Hackers and cybercrime prevention

Researchers discover malicious Chrome extensions

Security researchers have discovered a new botnet delivered via malicious Chrome extensions designed to hijack computers to mine cryptocurrency and record victims’ every move Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Government backs national cyber policy and strategy competition

London is to host a national cyber policy and strategy competition, which has the backing of government, industry and academia Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Approaches to strengthening security operations

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

By

• Rory Alsop

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

Appeal Court to give landmark verdict on Lauri Love extradition

The Appeal Court will decide whether Lauri Love, who has serious health issues, should be extradited to the US to face hacking charges, or face trial in the UK. The landmark case is the first test of legal protections introduced by Theresa May to protect vulnerable people Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Europe’s shameful role in spy-tech exports that led to torture and jail

Governments in Europe actively assisted in government oppression in Iran, Bahrain and Russia by providing states with sophisticated surveillance equipment. The European Parliament is pressing for changes in the law to restrict exports of spy-technology to countries with poor human rights records Continue Reading

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• Marietje Schaake, European Parliament

ASEAN nations among worst hit by cryptocurrency-mining operation

Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia recorded high download numbers for the XMRig software that was surreptitiously slipped into user devices to mine Monero Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Industrial cyber security continues to be poor, warns report

The number of internet-accessible industrial control systems is increasing every year, researchers warn Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Businesses urged to patch against cryptocurrency-mining botnet

Researchers have uncovered further evidence that cyber criminals are cashing in on the popularity of cryptocurrencies, with the discovery of a global cryptocurrency-mining botnet Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

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

Dutch companies not ready for GDPR despite approaching deadline

Organisations in the Netherlands are racing towards General Data Protection Regulation compliance, but there is still much to be done Continue Reading

By

• Tijs Hofmans

Many businesses still using outdated security, says Troy Hunt

Too many businesses are using out-of-date approaches to security, a world-renowned cyber security author and trainer warns Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Don’t automatically automate security

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

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• Simon Persin, Turnkey Consulting

UK finance sector cyber security pros admit shocking practices

UK financial sector IT security teams face immense challenges that are undermining business opportunities and continuity in financial services, a survey reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Navigating ASEAN’s patchy cyber security landscape

Cyber resilience remains low across Southeast Asia, a regional economic powerhouse that is increasingly susceptible to cyber threats as its digital economy grows Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Data breach disclosure law will lift Australia’s cyber security game

New rules underscore Australia’s recent efforts to tackle cyber security challenges on the local and international stage Continue Reading

By

• Stuart Kennedy

Security Think Tank: Establish best practice before automating security processes

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

By

• Mike Gillespie

Cyber security salaries will rise 7% in 2018, says research

Salaries for increasingly popular technology roles such as cyber security are set to rise over the next year Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Most online retail sites put customers at risk of phishing

Most top online retail sites fail to protect consumers from phishing attacks, a study has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Davos: Cyber risks grow as countries turn towards protectionism

The cost of natural disasters is now at record levels, but the cost of cyber crime is far higher. The World Economic Forum hopes to persuade governments to work together on the problem, but with isolationist politics back in fashion, can it succeed? Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Davos: Disintegration of the internet could create economic turmoil

Politicians and business leaders will discuss the risks posed by fake news, cyber attacks, and artificial intelligence to jobs, political stability and global security, at the World Economic Forum in Davos Continue Reading

Davos debates global tech risks

In this week's Computer Weekly, world leaders at Davos discuss the growing reliance on technology and how to tackle the political and economic threats of the digital age. Our latest buyer's guide examines mobile app development. And we look at the biggest challenges facing CIOs in 2018 - including digital skills, automation, innovation and diversity. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Humans and AI machines in harmony

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

By

• Piers Wilson, IISP

Millennials set to disrupt authentication, shows IBM study

Young adults are lax on passwords, but are more comfortable than older generations with biometric and multifactor authentication, an IBM study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Hefty fines confirmed for CNI providers with poor cyber security

The government has confirmed that critical infrastructure providers with poor cyber security face fines of millions of pounds as the National Cyber Security Centre publishes new guidance for the industry Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Business cyber crime up 63%, UK stats show  

Despite an overall decrease in fraud and computer misuse in 2017, the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports show that incidents involving computer misuse and malware against business are way up Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

How blockchain can secure the IoT

By doing away with a central authority in internet of things (IoT) networks, blockchain technology can reduce the risk of IoT devices being compromised by a single point of security failure Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

ICO launches data protection excellence award

UK’s privacy watchdog launches data protection excellence award to mark international Data Protection Day, as security suppliers issue data protection tips and guidelines Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

IoT security risks need immediate action, says report

The security failings in today’s internet-connected devices will only become more pervasive unless action is taken immediately, according to industry experts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Ransomware was most popular cyber crime tool in 2017

Detections of ransomware increased by more than 90% last year compared with 2016 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Security spending not on most-effective controls, report reveals

While planned spending on IT security is up globally, so too are data breaches, with evidence mounting that hackers are hitting the bottom line, a global security survey reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Most UK organisations unaware of new data protection laws

The UK’s digital and culture secretary is urging businesses and charities to prepare for stronger data protection laws in the light of new information Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

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

Sweden puts government IT outsourcing under increased scrutiny

Government introduces rules to tighten security in IT outsourcing deals following a very public data leak last year Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

NHS organisations to get cyber security alerts service

As part of a deal between NHS Digital and Microsoft, NHS organisations will be able to get a threat detection service, alerting them to any cyber security issues Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Dark web Dream Market drives cyber fraud industry

An international operation shut down the AlphaBay and Hansa marketplaces in July 2017, but new ones have sprung up on the dark web, with one in particular helping to drive cyber fraud Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Thousands of critical systems affected by serious security flaws

Multiple and serious vulnerabilities have been found in a software management system widely used in corporate and industrial control environments, researchers warn Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Facebook offers funding to secure the internet

Facebook has announced that it is offering funding for research into ways of improving internet security Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Uncontrolled cyber attacks on UK cyber defenders’ radar

Uncontrolled cyber attacks are just as much a threat as targeted attacks, according to the UK’s cyber defence agency, which continues to consider a major cyber attack imminent Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Taking complexity out of cyber security

The key to improving the cyber security posture of organisations is to keep complexity at bay, according to a senior Microsoft executive Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

UK urged to up spending on cyber defence

Cyber attacks that target military and civilian operations are one of the biggest threats facing the UK, according to a top military officer, but security experts say cyber defence spending must be carefully considered Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Norwegian healthcare breach alert failed GDPR requirements

Norwegian healthcare authorities failed General Data Protection Regulation requirements for notifying those affected by a personal data breach by waiting a week before disclosing a breach discovered on 8 January 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

European Parliament votes to restrict exports of surveillance equipment

European Parliament votes to tighten export controls to restrict supply of surveillance and encryption technology to states with poor human rights records amid fears British companies may not have to comply after Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Cyber attackers exploiting trust in FTP servers

Some cyber attackers are exploiting trust in FTP servers to distribute malware, security researchers warn Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Powerful Zyklon malware exploiting MS Office flaws

Cyber attackers are exploiting three recently discovered vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office to spread multifunction Zyklon malware, security researchers warn Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Create security culture to boost cyber defences, says Troy Hunt

Security suffers when there is tension between software developers and security professionals, but it is common in many organisations, says world-renowned security blogger and trainer Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber attackers upped their game in 2017, warns report

Cyber attackers ranging from criminals to nation states have upped their game in the past year, “moving the needle” in terms of tactics, techniques and procedures, a report by a cyber security firm warns Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Next-gen Mirai botnet targets cryptocurrency mining operations

A variant of the Satori botnet, a successor of the IoT device hijacking Mirai botnet, is designed to hijack cryptocurrency mining operations, syphoning off newly created digital coins Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Business needs to reduce cyber threat to payment card data

Cardholder data is a prime target for cyber criminals, and that is only likely to increase in the coming year, according to a cloud-based secure payments firm Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

North Korean hackers tied to cryptocurrency attacks in South Korea

North Korea's Lazarus Group targeted South Korean cryptocurrency exchanges and users in late 2017, but may soon go after exchanges and users in other countries, warns report Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Davos: Disintegration of the internet could create economic turmoil

Politicians and business leaders will discuss the risks posed by fake news, cyber attacks, and artificial intelligence to jobs, political stability and global security, at the World Economic Forum in Davos Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Vulnerability exploit report shows importance of patching

Latest vulnerability exploit report by security firm AlienVault shows the most popular vulnerabilities remain exploited for several years Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

LeakedSource operator could face up to 10 years in jail

Canadian man accused of selling stolen identities and passwords on website Continue Reading

By

• Zach Emmanuel, Computer Weekly

Skygofree Android spyware active since 2014, say researchers

Powerful, highly advanced spyware has been targeting Android mobiles for the past four years, security researchers have discovered Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Beware fake Meltdown and Spectre patches

Security experts have warned that cyber attackers will be quick to use the Meltdown and Spectre exploits, but the first attempt to capitalise on them has come in the form of fake updates Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Most UK enterprise mobiles not patched for Meltdown and Spectre

Very few UK enterprise mobile devices have been patched against the recently discovered Meltdown and Spectre exploits and almost a quarter cannot be patched, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Meltdown and Spectre a big deal for enterprises

Although consumers are relatively unaffected by the recently disclosed security vulnerabilities in most modern processors, enterprises need to take the threat seriously. Computer Weekly looks at how enterprise IT and security professionals should be approaching these threats Continue Reading

IT Priorities 2018: Growing interest in hybrid IT in ASEAN

CIOs and IT professionals in Southeast Asia have earmarked hybrid infrastructure as a top priority in 2018, in spite of waning interest across the wider Asia-Pacific region Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

London cyber security careers fair highlights opportunities

A cyber security careers fair in London on 17 January 2018 is aimed at anyone thinking of a career in the field, including experienced professionals and students Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Ohio computer programmer faces 16 criminal charges over monitoring thousands of computers

A 28-year-old computer expert has been charged for monitoring thousands of computers, using a form of malware he created Continue Reading

By

• Zach Emmanuel, Computer Weekly

Call for statutory regulation of police number plate cameras amid concerns over accuracy

The UK’s automatic number plate recognition database – one the largest non-military data-gathering systems – records up to 1.2 million false readings of number plates every day. It should be subject to statutory regulation, says an independent watchdog Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Check Point finds AdultSwine malware in Google Play apps

Security researchers have discovered new malware code hidden in game apps, mainly aimed at youngsters Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Intel makes security-first pledge

As it scrambles to deal with the Meltdown and Spectre processor exploits, Intel has made a series of security commitments Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

F-Secure highlights another critical Intel security issue

As Intel scrambles to issue security updates to address the Meltdown and Spectre exploits, researchers have highlighted another, unrelated, critical security issue that could affect millions of corporate laptops Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How secure are smart energy grids?

The improved efficiency of smart grids need to be weighed against the cost of security - presenting a unique opportunity for the tech sector and a new market for security companies Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Mobile app flaws are a risk to industrial IT systems, says report

Cyber security vulnerabilities in mobile applications could be exploited to compromise industrial network infrastructure, a report warns Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Spyware targets North Korean dissidents via social links, says McAfee

Researchers at security firm McAfee have confirmed that social networks are being used to target North Korean dissidents with spyware Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Nuclear weapons’ cyber attack risk relatively high, says report

With the potential for catastrophic consequences from a nuclear weapons detonation attack, it is crucial to have the most robust nuclear policies in place, says an international affairs think-tank Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber criminals exploit Oracle WebLogic flaw

Researchers are urging companies to apply a security update to patch a flaw in Oracle’s WebLogic Server component that is being exploited to mine cryptocurrency Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Margot James takes over as digital minister after government reshuffle

Former minister for business succeeds Matt Hancock after his promotion to secretary of state Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

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

ICO fines Carphone Warehouse £400,000

Mobile retailer hit with one of the highest fines for putting personal data at risk as UK privacy watchdog warns that more stringent data protection laws will apply from 25 May 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Meltdown and Spectre a big deal for enterprises

Although consumers are relatively unaffected by the recently disclosed security vulnerabilities in most modern processors, enterprises need to take the threat seriously. Computer Weekly looks at how enterprise IT and security professionals should be approaching these threats Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

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

Intel to set up new group to focus on hardware security

Chip maker is reportedly planning to form a new group to focus on hardware security as it scrambles to limit the impact of recently discovered security flaws in chip designs Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

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

Florida warns 30,000 medical records may have been exposed

The health agency in the US state of Florida has warned that the records of up to 30,000 Medicaid patients may have been exposed when the agency’s IT systems were breached Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Patch systems against Meltdown and Spectre, urges ICO

UK’s data protection watchdog is calling for organisations to apply security updates to mitigate against exploits of microprocessor flaws as soon as possible to safeguard personal data Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

2018 could be year of critical infrastructure attacks, says report

The coming year is likely to see an increase in the number of cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure (CNI), according to a report based on experts’ forecasts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Apple confirms all devices affected by Meltdown and Spectre

Apple has confirmed that all iPhones, iPads and Mac computers are affected by the recently discovered microprocessor exploits as the financial services industry assesses the risk Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Zero in on your zero-day vulnerabilities

A zero-day attack comes, by definition, out of the blue. You cannot predict its nature or assess how much damage it might cause, but you can take some basic steps to protect yourself from a potentially crippling cyber strike Continue Reading

By

• Graeme Park

Meltdown and Spectre: AWS, Google and Microsoft rush to patch cloud chip flaws

Amazon, Google and Microsoft rush to fix chip flaws that could leave cloud customers at risk of having their data accessed or stolen by other users Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Critical Intel security patch will slow PCs, servers and Macs

AMD shares rise on news that the performance of millions of Windows PCs, Linux servers and Apple Macs is to be impacted by critical updates for a recently discovered security flaw in Intel chips manufactured in the past 10 years Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IoT botnet DDoS attacks predicted after exploit code published

Security researchers are urging businesses to ensure they are prepared for large-scale DDoS attacks following the online publication of code to exploit a vulnerability in Huawei HG532 routers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

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

Ransomware to hit cloud computing in 2018, predicts MIT

Ransomware targeting cloud services is one of the six biggest cyber threats likely to face organisations in 2018, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Top 10 Australia IT stories of 2017

Australia capped the year with a slew of game-changing technology initiatives, from bolstering its supercomputing infrastructure and productivity of police officers to outlining an ambitious space programme Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Top 10 IT security stories of 2017

Here are Computer Weekly's top 10 IT security stories of 2017 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Top 10 cyber crime stories of 2017

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 cyber crime stories of 2017 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

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

Top cyber security predictions in APAC in 2018

Cyber criminals will ramp up efforts to mine cryptocurrencies, while mobile malware will rear its ugly head across the APAC region in 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Innovation key to halt cyber attacks

In the light of the number of cyber breaches taking place, innovative security systems are required, according to the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Russian-speaking hackers targeting financial institutions

A Russian-speaking cyber criminal gang is targeting financial institutions in the UK, US and Russia, a Moscow-based security firm reports Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Hackers steal nearly $80m in bitcoin

Hackers have stolen nearly $80m worth of bitcoin from a bitcoin mining service as the cryptocurrency’s value continues to skyrocket Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Andromeda mastermind Sergey Jarets jailed, say security researchers

Security researchers say they believe that a hacker arrested by Belarus police is Andromeda botnet mastermind Sergey Jarets Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Bitcoin industry enters top 10 DDoS targets

The bitcoin industry has become one of the top 10 industries most targeted by distributed denial of service attacks, a report has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Researchers warn of new support scam malware

Security researchers have identified a new strain of support scam malware and a way of clearing up infected machines Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Steal a march on cyber criminals through security by deception

Security by obscurity, although a common and tempting practice, is generally not recommended, but security by deception offers a way for defenders to make it more difficult for attackers to succeed and easier for defenders to catch them Continue Reading

By

• Nicholas Fearn

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

Top IT predictions in APAC in 2018

A “mega cloud” that weaves together multiple private and public clouds, along with the use of AI to perform data-driven “thinking tasks”, could emerge next year Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget