IT for retail and logistics

Retailers urged to get to grips with Magento as attacks spike

A huge spike in online retailers being hacked with Magecart credit card skimmers is being blamed on unsupported versions of Adobe Magento Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nordic CIO interview: Maria Lundberg, ICA Gruppen

The CIO of Swedish retail giant ICA Gruppen, Maria Lundberg, who is overseeing the digitisation of four retail sectors, tells Computer Weekly about the challenges of providing shared IT services for localised needs Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Abu Dhabi government launches peer-to-peer coding campus

Abu Dhabi government launches a specialist programming school that uses peer-to-peer teaching methods and gamification Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Post Office Horizon IT scandal victims face further battles as government digs heels in

The government repeats that it won’t pay victims’ legal costs and confirms review into the scandal will not have the power to call witnesses Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Covid-19 has strained London tech firms but they have central role in recovery

London tech startups are feeling the effects of the economic slowdown brought on by Covid-19, but there is a huge opportunity for those with the right focus Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Virtual London Tech Week is a sign of the future

London Tech week's virtual event is another sign of how the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Amazon to recruit 7,000 permanent workers in UK during 2020 hiring spree

The online retail giant’s UK workforce looks set to expand to 40,000 employees by the end of 2020, as its network of fulfilment centres continues to grow Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

M&S and Ocado enter first week of online delivery partnership

Customers can now order M&S food through online supermarket Ocado’s website as part of an ongoing partnership between the two retailers Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

One actor behind Magecart skimmer kit

RiskIQ has identified that variations in software tools used for Magecart ecommerce site attacks are based on kits from the same group Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Asos launches TikTok brand campaign

Fashion brand Asos has launched a campaign on TikTok to bring awareness of its products to a wider audience Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CW Nordics: Bergen’s tech hub seeks global success

Norway’s second-largest city, Bergen, is building a tech ecosystem that is beginning its development with a focus on the city’s industrial heritage. Also in this issue, read why now might be the time for businesses to consider how they will invest in outsourcing IT once the Covid-19 pandemic wanes. And read how Norway’s government has had to backtrack on a law that removed tax relief on energy consumption at datacentres that process cryptocurrency mining. Continue Reading

Asda trials platform for customer parcel updates

Retailers Asda is trialling delivery management from tech platform Sorted to provide customers who have ordered clothing online with a better customer experience Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Aggrieved Amazon employees organise protests at homes of Jeff Bezos

A newly formed workers’ collective will protest outside the homes of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos seeking to secure a number of concessions for essential workers Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Co-operative cuts branch network and jobs

Co-operative bank will rely more heavily on its digital channels as 18 more branches are shuttered Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Lidl Finland speeds up with new local server racks

 Continue Reading

Gig economy, summer special look-back – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

In this summer special episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Caroline Donnelly, Clare McDonald and Brian McKenna look back to pre-lockdown episodes, and reflect on the podcasting experience since. First, they discuss the gig economy through the prism of new bite-sized BBC comedy Mandy Continue Reading

By

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

Pandemic behaviour shift will continue for many consumers, research finds

A large number of customers say the way they have been forced to shop during the pandemic will have a lasting impact on their shopping behaviours Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Retailer Monsoon allegedly exposing data via Pulse Connect server

A researcher has found a critically insecure Pulse Connect Secure VPN version belonging to UK retailer Monsoon Accessorize, but claims the firm is ignoring his disclosures Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CIO interview: DFS’s Russell Harte on the Google ecosystem

The furniture retailer has standardised on G Suite and has bought into the Google Cloud Platform and Chrome OS devices Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Government pumps £650m into Northern Ireland border

Funding for the Northern Ireland border includes £200m for a Trader Support Service and £155m to develop technology to support traders during post-Brexit transition period Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Egypt’s datacentre plans take key step forward

Government lays the foundations for a datacentre industry with its new data protection law Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

The future of fashion in contactless commerce

GUEST BLOG: In this contributed blog post Jessica Murphy, co-founder of apparel and footwear retail personalisation platform True Fit, discusses how technology can help bridge the gap between ... Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Nordic enterprises look for SAP price reductions as they navigate Covid-19

Businesses in the Nordics are using SAP Cloud Platform to address Covid-19 challenges and are also seeking price reductions Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Amazon to create 1,000 skilled tech roles in Ireland

Retail giant Amazon will be adding several skilled tech roles to its locations in Ireland over the next two years Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Cosmetics firm Avon faces new cyber security incident

Technical information relating to Avon’s web and mobile sites was inadvertently left exposed on an unsecured Microsoft Azure server Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Why supply chain visibility is key to APAC retailers

Having complete visibility over the supply chain will enable retailers to tide over the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic and transform their businesses Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Volkswagen Group to open up AWS-powered Industrial Cloud to third-party tech firms

Car manufacturer Volkswagen Group has unveiled the next phase of its Industrial Cloud strategy, which includes the creation of an open ecosystem of supportive software partners Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Aramex ships in Rackspace Technology to accelerate datacentre downsizing and move to AWS cloud

Dubai-based international shipping and logistics firm Aramex is in the midst of a cloud-focused digital transformation designed to tighten up its last-mile delivery operations with the help of Rackspace Technology Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

New opportunities for Nordic startups post-Covid-19 as virtual offices become the norm

As companies adjust to digital office life in the pandemic era, a host of Nordic startups are already helping them convert these short-term fixes into long-term strategy Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Enterprises need to rethink how end-of-life equipment is dealt with

Electronic waste is a massive and growing problem, but many companies are not recycling or reusing IT equipment, instead opting for physical destruction of the assets Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Room for improvement in Dutch digital skills

The Netherlands has good telecommunications and IT networks that can be used safely and reliably, but there is room for improvement in digital skills among the Dutch Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Ocado hired 300 tech workers over past six months

Online supermarket Ocado has hired a significant number of technology workers over the past six months to cope with coronavirus demand, it announced in its half-year results Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Huge declines in traditional outsourcing as Covid-19 puts a stop on deals

Traditional IT outsourcing deals value plummets in the last quarter as contracts dry up amid Covid-19 disruption Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Subpostmasters hit funding target to prevent government from burying IT scandal

The government is set to face scrutiny over its involvement in the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, described as one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in modern UK history Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Over 15 billion credentials for sale on dark web

Research by Digital Shadows reveals the scale of the security threat facing consumers as it uncovers 15 billion usernames and passwords stolen in more than 100,000 different data breaches Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Post Office scandal victims have days to raise thousands of pounds or perpetrators go scot-free

Victims of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal need to raise thousands of pounds in a week or those responsible for their suffering will avoid scrutiny Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Auditing for algorithmic discrimination

Despite the abundance of decision-making algorithms with social impacts, many companies are not conducting specific audits for bias and discrimination that can help mitigate their potentially negative consequences Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

North Korea behind spate of Magecart attacks

The Magecart credit card skimmer found on the website of retailer Claire’s Accessories was likely put there by the Lazarus or Hidden Cobra North Korean APT group, reports Sansec Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Infor Nexus is helping to digitalise Asia’s supply chain

Infor’s Nexus unit has been supporting digitalisation efforts in Asia’s supply chain industry before the Covid-19 pandemic, which has accelerated adoption of cloud-based offerings in the region Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

CIO interview: Nick Burton, chief information and digital officer, Avon International

The international beauty brand faced a major problem when the UK went into lockdown – how could its door-to-door sales model adapt to a socially distanced world? Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

CIO interview: Richard Gifford, CIO, Wincanton

Transforming legacy systems, making use of real-time data and exploring emerging technologies are high on the agenda for the logistics giant’s IT team Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

FakeSpy Android malware targets Royal Mail app users

The FakeSpy malware was first identified in October 2017 but is now significantly more powerful and dangerous Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

MPs to examine fairness of private prosecutions in light of Post Office IT scandal

Parliamentary Justice Committee to hold short inquiry into the rules and regulations surrounding private organisations’ ability to initiate criminal proceedings Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Former Post Office CEO and Fujitsu play the blame game in Horizon IT scandal

Post Office and Fujitsu blame each other for many of the failings in the Horizon IT scandal that wrecked lives Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Amazon’s carbon emissions surge during 2019

Amazon’s carbon footprint continues to grow, jumping 15% in one year, with the company maintaining it will take some time for its green investments to yield measurable results Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Firm that investigated controversial Post Office IT system to support criminal conviction appeals

Second Sight is working with law firm in appeals by subpostmasters against criminal convictions in Horizon IT scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How the Chelsea Flower Show blossomed as an online-only event

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the digital team at the Royal Horticultural Society about delivering the first online-only Chelsea Flower Show after the physical event was cancelled due to coronavirus. With all the talk about the consumer uses of 5G, we look at how next-generation mobile technology could benefit enterprise IT. And we examine the best practice in managing SAP systems during lockdown. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Care Quality Commission to discuss concerns over Paula Vennells’ NHS role

Healthcare regulator will be discussing concerns about former NHS boss chairing an NHS trust at an upcoming meeting Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Online shopping fraud hits £16m during lockdown

A quarter of victims were aged between 18 and 26, says Action Fraud Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Post Office Horizon scandal victims keep pressure on government’s doorstep

Subpostmasters fighting for justice in IT scandal are pressuring government on numerous fronts, as momentum is regained after reduced activity due to Covid-19 lockdown Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Nordic business is leading open banking charge in Europe

Nordic region has the right ingredients to prove open banking can benefit consumers, businesses and the economy Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Cosmetics company Avon offline after cyber attack

Representatives left unable to place orders after company’s back-end systems went offline over a week ago Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Select committee chair demands sharper teeth for review of Post Office IT scandal

Call for government review of Post Office Horizon scandal to have the power to force individuals to give evidence under oath Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Accessories store Claire’s hit by Magecart credit card fraudsters

Attackers gained access to retailer’s website as long ago as March Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Blow to government review of Post Office scandal as key forensic accountants refuse to support it

The government’s proposed review of the Post Office IT scandal has received a further setback as forensic accountants join subpostmasters in refusing to back it Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Brits get used to life without cash

British people are getting used to life without cash, as the Covid-19 lockdown forces the adoption of digital payments Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Subpostmasters will not cooperate with government review into IT scandal

A group of subpostmasters who suffered at the hands of the Post Office’s error-prone IT system refuse to participate in a government review into the scandal, describing it as a sham Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Tech firms respond to Nordic government calls

Nordic firms are working with tech suppliers to help them get back up and running after Covid-19 Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Anger as government launches ‘pathetic’ and ‘pointless’ review of Horizon scandal

The government has been accused of launching a review that fails in getting to the bottom of one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in UK history Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Honda investigates suspected Snake ransomware attack

Attack disrupts global operations at carmaker, with assembly lines falling silent and sales suspended Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The software innovation impact of coronavirus

Software developers can work remotely, but if workers are expected to work remotely in the long term, can organisations maintain a software innovation cycle? Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Retailers reach for tech to keep staff connected in the crisis

From fast-tracking home-working strategy, to conducting training and board meetings virtually, read about how retailers are keeping staff connected during the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis Continue Reading

How retailers are staying connected during their coronavirus shutdown

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at how the hard-hit retail sector has turned to technology to stay connected with staff during the coronavirus lockdown. Our latest buyer’s guide examines best practice in data quality and how to avoid “garbage in garbage out” syndrome. And we look at how remote working affects software development teams. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

London Tech Week to go ahead through Zoom

London Tech week will go ahead next week, with the tech industry attending through Zoom Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Dutch organisations invest heavily in compliance – but in vain

Despite the fact that companies in the Netherlands have invested heavily to comply with GDPR legislation introduced two years ago, 90% of them are still discovering fundamental weaknesses in their IT environment Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

MPs' investigation into Post Office Horizon IT scandal bares teeth

Select committee chair writes to former Post Office CEO demanding answers over her role in IT scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Lidl Finland speeds up with new local server racks

Lidl brings server racks to its Finnish stores in a bid to improve connectivity and introduce new services to its customers Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

CCRC sends 47 subpostmaster miscarriages of justice for appeal, asks for prosecution powers review

The Criminal Cases Review Commission sends 47 more subpostmaster cases to Court of Appeal and asks government to review private prosecution powers Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Subpostmasters to force scrutiny of government’s role in Post Office IT scandal

The government's role in the Post Office Horizon IT scandal could soon be put under the microscope as subpostmasters take their complaints to the Parliamentary Ombudsman Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

What will be the IT security priorities of the post-coronavirus world?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, with the working world after the pandemic set to be very different, we assess the IT security priorities for the ‘new normal’. Facial recognition firms are racing to identify people wearing face masks. And how did Europe’s telecoms networks cope with the switch to remote working? Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Employees must be consulted on technologies monitoring the return to work

Experts say the workforce must be ‘in the room’ and given a meaningful say about technologies introduced to monitor their return to work following the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

How Saudi Arabia is using cloud to navigate the Covid-19 downturn

Organisations in Saudi Arabia are using cloud computing services to help them navigate challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

Subpostmasters crowdfund for justice in IT scandal

Campaign group calls for public support to help potential victims of Post Office Horizon IT scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

900 more criminal prosecutions of subpostmasters could be unsafe because of IT failures

Post Office re-examines hundreds of prosecutions that could have resulted from faults in Horizon IT system Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Coronavirus: Dutch work on XR technology shows promise in pandemic scenario

Netherlands leads the way in the development of extended reality technology, which could prove its value in a crisis such as Covid-19 Continue Reading

Post Office executive who tried to mislead judge in Horizon trial leaves via back door

Angela van den Bogerd leaves position as Post Office director quietly, despite many years of service Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Ocado makes the friendly workplace robot a reality

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how Ocado is making robot-human collaboration a reality with its Armar-6 smart robot. Unified communications has become a must-have lockdown capability – we assess the key technologies. And as contact-tracing apps emerge to help deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, we examine the data privacy challenges. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

CW APAC: Trend Watch – business response to coronavirus

With countries the world over reeling from the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, which has meant sweeping changes both economically and socially, Computer Weekly looks at how firms in the Asia-Pacific region have adapted to what has so quickly become the new normal. Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Asos launches See My Fit to replace model photoshoots

Online fashion brand’s augmented reality technology enables customers to see how an outfit might look on them Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Coronavirus: Retailers reach for tech to keep staff connected in the crisis

From fast-tracking home-working strategy, to conducting training and board meetings virtually, read about how retailers are keeping staff connected during the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Cobots: From Robbie to Armar-6

In science fiction, robots work alongside people. Ocado Technology recently unveiled Armar-6, a robot that takes this concept a step closer to reality Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Pitney Bowes hit by Maze in second ransomware attack in a year

Shipping services firm falls victim to Maze ransomware just seven months after a previous major attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Finland’s postal service targets new revenue streams through digitisation

Posti plans to use the new SisuID digital authentication method to accelerate business growth and opportunities Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Armar-6 shows how helper robots can work in Ocado warehouses

Collaborative robot is the result of the five-year SecondHands project with academia to develop a robot that can support human workers Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

End-users failing to protect themselves online

Remote workers and stuck-at-home consumers are taking silly risks with their security during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Pizza Hut optimises pizza delivery platform during lockdown with data analytics

Pizza Hut Digital Ventures has been improving the company’s e-commerce performance before and during the coronavirus crisis Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Senior Analyst, Business Applications

AWS vice-president quits over firing of Covid-19 whistleblowers

Amazon’s dismissal of workers striking over unsafe working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic has caused AWS vice-president Tim Bray to quit in protest Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

The role of AI in the war against pandemics

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at how AI and data science are supporting the global push to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. We reveal, and talk to, the man behind the world’s first computer virus pandemic, the Love Bug. And we examine how the IT services market will change as a result of the current crisis. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

The People vs Amazon: ‘They will have to answer to all of us’, says fired employee Christian Smalls

Former Amazon employee Christian Smalls speaks to Computer Weekly about his termination and how the company is trying to silence dissent as it reports massive sales Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

No going back to packed workplaces after Covid-19

A recent project by IT service providers outlines how, in a post-coronavirus world, businesses like Barclays Bank will reduce their reliance on skyscrapers packed with people Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Subpostmasters receive their ‘inadequate’ damages over Horizon IT scandal

Subpostmasters who had their lives ruined by the Post Office’s faulty IT system have received their damages after a High Court victory Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Coronavirus: Cash use plummets during UK lockdown

Consumers are switching to digital payment methods amid the current global pandemic crisis Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Retail must weigh up high street versus online investments after coronavirus lockdown

Larger retailers that have a significant online presence will need to decide whether to innovate on the web or on the high street Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Coronavirus: Call for extension to European payment security standard deadline

Payment processors across Europe want more time to meet the SCA payment security standard Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 55

In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Caroline Donnelly, Clare McDonald and Brian McKenna talk about real-time video call transcription, as offered by OtterAI, the loan charge double whammy afflicting some contractors, Green Flag’s digital transformation, online food delivery developments under lockdown, and using AI to save coral reefs Continue Reading

By

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

Met Police assessing evidence of potential perjury in Post Office IT trials

Force examines information about evidence given in court by Fujitsu staff on the Horizon IT system before deciding whether to investigate further Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How likely are IT service providers to offer discounts in an unprecedented global recession?

As the global economy slows, businesses are trying to cut costs, with IT services one of the first stops – but what are the chances of a happy outcome? Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Amazon’s Whole Foods uses heat mapping to track unionisation efforts

Whole Foods is using mapping technology to predict where strikes or union activity will happen, but organisers can use similar tools for the inverse of bolstering their actions too Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Dutch organisations address business email compromise fraud

Public-private partnership in the Netherlands works to break the chains used by fraudsters to carry out BEC attacks Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Coronavirus: Cyber attacks on banks seen spiking, says Carbon Black

VMware’s Carbon Black observes a spike in cyber attacks on financial services organisations Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor