IT for government and public sector

WikiLeaks publishes code and analysis of CIA hacking tool

Security experts are questioning the wisdom of WikiLeaks releasing more source code for US intelligence agency hacking tools Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Bangalore offers the best ecosystem for digital transformation, says Economist report

Bangalore ranked as the number one location for businesses looking to access the right ecosystem to support digital transformation Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Dear digital minister, a little more clarity - anything, really - on Brexit, please

The government’s digital minister, Matt Hancock, is a busy and enthusiastic advocate for the UK’s digital economy. In the past month alone, he’s given five speeches, published an independent review ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Court dates set for Post Office accounting system trials

An end is in sight for sub-postmasters’ campaign against alleged wrongful prosecution, which they blame on a faulty computer system Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

NAO calls on NHS to ‘get its act together’ after WannaCry attack

The NHS could have prevented the WannaCry cyber attack had it followed basic IT security best practice, according to National Audit Office boss Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

No guarantees HMRC’s customs declaration service ready for Brexit

HMRC CEO tells MPs the department needs an extra £7.3m to upgrade current Chief system as a contingency, should new customs IT system not be ready in time for Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Kaspersky Lab explains how NSA data was uploaded

Malware detection triggered an upload of data from a National Security Agency contractor’s home computer, Kaspersky Lab says an internal investigation has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Oversight of intelligence agencies’ data sharing has ‘failed’, court hears

UK’s intelligence services lack adequate oversight and written guidelines when sharing databases of sensitive information, Privacy International argues in secret court Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

On HMRC, cloud providers, SMEs – and cloud-first government IT

There’s an interesting story doing the rounds this week that highlights some important issues around the UK government’s aim to have a cloud-first policy for IT purchasing. The original scoop, ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

A history of hacking and hackers

A security professional’s view on criminal hacking has shifted away from the traditional stereotype of the hacker, towards a much more diverse cross-section of wider society Continue Reading

By

• Danny Moules

Nearly 200 arrested for airline ticketing fraud

Police have arrested nearly 200 people for airline ticketing fraud in an international operation involving public and private sector organisations Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Where will artificial intelligence take us?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, artificial intelligence (AI) enthusiasts and sceptics debate the opportunities and risks of the much-hyped technology – we listen in to the House of Lords investigation. Our latest buyer’s guide examines the benefits and challenges of cloud-native applications. And we look at the best practice in defending email systems from cyber attacks. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

IBM’s Joanna Davinson to become new Home Office tech boss

IBM executive to replace Sarah Wilkinson as chief digital, data and technology officer Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

National Police Technology Council launches set of ICT principles

The national ICT strategic principles include cloud first, enabling data sharing and interoperability standards, and ensuring any tech decision made benefits the organisation as a whole Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Post Office computer system legal case reaches important procedural juncture

Sub-postmasters group action against the Post Office reaches an important milestone Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Norway’s Trondheim embraces the cloud with Google G Suite

Municipality is reaping the benefits of moving productivity software to the cloud Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Shadow Cabinet Office minister slams Gov.uk Verify for being ‘inefficient’

Labour’s Jon Trickett says the government’s identity assurance platform is a poor use of taxpayers’ money and is “being handled appallingly” Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Cloud service spending almost matches traditional IT outsourcing

Traditional outsourcing spending has plummeted in the latest three-month period, but spending on cloud-based IT services is going some way to filling the void Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

RSA’s Middle East cyber security conference gains its own identity

RSA Abu Dhabi conference focuses on region’s cyber security needs as digital technology deployments expand Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government gives ODI £6m to improve data knowledge

The Open Data Institute has been awarded £6m in funding from InnovateUK for a series of projects aiming to improve the UK’s data expertise Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

UK intelligence agencies ‘unlawfully’ sharing sensitive personal data, court hears

A secret court will decide whether Intelligence agencies are “unlawfully” sharing huge datasets containing sensitive information about the population with industry, government departments and overseas intelligence services. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin & Julia Gregory

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on empathy and innovation

In this week’s Computer Weekly, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella explains why he has made empathy a key part of technology innovation at the software giant. We examine the latest developments in the debate over the tax status of IT contractors in the public sector and the IR35 reforms they claim are hampering digital government projects. And we ask if an emphasis on creativity will help attract more young people to work in IT. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

ADMCC monitors Abu Dhabi with Cisco technology

Abu Dhabi's surveillance system is using technology from Cisco Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

CW Middle East: Internet of things can help Gulf countries to diversify

The Middle East’s push towards economic diversification is driving innovation in internet of things (IoT) applications for emerging services sectors, such as transport and logistics, telecommunications, financial services and tourism. Also read how the Dubai Health Authority is rolling out Salama, a unified electronic medical record (EMR) system, and a survey shows organisations in the Middle East are not offering IT staff enough training and don’t employ enough women in IT. Continue Reading

CW500: A perfect storm – the cyber attack that hit Parliament

The former director of the Parliamentary Digital Service shares details and lessons learned from the cyber attack that hit UK parliament in June and explains why it was a “good experience” Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Will the review of Gov.uk Verify fix the UK's digital identity problems?

The rumoured review of the UK government’s identity assurance programme provides the ideal opportunity to fix problems and accelerate progress Continue Reading

By

• Jerry Fishenden

Dutch government agreement increasingly focuses on IT security

The coalition government in the Netherlands has agreed its plan for the next four years, with IT security prominent Continue Reading

By

• Tijs Hofmans

Abu Dhabi transport department uses drones to improve traffic flows

Data collected by live video stream from drones is analysed at control centre to help alleviate traffic jams and other issues Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

Some IT contractors earning more than £700 a day

Research shows 40% of contractors reach the average annual IT salary within three months Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

All EU countries sign up to implement digital-by-default services

Declaration reaffirms commitment to bring public sector services into the digital age and improve citizens’ interaction with government Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Singapore’s public sector finds agility and speed in AWS

City-state’s government has been able to meet peak demands and address security issues through a cloud-based web-hosting platform powered by Amazon Web Services Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

CIOs moving to revenue-generating roles

Gartner survey shows changing role for CIOs to cover revenue generation and deriving value from data, and spending less time on traditional IT delivery Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Digitally preserving history

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how cloud technologies are helping Gibraltar to digitally preserve historic documents and safeguard its cultural heritage. We examine progress on the roll-out of the new NHS national network. And our latest buyer’s guide looks at the benefits and challenges of cloud-based ERP software. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Where the device hits the network – a mobile device management update

As business becomes increasingly mobile, we look at the latest trends in mobile device management to give businesses the edge Continue Reading

By

• Rene Millman

Cage director found guilty of terrorism offence after refusing to disclose passwords

Muhammad Rabbani, international director of Cage, is convicted of an offence under the terrorism act after refusing to disclose his mobile phone PIN and laptop password under Terrorism Act Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Amazon launches Middle East region

Amazon opens its latest delivery hub in Bahrain to serve customers in the Middle East Continue Reading

By

• Triska Hamid

FSA connects 220 abattoirs to fibre for food safety monitoring

Food Standards Agency picks Exponential-e to revitalise connectivity across 220 sites as it strives to improve operational efficiency and compliance processes Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Most UK councils hit by cyber attacks

A study has revealed that most UK local authorities have suffered cyber attacks in the past year, showing local government is a key target for cyber criminals and that legacy software is a top security concern Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Blockchain tests delivering results and IBM seen as leader

Businesses that have invested in trials of blockchain technology will repeat their investments Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

What to do when a Microsoft executive takes over as IT chief at HMRC

HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) new chief digital and information officer (CDIO), Jacky Wright, appears  to be an excellent appointment. She’s spent six years in senior roles at Microsoft, most ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Public sector cloud use still too focused on ‘low-hanging fruit’ IT projects, finds research

Public sector cloud adoption continues to rise, but wide-scale digital transformation success remains elusive, claims Cloud Industry Forum research Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Technology moving to the centre of Brexit debate

Slowly, technology issues are rising to centre of the Brexit debate – as they should. This week saw the publication of the UK government’s Data Protection Bill – our implementation of the European ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

HMRC builds blockchain proof of concept for UK border

HMRC‘s Mike Potter says department has built blockchain proof of concept to coordinate interventions at the border, and highlights the need for an ‘API economy’ in Whitehall Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

HMRC confirms Microsoft corporate vice-president Jacky Wright as new CDIO

HMRC has tasked Microsoft corporate vice-president Jacky Wright with helping the department achieve its goal of becoming one of the world's most digitally advanced tax authorities Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

GDS is ‘sidelined’ and government as a platform ‘is dead’, says Francis Maude

Former Cabinet Office minister cites diminishing of Government Digital Service role as he criticises civil service resistance to change Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

BT offers enterprise customers flexible bandwidth for peak usage

New element of BT IP Connect Global WAN service will enable businesses to dial their network capacity up and down at will Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW Europe: The Macedonian surveillance scandal that brought down a government

In this issue, we look at evidence that Macedonia may have been running covert internet surveillance using sophisticated software supplied by a western technology company. We also look at how politics is changing IT buying habits in France, with French CIOs looking at alternatives to storing data with US-based suppliers as a result of one of President Trump’s executive orders. Download the issue now. Continue Reading

Lack of skills main barrier to civil service tech adoption

TechUK civil servants survey highlights need for skills training, common standards and working practices across departments to deliver joined-up public services Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

DWP Digital overspent by £60m in six months - here's how it got back on track

Halfway through its 2016/17 financial year, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) digital team had spent £60m over budget, a freedom of information (FoI) request submitted by Computer Weekly ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Home Office agrees back-office transformation deal

The Home Office is moving more of its back-office processes into the cloud Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Martha Lane Fox warns UK is 'sleepwalking' through digital disruption

During a House of Lords debate, Martha Lane Fox claimed the UK has been “sleepwalking” through digital change and urged for more to be done to promote “digital understanding” Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

European Union states question copyright law proposal

European states are questioning legality of a new copyright law proposed by the EU Continue Reading

By

• Jennifer Baker

IoT networks a massive sales opportunity for operators, claims GSMA

Commercial initiatives around low power wide area network infrastructure will present mobile operators with a potential $1.8tn revenue opportunity over the next decade Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

People with non-IT backgrounds could help fill cyber security skills gap

Organisations should look to fill cyber security roles with people who are curious and have work experience rather than focusing solely on graduates Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Met Police IT strategy: CCTV footage shared through Box

The Met Police digital policing strategy is taking shape under CIO Angus McCallum, and will use Box for sharing documents and CCTV footage Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

HMRC denies IR35 reforms to blame for public sector IT project delays and cancellations

New research from ContractorCalculator suggests contractors have left the public sector in droves since the IR35 reforms came into force, but HMRC has a different take on the situation Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Women still under-represented in Nordic IT despite region’s efforts

Although countries in the Nordic region are often hailed as pioneers of digital and equal worker rights, there is still gender inequality in the IT sector. Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Government launches FTTP pilot for businesses, schools and hospitals

The government has released £10m to six FTTP trial projects around the UK, testing ultrafast broadband technology in businesses, schools and hospitals Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Saudi Telecom Company creates cloud computing giant

The IT joint venture in Saudi Arabia will drive the digitisation of government services Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

UK business welcomes government post-Brexit data sharing plan

Business has welcomed government proposals for data protection to enable unhindered data sharing with the EU after Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Dutch e-voting is waiting for an opportunity

Despite years of opposition and distrust in voting machines, a small Dutch initiative is aiming for a new form of e-voting Continue Reading

By

• Jasper Bakker

UAE telco Du pushes SaaS adoption in Middle East

The Middle East looks set to see strong growth in software as a service and IT departments need to take a different approach Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

How banking technology has changed since the crash

In this week’s Computer Weekly, 10 years after the financial crash, we examine how banking technology has changed as a result of the economic crisis. We look at how GDPR, the EU’s new data protection laws, will affect your data storage strategies. And we ask if the cryptocurrency boom will remain a niche pursuit or whether the underlying technologies can bring benefits for enterprise IT. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Blockchain skills in high demand and jobs being swept up quickly

Job vacancies for people with blockchain skills are being filled in just seven days, on average, once they are advertised online Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

School leavers urged to look at cyber security apprenticeships

Cyber security apprenticeships are a good alternative to ‘clearing’ and debts, according to security certification body, Crest Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

World's largest’ data center planned in Norway

Norway will soon have the biggest datacenter in the world which will harness the countries rich natural resources Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Huddle in trouble: Did the journey from startup to scaleup cause the UK cloud firm to lose its way?

What does the future hold for cloud collaboration firm Huddle, once a darling of the UK tech startup scene but now seemingly in need of a financial bailout? Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Hackers hit Holyrood with Westminster-style brute-force attack

The Scottish parliament has been hit by a cyber attack similar to the one that struck Westminster in June Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

So you want new IT systems for Brexit? Leaked GDS report shows it’s already too late

There has been barely a passing public mention from the government about the need for new or redeveloped IT systems to support whatever trading and immigration regime the UK has when it leaves the ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Russian cyber espionage group targeting hotel Wi-Fi

A Russian cyber espionage group is targeting hotel Wi-Fi networks to carry out malware infections and potentially steal credentials, researchers warn Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

China tests hack-proof quantum satellite communications

China has tested a prototype communication system that uses the principles of quantum mechanics to make it impossible for hackers to access Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IT pros urged to support ‘WannaCry hero’ Marcus Hutchins

Computer experts fear chilling effect on security research over US arrest of Marcus Hutchins who halted the spread of the WannaCry ransomware Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin and Julia Gregory

Gov.uk Verify fails to meet key business case targets

Government’s controversial online identity system has missed important milestones that formed the basis of its original 2015 business case Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Over 40% of IT professionals want another general election this year

A large proportion of IT workers in the UK want another general election this year in the hope it will stave off a hard brexit Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Nordic countries top digital nations ranking, but risk stalling

Nordic countries are leaders when it comes to digitisation – but they must continue to innovate to retain their position Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

NIS Directive plans show UK is serious about tackling cyber threats

UK government plans to implement the EU’s Network and Information Systems (NIS) Directive have been welcomed for assuring its commitment to cyber defence post-Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

ICO highlights challenge Slack-like tools pose to public sector FOI request compliance

The Information Commissioner’s Office outlines how the growing use of cloud-based communication channels could complicate how public sector organisations respond to Freedom of Information requests Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Cyber criminals make it difficult to follow the money

Following the money is a classic technique used by law enforcement to link criminals to crimes by tracing associated financial exchanges, but that may not be easy in the case of the WannaCry attacks Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Sub-postmasters allege 'bullying and intimidation' by Post Office over Horizon IT system

Campaigners have submitted initial evidence in group litigation against Post Office over controversial Horizon IT system Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Why Facebook’s AI termination raises safety concerns

Revelations that researchers at Facebook had to switch off two bots that went rogue have raised questions about the safety of artificial intelligence Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Parliament’s digital chief quits to become Arup CIO

Rob Greig is leaving in September for a new role in the private sector Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Tech suppliers assess the latest iteration of GDS

The general election has passed by, new ministers are in place, and so the Government Digital Service (GDS) is coming back out of its shell. As it embarks on a new parliamentary cycle, GDS is a ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

GDS wants IT suppliers to use its GaaP products – but won’t offer service guarantees

The Government Digital Service encourages tech firms to adopt the platform services it has developed – but can’t offer any service or support guarantees Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Big data means big risk, Swedish Transport Agency leak shows

The Swedish Transport Agency exposed sensitive information by transferring its databases to a third party cloud provider without following data protection procedures Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How the DVLA is making driving digital

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we hear from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) about how it is becoming a digital hub for motoring and moving away from its legacy IT. Our latest buyer’s guide examines the future of data management. And we look at the importance of understanding the small print in your software licensing agreements. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

IR35 reforms: IT contractor fleshes out details of potential HMRC legal challenge

Following the early-stage success of efforts to crowd-fund a legal challenge against the IR35 reforms, one of the IT contractors behind the campaign outlines details of what could happen next Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Newcastle council data leak shows need for security automation

Leak of child adoption information by Newcastle City Council resulted from accidental email attachment by employee Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Post Office defence in computer system legal case due this week

The Post Office will this week present its defence against allegations brought by subpostmasters in a group legal action Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Defence minister opens £3m cyber security centre in Gloucester

UK minister for defence procurement has opened Lockheed Martin’s job-creating cyber security centre aimed at boosting UK cyber defence capability and skills Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Encryption keys too predictable, warn security researchers

Encryption keys are not as random as most people think, which means encrypting data is often not as secure as it could be, according to security researchers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

HMRC’s customs IT system may not be ready before Brexit

National Audit Office is concerned that customs declaration service will not be ready in time for the UK’s departure from the EU because significant challenges remain Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

CW Middle East: How women can fill the tech skills gap

The growth of the IT sector continues to drive both innovation and employment in the Gulf, but women – as with all industries in the region – are under-represented in technology by significant margins, and could help to fill the tech skills gap. Also in this issue, read about growing threats in Saudi Arabia’s cyber sector, and how Dubai is becoming a world leader in smart city developments. Continue Reading

MoJ electronic monitoring programme fails to achieve value for money, says NAO

National Audit Office slams severely delayed MoJ electronic tag project for series of failures, including being too ambitious, not delivering benefits and procurement shambles Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

UK ranked as top 10 digital economy

The UK has been ranked among the top 10 nations in terms of digital capabilities Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Met Police signs £8m digital forensics deal

MASS wins seven-year contract to supply a digital forensics managed service to London’s Metropolitan Police Service Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Second phase of Dubai Health Authority’s electronic records implementation to start in August 2017

Unified electronic medical record (EMR) system to be rolled to more medical facilities across Dubai Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

Citizens Advice calls for roll-out of Universal Credit to be paused

A report by the advisory charity highlights issued around making and managing claims online, lack of digital skills and problems with identity verification through Gov.uk Verify Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Sweden trials blockchain for land registry management

Swedish land registry is trying out blockchain as a means of proving ownership Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Dear Caroline Nokes, a few items for your digital government to-do list

I feel a little sorry for Caroline Nokes, announced this week as the latest minister responsible for digital government - the third to take on that mantle in less than a year. She’s clearly a ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Policing should embrace IoT opportunities

The internet of things brings more opportunities than challenges for the UK’s police forces, according to a TechUK report that urges the police to embrace digital technologies Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad