IT for utilities and energy
Utility firms and energy companies rely on IT to support their often highly complex operations. The industry is being forced by politial and customer pressure to be greener and technology is central to achieving greater energy efficiency, through major initiatives such as smart meters. Our stories about energy and utility firms examine how IT is helping to enable change and improvement in these companies.
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Feature
07 Sep 2023
Interview: Ashish Gupta, head of EMEA, HCLTech
It’s not just enterprises that changed their operating models during and after Covid, but also the suppliers that took them on the journey, HCLTech Europe’s head explains Continue Reading
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News
18 Apr 2023
Reduced spending on cloud services weighs European IT services market down
Reduced spending on cloud services in the EMEA region meant a year-on-year drop in total IT and BPO services spend Continue Reading
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News
14 Dec 2018
Paris latest city to join Tech Global Advocates
The city of Paris is the latest to join the Tech Global Advocates network, offering a life raft to fintechs in the UK that want to retain customers across Europe Continue Reading
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News
14 Dec 2018
Iranian cyber espionage highlights human element
State-backed hackers in Iran have reportedly upped efforts to compromise US officials’ email accounts using phishing scams Continue Reading
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News
14 Dec 2018
Australia passes controversial encryption law
Arguments continue over law that requires companies to work with government agencies to ensure that encrypted communications can be read if a crime is suspected Continue Reading
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News
13 Dec 2018
Social engineering at the heart of critical infrastructure attack
Social engineering is the core technique used in a series of cyber attacks targeting government, defence, nuclear, energy and financial organisations around the world, which means people are key to defence Continue Reading
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E-Zine
13 Dec 2018
CW Europe: Russia banks on electronic payments
A recent study by Sberbank, Russia’s largest state-run lender, shows the country has experienced a cashless payment boom over the past decade. Also read about the attempt by four Russians to break into the networks of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague, and why the Estonian government is directly targeting IT professionals in the UK. Continue Reading
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News
12 Dec 2018
Criminals act like nation-state attackers in Russian campaign
Security researchers have uncovered evidence of a sustained effort targeting Russian state-owned critical infrastructure companies by financially motivated non-state actors Continue Reading
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News
07 Dec 2018
Finnish government announces research and development ecosystem
Finland has launched an innovation ecosystem that will support IoT and AI developers amongst others Continue Reading
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Opinion
06 Dec 2018
Douglas Engelbart, the forgotten hero of modern computing
Half a century ago, Douglas Engelbart demonstrated an experimental computer that laid the foundations for modern computing. His vision to use computing power to solve complex problems in all areas of human activity has become reality, but not in the way that he imagined Continue Reading
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News
06 Dec 2018
Software failure paralyses O2’s 4G network
O2 is racing to fix a major outage on its 4G network that has left millions of mobile subscribers without access to data services Continue Reading
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Opinion
05 Dec 2018
Drawing the line for cyber warfare
With alleged Russian meddling in elections and the state-backed attack on Iran’s nuclear programme, it is becoming difficult to define the boundaries of cyber warfare Continue Reading
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News
05 Dec 2018
Symantec unveils AI-based protection for critical infrastructure
Cyber security firm has unveiled what it claims to be the industry’s first neural network to protect critical infrastructure from USB-borne malware attacks Continue Reading
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News
05 Dec 2018
Australia races towards commercial quantum computing
Universities make headway in the challenge of commercialising quantum computing Continue Reading
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News
05 Dec 2018
Phishing at centre of cyber attack on Ukraine infrastructure
Phishing is one of the key tools used by cyber attackers against critical national infrastructure (CNI), as highlighted by attacks on telecommunications in Ukraine Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2018
WannaCry borderline national cyber emergency
The May 2017 WannaCry attack, which disrupted services at one-third of NHS trusts and more than 600 primary care organisations is the closest the UK has come to a national cyber emergency, says the NCSC Continue Reading
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Opinion
29 Nov 2018
Agile becomes mainstream
There are clear parallels between the conditions that led the IT industry to adopt agile approaches and the challenges facing business today Continue Reading
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News
28 Nov 2018
Cyber resilience lacking due to apathy of UK leaders
An unwillingness to accept that cyber is a real threat to critical national infrastructure by UK political and business leaders has resulted in a lack of resilience, says security industry veteran Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Nov 2018
More effective digital transformation through the power of your own people
The old model of escalating decisions up and down the management chain does not work any more. Business leaders need to delegate responsibility for projects to business and technology specialists and eliminate the fear of failure Continue Reading
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News
28 Nov 2018
Amazon sets about speeding up space data processing in the cloud with AWS Ground Station
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is aiming to take the cost and complexity out of processing space data to make it more readily accessible by colocating managed ground station antennas with its cloud datacentres Continue Reading
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News
22 Nov 2018
Smart meter benefits cut by old technology and rising costs
Energy companies may end up spending billions unless they can install smart meters more cheaply Continue Reading
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E-Zine
22 Nov 2018
CW Nordics: Swedish IT sector advises on election security
The security measures assembled and implemented around the 2018 election in Sweden were devised in consultation with leading actors within the country’s private IT sector. Also read about how Denmark’s ambition to become a leading ocation for hyperscale datacentres is gaining momentum, and why Estonia wants to recruit IT professionals from the UK. Continue Reading
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News
21 Nov 2018
Finland invests in IT to upgrade electricity network
National electricity transmission grid operator Fingrid’s Datahub system will play key role in retail market’s transition to a centralised information exchange Continue Reading
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News
21 Nov 2018
Interview: Comms sector ripe for disruption as climate change takes hold
Humanity has just 12 years left to keep global warming to a maximum of 1.5⁰C and prevent climate meltdown. Paul Dickinson from the Carbon Disclosure Project discusses how CIOs can help take steps to avert disaster by changing their attitude to business communications Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Nov 2018
Securing the SD-WAN: The next network challenge
Every time an enterprise weighs up whether or not to try SD-WAN, security is an essential part of the picture Continue Reading
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News
13 Nov 2018
Panasas refreshes with ActiveStor Ultra in push to the enterprise
Scale-out NAS maker Panasas wants to make its ActiveStor storage more attractive to enterprises by touting its ease of use and putting storage nodes on commodity hardware Continue Reading
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News
13 Nov 2018
5G will unleash digital transformation for UK enterprises
Mobile operator EE is working hand-in-hand with its largest enterprise customers to realise the potential of its future 5G mobile network Continue Reading
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News
07 Nov 2018
CIO interview: Chris Barnicott, chief technology officer, SSE
Energy supplier’s CTO is driving innovation through AI, augmented reality and robotic process automation while still keeping the business running Continue Reading
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News
06 Nov 2018
Smart Dubai platform is the backbone of the city's transformation
Aisha bin Bishr, director general at Smart Dubai Office, talks about the Smart Data platform and soon-to-be-unveiled UAE Pass, a digital ID and signature which is being touted as one of the foundations a city needs to transform Continue Reading
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News
06 Nov 2018
Automation and CSR are driving reskilling process for UK plc, says Cisco
UK business leaders are planning to make dramatic changes to their organisations between now and 2020, according to a new report from Cisco Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2018
Departing DWP IT boss Mayank Prakash to take on digitisation role at Centrica
DWP’s outgoing chief digital and information officer will begin new role in charge of digitalisation of Centrica’s consumer business in the New Year Continue Reading
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E-Zine
30 Oct 2018
Power struggle: A row is brewing over EU plans to curb datacentre energy use
In this week’s Computer Weekly, a row is brewing over an EU plan to curb datacentre energy use, and the leading server suppliers are not happy - we analyse the details. Secretary of state for health and social care Matt Hancock talks exclusively to us about his new technology vision for the NHS. And we examine the growing popularity of short-term “gig” employment for IT professionals. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2018
Firms will use AI to automate HR processes within two years
Companies are gearing up to automate HR processes with artificial intelligence and machine learning, while at the same time battling with outdated IT systems Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2018
Middle East gears up for 5G
The race for 5G is well and truly under way, and the UAE and Saudi Arabia are well positioned to be among the first countries in the world to deliver the benefits of this new telecoms protocol Continue Reading
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News
12 Oct 2018
Some 10% of user-reported emails malicious
On average, 1 in 10 user-reported emails is identified as malicious, and more than half can be tied to credential phishing, a Cofense report reveals Continue Reading
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News
11 Oct 2018
Robots in the workplace supported by 81% of business chiefs
Robotic process automation continues to be taken up by more organisations – but despite proven benefits, those that already use it are struggling to scale it up Continue Reading
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News
10 Oct 2018
Huawei Connect 2018: Huawei tackles barriers to effective AI
At its annual customer and technology event, Huawei chairman Eric Xu set out 10 key challenges facing AI, and revealed how the networking supplier’s strategy will help to address these Continue Reading
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News
09 Oct 2018
Tech takes centre stage in CBI’s pre-Budget wish list
Industry calls on government to set the tone for a tech-friendly business environment after the UK leaves the EU Continue Reading
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News
05 Oct 2018
GDPR case work swamps Denmark’s data protection agency
The agency investigating alleged breaches of GDPR in Denmark is recruiting additional resources to cope with the increase in work Continue Reading
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News
01 Oct 2018
UK will unilaterally tax web giants, says Hammond
Chancellor threatens to go it alone on tax reform for digital services businesses if an international agreement cannot be reached Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Sep 2018
Shell CTO Yuri Sebregts talks about using AI to amplify the human impact of its workforce
Digital transformation is a multi-decade process for Shell, with artificial intelligence presenting the oil and gas giant with new opportunities to ramp up the productivity of its workforce, its CTO explains Continue Reading
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News
28 Sep 2018
Cyber attackers are increasingly exploiting RDP, warns FBI
Businesses should to act to reduce the likelihood of compromise from cyber attackers exploiting the remote desktop protocol, warns the FBI Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2018
Indian IT giant TCS sees IBM and Accenture as nearest rivals
Rapidly-growing Tata Consultancy Services has its eyes on the US IT giants, with customer service key if it is to overtake them Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Sep 2018
Intelligent automation and the WAN: Is SD-WAN moving mainstream?
Take-up of software-defined networking in corporates is slower than expected. Where have we reached on the journey to software-controlled networks – and SD-WAN in particular – becoming the norm? Continue Reading
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News
24 Sep 2018
InfoWatch opens training centre to help address Middle East skills shortage
Security supplier offers Middle East customers cyber security and digital training facility as organisations in the region struggle to equip staff with latest skills Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2018
Businesses that take humans with them on robotics journeys gain the most
Businesses that put human development at the centre of their automation strategies will profit the most Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2018
Shell mines Microsoft Azure for AI to digitally transform upstream and downstream operations
Multi-national oil and gas company Shell is embarking on an artificial intelligence-led digital transformation of its business with the help of Microsoft Azure and C3 IoT Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Sep 2018
What are the current SD-WAN options for enterprises?
Software-defined wide area networking is well on its way to being a multi-billion dollar market. We assess the current state of the market and look at some of the options for enterprise CIOs and network managers Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Sep 2018
Employers turn to wearable technology to help staff manage work-life balance
Companies are realising that there are sound business reasons for ensuring their employees get enough sleep and exercise, so they are turning to wearable technology to help their staff stay healthy, despite the pressures of work Continue Reading
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News
17 Sep 2018
Middle East hungry for digitisation, says GE’s Bill Ruh
The Middle East is among the most enthusiastic regions in terms of applying digital business models to traditional industries Continue Reading
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E-Zine
11 Sep 2018
Retailers buy into AI – the rise of artificial intelligence in retail
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to leading high street and online retailers to find out how they are using artificial intelligence to get more benefits from their customer data. New research suggests outsourcing is bad for software development – we assess the issues. And we look at how to ensure data protection when using containers. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2018
Nordic states collaborate in Arctic IT projects
Nordic countries are working together to introduce advanced communications networks in the most isolated Northerly regions Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 Sep 2018
From Aberdeen to Brighton: Investing in the UK’s digital future
More investment in the UK’s broadband infrastructure is critical to ensure the UK’s future success in technology in a post-Brexit world Continue Reading
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News
29 Aug 2018
IT leaders at a crossroads as they grapple with digital technology
CIOs have the opportunity to influence their company strategy as digital technology reshapes business. A survey of CIOs across 70 countries charts a path for IT leaders through emerging technologies Continue Reading
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News
28 Aug 2018
Cyber attackers switching to covert tactics
Cyber criminals are moving away from mass, high-profile attacks to ones that are stealthy and more subtle – as well as attacks targeting systems typically used in critical infrastructure, researchers say Continue Reading
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News
22 Aug 2018
European cloud adopters still lack basic security
Despite outpacing the rest of the world, the majority of organisations adopting cloud in Europe, the Middle East and Africa lack basic security, a report reveals Continue Reading
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News
22 Aug 2018
Language barrier won’t hold back chatbots in the Netherlands
The use of chatbots by Dutch organisations is on the up, with KLM's chatbot a pioneering example Continue Reading
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News
21 Aug 2018
The risk of upgrading to S/4 Hana
S/4 Hana has been touted as the evolution of SAP's long-standing ERP suite, but with just six years to upgrade, how can businesses avoid an expensive SAP flop? Continue Reading
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News
21 Aug 2018
Windfarm benefit fund helps pay for full-fibre broadband
A number of communities in the Highlands are using benefit funds established by a local windfarm provider to pay for full-fibre broadband services Continue Reading
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News
20 Aug 2018
Job losses caused by artificial intelligence will dwarf those of Victorian revolution
The disruption to the jobs market caused by artificial intelligence will be far greater than that caused by industrialisation in Victorian times Continue Reading
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News
17 Aug 2018
Cyber Security Challenge UK to scale up
Cybersecurity Challenge UK plans to scale up its events and its role in coordinating UK industry efforts to attract talented people to the cyber security profession Continue Reading
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News
16 Aug 2018
Trump sparks speculation after repealing cyber attack restraints
The US president has sparked speculation about US policy on launching cyber attacks by repealing Obama-era restraints, underlining the need for international rules on cyber warfare Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Aug 2018
Inside DevOps, containers and enterprise security
Global corporates are waking up to containers and orchestrated containerisation for software development that is fast and safe. Computer Weekly looks at the best approach to ensure security is not compromised along the way Continue Reading
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News
15 Aug 2018
ICS security at risk in key verticals, report shows
The security of industrial control systems (ICS) is at risk in key verticals due to under staffing, under investment and human error, a report reveals Continue Reading
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News
09 Aug 2018
Smart cities a tempting target for cyber attackers
Smart cities are an attractive target for cyber attackers because of the growing number of connected systems embedded throughout their infrastructure Continue Reading
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News
09 Aug 2018
Brace for more Triton-like attacks, researchers warn
The world has not seen the last of industrial control system (ICS) attacks like Triton, researchers have warned Continue Reading
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News
07 Aug 2018
Industrial control systems a specialised cyber target
Cyber attackers specialising in industrial control systems are fast, efficient and able to move between IT and OT environments, a study has revealed Continue Reading
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News
06 Aug 2018
Half of UK consumers to exercise GDPR rights within a year
More than half of UK consumers will exercise their General Data Protection Regulation rights within a year and almost two-thirds will retract or review data use because of the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal, a study shows Continue Reading
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News
02 Aug 2018
GDPR harmonised with local laws in Nordic EU states
Sweden provides an interesting challenge for the European Union’s data protection regulation due to its laws around freedom of press and free speech Continue Reading
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News
31 Jul 2018
Intelligent automation spending to hit $232bn by 2025
Technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotic process automation and machine learning could help traditional enterprises gain ground on digital-first giants Continue Reading
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News
31 Jul 2018
Utilita Energy supplier uses cloud to rapidly scale IT service desk
Energy provider Utilita Energy puts its IT service management in the cloud to support its rapid growth Continue Reading
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News
31 Jul 2018
CIO interview: David Ivell, chief technology officer, Good Energy
Renewable energy supplier aims to pioneer change in the sector through innovation, having refocused the organisation with technology as a “driving force” Continue Reading
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News
30 Jul 2018
Search begins for UK’s cyber security Unsung Heroes
The Security Serious cyber awareness campaign has opened nominations for the third annual cyber security Unsung Heroes awards Continue Reading
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News
27 Jul 2018
Hackers targeting software supply chains, US report warns
A US government report on cyber espionage by China, Russia and Iran says software supply chains are increasingly under attack Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2018
MPs call for inquiry into smart meter roll-out
Government urged to conduct a review of the roll-out of smart meters for electricity and gas, and to intervene to tackle a number of failures Continue Reading
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E-Zine
24 Jul 2018
Building intelligent aircraft engines with AI and analytics
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to UK manufacturer Rolls-Royce about using artificial intelligence, sensor technology and data analytics to build intelligent aircraft engines. Our latest buyer’s guide examines the next generation of desktop IT. And we ask whether a court ruling in Chile could lead to a worldwide change in Oracle’s software licensing practices. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
23 Jul 2018
Full-fibre broadband for all to cost £30bn
The government has released its Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, setting the stage for the national roll-out of a full-fibre broadband network Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2018
Cisco and UCL to open AI research unit in $100m digital economy boost
Cisco has extended its ongoing Country Digital Acceleration programme in the UK with a further $100m investment, part of which will go towards a new AI research centre Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2018
Cloud sales stoke Microsoft’s strong growth
Microsoft says cloud-based Office products made a huge contribution to sales growth Continue Reading
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News
19 Jul 2018
CNI sector lacks cyber security skills, government warned
The UK’s critical national infrastructure sector is being negatively impacted by the lack of cyber security skills, a report warns Continue Reading
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E-Zine
18 Jul 2018
CW ASEAN: Defend against disruption
The security of industrial control systems (ICS) has come under the spotlight with several high-profile incidents affecting power plants and other critical infrastructure in recent years. What are the threats to these systems in ASEAN, and what is the common approach to securing ICS systems? In this month’s issue of CW ASEAN, we take a closer look at how ICS operators are improving the visibility of ICS environments without jeopardizing operations, addressing security vulnerabilities and enhancing cooperation between IT and operational technology teams. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2018
Cyber security top priority for aircraft makers, says Airbus
There is a high level of collaboration in the aircraft industry on cyber security, but not all other industries are at the same level, according to an industry veteran at multinational aerospace and defence firm Airbus Continue Reading
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E-Zine
17 Jul 2018
How container technology is evolving
In this week’s Computer Weekly, as adoption of containers grows rapidly, we look at the choices and potential benefits of the technology. We examine the efforts being made to secure internet of things devices and ask if legislation is needed. And we assess how the government’s latest Brexit plans will affect the UK tech sector. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2018
Three-quarters of consumers have interacted with artificial intelligence
Capgemini survey finds 55% of people prefer a mix of AI and humans when they interact with organisations Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Jul 2018
Mind your drone business
Amazon is just the tip of the iceberg – companies are pouring hundreds of millions into the development of commercial drones Continue Reading
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News
05 Jul 2018
Australian startups team up to keep wind turbines humming
Using acoustic sensors and nanosatellite connectivity, two Australian startups hope to identify potential turbine problems before they occur to secure the country’s wind energy Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2018
Government must challenge popular smart city misconceptions
A report by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smart Cities says many people feel alienated by the concept, and calls on the government to challenge some popular misconceptions Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2018
Technology key to keeping staff happy
Giving employees access to the latest technologies will improve their satisfaction and increase productivity, survey shows Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2018
Infosec pros expect increase in nation state cyber attacks
Most information security professionals expect a rise in nation state cyber attacks, with more than two-thirds preparing to defend against them Continue Reading
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Blog Post
21 Jun 2018
L is for the way you look at renewable heating technology
A civil servant has swapped her job at the Department for Education for a stint on ITV’s hit reality show Love Island. Zara McDermott, who had previously been developing government policy on ... Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2018
CDO interview: Andrei Belevtsev, Gazprom Neft
Russian oil giant will harness the latest technologies right across its business, says chief digital officer Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Jun 2018
Need for speed: designing a modern campus LAN
Just like datacentres before them, campus LANs are increasingly being defined by virtualisation and software-based controls. Next to this shift, the hardware also continues to improve as network owners look to keep pace with user demand Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2018
CIO interview: Mike Young, Centrica
We speak to the CIO whose CEO recently met with the head of Microsoft to talk about strategy Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2018
Nine out of 10 enterprises will use robotic process automation by 2020
Robotic process automation take-up expected to reach 92% of European enterprises within two years, finds ISG survey Continue Reading
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News
14 Jun 2018
Cyber attack warnings highlight need to be prepared
Fresh warnings about the vulnerability of national infrastructure to cyber attacks show the need for securing and monitoring associated control systems connected to the internet Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2018
Mayor Khan bids to make London the world’s smartest city
At London Tech Week, mayor Sadiq Khan launched a city-wide initiative to harness the capital’s technology talent to address London’s most pressing problems Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2018
BT announces “unhackable” quantum-secured network
In the face of the threat that quantum computers could crack many of the encryption methods used to protect highly sensitive data, BT has developed a “quantum-secured” network Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2018
Businesses must report cyber crime, panel urges
By reporting cyber crimes, private enterprise can help improve national and international cyber defences and bring criminals to justice, according to an expert panel Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2018
IT spending reaches 10-year high as CIOs struggle with digital technology strategy
IT leaders have seen their budgets and headcounts rise for the first time in 10 years, but face challenges implementing their digital strategies Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2018
Nation state cyber attacks affect all, says former GCHQ boss
Cyber attacks by nation states used to be a small part of the problem for state authorities to address, but now all organisations are potential targets of nation state attacks, according to former GCHQ head Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2018
Newcastle Council to show off smartest street in Britain
The Great Exhibition of the North will see Mosley Street in Newcastle upon Tyne transformed into Britain’s smartest street as part of a demonstration of IoT technology Continue Reading
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Opinion
05 Jun 2018
Big data skills shortages – and how to work around them
Businesses are finding it hard to recruit enough people with big data and analytics skills, but for CIOs there are alternative strategies to consider Continue Reading