Hackers and cybercrime prevention

IoT firms sign up to UK security code of practice

Internet of things technology firms have begun signing up to a UK code of practice to strengthen the security of internet-connected devices. The code is expected to form the basis of an international standard Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Apple challenges Australia’s proposed decryption law

Tech giant Apple argued that the lack of judicial oversight could reduce customer trust and security, among other reservations over Australia’s draft decryption legislation Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

FS-ISAC awards cyber security scholarships in Europe

Five women have been awarded cyber security scholarships at FS-ISAC’s 2018 EMEA Summit Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Some 10% of user-reported emails malicious

On average, 1 in 10 user-reported emails is identified as malicious, and more than half can be tied to credential phishing, a Cofense report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Crypto-mining malware poses as Flash updates

Cryptocurrency mining malware is posing as Flash updates that appear to be legitimate, Palo Alto Networks security researchers warn Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

RATs and Mimikatz among top publicly available hacking tools

Remote access Trojans (RATs), web shells and Mimikatz among the top publicly available tools that are used in cyber attacks around the world, a five-nation cyber intelligence report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Nato to be fully operational in cyber space by 2023

Nato is aiming to achieve full operational readiness in cyber space within five years Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

MEPs urge Facebook to roll out election fraud prevention measures

Facebook is coming under pressure from European lawmakers to do more to prevent its user data from being misappropriated during elections Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Optus to acquire Hivint in cyber security deal

The deal is expected to bolster the telco’s security pedigree in a market that is grappling with more data breaches and cyber incidents Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Detail of Dutch reaction to Russian cyber attack made public deliberately

Four Russian intelligence officials were expelled from the Netherlands after an attempted hack on the global chemical weapons watchdog. The Dutch government has been open about the detail Continue Reading

By

• Tijs Hofmans

Bug bounties not a silver bullet, Katie Moussouris warns

Targeted bug bounties have a role to play in cyber security, but they are not a "silver bullet", and run the risk of wiping out talent pipelines if poorly implemented, warns bug bounty pioneer Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

NCSC head says attribution of GRU attacks important

The head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre has described the attribution of a wave of cyber attacks to Russia’s military intelligence service as “historically important” at a conference in Poland Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Monitoring key to outcomes-based security

What is the first step towards moving from a tick-box approach to security to one that is outcomes-based, and how can an organisation test if its security defences are delivering the desired outcome? Continue Reading

By

• Ramsés Gallego, Isaca

Cooperation vital in cyber security, says former Estonian minister

States acting alone cannot be efficient in cyber security and need to cooperate with others to build trust, says a former foreign minister of Estonia Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

NCSC head calls for technocratic partnership to fix cyber risks

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre is appealing for collaboration with the technology industry to remedy key vulnerabilities in current IT Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Airbus secures European institutions against cyber threat

Airbus CyberSecurity has partnered with Atos to help protect 17 European government institutes from cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Security Think Tank: Enable outcomes-based security in software development

What is the first step towards moving from a tick box approach to security to one that is outcomes based, and how can an organisation test if its security defences are delivering the desired outcome? Continue Reading

By

• Bruce Beam , (ISC)²

Google Safety Center goes live in the UK

Google says its commitment to transparency is as strong as ever as its new Safety Center goes live in the UK to help keep businesses and consumers safe online Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

GDPR case work swamps Denmark’s data protection agency

The agency investigating alleged breaches of GDPR in Denmark is recruiting additional resources to cope with the increase in work Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Security Think Tank: C-suite needs to drive outcomes-based security

What is the first step towards moving from a tick-box approach to security to one that is outcomes-based and how can an organisation test whether its security defences are delivering the desired outcome? Continue Reading

By

• Mike Gillespie

Security Serious Unsung Heroes announced

Awards celebrate the people of the cyber security industry on the front lines of organisations battling cyber threats Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How does stegware malware exploit steganography techniques?

Researchers at the 2018 RSA Conference discussed the increasing availability of malware that uses steganography, dubbed stegware. Discover how this works with expert Nick Lewis. Continue Reading

By

• Nick Lewis

Security Think Tank: Use Cyber Essentials to kick-start outcomes-based security

What is the first step towards moving from a tick-box approach to security to one that is outcomes-based and how can an organisation test whether its security defences are delivering the desired outcome? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Business email compromise made easy for cyber criminals

Poor security practices and access to hacking services are making it easy for cyber criminals to compromise business email, research reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Apps are gateway to business data for cyber attackers

Application security is becoming increasingly important because apps are often the main way cyber attackers are getting into corporate networks, a threat researcher warns Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK and allies accuse Russia of cyber attack campaign

The UK National Cyber Security Centre has identified a campaign by the Russian military intelligence service of “indiscriminate and reckless” cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

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

Companies failing to recognise the internal cyber threat

The focus at many companies is on external cyber threats, and internal threats are being overlooked as a consequence, a researcher warns Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Majority of businesses believe they are open to cyber attack

More than two-thirds of businesses believe their network is open to attack, a report on the state of web application security reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Rise in data-stealing Betabot malware

Researchers are warning about an increase in Betabot malware after detecting multiple infections in recent weeks, underlining the importance of software patching Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

AI full of possibilities with the right tools and understanding

Artificial intelligence has the potential to assist in the analysis of data in a range of topics, but businesses need to understand its limitations and have the right tools to get the most benefit, says a Swiss entrepreneur Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Shift to outcomes-based security by focusing on business needs

What is the first step towards moving from a tick-box approach to security to one that is outcomes-based and how can an organisation test whether its security defences are delivering the desired outcome? Continue Reading

By

• Simon Persin, Turnkey Consulting

How Bank of England is using Splunk for proactive security

Head of the Bank of England’s security operations centre talks about how Splunk is helping it to take a more proactive approach to preventing cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Everyone, everywhere is responsible for IIoT cyber security

Cyber security in the industrial internet of things is not limited to a single company, industry or region – it is an international threat to public safety, and can only be addressed through collaboration that extends beyond borders and competitive interests Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Kling, The Open Group

Security Think Tank: Start outcomes-based security with asset identification

What is the first step towards moving from a tick-box approach to security to one that is outcomes-based and how can an organisation test whether its security defences are delivering the desired outcome? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

UK firms’ password security score ‘average’

While businesses are making strides in strengthening password security, there is more work to be done, with the UK password score lagging behind the frontrunners, a survey shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Tesco Bank gets first cyber-related FCA fine

UK’s financial watchdog issues its first cyber-related fine to Tesco Bank in connection with a multimillion-pound cyber fraud in 2016 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Security governance key to outcomes-based approach

What is the first step towards moving from a tick-box approach to security to one that is outcomes based, and how can an organisation test if its security defences are delivering the desired outcome? Continue Reading

By

• Maxine Holt, Omdia

Facebook could face up to $1.6bn fine for data breach

Facebook is under increased pressure to demonstrate that users’ personal data is protected as it faces a potential fine of more than a billion dollars for a data breach affecting millions of users Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber attackers are increasingly exploiting RDP, warns FBI

Businesses should to act to reduce the likelihood of compromise from cyber attackers exploiting the remote desktop protocol, warns the FBI Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Blockchain is no ‘magic wand’ for cyber security

The decentralised nature of blockchain networks may deter some cyber crooks, but ASEAN organisations still need to pay heed to the security of their blockchain infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Network growth brings management challenges

As enterprise networks grow, so do the challenges of managing them effectively, says a report compiled by Oracle’s communications unit Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Business is at inflection point for proactive cyber security

The time is ripe for proactive cyber security, but many organisations must first overcome four key obstacles to achieve effective protection, according to a research report Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Explosion in fake data-stealing shopping sites

Cyber attackers are ramping up efforts to steal personal data by setting up look-alike domains that pose a phishing risk to online shoppers, researchers warn Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

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

Prepare now for quantum computers, QKD and post-quantum encryption

The predicted processing power of quantum computers is likely to make existing encryption algorithms obsolete. Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a possible solution - we investigate whether QKD is viable Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Uber fined $148m for data breach cover-up

US court hits Uber with heavy fine which security industry commentators hope will encourage firms to take cyber security more seriously and resist the urge to cover up data breaches Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Australian teen Apple hacker avoids jail time

“Fan” who broke into Apple’s mainframe from his home in Melbourne has avoided prison because the information he gathered was recovered Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Financial services firms face potential security bombshell

UK financial services are facing a security crisis over outdated services and applications, a survey shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Fujitsu teams up with UTCs on cyber security training

Fujitsu, University Technical Colleges across England and other private sector partners have joined forces to help address the cyber security skills gap Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

PCI DSS compliance falls despite security benefit

Despite the benefits of the payment card industry security standard, there is a concerning downward trend in compliance, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

WannaCry and NotPetya inspiring new attacks

Designs and techniques used in 2017’s global cyber attacks have inspired a new breed of malware that exploits software vulnerabilities, according to a McAfee report Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Mac OS Mojave zero-day warning

The latest version of Apple’s Mac operating system contains a vulnerability that could be exploited by attackers to access protected files, a researcher warns Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

NHS Digital hires chief information security officer

Robert Coles will lead the health and care sector’s response to cyber attacks and help local organisations meet the government’s cyber security standards Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Business leaders expect suppliers to ensure they are cyber secure

Most UK business leaders expect suppliers to be cyber secure and nearly a third of businesses would terminate contracts because of suppliers’ security failings, a survey has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

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

Europol cyber crime report highlights emerging threats to enterprise security

Research highlights increase in sophistication of ransomware attacks, while revealing details of new and emerging threats to enterprises Continue Reading

By

• Tasmin Lockwood

IT sector advises Swedish government on elections and voting system

Swedish IT secure is helping the government make election systems more secure and reduce external influence Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

AI is crucial element of security strategy in the IoT era

Machine learning and network visibility for users and internet of things devices are essential to battle threats inside the enterprise, according to a new report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Singapore government to start bug bounty programme

Singapore’s bug bounty programme will help the authorities identify cyber blind spots and benchmark its defences against skilled hackers Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Lib Dems want ‘Geneva Convention’ for use of tech in modern warfare

Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Jo Swinson, wants an international treaty on use of technology in modern warfare, and warns of the dangers of new technology leaving people behind Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Security Think Tank: Supplement security with an MSSP to raise the bar

What is the most practical and cost-effective way for organisations to identify and remediate high-risk software vulnerabilities? Continue Reading

By

• Greg Temm

Outcomes-based security is the way forward

Every security technology is effective for a limited time, but understanding data assets and their value to attackers is key to effective cyber defence, according to an industry veteran of 20 years’ experience Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Adopt a proactive approach to software vulnerabilities

What is the most practical and cost-effective way for organisations to identify and remediate high-risk software vulnerabilities? Continue Reading

By

• Richard Hunt, Turnkey Consulting

NCSC issues core questions to help boards assess cyber risk

The National Cyber Security Centre has published its first in a series of guidance for board members which highlights what businesses should be asking security teams Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

FCA warns it cannot manage financial crime risks without sharing data with EU

FCA admits it will be unable to manage financial crime effectively if it cannot share data with EU authorities. 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

Security Think Tank: Four key steps to managing software vulnerabilities

What is the most practical and cost-effective way for organisations to identify and remediate high-risk software vulnerabilities? Continue Reading

By

• Bruce Beam , (ISC)²

Higher education sector's poor response to cyber threats laid bare in EfficientIP report

The 2018 EfficientIP Global DNS Report shines a light on how ill-prepared the higher education sector is for handling cyber threats Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Security Think Tank: Four steps to managing software vulnerabilities

What is the most practical and cost-effective way for organisations to identify and remediate high-risk software vulnerabilities? Continue Reading

By

• Chris Hodson

British Airways data breach: Security researchers name suspects and query attack timeline

Security researchers claim to have pinpointed the cause and perpetrators of the British Airways data breach, and also claim the attackers may have had access to its customer data for far longer than previously thought 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

Security Think Tank: Balancing cost and risk in software vulnerability management

What is the most practical and cost-effective way for organisations to identify and remediate high-risk software vulnerabilities? Continue Reading

By

• Alexander Drabek, 2|SEC

Security Think Tank: No shortcuts to addressing software vulnerabilities

What is the most practical and cost effective way for organisations to identify and remediate high-risk software vulnerabilities? Continue Reading

By

• Maxine Holt, Omdia

North Korean programmer charged for WannaCry attacks

The US has charged a member of a group of North Korean hackers linked to the WannaCry, Sony Pictures and other cyber attacks around the world Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Ransomware down, but not out, report reveals

Cryptojacking has taken over from ransomware as the top money spinner for cyber criminals, but the threat is not over and spam is also seeing a resurgence as an attack method, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

BA praised for swift GDPR-aligned action on data breach

British Airways has been praised for its swift response to a customer data breach, which could be the first test case under the EU’s GDPR and new UK GDPR-aligned data protection laws Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Chrome 69 security improvements welcomed

The cyber security community has welcomed the improvements in the latest version of the Chrome browser, especially when it comes to generating strong, unique passwords Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: How to manage software vulnerabilities

What is the most practical and cost effective way for organisations to identify and remediate high-risk software vulnerabilities? Continue Reading

By

• Emma Bickerstaffe, Information Security Forum (ISF)

Half a million UK firms hit by CEO fraud, Lloyds Bank estimates

Nearly 500,000 UK businesses are being hit by impersonation fraud, according to estimations by Lloyds Bank, with the legal sector most at risk Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

People top target for cyber attackers, report confirms

As security controls have improved, cyber attackers are increasingly focusing their efforts on people within organisations as a way into corporate IT systems, a report confirms Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: How to achieve software hygiene

What is the most practical and cost-effective way for organisations to identify and remediate high-risk software vulnerabilities? Continue Reading

By

• Mike Gillespie

Security Think Tank: Eight controls to manage software vulnerabilities

What is the most practical and cost effective way for organisations to identify and remediate high-risk software vulnerabilities? Continue Reading

By

• Kevin Murphy

UK and allies call for backdoors in encryption products

The Five Eyes intelligence alliance is calling on tech firms to include backdoors in their encrypted products to give access to law enforcement authorities or face various measures Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Power play – how GE builds digital into its products

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we speak to Bill Ruh, the head of GE Digital about how the business has changed to focus on customer outcomes following a change in senior leadership. The company is exploring new industries to take its Predix platform, such as the hospitality sector. We look at the problems of implementing SAP S/4 Hana and speak to experts about how to maximise success. We also explore the challenges of networking microservices. Our CIO interview is PayPoint CIO Jon Marchant. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Follow good practice to reduce risk of software vulnerabilities

What is the most practical and cost effective way for organisations to identify and remediate high-risk software vulnerabilities? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

Security Serious Week to feature flash mob event

“Flash mob” event will create a human collage, highlighting cyber security advice Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Fraudulent money transfers are top aim of business email compromise

Business email compromise is increasingly popular with cyber criminals to steal money and information as well as spread malware, security researchers find Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cobalt cyber heist group mounts new campaign

Security researchers discover new campaign using two malicious links to double the chances of infection, which is believed to be linked to a notorious cyber crime group Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Machine identity management crisis looming

Managing machine identities is looming as the next big security challenge, a study reveals, with few organisations capable of protecting them as they increasingly form the basis of online communications Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Fourth man jailed for iCloud celebrity hacking

The final hacker charged with leaking nude images of female celebrities in 2014 has been jailed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Improving security is top driver for ISO 27001

Organisations are implementing the ISO 27001 standard in recognition of the fact that cyber attacks are increasingly inevitable and that it is best to be well-prepared to fend off attacks and mitigate their effect Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security teams and C-suite exec views not aligned

There are key differences and potential challenges when it comes to security teams and C-suite executives communicating and aligning about cyber threats, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber attackers switching to covert tactics

Cyber criminals are moving away from mass, high-profile attacks to ones that are stealthy and more subtle – as well as attacks targeting systems typically used in critical infrastructure, researchers say Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Sharp rise in business email compromise

Cyber attackers are expanding their attack methods to steal money and to gain access to corporate and employee data, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK universities targeted by Iranian hackers

UK universities are among those targeted by a cyber threat group associated with the Iranian government Continue Reading

North Koreans add Mac OS to cryptocurrency-stealing malware attacks

A North Korean hacking group is targeting cryptocurrency exchanges using Trojanised cryptocurrency trading software designed for both Microsoft’s Windows and Apple’s Mac OS, say researchers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cryptographic agility is key to post-quantum security

Although post-quantum security is not an issue for all organisations today, an expert believes that those needing to ensure data is secure for decades to come should aim to achieve cryptographic agility above all else Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Apache Struts users urged to update due to new security flaw

Another security flaw has been discovered in the Apache Struts, which was at the heart of the massive Equifax data breach in 2017 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

European cloud adopters still lack basic security

Despite outpacing the rest of the world, the majority of organisations adopting cloud in Europe, the Middle East and Africa lack basic security, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst