IT for retail and logistics

GCHQ: Cyber investment a guarantor of UK’s global status

GCHQ director Jeremy Fleming sets out a vision for the UK’s cyber security future Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CIO interview: Richard Corbridge, Boots

Boots has been hugely successful in its transition to e-commerce and the Covid-19 pandemic has seen several digital initiatives spun up to continue offering services to customers Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

Shop and go – will Amazon’s cashless ‘just walk out’ store work?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, Amazon has opened its first ‘just walk out’ grocery store in the UK, but is it the right time to hit the high street? We examine the human and technical issues around email security. And we analyse Microsoft’s $19bn purchase of voice recognition supplier Nuance. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Amazon Go – is now the right time?

In the beginning of 2021, Amazon launched a physical store in London, but is it the right time to be investing in offline? Continue Reading

Finnish government strengthens country’s IT network security

Finland’s government has created a new national organisation to help public and private bodies improve network security Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Post Office’s full and final settlement with Horizon scandal victims in plain English

The legal settlement with subpostmaster victims of the Horizon scandal that the government and the Post Office say is “full and final” is anything but Continue Reading

By

• Alan Bates

Only government standing in the way of fair compensation for subpostmasters

The UK government is the only block to fair compensation for subpostmasters who were wrongly punished for accounting shortfalls Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Microsoft is most impersonated brand in phishing attempts

Technology companies continue to be frequently spoofed by cyber criminals in their phishing attempts Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Tesco reports online sales surge, advances digital platform

Retailer announces 77% boost to e-commerce sales, details on Clubcard app uptake and advances in its IT remediation plan Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Europe provides growth for TCS despite year floored by pandemic

Tata Consultancy Services grows its continental European business despite economic slowdown brought by Covid-19 restrictions Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Security Think Tank: Vaccine passports must be secure by design

What are the security issues and challenges presented by vaccine passports, and how should they be designed and used with ethics and privacy in mind? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

Covid-19 left people feeling vulnerable to cyber crime

Around 15 million people in the UK experienced cybercrime in the past 12 months, with a cumulative 64 million hours wasted dealing with the fallout Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

End of the road for Post Office IT system that destroyed lives

The Post Office has revealed the end to its controversial Horizon IT system which, through its errors and the Post Office's denial of them, caused huge suffering for hundreds of subpostmasters Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CIO interview: Nitin Chaturvedi, chief digital and technology officer, KFC Global

The Covid-19 pandemic led to the digital element of KFC’s business becoming increasingly important, says the fast food retailer’s chief digital and technology officer Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

NCSC: Using your pet’s name as a password is very stupid

If your email password is still Rex, Rover or Mr Fluffles, it’s probably best to change it, the NCSC has said Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Post Office Horizon contract extension is part of project to bring Fujitsu work in-house

The Post Office is to move work done by Fujitsu in-house when its outsourcing contract ends, and is already recruiting IT experts Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Inside Microsoft’s industry cloud strategy

Microsoft dives deeper into its industry cloud strategy and what it means for enterprises in the Asia-Pacific region Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Deliveroo riders strike over pay and work conditions

Riders across the country are demanding fair pay, safety protections and basic workers’ rights pay on Deliveroo’s first day of trading as a public company Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Post Office gives controversial Fujitsu contract another year

The Post Office's controversial contract with Fujitsu has been extended another year to help the organisation manage its exit Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Demands for changes to ‘barmy’ rules on digital evidence have government’s ear

The government is listening to calls for changes in how digital evidence is considered in court, as Post Office IT scandal spells out current rule's inadequacy Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Security Think Tank: Evolving threats, tech, leaves CNI exposed

In light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

By

• Tim Parker

Asda bags ex-Marks and Spencer CIO

Carl Dawson, who has been CIO at department store M&S for six years, is leaving the retailer to become CIO at Asda Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

IR35 reforms: Slow government progress on umbrella regulation exposes IT contractors to tax risks

With thousands of IT contractors set to start working through unregulated umbrella companies for the first time when the IR35 reforms take hold in the private sector, concerns are growing about the danger this could pose to their income and tax affairs in years to come Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Retailer FatFace pays $2m ransom to Conti cyber criminals

Retailer FatFace paid out a $2m ransom to restore its data following a January 2021 cyber attack by the Conti ransomware syndicate Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor
• Valéry Rieß-Marchive, Rédacteur en chef

TUC warns of gaps in British law over use of AI at work

The TUC has published a report warning of AI-powered discrimination against working people enabled by gaps in existing British employment law Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Senior Analyst, Business Applications

Government faces judicial review into plans for Post Office Horizon inquiry

Subpostmasters that suffered great hardship at the hands of the Post Office are applying for a judicial review of a government inquiry into the scandal, which they see as a "whitewash" Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Ex-Post Office CEO Paula Vennells walked away from IT scandal with over £400,000 in pay and bonuses

Former Post Office chief was paid over £400,000 when she left despite the organisation being involved in what would become the biggest miscarriage of justice in UK history Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Prime minister says people should be held to account for Post Office IT scandal

Boris Johnson agrees with MP that those responsible for the Post Office Horizon scandal should be brought to book Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Post Office was told in 2013 that Fujitsu witness was unreliable in subpostmaster prosecutions

The Post Office was warned that a former Fujitsu employee had misled courts when giving evidence on its behalf Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Security Think Tank: Attacks on CNI – an evolving frontier in warfare

In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

By

• Asaf Weisberg, ISACA board of directors

CIO interview: David Walmsley, chief digital and omni-channel officer, Pandora

The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic could have been a disaster for the jeweller, but due to its digital transformation programme, it was ready to carry on serving its customers online Continue Reading

Would the UK really nuke a cyber attacker?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, did the UK’s defence and security review really suggest a nuclear response to a cyber attack? Data visualisation has been widely used to explain the Covid-19 pandemic, but not always that effectively. And jewellery retailer Pandora explains how it kept the personal touch as customers went online. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Post Office IT scandal executive forced out of job at Football Association of Wales

Angela van den Bogerd has left her role at the Football Association of Wales, following criticism of her part in Post Office IT scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Vaccine passports cannot put basic rights at risk, warns BCS

BCS warns of challenges to come as the government presses on with its plans for Covid-19 vaccine passports Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government to bail out Post Office which can’t afford to pay compensation to subpostmasters

The Post Office does not have enough money to pay compensation to the subpostmasters it wrongfully prosecuted Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Subpostmasters in Court of Appeal to end 20-year torment

Subpostmasters heading to Court of Appeal to clear their names in what is potentially the biggest miscarriage of justice in English legal history Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Security Think Tank: Take a realistic perspective on CNI cyber attacks

In light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Morris, Turnkey Consulting

Security Think Tank: CNI operators must focus on core issues

In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Security Think Tank: CNI operators are in an unenviable position

In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

By

• Mike Lloyd, RedSeal

India is becoming a hotspot for IoT

India is set to be a cradle for internet of things deployments thanks to its vibrant economy and its potential to play a bigger role in global manufacturing Continue Reading

By

• Pratima Harigunani

Amazon Go – is now the right time?

In the beginning of 2021, Amazon launched a physical store in London, but is it the right time to be investing in offline? Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Baldwin, Freelance editor and journalist

Potential miscarriages of justice of Scottish subpostmasters move to full review

The Post Office Horizon scandal gets bigger as subpostmaster prosecutions in Scotland are reviewed Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Welsh FA boss linked to recruitment of controversial former Post Office executive to step down

Football Association Wales CEO Jonathan Ford is stepping down after losing a vote of no confidence triggered by the controversial appointment of Angela van den Bogerd, who was involved in the Post Office IT scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government’s refusal of freedom of information request about Post Office scandal ‘deeply concerning’

MP condemns department’s ‘bizarre’ rejection of freedom of information request linked to Post Office IT scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Prime minister yet to respond to serious subpostmaster concerns over Horizon IT scandal inquiry

Subpostmaster victims who have spent millions bringing the Post Office IT scandal to light have received no reply to their concerns from Boris Johnson Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Are you ready to return to the office?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, a year after lockdown began, we look at employers’ changing attitudes to returning to the workplace. We find out how the software developer community has coped during the Covid-19 pandemic. And we examine the cyber security concerns prompted by latest social media craze, Clubhouse. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Government to change unfair private prosecution rules used to prosecute innocent subpostmasters

Government agrees to change private prosecution rules that were abused by the Post Office in its pursuit of subpostmasters wrongly accused of financial crimes Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Nordic innovators change emphasis on gender equality in society

Female technology innovators in the Nordics take a different approach to trying to improve opportunities for women Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Pandemic brings good online sales growth for smaller retailers

IMRG data shows smaller retailers did ‘astronomically well’ in online sales growth after Covid-19 took hold last year Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Taking back control in the face of Covid-19 and Brexit

GUEST BLOG: In this contributed blog post, Anastasia Laska, vice president partner alliances and business development, Revionics, an Aptos company, explains how employing tech that helps them roll ... Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Nordic startups strive to fuel international e-commerce transformation

Nordic startups are developing technology for retailers that want to improve the customer experience when buying online Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

UKtech50 2021: The most influential people in UK technology

Computer Weekly has announced the 11th annual UKtech50 – our definitive list of the movers and shakers in the UK tech sector Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Vaccine passports prove an ethical minefield

Privacy campaigners warn that vaccine passports may turn out to be discriminatory and invasive, while technologists agree careful consideration must be given to their design Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Appointment of disgraced former Post Office director triggers vote of no confidence in Welsh FA boss

Vote of no confidence in Football Association of Wales boss triggered by recruitment of former Post Office executive who tried to mislead a judge in IT trial Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Subpostmaster group calls for prime minister to pause Horizon ‘whitewash’ inquiry

Subpostmasters call for Boris Johnson to pause and reshape the government’s Horizon inquiry Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Rogue drones beware: We’re here to ground you

Eugene Kaspersky exclusively lifts the lid on a mysterious, shiny device that’s been sitting in his office Continue Reading

By

• Eugene Kaspersky, Kaspersky

Pandemic has exposed fractures in cyber fraud strategy

RUSI report urges a bolder and more coordinated response to cyber-enabled fraud as the pandemic lays bear the scale of the problem Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Uber drivers should be classified as ‘workers’, UK Supreme Court confirms

Supreme Court ruling brings Uber’s four-year legal battle to have its drivers classified as self-employed to an end, and could see its drivers in line to receive thousands of pounds in compensation Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Vaccine passports highlight social impact of systems design

Vaccine or immunity passports are an opportunity to advance the design of trustworthy digital systems, but much more work still needs to be done Continue Reading

By

• Carsten Maple

Digital investments will add £232bn to UK economy by 2040

The UK economy could grow by £232bn over the next two decades if investments in digital technologies continue Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Post Office to offer digital ID services to customers

Post Office partnership with Yoti is intended to expand customer choice as to how people prove their identity when accessing services Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nordic states launch joint drone development initiative

Nordic Drone Initiative backed by 16 public and privately owned organisations in Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark to probe the efficient use of airspace for drones Continue Reading

‘Batman Begins’ cyber attack is a warning to CNI providers

A thwarted cyber attack in a Florida town that could have resulted in the poisoning of the water supply is a timely reminder of the vulnerability of critical services Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fraud and cyber crime still vastly under-reported

The scale of digitally enabled crime in the UK is dramatically under-reported, new statistics indicate Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CIO interview: David Walmsley, chief digital and omni-channel officer, Pandora

The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic could have been a disaster for the jeweller, but due to its digital transformation programme, it was ready to carry on serving its customers online Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

Google grows cloud sales as parent’s profits top $40bn

Alphabet announces massive overall profits and increased Google cloud sales Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

IT scandal exposes legal rule that made it easy for Post Office to prosecute the innocent

Lawyers call for changes to digital evidence rule that made it easier for the Post Office to ‘bamboozle courts’ and make subpostmasters pay a heavy price for its IT failings Continue Reading

Manufacturing particularly at risk of Solorigate-linked breaches

Every fifth victim of the SolarWinds Solorigate/Sunburst attack was a manufacturing organisation, say researchers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Customers turn to cash as IT issue hits card payments at major supermarkets

IT problem at payment processing company has forced shoppers to resort to cash in Morrisons and Co-op stores Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Cyber fraud a national security issue, says Rusi report

A report from the Rusi think tank calls for fresh approaches to how we think about fighting fraud Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Salad as a service: How tech could revolutionise farming

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how new technologies are supporting the rise of vertical farming, and could revolutionise food supply chains. We examine one of the biggest trends in the cloud – serverless computing. And Brexit has not yet ended the debate about UK-EU data protection. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Salad as a service: Retailers’ interest in vertical farming grows

Retailers are waking up to the potential of vertical farming, with technology-enabled agriculture a core part of supply chain bosses’ and food buyers’ plans. Continue Reading

Are banks overburdened with responsibility for money lost to online scams?

Bank boss calls for cross-industry cooperation to reduce scams that trick people into making instant payments online Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Interview: Tony Porter, chief privacy officer, Corsight AI

Tony Porter speaks to Computer Weekly about the changes in facial-recognition during his time as surveillance camera commissioner, the ethics of using the technology, and his new role as chief privacy officer at Corsight AI Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

More subpostmasters’ prosecutions sent to appeal for wrongful conviction

Four more subpostmasters are to have their appeals against criminal convictions heard in the appeal courts Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

IT scandal exposes legal rule that made it easy for Post Office to prosecute the innocent

Lawyers call for changes to digital evidence rule that made it easier for the Post Office to ‘bamboozle courts’ and make subpostmasters pay a heavy price for its IT failings Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Parler v AWS, digital schooling, ambulance data – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

In this episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Caroline Donnelly, Clare McDonald and Brian McKenna discuss the purgation of Parler, the traumas of digital schooling and the South Central Ambulance Service’s use of data to support their operations during the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor
• Brian McKenna, Senior Analyst, Business Applications
• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Click fraud levels reach new heights in pandemic

Small companies risk losing £10,000 a year, and enterprises as much as £520,000, to cyber criminals as click fraud volumes spike Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UKtech50: The 2021 longlist

Each year, Computer Weekly launches its annual search for the most influential people in UK IT, where the tech industry nominates who it thinks should be in the top 50 – here is the longlist for 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

AI specialists and software engineers among most popular UK roles, says LinkedIn

Demand for specialist software engineers and people with skills in AI have risen, according to professional network LinkedIn Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

VVOLs and Pure win VM storage beauty parade for French chain

VMware Virtual Volumes and a move from NetApp to Pure Storage saw cosmetics retailer Beauty Success make performance gains and eliminate bottlenecks in ordering and logistics Continue Reading

By

• Yann Serra, LeMagIT

IFS Field Service Management software: Overview, pros, cons

IFS FSM software is meant to manage field staff and assets. Learn about its advantages and disadvantages and whether your company should put it on a vendor shortlist. Continue Reading

By

• Linda Rosencrance

European IT outsourcing spend up in 2020 after cloud boost

IT outsourcing sector growth is an indication that businesses are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic disruption it has brought Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Retail giant Walmart to launch a fintech

Fintech will be geared towards offering the services Walmart’s customers and employees want Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

IR35 private sector reforms: Research highlights lack of preparedness ahead of April 2021 start date

As the private sector start date for the IR35 reforms looms large, research suggests some companies are still dragging their feet with their preparations Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Bahrain hopes 5G roll-out will attract more tech firms to its shores

Bahrain has completed its 5G roll-out, which will support its IT infrastructure in creating the right environment for technology firms Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Trump bans Chinese payment apps

US president signs executive order banning the use of Chinese payments app, citing national security risks Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

NHS trust says appointment processes robust despite criticism of role for Post Office scandal CEO

NHS trust defends its director appointment process following an external review of its recruitment of former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Huawei battles for market access in Nordics

Chinese networking equipment supplier Huawei fights to retain access to potential 5G contracts across the Nordic region Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Banking trade body calls for increased contactless payment limit

UK Finance proposes an increase in the limit on spending using contactless cards Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Nominations open for Computer Weekly Innovation Awards APAC

Computer Weekly is looking for nominations for its inaugural Innovation Awards in APAC to honour digitisation initiatives that have transformed organisations in seven industries Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Covid-19’s impact on the retail supply chain

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed gaps in the ability of retailers to mitigate supply chain imbalances Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Pandemic heroes dominate New Year Honours List 2021

The New Year Honours List 2021 is remarkable for its recognition of those who have excelled during the Covid-19 public health emergency, including digital and data professionals Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Senior Analyst, Business Applications

Innovation at the shelf edge

It’s been a challenging year for stores due to Covid-19, but some retailers have found time to innovate at the shelf edge with noteworthy technology deployments Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Wipro acquires IT units at German wholesalers

German wholesaler Metro has sold IT units to Indian IT services company Wipro, as part of a long-term agreement Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Top 10 retail technology stories of 2020

Computer Weekly looks at what 2020 had in store for the retail industry – just how did technology help retailers adapt to changing customer behaviour during the pandemic? Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

A Covid-19 response to supply chain fragility

The global pandemic, lockdowns and local lockdowns have required organisations to operate agile supply chains Continue Reading

By

• Selina Yuan

Top 10 enterprise IT in the Nordics stories of 2020

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 Nordic enterprise IT stories of 2020 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Prepare for bringing people back to the office with the Nordic tech startup blueprint

Business can learn lessons from Nordic tech startups to prepare employees to return to the office after Covid restrictions Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Post Office suffers latest court defeat in Horizon IT scandal

Court of Appeal indicates subpostmasters can pursue appeal route that could do more damage to Post Office’s reputation Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA