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 Nov 2024
Apple addresses two iPhone, Mac zero-days
Two zero-day vulnerabilities uncovered in Apple’s operating systems could have allowed for arbitrary code execution and cross-site scripting attacks Continue Reading
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News
20 Nov 2024
Government issues strategic priorities for online safety regulator Ofcom
Technology secretary Peter Kyle sets out the government’s strategic priorities for how Ofcom should approach regulating online safety, including embedding safety by design and supporting innovation in technologies to help protect people online Continue Reading
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News
13 Sep 2021
Smishing attacks up sevenfold in six months
Scam text messages are reaching pandemic proportions, thanks in part to the pandemic Continue Reading
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News
09 Sep 2021
UK GDPR faces changes under planned reforms
DCMS is launching a major consultation on proposed changes to the UK’s data protection regime, under which several key elements of the GDPR are likely to change Continue Reading
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News
02 Sep 2021
WhatsApp fined €225m over GDPR breaches
Irish data protection watchdog has issued one of the largest GDPR fines to date against Facebook-owned WhatsApp Continue Reading
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News
02 Sep 2021
Twitter tests auto-block feature for accounts at risk of abuse
Latest Twitter feature automatically blocks abusive users, and is intended to help victims regain control of their experience on the platform Continue Reading
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News
01 Sep 2021
University of Sunderland applies technology through robot dog
Students will apply technologies such as artificial intelligence to robotic dog as part of their learning Continue Reading
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News
01 Sep 2021
Tech sector spends nearly €100m a year lobbying the EU
Study on technology firms’ lobbying efforts in the European Union shows the sector spends more than any other in trying to influence policies and legislation Continue Reading
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News
27 Aug 2021
Are proposed data protection changes a threat to UK citizens’ privacy?
Though changes are as-yet undefined pending an upcoming consultation, concerns are already being expressed over the government’s plan to liberalise data protection laws in the service of innovation and growth Continue Reading
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News
26 Aug 2021
Tech giants commit to Biden's cyber security action plan
Some of the world’s most prominent tech giants have made a series of commitments to enhance the US’ national cyber security posture following a high-profile meeting with president Biden Continue Reading
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News
26 Aug 2021
Government unveils post-Brexit data flow proposals
The government will pursue data partnerships with countries including Australia, South Korea and the US as part of a post-Brexit data regime that may also see substantial changes to the UK’s data protection law Continue Reading
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News
26 Aug 2021
NZ privacy lead John Edwards named new information commissioner
DCMS has named John Edwards, currently New Zealand privacy commissioner, to succeed Elizabeth Denham as UK information commissioner Continue Reading
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News
25 Aug 2021
UK loses £1.3bn to fraud and cyber crime so far this year
New figures from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau show a threefold spike in reported financial losses to fraud and cyber crime in the first six months of 2021 Continue Reading
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News
24 Aug 2021
Half of MS Exchange servers at risk in ProxyShell debacle
Up to 50% of MS Exchange users in the UK are exposed to three vulnerabilities that are now being actively exploited Continue Reading
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News
20 Aug 2021
Swedish IT industry braced for China’s response to Huawei 5G ban
Swedish IT and communications equipment suppliers fear economic backlash from China following Huawei ban Continue Reading
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News
16 Aug 2021
ICO consults public on personal data in employment practices
The ICO has launched a public consultation on employers’ use of personal data to help it provide practical guidance for both businesses and workers Continue Reading
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News
13 Aug 2021
UN special rapporteurs call for surveillance tech moratorium
In the wake of revelations about NSO Groups Pegasus spyware, a number of special rapporteurs from the United Nations are re-igniting calls for a global moratorium on the sale and transfer of surveillance technologies Continue Reading
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News
12 Aug 2021
ICO consults on new international data transfer agreement
Information Commissioner’s Office to consult on its draft international data transfer agreement and guidance, which will replace standard contractual clauses to protect personal data during overseas transfers Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2021
Ransomware demands and payments hit new records
Ransomware groups continue to intensify their operations as ransom demands and payments increase alongside use of “quadruple extortion” tactics during first half of 2021 Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2021
Dutch lead the way in protecting themselves against internet risks
Dutch citizens come top in a study on awareness of internet risks in Europe, which showed major differences across the continent Continue Reading
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News
06 Aug 2021
Apple unveils plans to scan US iPhones for child sex abuse images
Apple will introduce child sexual abuse material detection for US users later this year, but some experts are worried that the technology could be repurposed to scan phones for other kinds of content Continue Reading
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News
05 Aug 2021
Cloud misconfiguration a growing cause of security incidents
Rapid cloud adoption during the pandemic has increased the attack surface and heightened the risk of misconfiguring services, leaving organisations more vulnerable to cyber attacks Continue Reading
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News
28 Jul 2021
COP26 cyber resource hub launched for Glasgow businesses
New digital information hub for Glasgow business to help organisations keep secure both physically and online ahead of major climate change summit Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Jul 2021
Security Think Tank: Consider cyber policies and procedures as you welcome employees back
With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect their returning office workers? Continue Reading
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News
27 Jul 2021
TikTok sets up cyber security hub in Dublin
Dublin-based cyber centre will oversee the security of TikTok’s users across Europe Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Jul 2021
Government-led innovation can help cyber startups find a market
There are many reasons why early-stage cyber startups often struggle to get off the ground, but government-backed programmes can help them find a path Continue Reading
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News
23 Jul 2021
Kaseya obtains universal ransomware decryptor
Kaseya says it obtained a ransomware decryptor key from a trusted third party, but there is no word on whether a ransom was paid Continue Reading
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News
22 Jul 2021
Plans to address legal but harmful content ‘threaten free speech’
House of Lords report criticises the government’s forthcoming Online Safety Bill for imposing duty of care on tech platforms to deal with ‘legal but harmful’ content, which it says threatens freedom of expression online Continue Reading
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News
22 Jul 2021
UK government publishes full Innovation Strategy
Strategy aims to put the UK at the global forefront of science, research and innovation Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2021
More than half of European IT outsourcing spending will soon be on cloud services
Cloud services will soon be the largest part of the IT services market in Europe, as enterprises invest in them as part of their Covid-19 recovery strategies Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2021
Multiple Microsoft bugs being actively exploited
Microsoft’s July Patch Tuesday update fixes 117 vulnerabilities, 13 rated as critical and four already being actively exploited Continue Reading
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News
13 Jul 2021
Russia tightens pressure on global IT companies
Russian authorities will force certain IT companies with customers in Russia to open local offices Continue Reading
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News
08 Jul 2021
Kaseya apologises for extended downtime after ransom attack
CEO of Kaseya apologises after pushing back the restoration of the firm’s VSA service following a REvil ransomware attack Continue Reading
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Opinion
08 Jul 2021
Security Think Tank: Reopening is an opportunity to reassess wider security posture
With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect their returning office workers? Continue Reading
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News
07 Jul 2021
Opportunists seen targeting Kaseya REvil victims
Malwarebytes researchers highlight new spam campaign targeting businesses impacted by the ongoing Kaseya REvil ransomware incident Continue Reading
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News
06 Jul 2021
Cyber insurance costs up by a third
The frequency and severity of ransomware attacks is a leading factor behind a substantial increase in the cost of obtaining cyber security insurance Continue Reading
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News
05 Jul 2021
REvil crew wants $70m in Kaseya ransomware heist
Two days after one of the largest ransomware attacks in history by the REvil/Sodinokibi gang, the security community is assessing its next moves, while over 1,000 victims remain in limbo Continue Reading
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News
02 Jul 2021
Should I be worried about PrintNightmare?
The accidental publication of proof of concept code for a Windows vulnerability, and the reclassification of said bug from low to critical severity, has the cyber community concerned. Is it right to be? Continue Reading
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News
01 Jul 2021
UK government issues “safety by design” guidance for tech firms
The guidance is designed to help technology companies embed safer design for users into their services in anticipation of the Online Safety Bill becoming law Continue Reading
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News
01 Jul 2021
US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency launches ransomware assessment tool
Newly launched service will help US organisations understand how prepared they are to deal with a ransomware attack Continue Reading
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News
30 Jun 2021
LinkedIn denies exposure of 700 million user records is a data breach
Data relating to 700 million users of the LinkedIn networking platform has appeared for sale, but the firm says it is the victim of data scraping, not a security breach Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2021
New Nobelium attacks a reminder to attend to cyber basics
A new campaign from the same threat group that broke into SolarWinds serves as a reminder that cyber crime gangs will try to exploit any avenue they can, even if technically unsophisticated Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2021
UK Cyber Security Council launches inaugural initiatives
Security association seeks to determine terms of reference for committees to oversee standards and ethics, and qualifications and careers in the cyber sector Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2021
Insurers unprepared for challenges of underwriting ransomware
RUSI think tank calls for an industry-wide reset amid intense challenges for providers of cyber security insurance Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2021
UK’s FCA bans crypto exchange Binance as crackdown spreads
Ban on Binance Markets comes amid a wider global crackdown on the largely unregulated global market for cryptocurrencies and related assets. Continue Reading
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News
25 Jun 2021
CMA to probe Amazon and Google over fake reviews
The CMA has opened an investigation into Amazon and Google over possible breaches of consumer protection law Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2021
Google hands third-party cookies a stay of execution
Google’s proposed Privacy Sandbox initiative – which will see third-party cookies phased out in the Chrome web browser – has been pushed back to 2023 Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2021
Online Safety Bill unfit for purpose, says new campaign group
Campaign group set up to oppose Online Safety Bill says the duty of care is too simplistic, cedes too much power to US corporations and will, in practice, privilege the speech of journalists or politicians Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2021
Vodafone confirms European datacentres will be powered by 100% green energy by July 2021
Telco giant claims it is on course to hit an important milestone in its latest sustainability push, with its entire European operations set to be 100% renewably powered by 1 July Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2021
Make ransomware payments illegal, say 79% of cyber pros
Report produced for MSSP Talion claims overwhelming support for the criminalisation of ransomware payments Continue Reading
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News
18 Jun 2021
ICO issues guidance on facial recognition in public spaces
Information commissioner’s concern over the problematic use of facial recognition in public spaces has prompted her to publish official guidance on its deployment, while civil society calls for an outright ban Continue Reading
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News
17 Jun 2021
Cyber crooks target Amazon Prime users ahead of retail bonanza
A surge in malicious domain registrations ahead of Amazon Prime Day indicates cyber criminals have set their sights on exploiting vulnerable shoppers Continue Reading
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News
16 Jun 2021
Axiata doubles down on Google Cloud
The regional telecoms group plans to use Google Cloud’s compute, storage and networking services across the six telcos under its fold Continue Reading
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News
16 Jun 2021
Tech sector trade union campaigns to protect workers’ privacy
A UK-based trade union for technology workers and others employed by tech companies is organising around the issue of worker’s privacy and workplace monitoring Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2021
CMA secures commitments from Google on future of cookies
The Competition and Markets Authority is opening a consultation on commitments offered to it by Google to ensure its Privacy Sandbox proposals do not harm digital advertising markets Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2021
UK promises tougher line on cyber crime
Speaking ahead of the G7 Summit, foreign secretary Dominic Raab says the UK is ready to take on cyber criminals and other malicious actors wherever they may be Continue Reading
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News
10 Jun 2021
Risk data shows UK energy sector most vulnerable to cyber attack
New report compiled by insurance firm Hiscox reveals the state of cyber preparedness in the UK and beyond Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2021
EU privacy chief investigates use of US cloud services
Use of Amazon and Microsoft’s cloud services by public sector bodies in the European Union is being scrutinised by the bloc’s privacy watchdog Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2021
IBM pushes back against US government data requests
Technology giant IBM says the US government has ‘no jurisdiction’ to request data from its European entities Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Jun 2021
What the Telecommunications (Security) Bill means for UK industry
The Telecommunications (Security) Bill is intended to reinforce the security of the UK telecommunications infrastructure, but what are the implications for industry? Continue Reading
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News
02 Jun 2021
SA-based MSP shuns HCI for Nebulon cloud-defined storage
SYSDBA needed to refresh its HPE 3PAR arrays, and so looked at hyper-converged but decided on cloud-defined storage from Nebulon that marries local storage with a cloud control plane Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Jun 2021
Long-term thinking is vital to secure UK’s critical infrastructure
To face down the threat of cyber warfare against UK CNI, the government needs long-term thinking that looks beyond the next general election cycle, says Advent-IM’s Mike Gillespie Continue Reading
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Opinion
25 May 2021
Online Safety Bill: an opportunity for tech to get it right
Long-awaited proposals for regulating internet companies still leave much to be defined – and the tech sector must take the lead in finalising a plan that works for society and government Continue Reading
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News
23 May 2021
Innovation and skills at the heart of CBI report
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) wants an inclusive and innovative economy, with increased research and development (R&D) investment and better digital intensity and adoption, particularly among SMEs Continue Reading
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Podcast
21 May 2021
CyberUK, bees and datacentres, Red Cross digital mapping – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast
In this episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Caroline Donnelly and Brian McKenna are joined by Alex Scroxton, security editor, to discuss CyberUK, bees and datacentres, and the British Red Cross’ use of digital mapping to combat Covid-19 Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2021
UK regulators commit to closer cooperation on digital economy
Two UK regulators have issued a joint statement and signed a memorandum of understanding on the need for closer collaboration on digital markets Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2021
Pandemic tech use heightens consumer privacy fears
Report on consumer attitudes to privacy finds evidence of a “heightened sense of fear” as digital footprints expand inexorably Continue Reading
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News
18 May 2021
Microsoft EU Data Boundary dubbed ‘smoke and mirrors’
Data protection experts claim Microsoft’s decision to create an EU Data Boundary is a tacit admission that it routinely transfers and processes the personal data of European citizens outside the bloc Continue Reading
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News
18 May 2021
Irish High Court dismisses legal bid by Facebook over EU-US data transfers
Latest twist in long-running legal battle sees Facebook lose legal bid to prevent the Irish Data Protection Commissioner suspending its transfer of data about European citizens to the US Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2021
How M1 is striving to be a digital telco
Singapore’s M1 is dialling up its digital chops by monetising its data, building more personalised services for subscribers, and going beyond connectivity as it evolves into a digital telco Continue Reading
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News
13 May 2021
Biden beefs up public-private security cooperation
Joe Biden has signed a new Executive Order to harden US cyber security and government networks, with an emphasis on information sharing Continue Reading
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News
12 May 2021
UK government publishes Online Safety Bill draft
Bill builds on previous commitments by the government, which has added new measures to uphold democracy and freedom of speech while making tech giants more accountable Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2021
Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack has grave consequences
The ramifications of a major ransomware attack against a US fuel pipeline operator could spread far and wide Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2021
Swedish court finds ambiguities in hacked EncroChat cryptophone evidence
Defence lawyer claims evidence obtained by hacking the EncroChat encrypted phone network has ‘no legal’ value following Swedish appeal court ruling Continue Reading
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News
07 May 2021
NCSC publishes smart city security guidelines
Guidance for local authorities, IT and cyber professionals aims to ensure the security of connected, smart city projects Continue Reading
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News
06 May 2021
Government urged to add scam protections to Online Safety Bill
Group of organisations calls for the government to use the Online Safety Bill to protect people from cyber scams Continue Reading
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News
06 May 2021
Scammers accidentally reveal fake Amazon review data
More than 13 million records relating to an organised fake review scam have been found on an unsecured ElasticSearch database, implicating hundreds of thousands of people in unethical behaviour Continue Reading
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News
06 May 2021
Google to introduce mandatory MFA for users
In future, holders of Google accounts will have no option but to use multifactor authentication if they want to use the firm’s services Continue Reading
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News
06 May 2021
Netherlands to build new national supercomputer
The Netherlands has laid out plans for its next national supercomputer, to be known as Snellius Continue Reading
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Blog Post
05 May 2021
Opening the On-line World to Competition: The Penrose Report
But implementation will not be easy. This is particularly so with regard to introducing more competition to the digital industries where John calls for the new digital market unit’s up-front powers ... Continue Reading
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News
30 Apr 2021
EncroChat: Top lawyer warned CPS of risk that phone hacking warrants could be unlawful
Lord David Anderson QC warned prosecutors that there were formidable arguments against the lawfulness of a police operation to infiltrate the encrypted phone network, EncroChat Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Apr 2021
IR35 private sector reforms: What firms need to do now the start date has passed
While the start date for the onset of the IR35 private sector reforms may have passed, firms in-scope of the revamped tax avoidance legislation may find themselves still with plenty of compliance work still to do Continue Reading
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Opinion
27 Apr 2021
Why we need to reset the debate on end-to-end encryption to protect children
Private messaging is the front line of abuse, yet E2EE in its current form risks engineering away the ability of firms to detect and disrupt it where it is most prevalent Continue Reading
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News
22 Apr 2021
GCHQ: Cyber investment a guarantor of UK’s global status
GCHQ director Jeremy Fleming sets out a vision for the UK’s cyber security future Continue Reading
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News
20 Apr 2021
UK’s proposed IoT cyber security law gathers momentum
New statistics appear to vindicate UK government proposals to force suppliers to be upfront about IoT security Continue Reading
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News
20 Apr 2021
Codecov supply chain attack has echoes of SolarWinds
Supply chain attack on code auditing service may have compromised the likes of HPE and IBM Continue Reading
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News
18 Apr 2021
Government puts Facebook under pressure to stop end-to-end encryption over child abuse risks
Facebook faces growing government pressure to abandon its plans to offer users end-to-end encryption to secure the privacy of their messages as the NSPCC raises concerns about child protection Continue Reading
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News
16 Apr 2021
Finnish government strengthens country’s IT network security
Finland’s government has created a new national organisation to help public and private bodies improve network security Continue Reading
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News
15 Apr 2021
Dutch accuse UK of ‘damaging confidence’ by disclosing details of EncroChat police collaboration
The Dutch Public Prosecution Service claims Britain has damaged confidence by disclosing details of an international investigation into the EncroChat encrypted phone network to the courts Continue Reading
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News
15 Apr 2021
Microsoft is most impersonated brand in phishing attempts
Technology companies continue to be frequently spoofed by cyber criminals in their phishing attempts Continue Reading
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News
15 Apr 2021
Ireland’s DPC launches probe into Facebook leak
The Irish Data Protection Commission has launched an ‘own volition’ inquiry into the leak of data from 500 million Facebook profiles Continue Reading
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News
14 Apr 2021
Europe provides growth for TCS despite year floored by pandemic
Tata Consultancy Services grows its continental European business despite economic slowdown brought by Covid-19 restrictions Continue Reading
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News
09 Apr 2021
NCSC: Using your pet’s name as a password is very stupid
If your email password is still Rex, Rover or Mr Fluffles, it’s probably best to change it, the NCSC has said Continue Reading
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News
07 Apr 2021
Facebook ducks calls to apologise over huge data leak
Facebook gives its side of the story as data on millions of its users leaks, but is yet to apologise for security lapses that put half a billion people at risk of compromise Continue Reading
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News
07 Apr 2021
Digital Markets Unit starts work on codes of conduct for tech giants
Digital markets regulator officially launched to ensure tech giants such as Facebook and Google cannot exploit their market dominance to crowd out competition and stifle innovation online Continue Reading
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News
07 Apr 2021
Irish employees’ ‘right to disconnect’ enshrined in code of practice
A code of practice giving employees the ‘right to disconnect’ from work and not engage in electronic communications outside of their normal hours has come into effect in Ireland Continue Reading
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News
06 Apr 2021
Facebook data leak could be outside scope of GDPR
Regulators may be unable to do much about leaked data on 533 million Facebook users, as it seems to have been stolen before GDPR came into force Continue Reading
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News
01 Apr 2021
EncroChat hearings delayed as lawyers seek disclosure on police hacking
Court hearings precipitated by police cracking the EncroChat secure mobile phone network have been delayed after defence lawyers request further disclosures on police decryption capabilities Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Mar 2021
Security Think Tank: Evolving threats, tech, leaves CNI exposed
In light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading
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News
29 Mar 2021
Big Tech eclipses telecoms and arms giants as biggest lobbying spenders
Facebook and Amazon are spending more on lobbying and campaign contributions than any other companies in the US, including those in the arms and telecommunications sectors that have traditionally been the highest political spenders Continue Reading
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News
29 Mar 2021
UK courts face evidence ‘black hole’ over police EncroChat mass hacking
French investigators have refused to disclose how they downloaded millions of messages from a supposedly secure cryptophone network used by organised criminals – leaving UK courts to grapple with a forensic ‘black hole’ of evidence Continue Reading
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Opinion
23 Mar 2021
Security Think Tank: Attacks on CNI – an evolving frontier in warfare
In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading