IT for government and public sector

IE update top priority for Patch Tuesday

Microsoft releases nine bulletins addressing 21 vulnerabilities in its monthly Patch Tuesday security update on 14 February Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government takes on proprietary software lobby in open standards battle

The government wants to push through open standards against vested interests keen to maintain the dominance of proprietary systems. Continue Reading

By

• Mark Ballard

LinkedIn Q4 revenue more than doubles

Social networking site LinkedIn has reported 2011 fourth quarter revenue of $167.7m, up 105% from Q4 2010; and net income of $6.9m, an increase of 30% Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cisco back on acquisition trail after record quarter

Cisco Systems has reported record revenues of $11.5bn for the second fiscal quarter that ended 28 January 2012, up 11% on the year-ago quarter, and profits of $2.6bn or 47 cents a share, up 27%. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Greater Manchester Police deploys two-way CMS

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has implemented a case management system from STL Technologies that has a two-way interface with the Crown Prosecution Service’s system. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

More than half of government projects behind schedule

More than half of major government projects are behind schedule, according to the head of Whitehall's Major Projects Authority. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

UK to take part in weekend protests against Acta

Protests against the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Agreement (Acta) have been organised across Europe, with most set to take place on 11 February. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

FBI investigates Anonymous intercept of call with Scotland Yard

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is looking into how a conference call with Scotland Yard was intercepted by a member of the activist hacking group Anonymous. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

St. Helens and Knowsley NHS trust signs £1.3m storage deal

St. Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has signed a £1.3m deal with EMC as part of its five-year plan to overhaul its storage infrastructure. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

Fewer than a third of UK organisations plan mobile security projects

Despite the media hype around the adoption of mobile technologies and the need to secure them, relatively few UK organisations are planning mobile security projects, a survey has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Oracle and SAP worst for government ERP cost differences

Oracle and SAP have been singled out as having the most inconsistent prices for ERP systems across government departments. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

ICO fines Midlothian Council £140K for data breaches

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has imposed its highest penalty yet of £140,000 on Midlothian Council for breaching personal data Continue Reading

MEP quits as thousands protest ACTA signing

A European MP has resigned after thousands of people in Poland protested against the international anti-counterfeiting trade agreement (ACTA) Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

EC publishes proposed data protection reforms

European Justice Commissioner, Viviane Reding, has unveiled the new European data privacy framework that includes new regulation. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Advocacy group La Quadrature du Net rallies opposition to ACTA

As controversial anti-piracy legislation stalls in the US, a European group of free internet supporters, La Quadrature du Net, calls for a halt to similar legislation in the European Union. Continue Reading

NHS Trust saves £1m a year with text reminder service

Barts Hospital and the London Hospital NHS Trust have saved nearly £1m a year with an automatic appointment reminder text service. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

Apple aims to improve working conditions for technology workforce

Apple has published a list of all suppliers for the first time and says it will allow independent observers into its facilities around the world to monitor working conditions. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Rupert Murdoch attacks Barack Obama over online piracy legislation

News Corp chief Rupert Murdoch has accused Barack Obama's administration of siding with "Silicon Valley paymasters" as two anti-piracy bills go through US Congress. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

NHS Trust to appeal £375k data loss penalty

An NHS Trust is to appeal against a proposed monetary penalty of £375,000 after after patient records were stolen from a hospital and sold on eBay. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Fighting fraud in government

Cybercrime has emerged as a growing threat to public sector organisations, this research from PwC reveals. Continue Reading

ICT curriculum for GCSE is scrapped

The government is to scrap the teaching of GCSE ICT in schools this September, with plans to replace the subject with the “rigorous” teaching of computer science and programming subjects. Continue Reading

Healthcare IT is a beneficial force, say doctors

IT in the NHS has had a bad press in recent years as a result of the problems associated with the now defunct £12bn NHS National Programme for IT, but most doctors in England believe IT improves patient care. Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Accenture bolsters public sector skills

Services giant Accenture has recruited two former civil servants to its ranks to boost its UK and global public sector services capabilities. Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Olympics resale site still offline after two days

The Olympics tickets resale site has been offline for more than two days, after tens of thousands of people clamoured online buy unwanted tickets on 6 January. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

Ramnit worm steals 45,000 Facebook passwords

A computer worm has begun targeting Facebook accounts and has stolen at least 45,000 login credentials from users, say security researchers. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

British Waterways Scotland signs £2.3m ICT deal

British Waterways Scotland has signed a £2.3m deal with business technology company Amor Group to develop its ICT systems. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

Hacktivists plan to use satellites to by-pass internet censorship

Hacker activists plan to launch communication satellites to overcome the threat of internet censorship. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Top 10 SME IT stories of 2011

For small businesses, 2011 has been another tough year, with many continuing to batten down the hatches as the economy continues to stall. But at the same time it has also been a year of technological innovation, both in terms of SMEs using the latest technology to drive down costs and also bringing new ICT innovations to the market. Read our top ten articles outlining the technology landscape for small businesses in 2011. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

Atos to provide £8m GP data mining system

IT services company Atos has won an £8m five-year contract to provide a computer system which will retrieve patient information across GP practices. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

How HP played a key role in RAF air crew support in Libya

The Ministry of Defence has praised HP over its Advanced Mission Planning Aid system, most recently used to support air crew in Libya. Continue Reading

DWP seeks £200m identity assurance framework

The Department for Work and Pensions has issued a contract notice for a £200m framework agreement to provide identity assurance services for 21 million people on benefits Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

CIOs believe cloud, SaaS, consumerisation and mobility increase risk

Business models such as cloud computing and trends such as the consumerisation of IT, social media and mobility are exposing performance blind spots in IT management, a CIO survey has revealed. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cloud leaves many firewalls wanting – but could automation prove the silver bullet?

Most companies rely on firewalls, but the IT landscape is changing and so must approaches to security. Is there a silver bullet? Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Martha Lane Fox launches Government Digital Service

The launch of the Government Digital Service will “fundamentally transform the lives of millions,” says digital champion Martha Lane Fox. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall

Adobe to release out-of-cycle patch for latest vulnerability

Adobe has issued a security advisory about a newly discovered and still unpatched vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat which is being used in "limited, targeted attacks in the wild". Continue Reading

UKtech50: Meet the 50 most influential people in UK IT

Computer Weekly has announced the final listing for the second annual UKtech50, the definitive list of the real movers and shakers in UK IT. Continue Reading

By

• Computer Weekly Staff

UKtech50: Meet Mike Lynch, the most influential person in UK IT

Mike Lynch, voted as the most influential person in UK IT, doesn’t like to think about challenges, but about opportunities. Continue Reading

Government extends G-Cloud deadline

The government has extended its G-Cloud deadline following the application of more than 500 businesses to its framework. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

One in four IT security staff abuse admin rights, survey shows

At least one in four IT security staff use their privileged login rights to look at confidential information, a survey has revealed. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

SAP buys SaaS firm SuccessFactors in $3.4bn deal

Enterprise software company SAP announces a $3.4bn deal to acquire software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider SuccessFactors. Continue Reading

Essex County Council invests £15m in IT to cut costs

Essex County Council is pumping £15m into an IT infrastructure upgrade expected to create efficiency savings of £7m per year, says CIO David Wilde. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

United Nations Development Programme investigates hacking claims

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is investigating claims from hacker group Team Poison that it extracted over 100 e-mail addresses and login details belonging to UN staff. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Framework accelerates safety-critical defence systems development

Manufacturers and academics are collaborating in a 3.5 million project to create a software modelling framework that will speed up the development and certification of safety-critical systems used in aerospace and defence. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Government mutual will be a beacon for IT procurement

The pension administration mutual being set up by the government will be the first of a wave of new business models that could shake-up central government outsourcing contracts. Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government opens its procurement heart to IT suppliers

The government has promised more openness with suppliers and published its first forward-looking pipeline of business, with £25.9bn of IT projects. Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Olympic volunteers to use virtual communication

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (Locog) is to deploy virtual meeting rooms to enable its 6,000 staff and volunteers to communicate during the Olympics. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

MIT scientists take a step closer to artificial intelligence

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed an analogue silicon chip with 400 transistors that emulates the activity of a brain synapse in the first step to building truly intelligent systems. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How to embed innovation in the corporate culture

This paper from Kurt Salmon identifies the common inhibitors to innovation and how to overcome them, and sets out some important principles that can help. Continue Reading

Forensics key to effective info security, says E&Y

Intelligence-led security strategies are the most effective in eliminating vulnerabilities and preventing IP theft through enabling informed change, says consultancy firm Ernst & Young. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IT security not always part of cloud decision, says IDC

Cloud adoption is outstripping security concerns, says Eric Domage, programme manager for IDC in Europe. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

TfL seeks BI worth £750,000

Transport for London (TfL) is setting up a framework agreement for a business intelligence tool worth up to £750,000 million to help reduce its number of head office locations. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

CIO Interview: IT should drive company innovation, says SAP's Oliver Bussmann

Driving innovation has become one of the key roles of the chief information officer, says Oliver Bussmann, CIO at business software maker SAP. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

New deputy CIO must possess change management skills, says Bill McCluggage

The new government deputy CIO will need a fresh set of skills to manage public sector ICT transformation, Bill McCluggage the current deputy CIO told Computer Weekly. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

Computer Weekly Technology Industry Survey

This in-depth research from Computer Weekly and Mortimer Spinks, provides a must-read analysis and insight into UK IT salaries. Continue Reading

The market landscape for print security

This report is gives an overview of the security risks of the print environment , the market landscape, best practices for a print security strategy. Continue Reading

Welcome to the new-look ComputerWeekly.com

Computer Weekly has launched its brand new website - the most important online development in the brand’s 45-year history. Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

London cybersecurity conference: a missed opportunity?

World leaders gathered in London. Our prime minister and foreign secretary hosted all the luminaries and dignitaries. Was it worth it? Continue Reading

Analysis: Intelligence key to security business case

Information security is becoming an increasingly important part of any business as the value of information assets continually grow, as do the threats from cyber crime and espionage. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

US and EU hold first joint cybersecurity exercise

The US and EU are holding their first joint cybersecurity exercise in Brussels on 3 November 2011, involving more than 20 EU member states and supported by the EU's cybersecurity agency Enisa and the US Department of Homeland Security. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

MoD calls on academics, industry and inventors to pitch cyber security ideas

The Ministry of Defence is calling for innovative solutions from academia and industry to protect and secure UK interests in cyberspace. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government trials voice recognition for Universal Credit benefit claims

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is testing a voice recognition system to authenticate claimants of its flagship Universal Credits system, as part of the department's work on identity assurance (IDA). Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

Hague calls for collaboration to realise full potential of cyberspace

It is increasingly clear that countries with weak cyber defences and capabilities will find themselves at a serious strategic disadvantage given the rise of state-sponsored cyber attacks, according to foreign secretary William Hague. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Migration committee calls for opinions on minimum salary for IT staff on ICT visas

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is calling for opinions on whether the minimum pay of £40,000 is set at the right level for overseas employees brought to the UK on Intra Company Transfer visas (ICT) Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government earmarks £10m for Identity Assurance

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude has earmarked £10m for implementation of the government's Identity Assurance (IDA) programme, with the cash coming from its £650m cyber defence fund - with the potential for more near £1bn of savings if the project is a success. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

Japan may be facing sustained cyber attack

Japan's mapping agency is the latest in a series of government agencies to be targeted by hackers, raising fears that the breaches are part of a series of sustained attacks. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UKtech50: We launch the search for the most influential people in UK IT

Computer Weekly has launched the second annual UKtech50, the definitive list of the real movers and shakers in UK IT - the leaders driving the creation of a high-tech economy. Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Open University expands computer-aided teaching portal for educators worlwide

The Open University has completed the second stage of a £2.5m Department of Education funded initiative to deliver computer-aided teaching to the classroom. Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

One in five IT staff expected to quit current employer within 12 months

One in five IT staff are likely to leave their current employer next year in search of more interesting projects and career opportunities, while 80% feel they need a job change to progress their career, according to exclusive research. Continue Reading

By

• Jenny Williams, University of Gloucestershire

Microsoft claims most Android smartphone manufacturers now pay patent fees

Microsoft has claimed most Android smartphone manufacturers now pay the software giant patent fees. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

White House proposes cyber network security legislation

The White House has proposed cyber security legislation to protect the US government and private computer systems from millions of daily cyber attacks. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Universal Credit possible if politicians don't interfere, says IT chief

DWP can manage the massive reorganisation of computer systems demanded by Universal Credit as long as politicians don't move the goalposts and over-complicate matters for departmental techies, said ... Continue Reading

By

• Mark Ballard

6 data warehouse design mistakes to avoid

Although difficult, flawless data warehouse design is a must for a successful BI system. Avoid these six mistakes to make your data warehouse perfect. Continue Reading

By

• Amit Agarwal

Government to end ICT "oligopoly"

The government has promised to bring down the ICT oligopoly as part of a strategy that may have seismic consequences for the public and private sectors. Continue Reading

By

• Mark Ballard

Government puts open source at the heart of its new IT strategy

The government has launched its much-anticipated new IT strategy, highlighting open source and a promise that the coalition will do things better. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

Government Digital Service launched to oversee Whitehall websites

Whitehall has set up a new organisation to oversee moves to improve the digital delivery of public services. Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Government losing billions by not moving to the cloud

The public sector could be making unnecessary redundancies due to a reluctance to innovate in IT and shift to the cloud, says former CIO John Suffolk Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

Middle East governments stepping up internet control, study shows

The internet has proved to be a powerful tool for rallying social and political change, but Middle East governments have also recognised their capability to disrupt communications Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Intellect presses government to promote IT in UK economic growth

The government has agreed to promote the role of technology in leading the UK's economic growth, following a meeting with IT industry body Intellect. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

Smart meter and smart grids: security risk or opportunity?

A smart meter in every home in the UK by 2017 is the government plan as a first step towards a smart grid, but how can we ensure the benefits will outweigh the security risks? Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

US government issues Twitter subpoena over Wikileaks founder Julian Assange

Twitter has been issued with a subpoena by the US government to release the personal details of people connected to Wikileaks, including founder Julian Assange. Continue Reading

By

• Kathleen Hall, TechTarget

Government unveils £200m tech centre network details

The government has published plans to spend £200m on a network of high-tech manufacturing centres Continue Reading

By

• Ian Grant

IT openness is coming - Cabinet Office

Government CIO John Suffolk and his colleagues are preparing plans for the publication of IT-related documents that have always been secret and difficult to obtain even under the Freedom of ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

iSoft issues market update, and its share price rises

iSoft, an important supplier to the NHS IT scheme, issued a market update today, which appears to have been well received by the market as the company's share price rose by about 16% to 28.5 cents. ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

Life made a misery after IBM took over congestion charge

"Since IBM took over the 'auto-pay' system my life has been a misery" - Bryan Thompson, Operations Director at car rental company Miles & Miles.There are plans to extend the problematic ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

Will Coalition scrap opt-out model for summary care records?

Pulse magazine says the BMA is confident it can convince the new government to order a new opt-in model for summary care records. Opt-in is likely to mean that patients would give their consent to ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

Early-day motion calls for immediate halt to summary care records uploads

A new Liberal Democrat MP has put down an early-day motion that "calls on the Government to halt all SCR [summary care records] updates, effective immediately, pending its promised comprehensive ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

£6bn of savings - some of the impact on IT

The Treasury outlines in a statement today (24 May 2010) how the government will save £6bn in 2010/11. There's no detail, only headline figures. This is what the statement says: "Government ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

Would Tories create raft of new IT-related projects?

Board directors of major Government IT suppliers have good reason to vote Tory Plans for major outsourcing deals already underway in private? Sir Peter Gershon, adviser to the Conservative Party, ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

More cracks in the NPfIT - or an unlocking of Trust restraints?

Smarthealthcare.com reports that the Department of Health is allowing some trusts in the north of England to use an alternative to the Lorenzo software they were going to install from their NPfIT ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

Tory manifesto: what about the promise to publish Gateway reviews?

On the "Make IT Better" website, which is run by the Conservative Party, is a promise to publish gateway reviews "when they are produced, and allow the public to scrutinise the value and progress ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

Is the NPfIT in London now officially in tatters?

Ruth Carnall, the Chief Executive of NHS London, has told all London NHS Chief Executives that a cut of more than £100m in funding for BT's NPfIT contract means that "it will no longer be possible ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

New NHS BT deal in London needs close scrutiny

John Cruickshank, a specialist with a long track record working in health IT, writes for 2020health, which describes itself as a centre-right web-based think-tank for health and ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

Congrats to Bristol City Council

Bristol City Council is making available Google Analytics statistics on the use of its website. This is the sort of openness which makes Bristol a local authority exemplar: On the Google Analytics ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

MP questions NHS CIO on BT, CSC, Lorenzo and Cerner

MP Richard Bacon, a member of the Public Accounts Committee, who has followed the NPfIT more closely than any other MP, yesterday sent a list of questions to Christine Connelly, the Department of ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

Will health IT programme in US follow the NPfIT?

Health Care Renewal predicts that the National Program for Healthcare IT in the US is likely, in 2015, to resemble the National Programme for IT in the NHS in 2010. Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

CfH responds to "NPfIT close to imploding" claim

The Department of Health has responded to as long article in The Guardian saying that the NPfIT is close to imploding. A spokesperson said:"We are continuing to work with the NHS at local level to ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

Summary Care Records: the truth or nothing like it?

Richard Veryard has written a response to our report on inaccuracies and ommisions in the Summary Care Records database. He writes:"What's wrong with the single version of truth." Researchers at ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

Do new rules on use of Police National Database go far enough?

The National Policing Improvement Agency today publishes a code which governs the use of a new intelligence system that, in effect, implements some of the main recommendations of the Bichard ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

Catering staff given access to electronic health records

The Irish Independent says that catering staff were able to access confidential patient information held on a £54m health service record system which is being rolled out across Ireland.The ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

Too many destructive vested interests in Govt IT?

In response to the article on this blog by Rob Bowley, on whether Agile can help solve Government IT problems, Matt writes:"Not if what I've seen of 'agile' approaches in government IT is anything ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins