IT for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)

Latest LockBit ransomware versions have wormable capabilities

Sophos researchers have reverse-engineered the Lockbit 3.0 ransomware, shedding new light on its evolving capabilities and firming up links with BlackMatter Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Think technology, process, human risk to manage ransomware

Effective ransomware handling boils down to three core areas – technology, process and human risk Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Morris, Turnkey Consulting

How gamifying cyber training can improve your defences

Security training is the cornerstone of any cyber defence strategy. With ever-escalating online threats, it is now more important than ever that this training is an engaging experience Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Plexal inducts six into cyber leadership scheme

Tech innovation hub Plexal is expanding its Cyber Runway programme with a new Ignite strand dedicated to supporting high-potential security leaders Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Data management, backup becoming the CISO's responsibility

More and more CISOs are taking on responsibility for wider data management strategies, and this trend looks set to grow next year Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Your staff are the frontline in your ransomware fight

As part of a solid cyber defence plan, the CISO must make sure that the frontline within the organisation is prepared for an attack, says Theodore Wiggins of Airbus Protect Continue Reading

By

• Theodore Wiggins, Airbus Protect

UK tech sector given four-point plan to cut carbon emissions by more than 80 million tonnes

According to a report by Tech Nation, leasing renewably powered office space, switching to plant-based food when catering events and curbing business travel would significantly bring down the UK tech sector’s carbon emissions Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Datacentre Editor

South Korea data adequacy pact brings £15m Brexit bonus

UK government finalises a data adequacy agreement with South Korea, saying it will unlock a post-Brexit business bonus of just under £15m Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ducktail spins new tales to hijack Facebook Business accounts

The increasingly active Ducktail cyber crime operation is refining its operations, seeking new methods to compromise its victims’ Facebook Business accounts Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Is Elon Musk’s Twitter safe, and should you stop using it?

With a litany of security and compliance issues exposed and in many cases caused by Elon Musk’s takeover of social media platform Twitter, some may be asking if it’s still safe or appropriate to use Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Brexit deregulation will make UK next Silicon Valley, vows Hunt

Chancellor vows to revolutionise how the IT industry is regulated to spur competition, investment and innovation in a technological ‘Big Bang’ Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Another Log4Shell warning after Iranian attack on US government

The breach of a US federal body by an Iranian threat actor exploiting the Adobe Log4j Log4Shell vulnerability has prompted a fresh flurry of patching Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Ransomware defences: An extended to-do list

Strategies to extend ransomware protection beyond backups and intrusion detection must centre dark web monitoring, among other things Continue Reading

By

• Alex Holden

APP fraud volumes expected to double by 2026, says report

Losses to authorised push payment fraud in the UK are expected to climb to over $1.5bn in the next four years. Meanwhile, the NAO accuses the Home Office of lagging on progress to tackle the issue Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Let’s be transparent about ransomware

Greater transparency regarding ransomware attacks, including details about attack methods used and what kinds of assets were compromised, would likely help the community prevent future attacks Continue Reading

By

• John Tolbert, KuppingerCole

Online scam victims lose an average of £1,000 each

New data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau shows victims of online fraud lose an average of £1,000 per person Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber insurance: The good, the bad and the ugly

Most cyber insurance contracts are innately flawed because they exclude losses arising from state-backed cyber attacks, and this will make proper attribution even more important in the future, says Cisco Talos’ Martin Lee Continue Reading

By

• Martin Lee

Volume of self-reported breaches to ICO jumps 30%

The number of self-reported breaches to the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office soared by nearly 30% in the 12 months to 30 June 2022 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

An encouraging new conversation around sustainable IT, says Nordic CIO

What started as a whisper a decade ago has become distinctly audible chatter among IT leaders sharing best practices on how to protect the environment Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

Security Think Tank: To stop ransomware, preparation is the best medicine

You can’t ‘stop’ ransomware, but you can do a lot to keep yourself from becoming ensnared when it strikes Continue Reading

By

• Paul Watts, Information Security Forum

Microsoft serves smorgasbord of six zero-days

November’s Patch Tuesday fixes significantly fewer vulnerabilities of late, but includes six actively-exploited zero-days, three of them of critical severity Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Anti-ransomware strategies should be as easy as ABC

When developing and implementing ransomware protection strategies, the importance of paying thorough attention to security measures you might consider elementary cannot be understated Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

To fight ransomware, we must treat digital infrastructure as critical

Ransomware defence is failing because we don’t view our digital infrastructure in the same way as our physical infrastructure, argues Elastic’s Mandy Andress Continue Reading

By

• Mandy Andress, Elastic

Microsoft: Nation-state cyber attacks became increasingly destructive in 2022

The willingness of nation-state actors to conduct destructive cyber attacks is a source of grave concern, as Microsoft’s latest annual Digital Defence Report lays bare Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Ransomware and CISOs’ balancing act

Ransomware has the potential to cause irreversible business damage, so CISOs should consider not only protection but also response and recovery Continue Reading

By

• Arina Palchik and Charles Moorey

Microsoft pledges $100m in new IT support for Ukraine

Microsoft will continue to offer free-of-charge technology support to Ukraine for the foreseeable future Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Automated threats biggest source of cyber risk for retailers

Threat actors targeting retailers during the coming holiday season are increasingly turning to automated forms of cyber attack, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Know your networks, know your suppliers

To combat the ransomware scourge, we must work harder to monitor and learn from the increasingly complex threat environment, keep a closer eye on supply chains, and share our insights Continue Reading

By

• Rob Dartnall, SecAlliance

A third of UK cyber leaders want to quit, report says

Nearly a third of UK security leaders are considering leaving their current role, and more than half are struggling to keep on top of their workload Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Prepare today for potentially high-impact OpenSSL bug

OpenSSL trailed a critical vulnerability patch last week, which will be only the second such flaw ever found in the open source encryption project. Unfortunately, the first was Heartbleed Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Container security: why so different?

Done well, container security can be a model for securing the enterprise, and businesses that focus their teams on solving it can help accelerate positive change in other areas Continue Reading

By

• Bernard Brantley

How has container security changed since 2020, and have we taken it too far?

While containers are now one of the most popular ways to deploy applications, it is fair to say that the adoption and implementation of security best practice to govern their use has not kept up Continue Reading

By

• Rob Tyler, Turnkey Consulting

LinkedIn adds new features to safeguard user privacy, security

Social media platform is adding a number of features and systems designed to protect legitimate users from inauthentic profiles and activity Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Apple patches new iPhone zero-day

Apple’s latest patch fixes yet another zero-day, as security issues keep surfacing in its mobile products Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Half of staff might quit after a cyber attack, report says

Findings from a survey of CISOs, IT leaders and staffers reveal how experiencing a cyber incident may take a larger-than-thought toll on employee retention Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ukrainian and UK IT sectors to deepen collaboration, partnerships

BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, and the IT Ukraine Association have signed an MoU to deepen collaboration between the UK and Ukrainian IT sectors, and champion new partnerships and growth opportunities Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber professional shortfall hits 3.4 million

Shortage of cyber security professionals continues to grow and shows no signs of abating, says report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Treat cyber crime as a ‘strategic threat’, UK businesses told

The government’s new National Cyber Advisory Board aims to help elevate cyber discussion and spur action in the business community Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Office 365 email encryption flaw could pose risk to user privacy

A vulnerability in Microsoft Office 365 Message Encryption could leave the contents of emails dangerously exposed, but with no fix coming it’s up to users to decide how at risk they are Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCSC urges organisations to secure supply chains

NCSC’s latest guidance package centres supply chain security, helping medium to large organisations assess and mitigate cyber risks from suppliers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Tech Nation and PwC launch joint climate tech accelerator

The Net Zero X programme by Tech Nation and PwC will help climate tech companies to overcome common growth challenges and scale faster Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

More than 30 startups to join Plexal’s Cyber Runway accelerator

Now in its second year, the Cyber Runway accelerator has been designed to support firms at various stages of growth, as well as help the cyber security sector to improve on its diversity, inclusion and regional representation Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

FCSA calls for government clampdown on cloned umbrella companies

One year has passed since the Freelancer and Contractor Services Association spoke out about the problem of umbrella company cloning, and it claims the authorities are not moving fast enough to tackle the issue Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Datacentre Editor

New player pioneers ‘active cyber insurance’ for UK market

Arrival of US-based insurer Coalition in London will supposedly offer SMEs more options when it comes to cyber security insurance Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Organisations failing to account for digital trust

The vast majority of businesses are well aware of the importance of digital trust, yet very few have a dedicated staff role responsible for it, report finds Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ex-CISA head Krebs: Disrupt ransomware support networks to win the war

Speaking at an event hosted by data protection specialist Rubrik, former CISA director Chris Krebs calls for the security community to work collectively to kick out the supports from under ransomware gangs Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CISOs should spend on critical apps, cloud, zero-trust, in 2023

Faced with a global recession next year, security buyers should try to direct investment towards technology that protects customer-facing and revenue-generating workloads, say analysts Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK payments upgrade to add more than £3bn to GDP, but much more on offer

UK GDP will increase when its ageing payments infrastructure is replaced with the latest technology to enable real-time payments Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Security Think Tank: Effective DevSecOps requires collaboration

Application security and effective DevSecOps can only be achieved through collaboration with the business – the ultimate goal is to make it safer to do business, which requires considering integrated risk management and identity and access management alongside cyber security and application security Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Morris, Turnkey Consulting

Regional tech hub leaders want more support with levelling-up from next prime minister

Several senior leaders from the regional-focused UK Tech Cluster Group have shared their views on what they think the next prime minister should do to ensure tech funding is distributed more evenly across the UK Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

IAM house Okta confirms 0ktapus/Scatter Swine attack

Following last week’s disclosureby Group-IB researchers of a major phishing campaign, Okta has warned its customers to be on their guard Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Adaptive RedAlert, Monster ransomwares go cross-platform

Kaspersky researchers have shared new intelligence on two emergent cyber criminal groups that have adapted their ransomwares to target different operating systems at the same time Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security pros fret about stress and promotion over cyber attacks

CIISec’s annual report on the state of the security profession reveals some home truths for security leaders Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

LockBit 3.0 cements dominance of ransomware ecosystem

Ransomware attacks were up 47% in July compared with the previous month, according to the latest threat data from NCC Group, with the LockBit family largely to blame Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Most CISOs think they’ve been attacked by a nation state

Most organisations have made changes to their cyber strategies and policies following Russia’s invasion, and almost two-thirds suspect they have been directly targeted or impacted by a nation-state cyber attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Home Office announces Scale-up visa for fast-growth firms

Scale-up visa launched to help high-growth businesses employ talent from overseas, but sponsorship requirements could undermine effectiveness Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

private sector

The private sector is the part of a country's economic system that is run by individuals and companies, rather than a government entity. Continue Reading

By

• Ben Lutkevich, Site Editor
• Ivy Wigmore

Kaspersky threat data added to Microsoft Sentinel service

Microsoft and Kaspersky have agreed a collaboration to integrate Kaspersky’s threat data feeds into Microsoft’s cloud-native SIEM/SOAR service Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Lloyd’s to end insurance coverage for state cyber attacks

Lloyd’s of London has instructed its members to exclude nation state cyber attacks from insurance policies beginning in 2023, saying they pose unacceptable levels of risk Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cozy Bear targets MS 365 environments with new tactics

Cozy Bear, or APT29, is trying out new tricks as it seeks access to its targets’ Microsoft 365 environments Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Growing MFA use spurs ‘pass-the-cookie’ attacks

The exploitation of stolen session cookies by cyber criminals is once again back on the agenda, thanks to the growing popularity of multifactor authentication tools Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

It takes a breach to force boards to take notice of cyber, says UK government

Too often, it takes a major incident for business leadership to pay attention to cyber issues, according to a government-commissioned study of victims Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber security accelerator launches in Greater Manchester

Accelerator will add to Manchester’s growing cyber security ecosystem, which already includes several tech unicorns, arms companies and the offices of GCHQ Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Why organisations need to harmonise their CIO and CISO roles

Unless properly managed, conflicting responsibilities between the chief information officer and the chief information security officer can cause project delays and budget overruns, says Netskope’s Mike Anderson Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Increase in UK startups scaling to exit, but half still struggle

Despite more startups scaling to the point of exit than ever before, half are still stuck in low growth stages – particularly those working with emerging technologies Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Microsoft fixes two-year-old MSDT vulnerability in August update

August’s Patch Tuesday drop fixes more than 120 CVEs, including another MSDT RCE zero-day that is being actively exploited. Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

‘Coopetition’ a growing trend among ransomware gangs

Sophos shares data from its new X-Ops unit at Black Hat in Las Vegas, revealing a growing number of ransomware victims being attacked by multiple gangs at the same time Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Spyware activity particularly impactful in July

After a quiet June, vulnerability exploitation ramped up in July, with intrusions linked to spyware seeing unusually high volumes of activity, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Finnish AI Region drives digital growth in small businesses

Helsinki-based SMEs are being offered support and resources to help them get the best out of artificial intelligence technology to improve their operations and create services to sell Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

DrayTek patches SOHO router bug that left thousands exposed

Network hardware supplier has fixed an unauthenticated RCE vulnerability in multiple routers in its Vigor line, after being alerted by Trellix researchers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

H0lyGh0st ransomware gang faces challenges, but still a threat

Digital Shadows reports on the recently identified H0lyGh0st ransomware outfit, a new threat actor operating out of North Korea that faces some clear challenges, but is nevertheless still a live threat Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCSC startups scheme turns focus to operational technology, SME security

NCSC for Startups initiative turns its focus to supporting innovation around securing operational technology and addressing the challenges facing small businesses Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber criminals pivot away from macros as Microsoft changes bite

As Microsoft resumes blocking macros by default in its Office application suite, reversing a temporary reversal, analysis from Proofpoint suggests the action has had a remarkable effect Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Teams in Grenoble work on 6G breakthrough technology

Even as 5G networks are being rolled out, new requirements are driving scientists, and engineers in Europe are back to the lab to start developing 6G Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

Consumers left out of pocket as security costs soar

As the average cost of a security incident reaches an all-time high of nearly $4.5m, an IBM Security study reveals how these costs are being passed on to ordinary people Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Retail software firm PrestaShop warns users about SQL injection attacks

Open source e-commerce platform PrestaShop warns thousands of small retailers that their customers’ credit card details may be at risk of compromise Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber security training ‘boring’ and largely ignored

Two-thirds of employees don’t bother to pay attention to cyber security training – and the fault does not lie with them Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Don’t rely on insurance alone

Cyber insurance is a useful addition to the cyber protection toolbox. However, it cannot be regarded as a replacement for the controls that should be in operation, says Turnkey Consulting’s Tom Venables Continue Reading

By

• Tom Venables, Turnkey Consulting

No More Ransom initiative helps 1.5 million people in six years

One and a half million people have now taken advantage of free ransomware decryption tools offered by a joint European project Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ducktail infostealer targets Facebook Business users

Newly uncovered Ducktail operation targets individuals with access to Facebook Business service and tries to steal their accounts Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCSC seeks community input for Cyber Advisor service

The NCSC is proposing to establish a new Cyber Advisor service to train up experts in security guidance, and is inviting interested parties to come forward Continue Reading

Latest Atlassian Confluence vulnerability raises concerns

CVE-2022-26138 is the second major vulnerability disclosure made for Atlassian’s Confluence collaboration platform in recent months Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Russia could become the world’s largest market for illegal IT

Russia could become the biggest market for illegal IT equipment as companies try to get round sanctions imposed on the country Continue Reading

By

• Computer Weekly correspondent

Buy ‘plug-n-play’ malware for the price of a pint of beer

Three-quarters of malwares and almost 90% of exploits retail on the dark web for about £8.40 or less, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

(ISC)² expands entry-level cyber programme after UK success

Flush with success from a UK certification programme, reaching 100k in the UK, (ISC)² now wants to provide free security certification to a million people worldwide Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cato aims to bust cyber myths as it extends network protections

Cato Networks is beefing up its platform’s security features with ransomware and data loss protections, and the firm’s security strategy lead Etay Maor is using the occasion – and his unique access to billions of data points from the firm’s network – to explode some cyber myths Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

European IT services see bumper quarter, but signs of slowing emerge

Spending on IT and BPO services in Europe saw significant growth in the past quarter, but there are signs of a slowdown Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

US cyber agency CISA to open London office

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has chosen London to host its first office outside America Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Log4Shell on its way to becoming ‘endemic’

US government report concludes that, like Covid, Log4Shell will be with us for a long time to come Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Global IT services market shows signs of slowing

Spending on IT and business process services could be set to reduce over the coming months as the latest ISG figures show early signs of decline Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

ICO wants to ‘empower people through information’

Information Commissioner’s Office sets out commitment to safeguard the information rights of the most vulnerable people in UK society Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Slippery phish wriggles around MFA protections, says Microsoft

Microsoft’s threat researchers share details of a phishing campaign that hit 10,000 organisations, against which standard multifactor authentication provides little defence Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

July Patch Tuesday brings more than 80 fixes, one zero-day

While some admins can put their feet up and let Windows Autopatch do the hard work of updating their Microsoft estates, for the rest of us, the Patch Tuesday bandwagon keeps on keeping on Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

MaliBot Android malware spreading fast, says Check Point

The MaliBot malware is becoming a persistent and widespread problem, and Android users should be on their guard, says Check Point Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft Windows Autopatch now generally available

Microsoft customers with Windows Enterprise E3 and E5 licences can now take full advantage of its new automated patching service Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft VBA macro block will return

Microsoft provides more details about its sudden decision to rollback a landmark security policy, and reassures users it is a temporary measure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

SMEs lagging on multifactor authentication

Only 46% of small business owners say they have implemented multifactor authentication, and just 13% mandate its use, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber insurance: An effective use of your scant security budget?

The ISF’s Paul Watts asks if cyber insurance is a must-have item, an expensive luxury, or the emperor’s new clothes Continue Reading

By

• Paul Watts, Information Security Forum

Stop telling clients to pay ransomware gangs, solicitors told

The NCSC and the ICO are calling on solicitors to help tackle the rising number of ransomware payments being made, and to stop giving erroneous advice to victims Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft appears to reverse VBA macro-blocking

Microsoft quietly reverses VBA macro-blocking across its Office portfolio in a move that has left security experts puzzled Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor