June 2019 to June 2020 Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Three cyber criminals arrested in Nigerian BEC investigation

Prolific cyber criminal gang is thought to have compromised up to half a million victims since 2017 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

From front line to back office – how supporting the cyber community keeps the NHS safe

NHS Digital’s chief information security officer describes how the Cyber Associates Network benefits security experts in health and care Continue Reading

By

• Neil Bennett, NHS Digital

Securing UK’s critical national infrastructure is a 2021 priority

Government outlines the UK’s strategic cyber security policies for the coming 12 months, with critical national infrastructure a clear priority Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Use of abusive stalkerware against women skyrocketed in 2020

Rise in the use of malicious stalkerware correlates closely to increased domestic violence during lockdown Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Belgian security researcher hacks Tesla with Raspberry Pi

Belgian security researcher Lennert Wouters once again succeeds in hacking a Tesla vehicle, this time by exploiting the Bluetooth Low Energy standard Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nominet introduces new resources for cyber scam victims

Domain name registrar is working with law enforcement to provide new information, guidance and resources for potential victims of online scams Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Telcos could face huge fines under new security laws

Government boasts of unprecedented powers to boost the security standards of the UK’s critical national infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCSC issues retail security alert ahead of Black Friday sales

National Cyber Security Centre issues refreshed guidance as cyber criminals turn their eyes to the holiday shopping season Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Manchester United praised for swift response to cyber attack

Manchester United’s systems were attacked last week, and the club has been praised for a swift and decisive response Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

MPs subjected to over 22 million malicious email attacks in 2020

Members of Parliament are targeted by millions of spam and phishing emails every month, according to a Freedom of Information disclosure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security pros fear prosecution under outdated UK laws

CyberUp, a group of campaigners who want to reform the Computer Misuse Act, finds 80% of security professionals are concerned that they may be prosecuted just for doing their jobs Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW APAC: Expert advice on zero-trust security

Zero trust is a security model that eliminates the traditional perimeter and assumes that no user or device can be trusted until proven otherwise. In this handbook, Computer Weekly looks at how enterprises can take a zero-trust approach to securing their network, devices and workforce. Continue Reading

Security sector broadly backs Boris Johnson’s Cyber Force

Security community says the presence of a robust cyber defence force alongside a robust physical one will be vital to the UK’s national security Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

2021 the year of commodity ransomware, says Sophos

Sophos researchers anticipate a trickle-down effect in the cyber criminal underground Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

US cyber security chief fired for contradicting Trump

CISA chief Chris Krebs ousted for doing his job fighting disinformation in an apparent purge of officials deemed disloyal to president Donald Trump Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The case of Julian Assange as he faces US extradition bid – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

In this episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Bill Goodwin, investigations editor, joins Caroline Donnelly, Clare McDonald and Brian McKenna to discuss the case of Julian Assange, whose recent extradition hearing at the Old Bailey Bill reported on Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly
• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK
• Brian McKenna, Senior Analyst, Business Applications

How Aarogya Setu is addressing scale and security challenges

India’s contact-tracing platform leverages microservices, encryption techniques and cloud-based visibility tools to address scale and security requirements Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Kaspersky shuts down data-processing activities in Russia

Cyber security provider’s data storage and processing activities for customers in Europe, the US and Canada, have now been fully relocated to Switzerland Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

HMRC warns over uptick in Self Assessment tax scams

HMRC issues updated warnings as 2021 Self Assessment deadlines loom Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ransomware stats overload risks confusing buyers

UK-based organisations are either more, or less, likely to pay ransoms, depending on which cyber security supplier you want to believe Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How to build an effective vulnerability management programme

As cyber criminals increasingly look to exploit vulnerabilities in software and hardware, businesses must build and implement an effective vulnerability management programme to counter this growing threat Continue Reading

By

• Nicholas Fearn

How Standard Chartered approaches cyber security

Bank uses security-by-design principles and conducts red-teaming exercises among other measures to fend off cyber breaches Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Resident Evil studio Capcom confirms scale of Ragnar Locker breach

Videogame studio says the data of up to 350,000 people was likely to have been compromised in a Ragnar Locker ransomware attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Hackney systems could be unavailable for months, says council

A month after a highly disruptive cyber attack on its systems, Hackney Council is still struggling to get back up and running Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ticketmaster fined £1.25m by ICO for failing to protect customer data

Ticket website’s customer data was exposed through an attack on a third-party chatbot Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Online kids’ game Animal Jam confirms large breach

Cyber criminals have stolen data on 46 million Animal Jam player accounts via a third-party attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Company accused of spying on Assange acted for Ecuadorian Intelligence, says ex UC Global manager

Former operations chief of UC Global told Spanish Court the company accused of spying on Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London was acting on the orders of Ecuadorian Intelligence Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly
• Ter García

Security pros coped admirably with remote working transition

Despite facing tight timescales at the onset of the pandemic, security professionals have come through the transition to remote working remarkably well, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft drops fix for serious zero-day among 112 Patch Tuesday updates

November’s Patch Tuesday contains fixes for 112 bugs, including a potentially serious zero-day exploit that malicious actors are already taking advantage of Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

EU aid funds used to train ‘unaccountable intelligence agencies’ in high-tech surveillance

Hundreds of documents obtained by campaign group Privacy International show how the EU is supporting surveillance programmes in the Balkans, the Middle East and Africa Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Intel and AMD processors affected by another side-channel exploit

Two years after Spectre and Meltdown, the x86 processor faces another side-channel exploit – only this time, it is based on sensing temperature Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Leaky AWS S3 bucket once again at centre of data breach

Prestige Software exposed millions of records after failing to pay attention to the security of its cloud instances Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

IT Priorities 2020: After Covid-19, security goes back to basics

This year’s transition to remote working highlighted big gaps in the fundamentals of security, as updated TechTarget/Computer Weekly data reveals Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Using digital twins to cut costs and improve safety at Shell

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at Shell’s digital twin strategy, which combines AI, internet of things and big data to improve safety and cut costs. Our latest buyer’s guide examines the best practices and technologies in business process automation. And we find out why securing DNS is critical to fighting cyber crime. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

EU moves closer to encryption ban after Austria, France attacks

Draft resolution document setting up an EU-wide ban on end-to-end encryption is set to be waved through this week Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Credential stuffing: When DDoS isn’t DDoS

Ten years ago, credential stuffing attacks posed a comparatively minor threat, but with an escalating number of data breaches, the threat posed has now increased. What are the solutions to this very human problem? Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

NHS warned over Ryuk spreading through Trickbot replacements

NHS Digital tells healthcare organisations to be mindful of a marked rise in usage of the Bazar and Buer loaders Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Consumer rights organisation warns of computer takeover scams

Consumers warned to be on guard against criminals pretending to be IT support staff to gain access to personal banking information Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Singapore government rolls out digital signature service

Individuals and businesses will soon be able to sign documents digitally using a new service on the Singapore government’s SingPass digital identity platform Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

EU to introduce data-sharing measures with US in weeks

The European Commission is to issue updated standard contractual clauses (SCCs) that will allow organisations in the EU to exchange data with the US, but they may arrive too late to incorporate into UK law Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

India and Japan report stronger concern over cyber threats

Security operations teams in the two Asian giants see the increased volume of cyber threats as their biggest challenge amid the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

The UK government’s ‘flawed and misleading’ Covid-19 data

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the coronavirus data relied upon by the UK government is ‘flawed and misleading’ say experts – we examine the implications. Ikea talks about how it turned to the cloud to deal with the impact of the pandemic. And we look at the digital transformation underway at credit card giant Capital One. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

NHS weathers cyber crime storm during pandemic, says NCSC

The NCSC dealt with over 700 incidents in the 12 months to August 2020, with over 200 specifically related to Covid-19, and the NHS a critical area of focus Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Maze ransomware shuts down with bizarre announcement

The operators of Maze announce they are shutting down, and claim their crime spree was merely intended to demonstrate lax security at their targets Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Accidental heroes: How one scaleup pivoted to cyber

Simeon Quarrie designed his business using virtual reality and interactivity as a tool to tell stories that effect cultural change in enterprise environments – then a cyber criminal emptied his bank account Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

ICO slashes Marriott breach fine to £18.4m

Reduced fine reflects both improvements made to hotel group’s cyber security and impact of coronavirus on the travel and hospitality sector Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Surge in Ryuk ransomware attacks has hospitals on alert

Russian cyber criminals are conducting a targeted campaign against hospitals with Ryuk ransomware Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Trump supporters targeted by cryptocurrency scammers

The successful breach of Donald Trump’s official website shows up lax security on his campaign team and is yet another timely warning that nobody is immune to cyber crime Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Finnish therapy centre accused of covering up cyber attack

Private therapy practice Vastaamo faces questions over its security and business practices in the months leading up to one of the biggest data breaches in Finland’s history Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Privacy and online safety are focus of new UKRI research funding

Online safety research centre of excellence will look into technology to boost privacy and tackle disinformation, fake news, conspiracies and other online harms Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Calls for clarity over Amazon insider breach

Security experts call for more clarity from Amazon over an apparent leak of customer data Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sopra Steria hit by new version of Ryuk ransomware

IT services company Sopra Steria says it has contained the ransomware virus, but systems will take a few weeks to be fully operational Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

APAC CISOs warm up to zero trust

Security leaders in Asia-Pacific are adopting zero-trust security, but challenges stand in their way of reaping the full potential of the security model Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Highly unusual hacking attack directly threatens therapy patients

A hacker has directly contacted therapy patients to say their highly personal therapy notes will be put on the internet unless they pay the ransom Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Cooperation between Norway’s security agencies planned following cyber attack on parliament

Government seeks to develop enhanced national IT infrastructure with an embedded early warning system and defence shield to protect the IT systems of public and private organisations Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Cyber attack on Hackney Council is ‘morally repugnant’, says mayor

Mayor of Hackney is ‘incredibly angry’ at the cyber criminals behind the attack, which will continue to disrupt key council services for some time Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Securing Australia’s distributed workforce

This is a guest post by Tom Kellermann, head of cyber security strategy at VMware Carbon Black 2020 has been a year like no other. The global pandemic has quickly changed work and business as we ... Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

NSA’s top CVE list a timely reminder to patch

Many of the CVEs detailed on the NSA’s top 25 chart are golden oldies Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Charities warned over ‘Robin Hood’ cyber criminals

Accepting donations from cyber criminal groups could be deemed as profiting from crime, money laundering or handling stolen goods – so don’t do it Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor