IT for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)

One in four Wi-Fi hotspots vulnerable to attack, study finds

At least one in four Wi-Fi hotspots are open to attack, a study by Kaspersky Lab reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Consumer identity key to digital transformation

Customer identity and access management has benefits for consumers and service providers alike, but is key to digital transformation, says KuppingerCole Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Three breach highlights several security issues, says (ISC)2

Customer data breaches continue to demonstrate that companies are still not treating cyber risk like every other business risk, says Adrian Davis of (ISC)2 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Hackers arrested in Three mobile upgrade scam

Three men arrested in connection with mobile handset upgrade fraud enabled by unauthorised access to customer data Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Digital transformation not a finite process, says Martin Kuppinger

Security, privacy and identity are key to digital transformation, which is an evolutionary process, according to Martin Kuppinger Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK almost bottom of OECD pile for ICT investment

The UK ranks low in terms of how much it invests in the ICT infrastructure as a proportion of GDP Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Online identity needs to be fixed, says Microsoft’s Kim Cameron

Software giant’s identity architect calls on enterprises to professionalise the way they relate to customers to help replace online identity infrastructure that is not fit for purpose Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

412 million user accounts exposed in FriendFinder Networks hack

Another huge data breach has exposed poor security of user details and continued poor user password practices Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

White space spectrum to bring wireless broadband to Isle of Arran

Suppliers Nominet and Broadway Partners collaborate to trial the use of TV white space spectrum to improve broadband coverage on the Isle of Arran in Scotland Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Russian banks hit by IoT-enabled DDoS attacks

DDoS attacks on Russian banks have been linked to IoT botnets, further confirming this worrying trend and highlighting the need for IoT suppliers to improve security capabilties Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Australia and New Zealand IT pros on bigger salaries than UK equivalents

Aussie IT pros are better rewarded than their counterparts in the UK, according to surveys Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Pure-play cyber security has real value, says incoming McAfee head

Intel Security has outlined its strategy to protect the new digital economy as it gears up for innovation as a new independent pure-play security firm under the McAfee banner Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

The cyber threats lurking within every company

Insider threats have been around for a long time, but it is only recently that people have begun to acknowledge the true danger they pose Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Information security set for steep trajectory, says (ISC)2

By helping to create a thriving, diverse and open information security community, (ISC)2 hopes to ensure a steep rise for the profession Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

25 years of Linux

In this week’s Computer Weekly, 25 years after Linus Torvalds released the Linux kernel, we look at how the open-source operating system has influenced modern-day IT. Our new buyer’s guide covers the fast growing technology of object storage. And we examine the rise of corporate wireless networking. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Lessons to be learned from attempted $1bn bank heist

Analysis of an attack aimed at stealing $1bn reveals important lessons for cyber defenders, says BAE Systems head of threat intelligence Adrian Nish Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Information security needs to cast recruitment net wider, says panel

Companies struggling to fill info sec roles should focus on finding people who can do what they need, not on qualifications, according to a security industry panel Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Retail websites riddled with security holes, researchers warn

Retailers urged to improve the security of their online stores amid a series of discoveries of cyber criminal campaigns to exploit vulnerabilities in retail websites Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Almost two-thirds of US office workers unaware of ransomware threat

Nearly half of ransomware attacks are aimed at office workers, but almost two-thirds of those polled in the US are unaware of the threat Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Smartwatches banned from UK Cabinet as EC plans IoT security standards

The EC is planning a security certification scheme for internet of things devices as the UK Cabinet bans smartwatches amid heightened fears of cyber espionage Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

More virtualisation to come in mature Australian market

Australia has been hailed as a rapidly growing market for mobile virtualisation Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

Demand rises for low-cost flash storage across Australia

Flash storage gains popularity in Australia, as smaller organisations are attracted by lower prices and higher capacity Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

DDoS attacks consistent, relentless and costly, report shows

The latest global DDoS report from Neustar underlines the importance of investing in appropriate defences as the high volume of attacks looks set to increase Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government invests £220m in tech projects to help "future-proof" post-Brexit economy

Chancellor Philip Hammond highlights the role high-tech industries have to play in safe-guarding the post-Brexit economy Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Trust issues stifling digital economy growth, study shows

Businesses that have products and services based on trust have a significant opportunity to future-proof their business, but those who do not risk being side-lined, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber attack aimed at destruction, says TV5Monde

TV5Monde counting the cost of not being adequately prepared for a cyber attacked that downed the network in 2015 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Business warned not to be complacent about cyber security

Lloyds of London survey reveals just how badly some European firms are failing in terms of cyber security and low levels of awareness about the role of cyber insurance Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Digital Catapult sets up London-wide IoT network

The Digital Catapult is launching a London-wide internet of things network to support digital startups and SMEs as they develop applications and use-cases Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dell Technologies to cut up to 3,000 jobs

Creating the world’s largest privately controlled tech company is to come at the price of up to 3,000 jobs following Dell’s acquisition of EMC Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

A new nearshoring game is emerging

Countries selling themselves as nearshore business services locations need to change their sales pitches to avoid becoming like all the other countries doing the same Continue Reading

By

• Ilan Oshri

NSA used Iraq war to develop surveillance capability, documents show

As the controversial Investigatory Powers Bill inches closer to becoming law, NSA documents reveal that the agency used the Iraq war to develop and expand its surveillance infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Basic security could have prevented OPM breach, says report

Basic security controls and malware-detection tools could have prevented the breach of more than 21 million records at the US Office of Personnel Management in 2015, claims a congressional report Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Use ransomware to get security buy-in, says Trend Micro CTO

Ransomware is one of the top cyber threats to business, but organisations should use that to engage stakeholders and review processes and defences, says Trend Micro CTO Raimund Genes Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Lessons from the Dropbox breach

Dropbox is the latest major company to confirm a data breach, albeit four years old, but – as with all recent data breaches by cloud-based services – it highlights some key security lessons Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Evidence of DNS tunnelling in two-fifths of business networks

Cyber criminals are capitalising on the failure of many businesses to examine their DNS traffic for malware insertion and data exfiltration, according to Infoblox Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Westpac bank launches Databank data protection service

Australia's Westpac bank is offering organisations that share customer data a service that it says securely locks down personal information Continue Reading

By

• Stuart Kennedy

Cloud firm Backbone relegates X-IO SAN with Atlantis tiered storage

London-based Backbone uses Atlantis USX as storage virtualisation layer on top of PCIe flash and X-IO and as a stepping stone to hyper-converged infrastructures Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Encryption hiding malware in half of cyber attacks

Cyber attackers are using encryption to hide malicious activity, making it increasingly difficult to find as more organisations turn to encryption to protect data, a study has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Expect ransomware arrests soon, says bitcoin tracking firm Chainalysis

Law enforcement organisations are set to ramp up arrests of cyber criminals behind ransomware attacks, according to financial technology startup Chainalysis Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Police arrest woman in connection with Sage data breach

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of fraud in connection with a data breach at accounting software firm Sage Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

HPE boosts MSA and StoreVirtual with sub-$10,000 flash storage options

HPE launches new StoreVirtual 3200 entry-level array that can cost as little as $6,000, plus the SME-focused MSA 2042 array which has 800GB of flash embedded Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Cerber ransomware service reaps $195,000 profit in a month

Franchises such as Cerber are making highly profitable ransomware available to a broader range of cyber criminals, according to a report by security firm Check Point Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Financial sector faces era of cyber mega heists

Banks and other financial institutions are threatened by a new breed of elite cyber criminals running professional operations that will use any means to achieve their goals, says Barclays security chief Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Sage data breach underlines insider threat

Organisations need to take insider threats more seriously say security experts, as Sage warns that a data breach using an internal log-in may have compromised employee data at nearly 300 UK firms Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Nimble adds to all-flash arrays with entry-level AF1000

Nimble made its debut in all-flash in February 2016, but now adds an entry-level array, the AF1000, plus upgrades to its hybrid flash array products that up performance and capacity Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Google Fiber to expand tests of gigabit-speed wireless broadband

Google Fiber plans to expand tests of wireless broadband to accelerate the roll-out of low-cost superfast internet across the US Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

PwC Australia uses gamification to teach cyber security lessons

With the number of cyber incidents identified by Australian organisations more than doubling in the past year, PwC is using an online game to give enterprises first-hand experience of what it means to face a cyber attack Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

Strider cyber attack group deploying malware for espionage

Symantec security researchers have uncovered a spying campaign by a previously unknown group using modular malware as stealthware Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Banner Health cyber breach underlines need for faster intrusion detection

A data breach at Banner Health has highlighted the importance of intrusion detection and prompted calls for greater cyber security investment in the increasingly targeted healthcare industry Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Artificial intelligence takes centre stage in cyber security

Artificial intelligence-led cyber security technology has been in the spotlight at two major industry conferences in Las Vegas, signalling a firm trend in cyber defence research Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Italian-based Android RAT spies on mobiles in Japan and China, say researchers

Researchers discover an Italian-based Android RAT designed for spying that is targeting mobile devices using their unique identification codes Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

One in five businesses hit by ransomware are forced to close, study shows

More than half of UK companies have been hit by ransomware in the past year, a study on the impacts of this popular attack method has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Broadband connection voucher SMEs generate substantial ROI

London SMEs that received help in getting online through the government’s broadband connection voucher scheme in 2015 are generating much more money, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Mobile and video pay off for Google’s parent company Alphabet

Alphabet ascribes strong second quarter financial results to long-term investments in mobile and video as demand for advertising through these channels increases Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Consumer identity management is the core of real CRM

IAM + CRM is much more than simply IAM for external users, says Ivan Niccolai Continue Reading

By

• Ivan Niccolai

Six essential processes for keeping data secure

Data security is increasingly vital for organisations as the countdown begins for compliance with new rules imposed by the EU’s general data protection regulation Continue Reading

By

• Christine Andrews

UK education system failing to support cyber security profession

Countries and companies must act quickly to address the cyber security skills shortage through improvements in education, workforce diversity, training opportunities, security technology and data collection, a report says Continue Reading

Apple highlights services revenue and future bets as iPhone sales decline

Apple share price up on strong performance in services and investments in augmented reality and artificial intelligence, despite 27% year-on-year decline in quarterly profit Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security industry welcomes cyber crime’s inclusion in official stats

The security industry welcomes the inclusion of cyber crime statistic in official crime reports to highlight the size and nature of the threat Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Microsoft reports strong quarter driven by cloud

Microsoft reports quarterly profits of $3.12bn, largely driven by the success of its focus on cloud services Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Carbon Black bets on next-generation antivirus

Carbon Black is betting on next-generation antivirus technology by acquiring Confer to extend the capability and appeal of its endpoint protection offerings Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber attacks cost UK business more than £34bn a year, study shows

Nearly half of UK firms lack advanced cyber defences, despite the high level of concern about cyber attacks and associated costs Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cost-effective managed IPS for small businesses

Small businesses typically struggle to afford cyber intrusion prevention systems, but the introduction of a service tailored for this market could change that Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

IBM sets up security centre in Canberra

IBM leads the charge as large private businesses invest heavily in security resources across Australia in an attempt to close the security gap Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

IBM’s Watson gets to work

In this issue we explore the many ways IBM’s Watson has evolved from the machine that bettered humans in US game show Jeopardy! to providing deep analytical insights to solve real-world crises. We also look at how Barclays bank is using DevOps to remain competitive and reveal new research that illustrates why cloud computing is at the heart of business innovation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Datadog calls for password reset after cyber breach

Monitoring and analytics firm detected unauthorised activity associated with production servers and database of user credentials Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CW@50: A history of IT outsourcing

Computer Weekly looks at where and when IT outsourcing was invented and considers the changes the sector has gone through since Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

The problem of passwords and how to deal with it

Security experts have long recognised passwords as inadequate, but finally technology is offering some viable alternative authentication methods that businesses can explore to keep their data safe Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Business has critical role in fighting cyber crime, says report

The National Crime Agency is calling for a stronger collaboration between business and law enforcement to fight cyber crime in the light of a report produced with private sector partners Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Openreach starts duct and pole sharing trials for broadband delivery

Openreach enlists five broadband services providers to take part in a trial of processes for sharing access to its duct and pole infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK's Darktrace aims to lead the way to automatic cyber security

Darktrace hopes to be a leader in the move to automated cyber security to free up security professionals to focus on business risk and innovation Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

LizardStresser IoT botnet launches 400Gbps DDoS attack

Attack groups using the LizardStresser botnet are exploiting IoT devices to mount massive DDoS attacks without using amplification techniques, say researchers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Most cyber security strategies ignore the way attackers really work

Cyber attackers use more legitimate software than malware, which means most organisations are incapable of detecting much of the malicious activity in their networks, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber security industry mostly welcomes report on TalkTalk breach

Most of the recommendations of a government committee inquiry into the TalkTalk breach have been welcomed, but pundits have expressed reservations about some, particularly proposed new fines Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Lower average cost of Australian data breaches is not a sign of comfort

The average cost of a data breach to Australian organisations dropped in 2015, according to research Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

Euro Championship network traffic spike highlights OTT boom

The BBC and EE both reported massive spikes in network traffic during the England versus Wales clash at Euro 2016 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Hays Recruitment service desk project is all gain and no pain

The firm was attracted by the many benefits of a cloud-based service desk, but chief among them was the low risk involved in implementation Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Digital Leaders 100 Awards 2016 winners

In a packed room at the Hilton Park Lane, the winners of the Digital Leaders 100 Awards (DL100) were revealed Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Openreach announces SME FTTP service roll-out

A number of cities are to receive a fibre-to-the-premises broadband service specifically designed for small to medium-sized enterprises Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Isle of Man: From seaside getaway to tech startup hub

The Isle of Man government is stepping up efforts to position itself as the low-tax jurisdiction of choice for the startup community. But what's it like to do business there? Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

EU firms slow in detecting cyber attacks, study shows

European firms take an average of 469 days to discover a compromise, compared with an average of 146 days globally, according to Mandiant Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IoT security: Lack of expertise will hurt, says Bruce Schneier

Government action at national and international levels is essential for addressing IoT security issues, but the relevant expertise is lacking, according to security expert Bruce Schneier Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Citrix expands in Middle East with first Saudi Arabia office

Citrix is increasing its presence in the Middle East, opening its first office in Saudi Arabia with plans to expand into Qatar and Egypt Continue Reading

By

• Triska Hamid

Unlicensed software rife among Asean computer users, says BSA

The Asean region has the highest levels of unlicensed software use, according to the 2016 Global Software Survey from the Business Software Alliance (BSA) Continue Reading

By

• Ai Lei Tao

Millions of sensitive IT services exposed to the internet, study finds

Encryption should become the default as study reveals millions of sensitive services are exposed to the internet, says Rapid7 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK government details plans for National Cyber Security Centre

The objectives of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre are to address systemic vulnerabilities, reduce risks, respond to serious incidents and nurture national cyber security capability Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Digital Catapult creates open source permissions platform to track creative IP

The Digital Catapult innovation centre launches an open permissions platform to allow creatives to track where their content has been used Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Lessons from LinkedIn data breach revelations

There are several important lessons to be learned from revelations about LinkedIn's 2012 data breach, say security experts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber espionage campaign targets Ukraine separatists

Security researchers discover a surveillance operation against separatists in Eastern Ukraine using spear phishing attacks to spread previously unknown malware Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Police set for better engagement with UK tech firms

The policing lead for digital investigation and intelligence says new structures will improve engagement and collaboration between the UK tech industry and police forces Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Time to shift information security focus away from prevention, says Swiss bank CISO

Organisations need a new approach which recognises security is “breakable”, according to Michael Meli Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

10 key facts businesses need to note about the GDPR

With less than two years before the new EU data protection rules come into force, there are key areas businesses need to focus on to ensure they will be compliant Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Swift reports another Bangladesh central bank-style cyber attack

Global financial messaging organisation Swift warns of a highly adaptive cyber criminal campaign targeting banks with user credentials to submit transfer requests Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IAM central to Deutsche Bank’s digital transformation

Deutsche Bank is using a centralised identity and access management (IAM) system and an application program interface (API) architecture for digital transformation Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CCS technology products framework to focus on quality, not cost

The Crown Commercial Service’s £4bn technology products and services framework opens up for SMEs and moves focus to quality rather than price Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Ebay sellers demand better broadband and mobile

A study of SME sellers conducted by eBay in the UK finds that many feel held back by poor broadband and mobile coverage Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

EE expands 4G roll-out with satellite backhaul

EE signs communications provider Avanti to use satellite capacity for mobile backhaul on its 4G network at a number of sites in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ransomware emerges as a top cyber threat to business

Security researchers at Kasperky Lab and FireEye confirm that the upward trend of ransomware is continuing and has emerged as a top threat to business Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

BT pledges to pass two million homes with FTTP by 2020

Telecoms giant ramps up rhetoric around ultrafast broadband following Ofcom’s criticism in its recent market review Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

D-Day for GDPR is 25 May 2018

The European Parliament’s official publication of the General Data Protection Regulation means it will become enforceable on 25 May 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst