IT for telecoms and internet organisations
Telecoms is one of the largest business sectors, and communications providers often have large IT budgets and are early adopters of new technologies. Our news and analysis of this important industry looks at how telecommunications firms, ISPs and other internet companies are using IT, and the regulatory issues that affect the services they provide.
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News
20 Dec 2024
Top 10 data and ethics stories of 2024
Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 data and ethics stories of 2024 Continue Reading
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News
19 Dec 2024
LockBit ransomware gang teases February 2025 return
An individual associated with the LockBit ransomware gang has broken cover to tease details of a new phase of the cyber criminal operation's activity, which they claim is set to begin in February 2025 Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2022
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
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News
12 Jul 2022
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
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News
11 Jul 2022
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
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Opinion
11 Jul 2022
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
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News
08 Jul 2022
Ofcom publishes Online Safety Roadmap
The roadmap sets out how the online harms regulator will approach implementing the UK’s online safety regime, and tells tech firms to start preparing for the new rules Continue Reading
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News
08 Jul 2022
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
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News
08 Jul 2022
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
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Opinion
08 Jul 2022
Lots to consider when buying cyber insurance, so do your homework
When considering implementing a cyber insurance policy, due diligence should be your watchword, says Paddy Francis of Airbus CyberSecurity Continue Reading
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News
07 Jul 2022
MI5, FBI chiefs warn of Chinese cyber espionage threat
In a joint appearance in London, MI5 director general Ken McCallum and FBI director Chris Wray warn of the growing threat posed by the Chinese government to UK and US interests Continue Reading
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Opinion
07 Jul 2022
Security Think Tank: Cyber insurance – A nice safety blanket, but don’t count on it
In the second instalment of this month’s Security Think Tank, Mike Gillespie argues that cyber insurance should be thought of like car insurance – you don’t start driving recklessly because you’re covered Continue Reading
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News
07 Jul 2022
Tech companies face pressure over end-to-end encryption in Online Safety Bill
An amendment to the Online Safety Bill, currently going through Parliament, will put pressure on tech companies over end-to-end encrypted messaging services Continue Reading
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News
06 Jul 2022
Plexal seeks new scaleups for next phase of Cyber Runway
Established security startups looking to grow and scale their operations are being invited to join the next phase of Plexal’s Cyber Runway programme Continue Reading
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News
05 Jul 2022
Prepare for long-term cyber threat from Ukraine war, says NCSC
The NCSC has published refreshed guidance on cyber preparedness as the war on Ukraine continues, urging organisations to pay attention to the state of their security teams Continue Reading
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News
05 Jul 2022
NCSC CEO: Why we should run towards crises to elevate cyber security
National Cyber Security Centre CEO Lindy Cameron, the 2022 Computer Weekly UKtech50 Most Influential Person in UK IT, reflects on a career immersed in crisis management, and how she is using this to elevate cyber security standards across the country Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Jul 2022
Tech sector efforts to root out forced labour are failing
Digitally mapping supply chains to identify forced labour and slavery is no longer a technology problem for the IT sector, but a lack of government enforcement and corporate inaction are major barriers to effective change Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Jul 2022
Security Think Tank: Now is the time to think about cyber insurance
Many IT leaders shy away from cyber insurance, but new, innovative developments in the market can help organisations take an approach that suits their needs Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2022
New cyber extortion op appears to have hit AMD
Semiconductor specialist AMD has confirmed it is investigating reports that a ‘bad actor’ has stolen hundreds of gigabytes of its data Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2022
Romance scammers exploit Ukraine war in cynical campaign
Romance scammers can make easy money exploiting people looking for love, but in this newly observed campaign linked to the Ukraine war they are playing on deeper emotions Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2022
Brexit a net negative for UK cyber, say CISOs
Six years on from the UK’s Brexit vote, the majority of security professionals say leaving the EU has raised concerns over their ability to keep their organisations safe Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2022
LockBit ransomware gang launches bug bounty programme
A bug bounty programme is among a number of features LockBit’s developers have added to ‘version 3.0’ of the ransomware Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Jun 2022
The cyber security impact of Operation Russia by Anonymous
The campaign against the Russian government by Anonymous surprised many with the depth and scale of the cyber attacks. What can we learn from this online war? Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2022
Black Basta ransomware crew aiming for ‘big leagues’
Emergent Black Basta ransomware gang has hit more than 50 countries since bursting onto the scene earlier this year, says Cybereason Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2022
US cyber agency in fresh warning over Log4Shell risk to VMware
Many VMware Horizon and UAG servers remain defenceless against Log4Shell, and organisations continue to fall victim to the vulnerability Continue Reading
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Opinion
24 Jun 2022
Assessment and knowledge: Your key tools to secure suppliers
There is no silver bullet that will resolve all the issues arising from today’s interconnected businesses and complex supply chains, but there are some key tools at your disposal Continue Reading
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Opinion
23 Jun 2022
What will the Data Reform Bill mean for UK businesses operating in the EU?
Following the government’s response to the Data Reform Bill consultation, Peter Galdies of DQM GRC looks at what might lie ahead for UK organisations working in the European Union Continue Reading
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Opinion
23 Jun 2022
Security Think Tank: Supply chain security demands systematic approach
Supply chain security measures need to be systematic and assessed so as to minimise the complexity and cost to the business Continue Reading
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Opinion
22 Jun 2022
Why the world needs tech standards for UN Sustainable Development Goals
Chaesub Lee from the ITU argues that the world needs technology standards to address the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals Continue Reading
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Opinion
22 Jun 2022
Security Think Tank: Balanced approach can detangle supply chain complexity
Achieving an appropriate balance between people, processes and technology can help to detangle the complexities of the supply chain and create better security practices Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2022
Government won’t regulate on professional cyber standards
The government has elected not to proceed with regulatory intervention to embed standards and pathways across the cyber profession Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2022
CNI leaders’ attitude to ransomware lackadaisical at best
A survey of security decision-makers in sectors regarded as critical national infrastructure reveals a disappointing attitude to ransomware threats Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2022
New coalition lifts Finland’s 6G status
Finland is laying the foundations for future European leadership in 6G research and development Continue Reading
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Opinion
21 Jun 2022
Supply chain security goes deep – forget this at your peril
It may have hit the headlines as an IT issue, but supply chain security goes far deeper into an organisation than just technology Continue Reading
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News
17 Jun 2022
British businesses to recognise Google skills certificates
Google training programmes are being made available to more people in the UK as part of an initiative from the supplier and major UK businesses Continue Reading
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News
17 Jun 2022
Government responds to Data Reform Bill consultation
Westminster claims its new data laws will boost British benefits, protect consumers, and seize the ‘benefits’ of Brexit Continue Reading
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Opinion
17 Jun 2022
Consider governance, coordination and risk to secure supply chain
A recent ISACA study found myriad factors that give good reason to be concerned about supply chain security. Cyber adviser Brian Fletcher recommends three areas to zero in on Continue Reading
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News
17 Jun 2022
MoD sets out strategy to develop military AI with private sector
The UK Ministry of Defence has outlined its intention to work closely with the private sector to develop and deploy a range of artificial intelligence-powered technologies, committing to ‘lawful and ethical AI use’ Continue Reading
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News
16 Jun 2022
Office 365 loophole may give ransomware an easy shot at your files
Researchers at Proofpoint have discovered potentially dangerous Microsoft Office 365 functionality that they believe may give ransomware a clear shot at files stored on SharePoint and OneDrive Continue Reading
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Opinion
16 Jun 2022
Security Think Tank: Best practices for boosting supply chain security
In a highly connected world, managing the supply chain landscape requires an adaptation of the ‘traditional’ approach to managing cyber risk Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2022
Patch Tuesday dogged by concerns over Microsoft vulnerability response
The last Patch Tuesday in its current form is overshadowed by persistent concerns about how Microsoft deals with vulnerability disclosure Continue Reading
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Opinion
15 Jun 2022
Security Think Tank: Basic steps to secure your supply chain
When it comes to supply chain security, there are some core things you should be doing – but remember, the devil is in the detail Continue Reading
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News
14 Jun 2022
MS Azure Synapse vulnerability fixed after six-month slog
Microsoft patched a critical Azure Synapse vulnerability twice, but each time the researcher who discovered it was able to bypass it with ease, leading to a lengthy saga Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2022
New warning over tech suppliers in thrall to hostile governments
Ukraine war could lead to shakeup of dual-use tech exports, says former UK intelligence officer Continue Reading
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Opinion
10 Jun 2022
Security Think Tank: Don’t trust the weakest link? Don’t trust any link
Your security model shouldn’t fall apart just because a part of your business, or a partner, has weak security. This is why information-centric security is a must Continue Reading
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News
10 Jun 2022
Snake Keylogger climbing malware charts, says Check Point
Cyber criminals behind Snake Keylogger campaigns have been switching up their tactics in the past few weeks, say researchers Continue Reading
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News
10 Jun 2022
Researchers find eight CVEs in single building access system
A series of eight vulnerabilities in Carrier LenelS2 building access panels could enable malicious actors to obtain physical access to their targets Continue Reading
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News
09 Jun 2022
SolarWinds CEO offers to commit staffers to government cyber agencies
A new proposal from SolarWinds’ outspoken CEO, Sudhakar Ramakrishna, could see software companies commit key staff to work with government cyber agencies to improve cooperation and incident response Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2022
China using top consumer routers to hack Western comms networks
An advisory from US cyber authorities shares details of multiple vulnerabilities exploited by Chinese state actors to hack into Western telecoms networks Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2022
ProxyLogon, ProxyShell may have driven increase in dwell times
The median network intruder dwell time was up 36% to 15 days last year, thanks to massive exploitation of the ProxyLogon and ProxyShell vulnerabilities by IABs, according to new Sophos data Continue Reading
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Definition
07 Jun 2022
sound wave
A sound wave is the pattern of disturbance caused by the movement of energy traveling through a medium (such as air, water or any other liquid or solid matter) as it propagates away from the source of the sound. Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2022
Software house Mega achieves holistic SaaS security with Synopsys
Mega International, a supplier of IT management software, turned to Synopsys’s Coverity and Black Duck products to reassure both itself and its customers that its software-as-a-service offerings were built to the best possible security standards Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Jun 2022
IT departments need holistic circular economies to fight climate change
With sustainability moving up the boardroom agenda, IT managers should revamp procurement strategies to align with the principles of the circular economy, but what does this mean for managing the IT lifecycle? Continue Reading
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News
31 May 2022
Industrial systems not safe for the future, say Dutch ethical hackers
Ethical hackers in the Netherlands say operational technology and IT networks need to be integrated to prevent cyber attacks penetrating their operations Continue Reading
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News
30 May 2022
UAE residents think 3D printing will have the most positive impact on society
People in the UAE believe next-generation technologies such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence will become widespread in the country Continue Reading
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Opinion
30 May 2022
Strong internal foundations are key to withstanding external threats
The modern-day abundance of platforms, apps and IT tools presents malicious actors with a web of interconnection that is easily exploited to move rapidly through the network to compromise critical assets. Security teams need to understand these attack pathways better in order to fight back Continue Reading
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News
26 May 2022
Two-thirds of UK organisations defrauded since start of pandemic
Nearly two out of three UK companies say they have experienced some form of fraud or economic crime in the past two years, according to a report Continue Reading
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News
26 May 2022
Dutch companies struggle to fill tech jobs
There are plenty of IT job vacancies in the Netherlands, but a shortage of IT professionals Continue Reading
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Feature
26 May 2022
Tech companies join UK four-day work week trial
Computer Weekly speaks with tech companies taking part in the UK’s upcoming four-day work week trial, which will measure the impact of shorter working weeks on productivity, wellbeing and the environment Continue Reading
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News
24 May 2022
Ransomware volumes grew faster than ever in 2021
Verizon’s annual DBIR assessment of the security landscape highlights an unprecedented boom in ransomware volumes, to the surprise of nobody Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2022
Applying international law to cyber will be a tall order
Many in the security community have voiced their support for the UK government’s ambitions to work towards agreement with other countries on the application of international law to cyber space, but not without some reservations Continue Reading
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Opinion
18 May 2022
Security Think Tank: To follow a path, you need a good map
The modern-day abundance of platforms, apps and IT tools presents malicious actors with a web of interconnection that is easily exploited to move rapidly through the network to compromise critical assets. Security teams need to understand these attack pathways better in order to fight back Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2022
(ISC)² to train 100,000 cyber pros in UK
Security association (ISC)² unveils ambitious UK training programme Continue Reading
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News
13 May 2022
Pro-competition data sharing will not include users’ personal info, says minister
UK government proposals to improve competition in digital markets by making tech giants share data with smaller firms will not include consumers’ personal information, says digital minister Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2022
CyberUK 22: Five Eyes focuses on MSP security
The western intelligence community has set out practical steps IT service providers and their customers can take to protect themselves Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2022
Cyber accreditation body Crest forges new training partnerships
Crest says partnerships with Hack The Box and Immersive Labs will enhance its members’ defensive and offensive security skills Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2022
Microsoft fixes three zero-days on May Patch Tuesday
It’s the second-to-last Patch Tuesday as we know it, and Microsoft has fixed a total of 75 bugs, including three zero-days Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2022
EU plans to police child abuse raise fresh fears over encryption and privacy rights
Draft regulation unveiled today will require internet and messaging firms to use algorithms to identify grooming and child abuse or face heavy fines Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2022
CyberUK 22: Cyber leaders affirm UK’s whole-of-society strategy
On the opening day of CyberUK 2022, GCHQ director Jeremy Fleming and NCSC CEO Lindy Cameron have spoken of their commitment to the government’s ambition for a whole-of-society cyber strategy Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2022
CyberUK 22: NCSC refreshes cloud security guidance
The National Cyber Security Centre is revising its cloud guidance as increasing uptake of potentially vulnerable cloud services puts more organisations at risk of compromise Continue Reading
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News
06 May 2022
UK digital markets regulator to be given statutory powers
Digital Markets Unit will be put on statutory footing by UK government to ensure technology giants do not abuse market power, but announcement comes with no clear indication of when legislation will be introduced Continue Reading
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News
03 May 2022
Five TLS comms vulnerabilities hit Aruba, Avaya switching kit
Five new vulnerabilities in the implementation of transport layer security communications leave several popular switches vulnerable to remote code execution Continue Reading
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News
28 Apr 2022
Ransomware recovery costs dwarf actual ransoms
The cost of recovering from a ransomware attack far outweighs the ransoms now being demanded by cyber criminals, according to recent data Continue Reading
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News
28 Apr 2022
Russia plumbs new depths in cyber war on Ukraine
Microsoft details cyber attacks on Ukrainian civilian communications, nuclear safety authorities, and the exploitation of the destruction of Mariupol in a phishing campaign Continue Reading
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News
27 Apr 2022
Log4Shell, ProxyLogon, ProxyShell among most exploited bugs of 2021
These 15 CVEs were the most commonly exploited last year, and if you haven’t mitigated against them, now is the time Continue Reading
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News
27 Apr 2022
Ransomware victims paying out when they don’t need to
Sophos’s annual State of Ransomware report shows dramatic increases in the impact of ransomware attacks, but also finds many organisations are paying ransoms when they don’t need to Continue Reading
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News
27 Apr 2022
Government digital ignorance puts Dutch economy at risk
In this interview, Michiel Steltman, managing director of Digital Infrastructure Netherlands, tells Computer Weekly why the Dutch digital economy is at risk due to a lack of knowledge and understanding at government level Continue Reading
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News
26 Apr 2022
BCS passes defiant Ukrainian tech industry message to its members
BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, has passed on a message from Ukrainian IT suppliers that the country is open for, and in need of, business Continue Reading
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News
26 Apr 2022
Emotet tests new tricks to thwart enhanced security
The operators of the Emotet botnet seem to be trying to find a way to get around recent changes made by Microsoft to better protect its users Continue Reading
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News
26 Apr 2022
Danish researcher explains zero-knowledge proofs and post-quantum encryption
A graduate from the University of Aarhus, a Danish researcher is now a leading player in some of the most important issues in cyber security Continue Reading
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News
21 Apr 2022
Five Eyes in new Russia cyber warning
Latest cross-body alert warns of Russian threat to utilities and other core elements of national infrastructure Continue Reading
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News
21 Apr 2022
Tech to account for over half of regulatory compliance spending
By 2026, regtech will account for more than half of the money that businesses spend on compliance with regulations Continue Reading
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News
13 Apr 2022
WatchGuard firewall users urged to patch Cyclops Blink vulnerability
The US authorities have seen fit to add the WatchGuard vulnerability used by Sandworm to build the Cyclops Blink botnet to its list of must-patch vulnerabilities Continue Reading
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News
13 Apr 2022
Microsoft patches two zero-days, 10 critical bugs
Patch Tuesday is here once again. This month, security teams must fix two privilege escalation zero-days in the Windows Common Log File System Driver and the Windows User Profile Service Continue Reading
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News
07 Apr 2022
Amazon workers defeat company to form first US union
Amazon warehouse workers in Staten Island, New York, have successfully formed the first union at the company, with organisers pledging to help their colleagues across the US do the same Continue Reading
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News
07 Apr 2022
European IT and BPO outsourcing off to strong start
European IT and business process outsourcing services continue to increase rapidly, with cloud-based services now more than half of the total Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2022
Secrecy over police EncroChat hacking is unconstitutional, defence lawyers tell top French court
France’s constitutional court, the Conseil Constitutionnel, has heard arguments that the use of ‘defence secrecy’ to withhold information about police surveillance operations breaches the French constitution Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2022
Triple-threat Borat malware no joke for victims
Unlike its namesake, the newly discovered Borat malware won’t raise a smile for IT security pros Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2022
Saudi Arabian ICT sector hits $32.1bn after strong pandemic response
The Saudi Arabian IT and communications sector is recovering strongly from the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading
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News
04 Apr 2022
Environmental campaigners halt Meta datacentre construction in the Netherlands
Datacentre being built to serve ‘metaverse’ worlds would consume nearly half as much energy as all other datacentres in the country Continue Reading
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News
01 Apr 2022
Two teenagers charged with Lapsus$ cyber attacks
City of London Police have charged two teenagers in connection with the Lapsus$ cyber crime spree Continue Reading
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News
01 Apr 2022
Four moves to ‘checkmate’ critical assets thanks to lax cloud security
Malicious actors can compromise 94% of critical assets within four steps of the initial breach point, according to a report Continue Reading
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News
31 Mar 2022
Lapsus$ cyber crime spree continues despite arrests
The arrests of seven people in connection with the Lapsus$ cyber crime group has not dented the gang’s enthusiasm for causing chaos Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2022
One-third of UK firms suffer a cyber attack every week
New statistics from the annual DCMS Cyber security breaches survey reveal the extent and frequency with which UK organisations are being attacked by malicious actors Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Mar 2022
Recruitment risks: Avoiding the dangers of fraudulent candidates
Tech companies are seeing an increase in fraudulent job applications, with associated impacts on risk and cyber security. So how can organisations protect themselves from fraudulent applicants while ensuring they recruit the best talent? Continue Reading
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News
29 Mar 2022
NCSC: Not necessarily wise to ditch Kaspersky
UK’s National Cyber Security Centre issues refreshed guidance on organisations’ usage of technology and services of Russian origin, but stops short of advising users to expunge all Russian products from their IT estates Continue Reading
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News
29 Mar 2022
Wave of Log4j-linked attacks targeting VMware Horizon
Sophos issues a new warning to organisations that have so far failed to patch their VMware Horizon servers against Log4Shell Continue Reading
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News
28 Mar 2022
Most big businesses are taking up banking as a service
API-based banking services allow corporate customers to offer financial services without the need for heavy tech development or regulatory approval Continue Reading
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News
23 Mar 2022
Chinese state media use Facebook to push pro-Russia disinformation on Ukraine war
Facebook owner Meta accused of failing to follow its own policies by not disclosing how Chinese state media were targeting Facebook users with ‘propaganda’ ads about the conflict in Ukraine Continue Reading
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Opinion
22 Mar 2022
Revised scope of UK security strategy reflects digitised society
The omission of the word ‘security’ from the title of the UK government’s new National Cyber Strategy is a telling one, reflecting our increasingly digitised society, say Maximillian Brook and Arunoshi Singh of the ISF Continue Reading
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Opinion
21 Mar 2022
UK Cyber Strategy a welcome injection of progress
The National Cyber Strategy should be seen as a welcome injection of both focus and investment in bettering cyber defence for everyone, says Turnkey Consulting senior consultant Louise Barber Continue Reading
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News
18 Mar 2022
Ukrainian cyber defences prove resilient
Thanks to a combination of prior experience and global support, Ukraine’s defences against cyber incidents are holding strong in the face of Russian attacks Continue Reading