Hackers and cybercrime prevention

Land Rover praised for recall over software security bug

BT Security head Mark Hughes says Land Rover's recall of vehicles to fix a software security flaw is a sensible step to address evolving criminal threats Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Symantec bets on simplicity, cloud and mobile

Symantec is not trying to be all things to all people, but is instead focusing on threats and protecting information in the mobile and cloud environments Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK sales teams are the most exposed to cyber attacks, study reveals

UK sales staff, callcentre agents and customer services teams are among the most highly targeted by cyber attacks, yet few firms give these groups IT security training, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Symantec uncovers Morpho cyber espionage operation

A cyber espionage group has targeted high-profile technology, internet, commodities and pharmaceutical companies in the US, Europe and Canada, reports Symantec Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

MtGox chief Mark Karpeles arrested for fraud

Former chief Mark Karpeles is under arrest on suspicion of $1m fraud and involvement in the disappearance of 650,000 bitcoins Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Dashlane bullish about the future despite LastPass hack

Password management firm Dashlane is confident its business model will evolve and continue to be relevant even if passwords eventually disappear Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Italy’s Hacking Team gets hacked

Unknown hackers have posted a torrent file-sharing link to more than 400GB of Hacking Team data, including source code, internal documents and emails that could reveal the identity of customers Continue Reading

UK universities revise computer course guidelines to boost ranks of cyber warriors

UK universities revise course guidelines to transform computing degree courses and ensure that undergraduates learn cyber security skills Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Dutch court orders Facebook to identify revenge porn poster

Facebook has a legal obligation to provide information about a user who posted a revenge porn video on the site, a Dutch court has ruled Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

App development companies fight back against digital piracy

How can digital companies protect their IP against a tidal wave of smartphone boosted piracy? Is digital rights management software effective enough, or is it better to adapt your business model? Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Government Digital Service insists Verify safe despite claims of vulnerabilities

An academic paper suggests the Gov.uk Verify system could be used as a spy network, but the Government Digital Service (GDS) insists this is not the case Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

FBI investigates US baseball team over rival's hacking allegations

FBI investigations, into claims a US baseball team stole data from a rival, highlights cyber crime perpetrated by competitors – not just anonymous criminals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

DD4B cyber extortion gang ramps up operations

Cyber criminals using DDoS attacks to extort funds from victims are carrying out more attacks despite a $26,000 bounty Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Kaspersky Lab praised for handling of Duqu 2.0 cyber attack

Kaspersky Lab determined the best approach to cyber attack was to not only admit that it had been hacked, but also to provide extensive information on the malware Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

International police operation arrests cyber fraud gang

Police in six countries have arrested 49 people suspected of committing financial fraud involving email account intrusions Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How to cull old, potentially risky data

Unused data is a potential security risk, with old spreadsheets, reports and email containing industry secrets and laced with company gossip. If it's no longer useful, it's time to delete it Continue Reading

By

• Christian Cawley

VMware puts network virtualisation to work in McAfee environments

VMware announces an integrated system to automate distribution and enforcement of McAfee’s network security platform using its NSX network virtualisation system Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The drivers and inhibitors of cyber security evolution

A study shows a shift in IT security spending to detection and response – but why are most organisations falling way behind the more enlightened front runners? Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Data classification key to IP protection, says Titus

Data classification can help organisations get more value out of encryption and data loss prevention systems Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Google announces security features for Android

Google announces better app permission controls and other Android security changes at its Google I/O developer conference Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Social engineering attacks more complex than ever, says expert

Expert warns attackers are starting to use increasingly sophisticated ways to get people in organisations to help them circumvent security controls Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How to reduce the risk of social engineering attacks

Implement simple checks to reduce the risk of the main types of social engineering attacks Continue Reading

By

• Peter Wood, First Base Technologies LLP

Researchers raise privacy concerns about Bluetooth Low Energy devices

Researchers have raised privacy concerns about a growing number of devices using Bluetooth Low Energy technology Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

BT Openreach turns to Crimestoppers to catch cable thieves

Openreach extends its partnership with crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers to tackle cable theft Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

St Louis Federal Reserve Bank not target of DNS hack, say experts

The hacking of a domain name server (DNS) for the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis is more likely to be aimed at customers than the bank itself, say security experts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Digital age a turning point for policing, says commissioner Leppard

Policing in the digital age will face a turning point in the next two years, according to City of London Police commissioner Adrian Leppard Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

The IoT industry needs to do more to secure data, says Beecham Research

There are key areas where the industry supporting the internet of things (IoT) needs to provide better security, according to Beecham Research Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Businesses should prepare for black swans, says resiliency consultant

While black swan events are random and unexpected, businesses can still prepare for them, according to a resiliency consultant Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Future IAM will need to be broader, says Martin Kuppinger

Identity and access management systems need to look at all forms of identity, not just employees or users, says KuppingerCole analyst Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IoT benefits and privacy not mutually exclusive, says industry expert

It is possible to mitigate the privacy and security risks of the internet of things (IoT) without losing its benefits, according to an industry expert Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Ryanair remains tight-lipped over £3.3m hacker theft

Ryanair provided no details of how hackers took £3.3m from one of its bank accounts, as industry pundits call for greater collaboration Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Time to embrace a new level of IAM, says Martin Kuppinger

A new level of identity and access management is at hand, yet many businesses still rely on usernames and passwords Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Top tips for remote and mobile workers to improve their cyber security

Steps remote and mobile workers can take to improve cyber security on mobile devices, using public Wi-Fi and computers, and handling USB devices Continue Reading

By

• Peter Wood, First Base Technologies LLP

Bill Binney, the ‘original’ NSA whistleblower, on Snowden, 9/11 and illegal surveillance

Always a patriot: Computer Weekly talks to Bill Binney, the senior NSA official who blew the whistle before Edward Snowden Continue Reading

By

• Fiona O'Cleirigh

Mobile malware overhyped, says security company Damballa

Mobile internet users are 1.3 times more likely to get struck by lightning than infected by mobile malware, research by security firm Damballa finds Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Destructive cyber attacks making security a business concern, says Microsoft

Destructive cyber attacks are driving a fundamental shift in the information security market, according to Microsoft Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Collaboration key to cyber security, says US homeland security chief

Collaboration between governments and with the private sector key to improving global cyber security Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber security boot camp launched to boost skills

Sans Cyber Academy unveils eight-week security boot camp after businesses demand more cyber security specialists Continue Reading

By

• Kayleigh Bateman, Computer Weekly

Banks hide cyber crime losses, says City of London Police

Banks obscure the amount of money lost to cyber fraudsters – preferring to write off cyber theft as operating losses – says the City of London Police Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Security risk potential linked to young, mobile users

A study conducted by wireless supplier Aruba Networks has identified a distinct cohort of high-risk, security-agnostic workers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Can legislation stop cyber crime?

Rising cyber crime suggests criminal law does not deter criminals and that a better legal solution is required to prevent further rises Continue Reading

By

• Stewart James

French TV5Monde network cyber attack the latest in destructive trend in system intrusions

The cyber attack on French television network TV5Monde is the latest in a growing list of incursions intended to destroy data and IT systems Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Alleged White House hack highlights typical security failings, say experts

The alleged penetration of sensitive White House computer networks highlights typical security failings, say information security experts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CIO interview: Bruna Pellicci, global head of IT, Ashurst

Global law firm Ashurst is rolling out a new IT strategy based on single platforms worldwide for its core business areas Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

DDoS losses potentially £100k an hour, survey shows

DDoS attacks could expose 40% of businesses to losses of £100,000 or more an hour at peak times, a survey shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

British Airways rewards scheme hack highlights password problem

The hacking of British Airways’ executive club frequent flyer accounts shows the importance of using strong, unique passwords for all online accounts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK attacks on crypto keys and digital certificates endemic

All UK security professionals polled in a global survey have responded to attacks on keys and certificates in past two years Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Identity fraud still top UK fraud threat

Identity fraud continues to be the single biggest fraud threat, according to the latest report by UK fraud prevention service Cifas Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Google warns of fake digital certificates

Google has warned of unauthorised digital certificates issued for several of its domains that could be used to intercept data traffic Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Home devices threaten enterprise data security, warn researchers

Poor or lacking security on ADSL routers and other devices used by teleworkers a threat to global enterprise information security Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Target agrees to $10m breach compensation

US retailer Target has agreed to a $10m compensation package for victims of its 2013 data breach Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Premera hack exposes 11 million financial and medical records

US health insurance firm Premera Blue Cross reveals an IT systems breach, exposing financial and medical records of 11 million customers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Microsoft warns of fake SSL certificate for Windows Live

Microsoft has warned that a fake security certificate has been issued for the Windows Live domain that could be abused by attackers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Lookout bets on big data analytics to secure enterprise mobiles

Mobile security SaaS provider Lookout is betting on its cloud-based big data analytics capability to attract enterprise customers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Japan recruits hackers for cyber security force

The Japanese government plans to recruit hackers to identify and protect against cyber security threats Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Why IAM is topping security investments in 2015

It is not surprising identity and access management (IAM) is set to move to the fore in 2015 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

US cyber crime indictment prompts calls for zero tolerance

A newly-revealed US indictment of three suspected cyber criminals has prompted a call for zero tolerance for cyber intrusions Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Group claiming links to Isis hacks small business websites

The FBI is investigating the hacking of a number of SME websites in the US and Europe by people claiming affiliation with Islamic State Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

2015 IT priorities: SDN yet to prove itself, fear of network hacks growing

In Computer Weekly’s 2015 IT priorities study, software-defined networking is still behind management and monitoring as a networking priority Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How to ensure your hot-desking colleagues keep their data secure

Once hot-desking is implemented, data security suddenly demands greater attention Continue Reading

By

• Christian Cawley

How to secure the SDN infrastructure

As more enterprises look to deploy software-defined networking, the need for security from the ground up should not be underestimated Continue Reading

By

• Rene Millman

China and US cross swords over software backdoors

Barack Obama criticises Chinese plans to force tech firms trading in China to share encryption keys and put backdoors in software Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber crime: What every business needs to know

Computer Weekly gets the low-down on cyber crime from law enforcement officers and investigators Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Case study: Norwegian insurer invests in Darktrace machine-learning cyber defence

Shipping insurance company DNK hopes to inspire the rest of the shipping industry to adopt Darktrace’s cyber defence system Continue Reading

By

• Jenny Stadigs

Cloud security still needs a lot more work, say European experts

Security and privacy remain a stumbling block for cloud computing, according to information experts at the Trust in the Digital World conference Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

PrivDog SSL compromise potentially worse than Superfish

Some versions of PrivDog software designed to block online ads compromise internet security in a similar way to Superfish Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Intel Security warns of six social engineering techniques targeting businesses

An Intel Security report encourages businesses to address and educate employees on “six levers of influence” used by hackers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Five ways to prepare a company board for a cyber breach

Five key things that boards need to do to stop their businesses leaking like sieves and potentially going to the wall Continue Reading

By

• Neil Hare-Brown

International spyware operation linked to NSA

The US National Security Agency has reportedly hidden surveillance software in the hard drives of several top computer makers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

MasterCard to pilot facial, voice and fingerprint authentication

MasterCard will pilot a biometric authentication and verification tool this year as part of cyber security technology investment Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

$1bn cyber heist underlines need for detection, say security experts

The theft of up to $1bn from financial institutions in a daring cyber crime operation underlines the need for monitoring, say security experts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Damballa report highlights the limitations of prevention-centric security

Anti-virus (AV) suppliers can take more than six months to create signatures for malware, according to a report from security firm Damballa Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

General election 2015: Major parties focus on tech agenda

With advancements around data protection and state surveillance of internet traffic, the UK is heading into its first tech-aware general election Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Sony data breach claims first scalp as co-chair steps down

Amy Pascal, co-chair of Sony Pictures Entertainment, steps down in wake of data breach that exposed "inappropriate" comments in emails Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Ross Ulbricht faces life for Silk Road dark market conviction

Ross Ulbricht faces life in jail after being convicted of seven charges related to the Silk Road online illegal drugs dark market Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IoT could be key to farming, says Beecham Research

The internet of things could be key to the farming industry meeting the challenge of increasing food production by 70% by 2050, says report Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Sony says cyber attack will cost $15m

Sony expects the investigation and remediation costs of the November 2014 cyber attack on its movie subsidiary will amount to $15m Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

EC3 announces industry partnership in fight against cyber crime

Europol's European Cybercrime Centre has partnered with security firm AnubisNetworks to help fight the global threat of cyber crime Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How to implement risk-based security

Implement a simple process to identify, analyse and prioritise risk without significant investment in time or money Continue Reading

By

• Peter Wood, First Base Technologies LLP

Five questions every board should ask after Sony Pictures breach

What can the board do to avoid having to answer embarrassing questions at the next shareholder meeting? Continue Reading

By

• Sarb Sembhi

Cyber crime is a threat to global economy, says researcher

Halting cyber crime could have a positive impact on the global economy, says Intel Security Europe security researcher and CTO Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Darknet technologies have legitimate security uses, says researcher

Darket technologies have legitimate security applications for business, says security investigator Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Data Protection Day: Five steps to securing data

Data management firm Iron Mountain has compiled five steps to securing data to mark Data Protection Day Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

QinetiQ hosts latest Cyber Security Challenge competition

UK defence firm QinetiQ challenged amateur cyber defenders in a realistic global online terrorist attack simulation Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Why we need cyber war games

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the UK and US are starting a cyber war on each other – all in the name of testing each other’s defences. We look at why the cyber war games are needed. We examine what IT managers can learn from the car industry to improve supplier relationship management. And we find out why innovation should be top of the IT agenda in 2015. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Younger users prefer biometrics to passwords

Younger bank customers would rather use biometrics than PINs and passwords for security, according to Visa Europe Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Security Think Tank: How to deal with wiper malware

How much should businesses worry about destructive, computer-killing malware, and what steps should they take to mitigate attacks? Continue Reading

By

• Tim Holman, 2-sec

FTSE 350 firms still have long way to go on cyber risk

Many FTSE 350 firms still have a long way to go to manage the risks of a cyber attack, a government-backed cyber governance health check has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Quantum key distribution is the future for secure comms

Quantum teleportation is a technology that will ultimately replace encryption as the foundation of communication security Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Obama calls for single US data breach notification law

The US president is calling for a single US data breach notification law as part of proposed legislation to improve data security Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Attackers bypass conventional security, says FireEye study

Hackers breach most conventional, signature-based security technologies, with 27% involving advanced threats Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Sony Pictures admits it was unprepared for November’s cyber attack

Sony Pictures admits it was not prepared for the nature and extent of the cyber attack that hit the company last November Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Traditional security putting UK businesses at risk, study shows

Traditional approaches to security are exposing UK businesses to heightened risk of attack, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber attack now primary weapon for countries, says ViaSat UK

Cyber attacks are becoming the first weapon of choice for countries in conflict, says ViaSat UK Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Google under fire over Windows zero-day disclosure

Google has come under fire for publishing a proof-of-concept attack exploiting a flaw in Windows 8.1 before Microsoft had released a security update Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CW Europe – January 2015 Edition

As we start another new year we look back at what technology has been playing a vital role in keeping Europe safe. Headlines are regularly filled with threats about cyber wars and attacks which, although are important to bring to light, can sometimes overshadow the role technology plays in keeping us safe. Continue Reading

Hackers can exploit free mobile apps to steal data, study shows

Hackers can access private data by exploiting vulnerabilities mainly in free mobile apps, according to security researchers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Top 10 cyber crime stories of 2014

Computer Weekly looks back at the most significant stories on cyber crime in the past 12 months Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

What might North Korea v US cyberwarfare over Sony mean for other corporates?

North Korea behind Sony attack and US counter-penetration -- what now, asks SearchCIO's Francesca Sales. Continue Reading

Fears over the IT security of new banks are overblown

Challenger banks such as PayPal are perceived to be less secure than traditional banks when protecting personal data. But is this the case? Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA