IT for consulting and business services
Companies in the consulting and business services industries often have specialist needs that require effective use of IT. Law firms, consultancies, accountants, recruitment firms and other advisory services use innovative technology to deliver business benefits, and you can read our news and analysis of the key trends and what they mean to you
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News
20 Nov 2024
Apple addresses two iPhone, Mac zero-days
Two zero-day vulnerabilities uncovered in Apple’s operating systems could have allowed for arbitrary code execution and cross-site scripting attacks Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Nov 2024
Underfunded, under pressure: We must act to support cyber teams
With almost half of cyber pros experiencing more incidents this year, security leaders say their teams are coming under increasing strain. Businesses must be more proactive approach about building a resilient, future-ready workforce Continue Reading
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News
24 Oct 2013
Thales launches critical infrastructure cyber security lab
Thales has set up a cyber security lab dedicated to help improve the security of critical national infrastructure, government and business Continue Reading
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News
23 Oct 2013
US publishes draft cyber security framework
The US has published a draft framework of voluntary cyber security standards aimed at reducing risks to critical national infrastructure Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2013
Microsoft withdraws faulty Windows RT 8.1 update for Surface tablets
Microsoft has widthdrawn its Windows 8.1 update for Surface RT tablets after some users reported system crashes Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2013
Google share price at record high on third quarter results
Google’s share price has hit a record high in response to better-than-expected third quarter results Continue Reading
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News
17 Oct 2013
Dexter payment card malware variant hits South Africa
The Dexter payment card skimming malware discovered last year has resurfaced in South Africa, resulting in millions of pounds lost to fraud Continue Reading
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News
16 Oct 2013
Case study: Richard Branson's Virgin Management moves to IaaS platform
Virgin Management, a subsidiary of Virgin Group, has migrated its IT to a cloud-based IaaS platform for BYOD capabilities and savings Continue Reading
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News
16 Oct 2013
Neustar to host first DDoS awareness day
Communications firm Neustar is to host the first international awareness day on distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks Continue Reading
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Opinion
16 Oct 2013
Who owns your LinkedIn account?
It is common for employees to use personal social networking accounts for work, but who actually owns those accounts? Continue Reading
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News
15 Oct 2013
OFT launches investigation into public sector IT supply
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has launched a formal study into the supply of IT products and services to the public sector Continue Reading
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News
15 Oct 2013
The ICO issues BYOD warning after breach
The ICO is calling on organisations to ensure data protection policies reflect how employees are using personal devices for work Continue Reading
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Photo Story
15 Oct 2013
10 security reasons to upgrade to iOS 7
Even if it did not include numerous security fixes, iOS 7 has compelling reasons for corporates to adopt it to improve their security Continue Reading
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News
15 Oct 2013
D-Link begins fixing router backdoor
D-Link has begun releasing security patches to close the backdoor discovered on some of its routers Continue Reading
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News
11 Oct 2013
Legitimate users of Tor need not worry, says NCA
The National Crime Agency (NCA) says criminals cannot hide on the internet, but legitimate business users of anonymity software Tor are safe Continue Reading
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News
07 Oct 2013
UK National Cyber Crime Unit becomes operational
The UK's National Cyber Crime Unit has become operational as part of the new National Crime Agency Continue Reading
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News
03 Oct 2013
FBI shuts down Silk Road online drug market
The FBI has shut down the Silk Road online drug market and arrested kingpin Ross Ulbricht, previously known only as Dread Pirate Roberts Continue Reading
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News
03 Oct 2013
IT outsourcing no longer main recession-busting tool
Process optimisation and shared services have become a higher priority than IT outsourcing Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 Oct 2013
Privacy concerns in the digital world
Considering the full spectrum of privacy, people need to ask themselves if they are comfortable with all their characteristics in the public domain Continue Reading
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News
02 Oct 2013
McAfee Focus 2013: McAfee leadership upbeat about Stonesoft acquisition
Intel-owned security firm McAfee is upbeat about its acquisition of Stonesoft and its future capability to tackle security differently Continue Reading
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News
01 Oct 2013
IT security industry still immature, says (ISC)2 board member
The information security industry is still immature and failing to act or speak as one, says Dave Lewis, (ISC)2 board member Continue Reading
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News
27 Sep 2013
Financial markets next big cyber target, says US expert
Manipulation of international financial markets will be the next evolution of cyber crime, says US Cyber Consequences Unit chief Continue Reading
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News
27 Sep 2013
Top 10 cyber crime stories of 2013
Cyber crime featured heavily in security news coverage in 2013, with cyber criminals and cyber law enforcers upping their games with each passing month Continue Reading
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News
27 Sep 2013
Software acquisition is risk acquisition, says industry panel
New software often means new security vulnerabilities, panel tells the (ISC)2 Security Congress 2013 Continue Reading
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News
19 Sep 2013
NSA reveals how Snowden accessed secret Prism files
Prism whistleblower Edward Snowden accessed secret documents through a file-share, the NSA has revealed Continue Reading
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News
16 Sep 2013
Risk assessment key to cloud adoption, says Isaca
There is mass confusion among small and medium businesses about cloud computing, says Amar Singh, chair of Isaca UK Continue Reading
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News
09 Sep 2013
Most websites could be targeted through PHP, warns Imperva
Hackers are focusing on vulnerabilities in PHP web application development platform, threatening most websites, warns Imperva Continue Reading
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News
09 Sep 2013
Lloyds website continuity hit as TSB launches
Lloyds Banking Group websites, including the new standalone TSB, have been hit by problems on TSB launch day Continue Reading
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News
03 Sep 2013
Disinfecting PCs false security, says security expert
Many companies proud of their ability to identify and clean malware infected machines are missing a trick, says veteran security expert Continue Reading
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News
22 Aug 2013
Charlie McMurdie joins PwC’s cyber practice
Charlie McMurdie, former head of the Metro Police central e-crime unit, is joining business consultancy firm PwC as its senior crime adviser Continue Reading
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Opinion
14 Aug 2013
How to appoint a new outsourcing supplier
Outsourcing can come with its own security risks if not managed appropriately, making due diligence and clear contractual arrangements key Continue Reading
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News
06 Aug 2013
Capita and Barnet deal to be completed after campaigner’s court appeal fails
Outsourcing contracts worth over £470m will be signed off by Barnet Council after a Court of Appeal ruled that the deal was lawful Continue Reading
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Opinion
30 Jul 2013
The ideology of hacking
Business leaders need to be educated on the true threats their firms face and IT security professionals have to arm their executives with that information Continue Reading
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News
30 Jul 2013
ICO to investigate sale of online dating profiles
The UK’s data protection watchdog is to investigate the sale of 10,000 online dating profiles to the BBC’s Panorama programme Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Jul 2013
An introduction to cyber liability insurance cover
Cyber liability insurance cover has been around for 10 years, but most security professionals seem to have not heard of it or know that it exists Continue Reading
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News
29 Jul 2013
Continual vigilance key to security, says Damballa
UK businesses must update their approach to cyber security to look for signs of compromise continually Continue Reading
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News
26 Jul 2013
FireEye partners with Phishme for multi-layered security
Security technology developer FireEye has partnered with phishing awareness training firm PhishMe to offer a multi-layered approach to securing information networks Continue Reading
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News
25 Jul 2013
MI5 and GCHQ call for FTSE 350 cyber health check
Intelligence agencies MI5 and GCHQ call on UK’s top listed companies to take part in a cyber governance health check Continue Reading
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News
23 Jul 2013
Cisco buys cyber security company Sourcefire for $2.7bn
Networking giant Cisco has reached an agreement to buy cyber security business Sourcefire in a $2.7bn deal Continue Reading
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News
22 Jul 2013
Insider threat: Balancing security with privacy
How can organisations increase security without affecting productivity or encroaching on employees’ right to privacy? Continue Reading
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News
22 Jul 2013
UK to block online porn by default
The UK is to block online pornography by default to all new internet users, David Cameron is to announce Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Jul 2013
How to assess the security of a cloud service provider
As businesses continue to put more information online, understanding cloud suppliers and agreements has never been more important Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2013
Google competition proposals not good enough, says EC
Competition commissioner Joaquin Almunia wants Google to readdress fears that it is abusing its market domination for its own gain Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2013
Intel Q2 profits down, but in line with expectations
Chip maker Intel reported a second quarter profit of $2bn, down 29% from a year ago, roughly in line with analysts’ estimates Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2013
Tech firms target piracy profiting websites
Tech firms including Google, Yahoo and Microsoft join an initiative targeting websites that profit from piracy by cutting off advert revenue Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2013
More than one-fifth of UK firms hit by DDoS attacks in 2012
More than a fifth of UK firms experienced a disruptive distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack in 2012 Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2013
Black market for software security flaws reaches new highs
The black market in previously undiscovered vulnerabilities in commercial software is so established that the average flaw sells for up to $160,000 Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2013
OpenCorporates makes company data public
Company data is being made available as part of an initiative to place more government data in the public domain Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2013
Yahoo wants Fisa objections revealed
Yahoo is the latest company implicated in the Prism internet surveillance programme to call for more transparency around its involvement Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2013
Icahn wants judge to appraise Dell buyout offer
Billionaire US investor Carl Icahn says he will go to court to get a better price for his stake in the computer manufacturer Dell Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2013
Protecting against modern password cracking
This article in our Royal Holloway Security Thesis series explains just how insecure passwords are and offers advice on alternative methods of security. Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2013
Smart cards: security risks
This article in our Royal Holloway Information Security Thesis series assess the new features introduced in Java Card 3 Connected Edition smart card specification and their associated security risks. Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2013
Security visualisation
This article in our Royal Holloway Information Security Thesis series shows how to generate a visual representation of a dataset and use visualisation in the evaluation of known security vulnerabilities. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jul 2013
Microsoft notches up over 3,000 copyright cases
In its battle against piracy, Microsoft says it has settled 3,265 copyright cases in the past year and warns of links to malware distribution Continue Reading
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News
09 Jul 2013
Will cloud services follow the evolution of the banking industry?
Cloud service providers say security will become the very reason companies choose cloud services in future Continue Reading
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News
08 Jul 2013
UK takes cyber threats to infrastructure seriously
The UK is taking seriously potential cyber threats to critical national infrastructure, according to GCHQ head Iain Lobban Continue Reading
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News
05 Jul 2013
Tougher EU penalties for cyber crime not enough, say security experts
The European Parliament has adopted a draft directive to toughen up EU penalties for cyber crime, but security experts say this is not enough on its own Continue Reading
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News
05 Jul 2013
Security Think Tank: Prism unlikely to change much
Does the data collected by Prism put the US Government at risk from other state or non-state sponsored activists? Continue Reading
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News
05 Jul 2013
UK joins EU demands for Google to rewrite privacy policy
The UK’s privacy watchdog has joined data protection authorities in France, Spain, Germany and Italy in demanding changes to Google’s privacy policy Continue Reading
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News
05 Jul 2013
NSA Prism scandal could hit US cloud providers, says EC vice-president
EC vice-president Neelie Kroes says US cloud services providers could lose business because of fears over US Prism surveillance programme Continue Reading
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News
04 Jul 2013
FBI warns of increased spear phishing attacks
The FBI has issued a warning about an increase in spear-phishing attacks targeting multiple industry sectors Continue Reading
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News
02 Jul 2013
Security Think Tank: Prism – Sitting duck or elaborate honeypot?
Does the data collected by Prism put the US Government at risk from other state or non-state sponsored activists? Continue Reading
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News
02 Jul 2013
Senior MPs flout EU cookie law
Two years after the EU cookie regulation and UK law came into force, not all UK websites are compliant, including the sites of 13 senior MPs Continue Reading
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News
01 Jul 2013
Stuxnet leak investigation leads to project originator
The US government investigation into Stuxnet leak of classified information leads to retired general in the Marines, James Cartwright Continue Reading
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News
01 Jul 2013
Scottish police outsource system to Accenture
Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland have chosen Accenture to maintain its i6 administration system after two-year tendering process Continue Reading
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News
26 Jun 2013
Encrypting enterprises miss out on cloud benefits
Enterprises sending encrypted data to the cloud are missing out on some of the greatest benefits of cloud computing, says Thales e-Security Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2013
Identity management key to browser-based IT strategy
A cloud-based identity management system is key to enabling a browser-based IT strategy at online recruitment firm Reed.co.uk Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2013
Most firms underestimate volume of malware, study shows
Most companies greatly underestimate the number of malicious programs appearing daily, a global survey of more than 2,000 IT professionals has revealed Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2013
UK businesses failing to secure virtual environments, study finds
Most UK businesses are failing to secure data in virtual environments, a survey of IT decision makers has revealed Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2013
Government launches cyber awareness campaign
UK government debuts the first stage of a £4m cyber awareness campaign as part of the National Cyber Security Programme Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2013
Serco outsources IT infrastructure and transformation
Business service provider Serco contracts SunGard for its UK IT infrastructure that will help Serco increase its cloud services Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2013
Senior judge hears Barnet Council outsourcing challenge
The second most senior judge in England and Wales will hear a legal challenge against Barnet Council’s outsourcing programme Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2013
UK links to US internet surveillance remain unclear
The government insists that UK spy agencies operate within the law, but questions remain Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2013
PM urged to criminalise internet rape porn
Campaigners are calling for the criminalisation of possessing internet pornography depicting rape Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2013
Human error causes most data breaches, Ponemon study finds
Human errors and system problems caused two-thirds of data breaches in 2012, according to a study from Symantec and the Ponemon Institute Continue Reading
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News
29 May 2013
Stratfor hacker pleads guilty
US hacktivist Jeremy Hammond pleads guilty to accessing computers of law enforcement agencies and government contractors illegally Continue Reading
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News
29 May 2013
Syrian hackers deface Sky Android apps
Syrian hackers have defaced several of Sky’s Android apps, forcing the broadcaster to remove them temporarily from the Google Play store Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2013
O2 questions CWU redundancy claims as union threatens action
Mobile operator O2 questions Communication Workers Union (CWU) claim of 600 redundancies in outsourcing deal with Capita Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2013
O2 selects Capita for 10-year customer service outsource
Mobile operator O2 is outsourcing management of its customer services centres to Capita in a 10-year deal expected to be worth about £1.2bn Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2013
Privileged accounts key to most APT attacks, says Cyber-Ark
The theft, misuse and exploitation of privileged accounts is becoming an increasingly key tactic in advanced persistent threat attacks Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2013
Most IT environments immature, Microsoft reveals
Most business IT environments are immature, analysis of data from Microsoft’s Cloud Security Readiness Tool has revealed Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2013
Microsoft declares conformance with ISO 27034-1
Microsoft has declared conformance with ISO 27034-1, the first part of an international standard for secure software development Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2013
Adobe moves to cloud-based subscription model
Adobe has announced that it is to introduce a cloud-based subscription model for popular applications, including Photoshop Continue Reading
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News
07 May 2013
Symantec helps NHS trust cut security costs by a quarter
The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust cut security costs by 25% in its partnership with security supplier Symantec Continue Reading
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News
07 May 2013
Windows 8 passes 100 million in sales
Microsoft says Windows 8 OS has sold more than 100 million copies, roughly matching Windows 7 in the six months after launch Continue Reading
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News
03 May 2013
Netherlands considers hacking powers for police
The Netherlands government considers legislation to give police powers to hack into computers, install spyware and read emails Continue Reading
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News
01 May 2013
What’s to be done about data breach discovery?
The time from first contact by cyber attackers to the victim learning of it is still measured in months and years, not hours and days Continue Reading
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News
25 Apr 2013
Infosec 2013: Cyber crime challenges law enforcement
Cyber crime is forcing police and law enforcement agencies to re-think basic skills needed, according to experts at Infosecurity Europe 2013 Continue Reading
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News
25 Apr 2013
Lib Dems will block Snoopers’ Charter, says Nick Clegg
The draft Communications Data Bill will not go ahead while the Lib Dems are in government, says deputy prime minister Nick Clegg Continue Reading
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News
22 Apr 2013
Infosec 2013: University research challenges reliability of IPS
Research shows intrusion prevention systems (IPS) are not as effective at detecting malicious activity as some might think Continue Reading
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News
22 Apr 2013
Security spend misaligned with threats, says security veteran
Security budget allocations have remained the same for the past 15 years, but threats have changed, says Shlomo Kramer, chief executive at security firm Imperva Continue Reading
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News
22 Apr 2013
US jails LulzSec hacker Cody Kretsinger
The US has jailed a member of hacktivist group LulzSec for a year for his role in breaching computer systems at Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2011 Continue Reading
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News
19 Apr 2013
Conficker makes way for web-based attacks, says Microsoft
Web attacks emerge as top threat as businesses finally begin to win the battle against Conficker and other worms, says Microsoft Continue Reading
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News
19 Apr 2013
Microsoft reports strong quarterly results for all divisions
Microsoft reported profit of $6bn for the past quarter, up 17% from a year ago, despite a mixed response to Windows 8 and a decline in PC sales Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Apr 2013
How to create a good information security policy
Information security policies provide vital support to security professionals, yet few organisations take the time to create decent policies Continue Reading
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News
15 Apr 2013
Anonymous hacks North Korean websites for a second time
Members of the Anonymous hacktivist collective claim to have again hacked several prominent North Korean websites Continue Reading
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News
15 Apr 2013
Google reaches deal with EU competition authorities
Google has reportedly reached a deal with European Union (EU) competition authorities over concerns about its business practices Continue Reading
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News
12 Apr 2013
Google has another go at allaying EU competition concerns
Google has submitted a fresh set of proposals to address European concerns about its business practices and avoid punitive action Continue Reading
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News
11 Apr 2013
Bots and web apps among top threats to data security, says Check Point
Bots, viruses, breaches and attacks are a constant and real threat to the information security of organisations Continue Reading
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News
11 Apr 2013
Porn websites pose malware risk, says researcher
Browsing popular pornography internet sites pose a growing risk of malware infection, according to a security researcher Continue Reading
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News
11 Apr 2013
South Korea accuses North Korea of launching cyber attacks
South Korea blames North Korea for the cyber attacks that shut down thousands of computers at broadcasters and banks two weeks ago Continue Reading
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News
10 Apr 2013
Mott MacDonald rolls out unified communications
Global engineering firm Mott MacDonald signs Tata Communications for a five-year unified communications deal worth over $20m Continue Reading