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
19 Dec 2024
LockBit ransomware gang teases February 2025 return
An individual associated with the LockBit ransomware gang has broken cover to tease details of a new phase of the cyber criminal operation's activity, which they claim is set to begin in February 2025 Continue Reading
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News
19 Dec 2024
Latest attempt to override UK’s outdated hacking law stalls
Amendments to the Data Bill that would have given the UK cyber industry a boost by updating restrictive elements of the Computer Misuse Act have failed to progress beyond a Lords committee 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
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News
03 Apr 2013
Case Study: 192business switches to tokenisation to speed up business processes
Online payment card verification firm 192business uses tokenisation to speed up its processes and protect credit card details from fraud Continue Reading
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News
03 Apr 2013
US Army practises poor data security on mobile devices
Pentagon inspector general finds smartphones and tablets the US Army buys are not configured to protect sensitive data and allow remote wipe Continue Reading
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News
03 Apr 2013
Anonymous threatens to declare cyber war on North Korea
Anonymous hacktivist collective has threatened North Korea with cyber war if leader Kim Jong-un does not resign and install free democracy Continue Reading
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News
02 Apr 2013
Google closer to action from European privacy regulators
Google is another step closer to action by privacy regulators across Europe for failing to change the way it manages user data Continue Reading
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News
27 Mar 2013
UK government sets up cyber security fusion cell
A cyber security “fusion cell” for cross-sector threat data sharing aims to put government, industry and information security analysts side-by-side Continue Reading
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News
26 Mar 2013
Employees ignore security rules, say infosec pros
Most information security professionals believe corporate employees wilfully ignore security rules, survey at RSA Conference 2013 reveals Continue Reading
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News
25 Mar 2013
Malware in counterfeit software to cost business $114bn in 2013
Dealing with malware in counterfeit software will cost global enterprises an estimated $114bn in 2013, says research firm IDC Continue Reading
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News
22 Mar 2013
Six security issues to tackle before encrypting cloud data
Concern about security and privacy is likely to drive adoption of cloud encryption, but there are six security issues businesses should tackle Continue Reading
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News
13 Mar 2013
US authorities investigate hack of Michelle Obama and other high-profile people
US authorities are investigating hackers who allegedly stole financial information belonging to US first lady Michelle Obama Continue Reading
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News
11 Mar 2013
Phishing emails sent in pairs to lend authenticity, says training company
Phishing emails are now being deployed in pairs to create the illusion of authenticity, says security awareness training company PhishMe Continue Reading
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News
11 Mar 2013
Microsoft releases four critical security updates
Microsoft is to release four “critical” patches in its monthly Patch Tuesday security update, according to the advance notice. Continue Reading
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News
11 Mar 2013
AstraZeneca opts for co-operation after IBM falls out
AstraZeneca has changed its approach to outsourcing to encourage co-operation with suppliers after its deal with IBM failed to deliver Continue Reading
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News
06 Mar 2013
What is RSA's build, buy, partner strategy?
Computer Weekly takes a closer look at RSA's build, buy, partner strategy Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Mar 2013
How to tackle big data from a security point of view
Before leaping into big data, companies must be clear what they are trying to achieve, otherwise their investment will be wasted Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2013
RSA 2013: Suppliers need to prepare for new security vulnerability handling standards
Software makers and online service providers need to prepare for two ISO standards on vulnerability handling processes due by the end of 2013 Continue Reading
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News
26 Feb 2013
RSA 2013: Obama cyber order will have significant effect, says DoHS
President Barack Obama’s executive order on cybersecurity is a “very big deal” says Mark Weatherford, deputy under-secretary for cybersecurity at the US Department of Homeland Security (DoHS). Continue Reading
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News
22 Feb 2013
Music companies critical of Google’s anti-piracy efforts
Music companies have accused Google of failing to fulfil a pledge not to give prominent rankings in search results to websites offering illegal music downloads. Continue Reading
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News
15 Feb 2013
Bad outsourcing decisions cause 63% of data breaches
Bad outsourcing decisions nearly two-thirds of data breaches investigated by security firm Trustwave in the past year Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Feb 2013
How to find the most vulnerable systems on your internal network
Most corporate networks share common vulnerabilities, but many could be mitigated with education in “hacker thinking” for technical staff Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Feb 2013
Social media: A security challenge and opportunity
Generation Y workers are posing increasing security challenges to their employers as they share data unreservedly Continue Reading
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News
06 Feb 2013
EU cyber strategy aimed at boosting preparedness and cooperation
The European cyber security strategy addresses insufficient national preparedness and boosting co-operation in the region, says the EC Continue Reading
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News
06 Feb 2013
Business avoids cloud over fear of government snooping
Almost half of IT professionals are deterred from keeping sensitive data in the cloud because of fear of government intervention and possible legal action, a survey has revealed Continue Reading
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News
06 Feb 2013
Twitter strengthens login security after hacker attack
Days after a hacking attack, it has emerged that Twitter plans to strengthen its login security with two-factor authentication Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2013
Why has NAC, like DLP, failed to take off?
Why are organisations not investing in systems that are designed to keep malicious actors out of their networks? Continue Reading
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News
25 Jan 2013
Encryption is safe bet, says SafeNet
Encryption is the only thing that can give peace of mind to CIOs and CISOs, says Dave Hansen, president and CEO of security firm SafeNet Continue Reading
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News
24 Jan 2013
ICO hits Sony with £250,000 data breach penalty
The Information Commissioner’s office (ICO) has fined Sony Computer Entertainment Europe £250,000 for breaching the Data Protection Act Continue Reading
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News
22 Jan 2013
Why has DLP never taken off?
Why is data loss prevention (DLP) technology not being adopted if it provides the very protection most businesses need? Continue Reading
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News
14 Jan 2013
Oracle rushes out patches for Java zero days
Oracle has released two out-of-band security updates for the latest zero day vulnerabilities in Java Continue Reading
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News
11 Jan 2013
Disable Java to protect from latest zero-day
Security researchers are warning of a zero-day vulnerability in all versions of Java, including the latest Java 7 update 10 Continue Reading
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News
10 Jan 2013
Software piracy international in scope, says Fast
The scale of software piracy is both international in scope and military in its execution, says the Federation Against Software Theft (Fast) Continue Reading
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E-Zine
07 Jan 2013
IT spending to rise in 2013
Find out what analysts are predicting for technology in Europe this year, including changes in budgets and how companies can reduce costs and improve sustainability. Continue Reading
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News
07 Jan 2013
Ernst & Young email keyword analysis identifies fraudsters
Fraud investigators have revealed the most common words used in email conversations by employees engaged in rogue trading and fraud Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Jan 2013
Business priorities: what to protect, monitor and test
How information security professionals can prioritise what to protect, monitor and test in the light of current budget and resource constraints Continue Reading
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News
03 Jan 2013
Immigrants wrongly told to leave UK due to inaccurate data
Some immigrants have been accidentally contacted by Capita and told to leave the UK as a result of inaccurate data used in a government push to remove thousands of illegal immigrants Continue Reading
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News
28 Dec 2012
Top 10 cyber crime stories of 2012
Ten articles that illustrate some of the major trends in cyber crime in 2012 Continue Reading
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News
24 Dec 2012
Top 10 IT outsourcing stories of 2012
Research into the UK outsourcing sector in 2010 found that 7.4% of the UK’s total production came from outsourcing, and about a third of that – some £38.7bn – was IT outsourcing Continue Reading
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News
14 Dec 2012
Mazars outsources access management
Global accountancy firm Mazars has outsourced the management of access to Oracle and Sharepoint applications for 6000 global staff Continue Reading
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News
14 Dec 2012
CIO interview: Kevin O’Connor, Carlson Wagonlit Travel
As the new CIO at Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Kevin O’Connor is looking to bring in a new approach to the company’s IT strategy Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Dec 2012
How to preserve forensic evidence in the golden hour after a breach
There is a golden hour at the outset where a clear head and good planning can make or break any subsequent forensic investigation Continue Reading
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News
12 Dec 2012
Ghost Shell hacktivists publish over a million credentials
The Ghost Shell group, an offshoot of the Anonymous hacking collective has published the log-in details from 1.6 million accounts Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2012
UK CIOs see EU regulation as key
A third of UK CIOs are more concerned with EU regulation, such as the data protection directive, than their own local laws, a study has revealed. Continue Reading
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News
07 Dec 2012
UK government jobs website exploited by hackers
Hackers have been able to exploit security flaws in a new government jobs website to steal personal information about job applicants Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Dec 2012
How to secure Macs in the enterprise
Apple computers are becoming increasingly used in the enterprise - we look at how to securely introduce Macs in the corporate network Continue Reading
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News
28 Nov 2012
Capita set to win £1.7bn Staffordshire outsourcing deal
Capita has been named preferred bidder in an educational support services joint venture with Staffordshire County Council, in a deal worth £1.7bn over 20 years. Continue Reading
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News
27 Nov 2012
Zero-day exploit for Yahoo Mail goes on sale
Hacker sells $700 zero-day exploit for Yahoo Mail that allows attacker to use cross-site scripting vulnerability to steal cookies and hijack accounts Continue Reading
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News
19 Nov 2012
Cyber criminals target Skype, Facebook and Windows users
Cyber criminals targeted users of Skype, Facebook and Windows using multiple Blackhole exploits in October, according to security firm GFI Software Continue Reading
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News
16 Nov 2012
Nasa to encrypt data after latest breach
Nasa is to encrypt all its mobile computers after the loss of a laptop containing personal information about more than 10,000 staff Continue Reading
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News
13 Nov 2012
Many UK firms underestimate cost of data breaches, study finds
Many UK organisations are still failing to understand the implications and costs of data breaches, a study has revealed Continue Reading
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News
12 Nov 2012
Hacking attempts to top one billion in Q4, predicts NCC Group
One billion hacking attempts will be made globally in the final quarter of 2012, according to information assurance firm NCC Group Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2012
Twitter apologises for unnecessary hacking warnings
Twitter has apologised after telling members their accounts had been hacked and forcing them to reset their passwords Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2012
Stuxnet hit Chevron’s systems, the energy giant admits
US energy giant Chevron has revealed that it was hit by the Stuxnet virus in 2010 Continue Reading
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News
07 Nov 2012
Police arrest man for DDoS attacks on Theresa May sites
Police have arrested a 41-year-old man in connection with a cyber attack on websites connected to home secretary Theresa May Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2012
Parliamentary committee joins criticism of draft communications data bill
Home secretary Theresa May faced stern criticism before a Parliamentary committee hearing evidence on the Draft Communications Data Bill Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2012
Free mobile apps a threat to privacy, study finds
Free mobile apps pose a serious threat to privacy because of their ability to capture large amounts of user information Continue Reading
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News
30 Oct 2012
IT security budgets mismatched to hacker targets, study shows
IT security budgets are not being used to provide defence technologies in some areas most likely to be targeted by hackers, a study shows Continue Reading
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News
26 Oct 2012
Cloud HR pivotal to Direct Line share offering
Cloud HR proved pivotal to insurance group Direct Line separating from the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) before it launched on the stock market Continue Reading
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Opinion
18 Oct 2012
Security Think Tank: You can’t protect what you don’t know you’ve got
IP theft: who should be tackling it and how? Continue Reading
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News
16 Oct 2012
Organisations need alternative data protection as security models fail
Organisations' security models are failing - so could it be time to adopt an intelligence-led approach to data protection and fighting cyber crime? Continue Reading
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News
12 Oct 2012
CIO interview: Frank Modruson, Accenture
Accenture’s CIO Frank Modruson on providing IT to 250,000 people who think they could do your job and why video is the next big thing Continue Reading
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News
11 Oct 2012
RSA Europe: Thousands of unprotected virtual servers exposed to the web
Organisations are failing to protect data in virtual environments, says Jason Hart, vice-president cloud solutions, SafeNet Continue Reading
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News
11 Oct 2012
RSA Europe: Security concerns whole supply chain, says Misha Glenny
Targeted attacks affect the whole supply chain, not just big corporations, author Misha Glenny tells RSA Conference Europe 2012 attendees Continue Reading
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News
10 Oct 2012
RSA Europe: Cloud key to future information security, says Qualys
Cloud computing is an opportunity information security professionals should not miss, says Philippe Courtot, CEO of security firm Qualys Continue Reading
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News
09 Oct 2012
Case study: Syngenta multi-sourcing key to business growth
Agri-business giant Syngenta has put multi-sourced IT at the heart of its ambitious plan to double its revenues in the next 8 years Continue Reading