IT for retail and logistics

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

How security will be different after Covid-19

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the world of cyber security will probably never return to its pre-pandemic state – we look ahead. The combination of remote working and streaming video is putting extra strain on networks. And we look at how digital transformation is changing the way contact centres are run. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Appointment of disgraced former Post Office executive at Welsh FA questioned by MP

The appointment of a former Post Office executive, who tried to mislead a judge, in the Football Association of Wales has been questioned by an MP Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

A tech reboot of retail

With 2020 having been the toughest year on record for bricks and mortar retailers, we look at some tech innovations that may be heading for the high street Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

History made as subpostmasters wrongly prosecuted in Horizon IT scandal have convictions quashed

Six subpostmasters who were wrongly prosecuted for accounting shortfalls caused by computer errors have their convictions quashed after years of campaigning Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders & Nick Wallis

French regulators fine Google and Amazon over cookie policies

Google and Amazon rapped over their use of advertising cookies by the French data protection authorities Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Where next for Windows?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, Windows is still the most-used operating system in enterprises – we look at where Microsoft aims to take it next. We examine some of the key questions for CIOs for their 2021 IT strategy. And we analyse the best practice in preventing distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Post Office IT scandal CEO Paula Vennells jumps NHS ship as pressure mounts

CEO at the centre of the scandal that saw innocent people bankrupted and some sent to prison steps down from NHS role as pressure for her resignation grows Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

‘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

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Singapore government to boost blockchain adoption

Singapore government unveils S$12m programme to promote development and adoption of blockchain applications beyond financial services Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Digital donations: retailers using technology to offer something back

Some charities require corporate support like never before, and retailers are finding new ways to use technology to facilitate donations Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Cyber Aware campaign to help safeguard Christmas shoppers

New government campaign sets out to raise awareness of online shopping fraud in the run-up to Christmas Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Covid-19 vaccine supply chain attacked by unknown nation state

An unknown nation state actor is attempting to disrupt the supply of coronavirus vaccines Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Lax Android app developers putting millions of users at risk

Eight months after Google patched a critical vulnerability, developers have failed to update their apps, putting millions of users of apps such as dating services Bumble and Grindr at risk Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Covid-19: Cyber criminals will target vaccine programmes

Interpol issues a global alert to law enforcement as the UK becomes one of the first countries to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for use Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

DHL, Amazon and FedEx are most phished delivery services

DHL has emerged as the most imitated delivery brand in Europe, accounting for 77% of the total volume of phishing emails received in November 2020 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

22,000 malicious .uk domains suspended in past year

Nominet has suspended just over 22,000 domains in the 12 months to 31 October 2020, continuing a downward trend, and with less impact from Covid-19 than might be expected Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government covers its ears as complaint by victims of Post Office abuse heads to ombudsman

Government denies responsibility for the abuse inflicted on subpostmasters by the Post Office over faulty IT system Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How retailers are using technology to survive

In this week’s Computer Weekly, with high street retailers struggling to survive, we look at how technology can keep stores relevant. Everyone is focusing on flash storage, but hard disk drives are still an essential part of the IT toolkit. And we examine the latest developments in the ongoing Post Office Horizon IT scandal. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Subpostmasters want £300m from a government that allowed Post Office ‘reign of terror’

The government allowed the Post Office to “run amok” and destroy lives, says complaint to Parliamentary Ombudsman Continue Reading

How retailers are using tech to cope with changing footfall

Customer behaviour was shifting long before the coronavirus pandemic accelerated the online shopping boom, so what technology are retailers using to keep stores relevant? Continue Reading

How retailers are using tech to cope with changing footfall

Customer behaviour was shifting long before the coronavirus pandemic accelerated the online shopping boom, so what technology are retailers using to keep stores relevant? Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

This Christmas, Covid-19 heightens retail security risks for everyone

Do you think it’s only retailers and consumers who need to consider cyber security when shopping online during the holidays? You’re dead wrong. This year, the Covid-19 pandemic and the shift to remote working has thrown a spanner in the works Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government must hold technology companies to account on e-waste

MPs urge UK government and global technology companies to deal with ‘tsunami of electronic waste’, which is throwing away valuable resources vital for building a sustainable future Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Data safes will give users control over their data

Belgian computer scientist tells Computer Weekly how people can regain control of their online personal information Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Robots taking jobs, but creating careers

Robotic process automation developers tell Computer Weekly about the job they never expected to be doing Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Securing UK’s critical national infrastructure is a 2021 priority

Government outlines the UK’s strategic cyber security policies for the coming 12 months, with critical national infrastructure a clear priority Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nordic CIO interview: Maria Lundberg, ICA Gruppen

 Continue Reading

How retailers are using digital to engage with Covid Christmas shoppers

Christmas is likely to be different this year because of the pandemic, and there is likely to be an altered shopping experience. So how are retailers using digital to cope with this shift in festive shopping? Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Baldwin, Freelance editor and journalist

Post Office accused of lying and being in contempt of Parliament in IT scandal

Campaigning politician demands access to documents that could prove that the Post Office lied Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Nominet introduces new resources for cyber scam victims

Domain name registrar is working with law enforcement to provide new information, guidance and resources for potential victims of online scams Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Amazon Swedish language site will expand reach of local retailers

Amazon launches Swedish language website and promises to make more products available in the Nordic region Continue Reading

By

• Jane Hamrin

NCSC issues retail security alert ahead of Black Friday sales

National Cyber Security Centre issues refreshed guidance as cyber criminals turn their eyes to the holiday shopping season Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Subpostmasters want £300m from a government that allowed Post Office ‘reign of terror’

The government allowed the Post Office to “run amok” and destroy lives, says complaint to Parliamentary Ombudsman Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Lush’s 25-year journey to digital excellence

Retailers are increasingly focused on using technology to better serve customers, but for high street cosmetic brand Lush, tech has always been part of the picture Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Baldwin, Freelance editor and journalist

Fujitsu staff under investigation for potential perjury in Post Office IT trial named

Court documents reveal the names of the Fujitsu employees under investigation for potentially providing misleading information in criminal trials Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Botched software update to blame for Post Office Horizon crash

Post Office says planned firmware update caused the problem that left branches unable to do business for 90 minutes Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How Mastercard is taking digital payments into a new era

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to Mastercard about how the credit card giant is using new technologies to take digital payments into a new era. After months of unprecedented uncertainty, we ask CIOs how they are planning for the next 12 months. And we examine how the growth in remote working will affect IT salaries. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Post Office explanation of IT system outage so vague it is ‘pointless’

Post Office criticised over vagueness of its explanation of the cause of a UK-wide IT failure that saw subpostmasters unable to do business Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Covid-19: How retailers are using technology to respond to changing shopping habits

As the coronavirus outbreak accelerates the shift in consumer behaviour, how are retailers using technology to keep customers engaged? Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Baldwin, Freelance editor and journalist

IT Priorities 2020: European IT budget share reflects home-working challenges brought by Covid

European organisations are being forced to redivert more limited budgets during the pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Police open criminal investigation into potential perjury by Fujitsu staff in Post Office IT trials

Current and former Fujitsu staff could face prosecution for giving false evidence in the trials of subpostmasters accused of theft and false accounting Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

The new way of planning in retail

GUEST BLOG: In this contributed post, Laurent Homeyer, retail and hospitality industry advisor in EMEA & APJ, Workday, explains how retailers can properly plan their strategies during the ... Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Benelux ports use blockchain in major efficiency drive

 Continue Reading

Norway has lowest physical cash use in the world, says report

Norway claims to use less cash as a proportion of total spending than any other country across the globe, according to a study by its central bank Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Amazon charged with breaching EU antitrust rules

Tech giant accused of using data it collects on smaller retailers to benefit its own e-commerce business Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Lack of openness on Horizon errors remains as Fujitsu refuses to explain latest outage

Subpostmasters are being kept in the dark about errors in the branch computer system they use, despite the Post Office and Fujitsu being slammed in court over their lack of openness Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Finger pointed at Fujitsu as Post Office Horizon system crashes nationally

Post Office branches offline during busy business hours after suffering an IT error that the Post Office said related to IT from supplier Fujitsu Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Mastercard: Looks like a tech firm, acts like a tech firm, is a tech firm

Financial services giant finds itself in a prominent position as the volume of digital transactions increases Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Mixed blessings for robots in retail

Ocado has acquired two US firms to boost its robotics expertise, while Walmart has reverted to using staff for shelf inventory checks Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Subpostmasters’ complaint about government begins its journey to Parliamentary Ombudsman

Government faces scrutiny of its handling of the Post Office IT scandal that destroyed subpostmasters’ lives and livelihoods Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

The UK government’s ‘flawed and misleading’ Covid-19 data

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the coronavirus data relied upon by the UK government is ‘flawed and misleading’ say experts – we examine the implications. Ikea talks about how it turned to the cloud to deal with the impact of the pandemic. And we look at the digital transformation underway at credit card giant Capital One. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Finnish government rolls out digital projects to support SMEs

Finland is set to create network of technology hubs that will support SMEs in the country, as well as create links across the EU Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Amazon posts 'better than expected' Q3 results as Covid-19 pandemic continues to drive sales up

Online retail giant Amazon has enjoyed a bumper third quarter, as demand for its goods and services continues to soar as the pandemic forces people to stay home Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK