IT for government and public sector

Huawei making no progress on addressing security concerns

Huawei has made no material progress on addressing the issues identified last year by the NCSC, according to the latest highly critical report from its HSCEC Oversight Board Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Post Office made to repay public money it allocated to fund Horizon litigation

A senior civil servant asked the Post Office to repay public money it had wrongly allocated to paying legal costs Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Businesses losing out on early payment discounts due to outdated software

Chief financial officers need to upgrade their accounting software to benefit from discounts available for paying suppliers early Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Scottish government advances payments programme

Platform is intended to support outbound and inbound payments and could integrate Gov.UK Pay in Scotland Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Oslo car-free plan builds on micro-mobility trend

Norway’s capital steers away from reliance on cars as political agenda is aided by technological innovation to realise social goals Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Cyber attacks targeting industrial control systems on the rise

Malicious cyber activity increased to almost half of the industrial infrastructure protected by Kaspersky Lab in 2018, but the UK is among the most secure countries, the security firm reports Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government expects NHS IT overhaul will unleash innovation

Common technical standards, modular contracts and a fintech-style regulatory model will underpin the new approach to technology in the health service in England Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Mind the overlap between GDPR and ePD, warns privacy lawyer

Organisations need to be aware of the overlaps between European data protection and privacy rules, and which takes precedence, a privacy lawyer warns Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Police make 61 arrests in global crackdown on dark web

Law enforcement agencies from the US, Canada and Europe, including the UK, have joined forces to target suppliers and buyers of illegal goods on dark web marketplaces and warn buyers of risks Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Police algorithms should be regulated, says think tank

Better use and regulation of data-driven technologies should be the norm in UK policing, according to research Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

BT switches on quantum network link at Adastral Park

BT has opened its quantum network link between its Adastral Park research base and the UK Quantum Network node at the University of Cambridge Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

A ‘stunning victory’ in Post Office Horizon trial

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we report on the latest news from the court case about the controversial Post Office Horizon IT system after claimants achieve a ‘stunning victory’ in a judge’s ruling. Top IT leaders share their views on creating a strategy for the digital age. And the CIO of Halfords talks about cloud, data analytics and emerging technologies. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Nominet urges SMEs to register .uk domains to thwart squatters

The automatic right of .co.uk domain name holders to register the shorter .uk domains ends in June Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

MPs hear more revelations about Gov.uk Verify as troubled project gets a new leader

Hello and good luck, to Lisa Barrett  - the newly appointed director of digital identity at the Government Digital Service (GDS). She's taken on what many people outside GDS see as something of a ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

All change: What can suppliers and IT buyers expect from G-Cloud 11?

The government is set to start accepting applications for the next iteration of G-Cloud from 25 March, but will it be more of the same or radical change for suppliers and public sector IT buyers this time around? Continue Reading

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• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Getting it right this time: Why the strategy is not about delivery for NHSX

Government needs to move on from the mantras and beliefs that exist around digital and technology – the new NHSX organisation could set an example by transforming healthcare Continue Reading

By

• Mark Thompson, Exeter Business School and DIGITLab

UK government at odds over Huawei threat

The chair of the Science and Technology Committee has criticised the government’s vague response to concerns about Huawei’s activities in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Hubris over Horizon? Post Office shocks High Court with accusation of bias

The Post Office likes to describes itself as “the nation’s most trusted brand”. Anyone following the latest developments in the increasingly heated High Court case about its Horizon IT system would ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Manchester City Council CIO steps down

In a return to the private sector, Bob Brown joins healthcare technology firm EMIS as chief solutions officer Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

London launches open data cultural map

The collated data on the capital's cultural locations is hoped to support local authorities, property developers and associations develop existing clusters and build creative infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Government cyber security strategy is ‘chaotic’

Responding to potential threats at a national level is unfeasible given the time ministers are currently dedicating to Brexit negotiations, says shadow Cabinet Office minister Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Interview: How the DWP Dojo innovates

Juan Villamil, director of enterprise infrastructure and production operations at DWP Digital, discusses how the Department for Work and Pensions tests out new tech ideas Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Horizon IT system trial suspended after Post Office accuses judge of bias

The Post Office legal team in the case brought by more than 500 subpostmasters has called for the judge to be recused after questioning his impartiality Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

GDS and Cabinet Office admit to over-optimism over Verify

The system's architects blamed failures to deliver the objectives set out in the original business plan on the slow pace of digital transformation across government at a Public Accounts Committee session this week Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Norway’s IT sector and government to tackle skills shortage

Norway's IT sector is getting much-needed government support to help improve access to talent Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Russian cyber espionage groups targeting EU governments

Two Russian cyber espionage groups are targeting EU governments ahead of European elections, say researchers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Department for Transport launches future of urban mobility plan

Future of Mobility minister Jesse Norman launches “biggest review into transport in a generation” Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

UK cyber experts to support global company boards

A consortium of UK cyber security experts and academics is to support multinational company boards to tackle online threats and protect against cyber crime Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Network Homes signs Hyperoptic broadband deal

Expansion of Hyperoptic’s ultrafast network targets 20,000 properties in London and the south east Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government can make better use of tech to tackle loneliness

Report produced by Vodafone urges the government to exploit the potential of technology to alleviate loneliness among older people Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK government organisations’ email security lagging

Email security in UK government organisations is lagging far behind that of central government, analysis reveals, with less than a third implementing standard protection Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CCRC watching Post Office Horizon trial closely

The Criminal Courts Review Commission considering judgment in subpostmasters versus Post Office litigation trial Continue Reading

Post Office ‘lacked humanity’ in the treatment of subpostmasters, says peer

Peer slams Post Office after High Court judgment reveals its oppressive style of managing the people who run its branches Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government launches investigation into AI bias

Advisory body will look at how systems that support decision-making may have inherent algorithmic biases that need to be taken into account Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Salisbury to get ‘universal’ full-fibre broadband

Every residential and business property in Salisbury will be able to access full-fibre broadband in 12 months, claims Openreach Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Post Office director cross-examination confirms lack of investigation into branch IT problems

A high court judge heard that the Post Office did not investigate a computer system error that could cause losses, despite being offered evidence Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Department of Health considers overhaul of screening IT

Modernisation intended to address high-profile failures in national screening services will be informed by an investigation on the topic to be published next month Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

EU law enforcement agencies prepare for major cyber attacks

Law enforcement agencies across the European Union are preparing for major cross-border cyber attacks, says Europol Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UKCloud secures £25m investment to support multi-cloud public sector push

G-Cloud-listed IT services firm UKCloud has received a sizeable financial boost to support its efforts to cater to the differentiated demands of public sector technology buyers Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Microsoft Government Community Cloud adds Teams, Dynamics 365

U.S. government agencies are undergoing a digital transformation, and Microsoft hopes that upgrades to its Government Cloud lineup will make its platform part of that change. Continue Reading

By

• Jesse Scardina, News Writer

Subpostmasters achieve ‘stunning victory’ against Post Office in Horizon case

Judge rules that Post Office showed “oppressive behaviour” in response to claimants accused of accounting errors they blamed on Horizon IT system Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

National Cyber Security Programme at risk of missing targets

The National Audit Office has sharply criticised the Cabinet Office over failings in how it set up the National Cyber Security Programme that mean it may struggle to meet its goals Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Avoid infosec mistakes of the past, urges Robert Hannigan

Technology innovators need to avoid security mistakes of the past by building in integrity so that products and services can be used with trust and confidence, says former GCHQ director Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Met Police collaborated with US prosecutors in WikiLeaks investigation

The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it exchanged information on WikiLeaks staff in the UK with the US Department of Justice, which is conducting criminal investigations into the organisation Continue Reading

By

• BIll Goodwin & Niels Ladefoged

NHS Shared Business Services seeks suppliers for £500m cloud procurement framework

NHS Shared Business Services is seeking suppliers for a four-year procurement framework designed to streamline how public sector organisations source cloud services Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Spring Statement 2019 allocates £200m to technology

Chancellor Philip Hammond's latest statement announces funding to support progress in areas including supercomputer development, photonics and bioinformatics, promises tighter digital regulation and attempts to ensure flow of skilled professionals into the UK Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Furman Review urges greater competition for tech giants

The six-month review into the UK digital economy includes recommendations of a new code of conduct for large companies, along with greater data openness and mobility Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Bank of England’s large IT spend partly due to use of manual processes and legacy systems

The Bank of England admits there is room for improvement when it comes to IT efficiency Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Shetlands get broadband upgrade to support local NHS services

Shetland Islands Council is to receive £1.91m of funding to expand full-fibre broadband expansion to NHS sites on remote islands through the government’s Local Full-Fibre Networks initiative Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Defra criticised over no-deal IT systems plan

The introduction of slower, burdensome systems brought about by the challenges of preparing for Brexit must not become the ‘new normal’, MPs warn Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 7

In this week’s episode of The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, the team talks cyber attacks against the NHS, the everywoman in Tech Forum, 5G connected cows, and covers off the latest round of revelations about Facebook’s data processing procedures Continue Reading

By

• Computer Weekly Staff

Post Office considered Horizon IT system ‘high risk’, court told

The Post Office considered Horizon a high operational risk in an internal review, a trial focused on alleged fallibilities in the system used in thousands of Post Office branches has heard Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Department for Transport kicks off cloud transformation

A major system has been moved to Google Cloud Platform as part of a wider modernisation exercise Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

HMRC CDIO Jacky Wright on why building diverse tech teams is socially responsible

During a wide-ranging Q&A session at this year's everywoman in tech forum, HMRC CDIO Jacky Wright set out why diversity matters when building government services, while worrying about workplace stereotypes is a waste of time Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Citrix breach once again highlights password weaknesses

A reported breach of Citrix, which has potentially exposed data at hundreds of thousands of customer organisations, has once again highlighted the need for an alternative to passwords and the importance of supply chain security Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

House of Lords committee calls for creation of a digital authority to oversee regulation

The proposed regulatory framework would coordinate regulators, assess rules and make recommendations to respond to developments in digital services Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Government announces changes to immigration rules

The government has announced changes to immigration rules, which will provide two new visas designed to allow skilled talent into the UK Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

How supercomputing is transforming experimental science

NERSC lead data scientist Debbie Bard talks about how large-scale data analytics using super computers is making new types of science possible Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Senior Analyst, Business Applications

Half of government IT jobs in 2023 do not exist today

Widespread digital transformation in the public sector means government CIO responsibilities will change rapidly in the next four years and many of those future roles do not yet exist, says Gartner Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Ministry of Justice concludes prison biometrics pilots

Use of iris scanning and facial recognition software is part of a wider crackdown on drug trafficking in UK jails Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

UK military robotics get multimillion-pound boost

A budget of £66m from the Ministry of Defence's Transformation Fund has been allocated to a project that will see mini-drones and autonomous vehicles deployed to the battlefield Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

NAO hammers another nail into Gov.uk Verify

It’s not commonly known outside Whitehall that by the time the National Audit Office (NAO) – Parliament’s independent spending watchdog – publishes a report, it will have been through several ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Government must prioritise replacement of legacy IT, MPs told

Science and Technology Committee inquiry into digital government told that Treasury needs to offer funding in next spending review to eliminate ageing technology in Whitehall Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

GDS cut expected benefits of troubled Gov.uk Verify system by 75%

In a highly critical report, the National Audit Office says it is 'difficult to conclude' that past decisions to continue with the flagship digital identity system have been justified Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Cyber awareness of UK boards found wanting

Boards of many of the UK’s biggest firms must do more to be cyber aware, according to a government report. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Is it too soon for AI in the education landscape?

This year saw education secretary Damian Hinds call for more tech in schools to help reduce teacher workload, but are schools ready, and how do we fix the pressing issues faced by UK education? Continue Reading

By

• Cath Everett

Clearer North Korean link to global infrastructure malware campaign

Researchers have uncovered clearer links between a North Korean hacking group and a cyber espionage campaign targeting government, defence, nuclear, energy and financial organisations around the world Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Facebook asked George Osborne to influence EU data protection law

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg invited one of the chancellor’s children to Facebook’s office as part of a intensive lobbying programme to influence European data protection legislation Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Duncan Campbell & Sebastian Klovig Skelton

What are the CDN options for enterprises?

We look at how content delivery networks can give your organisation’s web presence a literal edge Continue Reading

By

• Rene Millman

Teen becomes first millionaire through HackerOne bug bounties

A self-taught teen hacker from Argentina has become the first bug bounty hacker to become a millionaire by hacking to create a safer internet Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Six out of eight key government systems unlikely to be ready by Brexit day

National Audit Office update on the UK government’s readiness for Brexit identifies processes and IT systems that will not be finished by the 29 March deadline Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Sextortion accounts for one in 10 spear-phishing emails

Email sextortion scams have increased in frequency and scope in the past four months, as well as evolving to bypass spam filters and trick recipients into reading the messages, research shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Icann calls for community collaboration to protect the internet

The domain name system watchdog Icann has reaffirmed its commitment to engage in collaborative efforts to ensure the security, stability and resiliency of the internet’s global identifier systems Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Chinese cyber attack group Bronze Union targeting weapons tech

Weapons technology is among the latest targets of a highly adaptable cyber espionage group that uses a wide range of publicly available and custom attack tools, presenting a challenge to network defenders Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

NHS software deal tops public sector spending on new IT contracts in 2018

Department of Health’s Windows 10 contract was the biggest public sector deal signed last year Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Interview: London Grid for Learning CEO on putting technology to work in schools

John Jackson, CEO of the London Grid for Learning, discusses how the organisation supports technology adoption in schools Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Over 100 rural primary schools to get gigabit broadband

Primary schools could become high-speed broadband hubs for rural communities if government plans reach fruition Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Improving public/private collaboration to boost digital government

TechUK and the civil service are working together on a programme to develop digital skills in Whitehall and a better understanding of government needs in the tech industry Continue Reading

By

• Julian David, TechUK

TechUK: Digital ethics has to hit the boardroom this year

UK IT industry lobby organisation releases a position paper contending that digital ethics must become a boardroom matter in 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Senior Analyst, Business Applications

EU gathers momentum in cyber security legislation and cooperation

The past two years have seen a step-change in the rate at which the European Union is putting legislation in place to support improved cyber security standards, collaboration and sharing of resources, says digital commissioner’s representative Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Nordic tech is increasing diversity but more needs to be done

The shortage of women in the boardroom is a problem in the Nordics, like other regions, but work in its tech sector means the future could be more promising Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Cyber power needs wider discussion, says GCHQ director

The topic of cyber power needs wider discussion, says GCHQ head in a speech about the opportunities of digital innovation such as 5G, as well as the accompanying complexity and risk, with particular mention of China and Huawei Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Nominet and Learning Foundation launch digital inclusion taskforce

Taskforce aims to tackle digital exclusion, which leaves many people in the UK without access to digital technology Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Health Secretary Matt Hancock orders ban on use of pagers by NHS staff before end of 2021

Eradicating use of pagers will save the NHS £6.6m a year, as Health Secretary Matt Hancock outlines the next phase of his plan to modernise communication in the health service Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Facebook planned to spy on Android phone users, internal emails reveal

Facebook planned to use its Android app to track the location of its customers and to allow advertisers to send political advertising and invites to dating sites to ‘single’ people, confidential documents show Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Nato supports collaboration on cyber security

Nato supports collaboration and cooperation on cyber security as an organisation founded on the principle of collective defence, says representative Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK committed to working with EU cyber security partners

NCSC CEO uses cyber security conference in Brussels to set out his agency’s position on Brexit, 5G security, Huawei, market incentives and international cooperation on active cyber defence Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CW Nordics: Sweden to test e-krona and plans cashless society

Sweden’s vision of a cashless society has gained traction after the Riksbank (central bank) rolled out plans to test a digital currency, the e-krona. Also read how the Nordic region’s longer-established companies are playing a forceful role to advance digital transformation, and how Finland’s IT sector has rebounded strongly after Microsoft’s takeover of Nokia’s mobile phones and smart devices business units in 2014. Continue Reading

Government and IT industry-funded AI graduate education programme to be rolled out across UK

UK government announces the launch of a state and IT industry-funded graduate education programme in artificial intelligence, comprising masters degrees, PhDs and Alan Turing Institute fellowships Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Senior Analyst, Business Applications

Cooperation a key theme of Brussels cyber security symposium

Fostering trust-based cooperation of like-minded cyber security stakeholders to create new strategies, policies and standards emerged as a key theme at a cyber security conference in Brussels Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government revises outsourcing guidelines to balance risk with suppliers

The government has published its latest guidelines on public sector outsourcing Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

MWC 2019: 5G smartphones go live on Vodafone network

Vodafone has connected three 5G-enabled smartphones to a live network during trials in Spain Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Huawei faces battle to win Nordic trust

Nordic countries are investigating the spying allegations made against Chinese networking supplier Huiawei Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

UK naïve to think China won’t try to exploit Huawei

A think-tank report has branded the UK government naïve at best, irresponsible at worst, over its use of Chinese networking equipment in critical national infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Activist Lauri Love’s computer ‘contained hacked data’, says judge

Lauri Love, who has been accused of hacking into US government computer systems, has lost a legal action against the NCA for the return of his computers and storage device Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 4

In this week’s episode of The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, the team covers Matt Hancock’s bid to get the NHS to embrace email, the government’s push to extend IR35 to the private sector, and how technology can transform staff training Continue Reading

By

• Computer Weekly Staff

NCSC signals UK may take softer line on Huawei

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre suggests Huawei will be allowed to form core elements of the country’s 5G mobile network infrastructure after all Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Making the move to cloud work for you

Getting the best out of a move to the cloud means getting the size right, turning off what you don’t need, smart purchasing and continuously decluttering your new environment Continue Reading

By

• Rahul Gupta , PA Consulting

Government rules out blockchain at borders until after Brexit due to 'significant work' required

A previous HMRC pilot of distributed ledger technology will not provide any short-term solution to issues around UK borders after Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

London and Helsinki digital partnership challenges big IT platforms

CDOs of London and Helsinki meet at London’s City Hall to sign a city-to-city digital declaration around AI, open data and digital innovation Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor