IT news in your industry sector

Digital transformation driving security rethink

Organisations are focusing on internet of things and cloud in developing cyber defence systems, study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Hundreds of Post Office branches hit by new Horizon problem

Subpostmasters suffering slow running and frozen terminals while Post Office searches for a fix to issues apparently caused by a software update Continue Reading

By

• Nick Wallis

Security Think Tank: Balancing data accessibility with security controls

How can infosec pros and data architects work together to support business goals and achieve a good level of cyber security? Continue Reading

By

• Simon Persin, Turnkey Consulting

McAfee warns of serious security flaw in building controller

Security researchers have demonstrated how simple flaws in building controllers could allow malicious actors to manipulate control systems with devastating effect, highlighting the importance of operational technology security Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Prime minister to launch fast-tracked visas for skilled workers

Prime minister Boris Johnson has urged government departments to work on a new fast-tracked visa for those skilled in sciences, and may scrap other visa caps to attract top talent Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

F-Secure warns of F5 Big IP-related security issue

F-Secure has discovered security issues relating to an F5 device that it says could potentially turn hundreds of thousands of load balancers into beachheads for cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Communication, processes and tech: A new beginning for security

How can infosec pros and data architects work together to support business goals and achieve a good level of cyber security? Continue Reading

By

• Ramsés Gallego, Isaca

Huawei mobile IoT OS ready to plug Android gap

Huawei is positioning its microkernel-based, distributed HarmonyOS mobile operating system as a true competitor to both Android and iOS Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCC Group warns of security risks of leading printers

Researchers uncover more than 35 vulnerabilities in six leading enterprise printers, many of which could allow access to corporate networks, underlining the need to counter security risks of embedded systems Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Whistleblowers: James Glenn’s battle with Cisco opens new front on cyber security

James Glenn, a 42-year-old security specialist, fought a 10-year legal battle with Cisco after blowing the whistle on serious security flaws. He lost his job, but has no regrets Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Ransomware a continued threat to business, report warns

Businesses are increasingly becoming the most popular targets for ransomware, which remains a top cyber threat around the world, especially in the US, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

NHS gets £250m boost for AI and genomics

National Artificial Intelligence Lab will work on new treatments for cancer, dementia and heart disease Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Cyber criminals hijacking legitimate website comms

Criminals are exploiting firms’ use of online feedback methods to distribute spam and phishing emails, security researchers warn Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK businesses deserve a 5G networked nation

The tech sector needs to coalesce around a unified, positive vision of 5G to establish a proper business case for ultrafast, low latency mobile Continue Reading

By

• Russ Shaw, Tech London Advocates and Global Tech Advocates

Security Think Tank: Security is a business, not an IT function

How can infosec pros and data architects work together to support business goals and achieve a good level of cyber security? Continue Reading

By

• Mike Gillespie

British Airways resolves IT systems issues that forced it to ground and delay hundreds of flights

British Airways has confirmed the IT system-related technical difficulties that resulted in it having to cancel hundreds of flights have been resolved Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

CW Benelux: Dutch academic hunts the personality behind the hacker

Rutger Leukfeldt, senior researcher on cyber crime at the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement, is working to help organisations understand the personalities behind criminal hackers. Also in this issue, read about research that shows over half of Dutch organisations admit their knowledge of blockchain is substandard. We also feature an article about ABN Amro’s work with researchers to explore how quantum computing can be used to secure online banking. Continue Reading

Openreach starts roll-out of dark fibre product

Openreach is soft-launching a wholesale dark fibre product in eastern England ahead of a wider national roll-out Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Dialogue between data architects and security leads is essential

How can infosec pros and data architects work together to support business goals and achieve a good level of cyber security? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

Shared files in the cloud are a top ransomware target

Vectra 2019 Spotlight report shows recent ransomware attacks cast a wider net to ensnare cloud, datacentre and enterprise infrastructures Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

FireEye identifies dual nature Chinese cyber threat group

Security researchers have identified a China-based cyber threat group engaged in state-spored espionage in parallel with cyber criminal activities targeting multiple industries worldwide Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Digital transformation hampered by lack of C-suite support

Most organisations are driving digital projects, but only a small percentage is happy with the board support they receive, according to research Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

The $10bn question: Why is the US government’s JEDI cloud contract taking so long to award?

The announcement of who has won the US government’s controversial $10bn, decade-long cloud contract is nearly 12 months overdue. So what’s holding it up? Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Rolls-Royce uses IFS to provide real-time operational data

Aero engine maker is using IFS Maintenix to gather engine data and push out software updates Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

How UK councils are using technology to support adult social care

As budgets dwindle and central government delays the creation of an overarching strategy around the future of care, local authorities are looking into innovations such as robotics and voice assistant technologies to ease the pressure on resources Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

BA IT systems failure results in cancelled flights and delays at London airports

British Airways is experiencing unspecified technical difficulties at London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London City airports, prompting it to cancel flights Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

African bank foils suspected North Korean cyber attack

An African bank is among the financial institutions to be targeted by North Korea’s multi-billion dollar cyber theft campaign to support its weapons programmes Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – episode 27

In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload, Brian McKenna and Caroline Donnelly are joined by Alex Scroxton to weigh up the tech credentials of Boris Johnson’s new cabinet, Huawei’s half-year results, LinkedIn’s cloud migration plans and smart cities Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Most UK firms lack confidence in disaster recovery

Only a third of UK firms are confident in their ability to recover from cyber attacks and other disasters, with business continuity still relatively low on the agenda, a study reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Scottish government launches £30m Cloud Services Framework with a 50% SME supplier list

Framework has gone live with 14 suppliers making the cut, who will be on hand to provide public sector organisations in Scotland with access to public, private and hybrid cloud services, as well as colocation capacity Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Problems around police algorithms emerge in government debates

Information sharing across agencies, data protection and governance implications are discussed as the government attempts to appropriately use data-driven technologies Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Security Think Tank: Close interdisciplinary ties are key to security integration

How can infosec professionals and data architects work together to support business goals and achieve a good level of cyber security? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

DDoS on the rise, warns Kaspersky

Security researchers at Kaspersky are among those warning business that, more than ever, mitigation of distributed denial of service attacks needs to be a key element of cyber defence strategies Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Why Gov.uk Verify faces a critical few months - again

Gov.uk Verify – the government’s flagship digital identity system – faces a critical few months ahead. Again. As the clock ticks down towards the end of March 2020, when further public investment ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

CIO interview: Simon McNamara, chief administrative officer, RBS Group

Brought in after a catastrophic IT failure that affected 6.5 million customers, the IT chief at Royal Bank of Scotland Group says the bank is now a leader in innovation Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

7 ways to improve your retail sales

Retailers, especially traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, need to throw caution to the wind and follow these seven tips to spur sales and provide remarkable retail. Continue Reading

By

• Jesse Scardina, News Writer

Nordic startups take international expansion as a starting point

Two startups from the Nordic region are among those targeting international expansion even before they have established themselves on their home turf Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Boris Johnson has 12 months to reform broadband policy, says industry

Broadband sector advocates warn prime minister that the clock is ticking if he wants to be serious about achieving 100% full-fibre broadband coverage in six years Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: CIA at heart of infosec-data architect partnership

How can infosec professionals and data architects work together to support business goals and achieve a good level of cyber security? Continue Reading

By

• Maxine Holt, Omdia

Nordic banks move into wearable payment technology

Payment by watch or watch strap is now an option for customers of two banks in Sweden Continue Reading

By

• Alex Cruickshank

Most UK university applicants at risk of email fraud

The majority of hundreds of thousands of applicants to UK universities are at risk of email fraud before and after A-level results day, due to a failure to implement full Dmarc protection, a study reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CDEI concludes public engagement on online targeting

The Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation has concluded a major events programme supporting one of its upcoming reviews Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

BT chief urges PM to act decisively on broadband

BT’s new chief executive Philip Jansen says he is ready to help meet Boris Johnson’s broadband roll-out goals, but warns the cost will be high Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Developing innovative security analytics approaches in the digital age

With security threats growing in scale and complexity, security analytics provide a way for IT teams to stay one step ahead of cyber attackers. The challenge is to ensure this technology continues to be effective in the face of new security challenges Continue Reading

By

• Nicholas Fearn

Birmingham City Council ends 13-year IT contract with Capita

Local authority to bring IT services in-house, saying “the time is right to transfer the services back to the council” Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Lack of resources top challenge to IT security

A lack of resources is the top challenge to information security professionals, followed by a lack of experience and skills, a survey reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IR35 reforms: Contractor poll highlights lack of faith in new UK government

Research into how the contractor community views the government and its ability to deliver the private sector IR35 reforms should provide “food for thought” for prime minister Boris Johnson Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Nationwide plans 750 tech roles at new digital hub in London

Building society is setting up its first major tech presence in London to help it access deep skills pool Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Industrial control system cyber security risk high, report warns

The industrial control system cyber risk to global oil and gas companies is high and rising, as new attack groups continue to enter the arena Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

London Stock Exchange agrees to acquire Refinitiv for £22bn

The London Stock Exchange has agreed to a multi-billion pound takeover of data giant Refinitiv Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

GDPR taken more seriously after first fines

Security professionals believe the first big fines under the General Data Protection Regulation will get organisations to take the new rules more seriously, but will not necessarily change policies or practices Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Central government data infrastructure threatens digital progress

Leaders across UK public sector see their current legacy technology as a key hurdle to modernisation, according to research Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Cisco pays $8.6m after whistleblower discloses security flaws in video surveillance system

James Glenn, a video surveillance expert working for a Cisco reseller in Denmark, alerted Cisco to security faults and stands to gain a share of a multimillion-dollar settlement with the US government Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

How Singapore’s NTUC Enterprise is embracing digital transformation

NTUC Enterprise is starting to look more like a technology company, employing DevOps to speed up software development and developing new digital business models even as cultural barriers to transformation remain Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Scottish tax holiday tempts Openreach

Openreach has announced 36 new locations in line for its expanding full-fibre broadband network build, with Scotland a particular focus after the announcement of additional rates relief Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Financial services top cyber attack target

Financial services are among the most attractive targets for cyber attackers, security researchers reveal, with phishing and credential stuffing among the top threats Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Middle East businesses welcome Amazon Web Services region launch

Bahrain AWS region, with three datacentres, links Middle East to AWS's global network and will help to accelerate digital transformation Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Police Scotland awards National Network contract to BT

Police Scotland is embarking on a £3.9m network project as part of its wider digital transformation strategy Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

5G mobile networks transformative for health and social care, says TechUK

A new report produced by TechUK and the Liverpool 5G testbed shows how 5G can be used effectively in the NHS, and offers recommendations to government Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK government announces new online safety body

The UK Council for Internet Safety has an expanded scope to tackle digital abuse and will inform future policy development Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Deutsche Bank’s public contraction marks a major breakthrough for fintech startups

German bank is cutting costs overall but is investing more in the latest digital technology as fintechs chip away at banking business Continue Reading

Digital takes the racing line in Formula One

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the CIO of Formula One racing team Haas F1 to find out how technology is helping to compete with better-funded rivals. We examine the latest best practice advice on disaster planning. And we look at what the troubles at Deutsche Bank tell us about the rise of fintech startups. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Mobiles top target of nation state surveillance

Nation states are targeting individual mobile users for intelligence gathering and disruption of rivals as security on mobile devices lags behind traditional computing, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

London Stock Exchange eyes £22bn acquisition of Refinitiv to expand data capabilities

The London Stock Exchange is looking at a huge tech acquisition to provide customers access to a wealth of data services built using the latest technologies Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Huawei ‘galvanised’ by Trump ban

Huawei has found itself caught in the crossfire of the US president’s trade war with China, but chairman Liang Hua says the firm is rising to the challenge Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Former AWS engineer arrested for Capital One data breach

Capital One announces data breach affecting more than 100 million customers as US federal authorities arrest a Seattle woman formerly employed by Amazon Web Services Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

ODI investigates use of private sector data by cities

The Open Data Institute is seeking to find out whether cities have the levels of access needed to access data collected by private sector organisations Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

ICO selects first innovation Sandbox participants

UK privacy watchdog has chosen the first firms to take part in its Sandbox programme aimed at developing innovative and beneficial products and services that are privacy compliant Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Visa card vulnerabilities enable contactless limit bypass

Security researchers have discovered vulnerabilities on Visa cards that could be exploited to bypass contactless payment limits and result in huge losses Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

TSB takes another £36m hit related to botched IT migration

TSB has been stung for another £36m in costs related to its botched IT migration last year, but managed a profit in its latest six monthly results Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

One-third of UK councils have IT budgets cut

Many local authorities’ IT budgets are being reduced at a time when they are trying to digitally transform to cut costs and improve processes Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

WannaCry hero Marcus Hutchins spared jail

British security researcher who helped halt the global WannaCry ransomware attack that hit the NHS in 2017 has avoided jail in the US for creating other malware Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CW500 Interview: Jonathan Midgley discusses artificial intelligence (AI)

Jonathan Midgley, director of engineering at Trainline, talks about artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on businesses Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Hangar 51 – the aviation, innovation accelerator

The aviation sector is a hotbed of innovation, according to the head of global innovation at the International Airlines Group (IAG), Dupsy Abiola. While is seems obvious someone with her job title ... Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Email security as important as ever, report shows

Cyber security professionals need to keep up to date with email-borne threats because they continue to evolve and have a major impact on business, research reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

AWS growth rate slows in Q2, as Amazon retail's run of quarterly record profit growth ends

Amazon's latest set of results suggest the law of big numbers might be kicking in for its cloud division, while its retail arm grapples with spiralling costs pertaining to the roll-out of its one-day delivery service Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

86 million reasons to support No More Ransom

Anti-ransomware cross-industry initiative says it has prevented more than £86m in ransom payments as it marks its third anniversary, which coincides with a resurgence in ransomware in many parts of the world Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

New digital minister appointed as PM Johnson continues reshuffle

Former telecoms executive Nigel Adams takes over as minister for digital and sport, succeeding Margot James Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

The next stage in football’s digital revolution is ready for the new season

Technology is playing an increasing role in football, as the Premier League adopts video assistant referees for the first time and clubs turn to data to capture more of their fans’ attention Continue Reading

By

• Richard Edwards, Freeform Dynamics

Crown Commercial Service to replace Crown Marketplace

The Cabinet Office’s executive agency tweaks its modernisation strategy to boost government procurement efficiency and advances its own technology agenda Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Virgin Media pledges gigabit broadband without full-fibre

Cable TV operator is betting that improvements to the Docsis standard will enable it to offer gigabit broadband without full-fibre Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Mobile banking malware surges in 2019

Mobile banking malware surged in the first half of the year, email scams geared up and attacks on cloud increased, while illicit cryptocurrency miners declined, report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Most SMEs severely underestimate cyber security vulnerabilities

Small businesses are the primary target for cyber attacks, yet most are unprepared and do not think they will be targeted, a survey reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

The only tech question that matters for a new PM: are you ready for the digital future, Mr Johnson?

It’s traditional upon the coronation of a new Prime Minister to write a list of all the things they need to address in the tech and digital sectors. It would be a long list – digital skills, IT ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Hewlett Packard Enterprise invests big in India

Enterprise IT giant aims to take advantage of India’s fast-growing economy and the country’s wealth of tech talent Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Ofcom must do more to help operators invest in 5G

Telefónica UK boss Mark Evans warns that Ofcom is prioritising action on behalf of consumers to the exclusion of enabling the telecoms and mobile industry to grow Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Surge in UK businesses switching bank account providers

The UK system that makes it easy to change bank account has seen a surge in businesses taking up the service Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

HPE and SAP among tech industry backers of UN climate change mitigation campaign

Enterprise tech giants HPE and SAP are among a number of technology firms which have responded to the UN’s calls for corporations to do more to reduce the risk of global warming and cut their emissions Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

New ministerial appointments for tech policies in Boris Johnson Cabinet

The new Prime Minister has brought in ministers in all the key government posts affecting digital and technology policy Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Facebook shrugs off $5bn fine, reports strong quarter

Investors responded positively after social networking firm reported better-than-expected second-quarter results after budgeting for FTC fine, but the company faces a further antitrust investigation Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Why investment is needed in the cyber insurance market

The number of cyber insurance policies on offer is beginning to grow, but insurers still have a long way to go to develop policies that address market concerns Continue Reading

By

• Michael Aminzade, 6point6

Internet crime costs global economy £2.3m a minute

Cyber crime cost the global economy £2.3m every minute in 2018, reveals a report aimed at defining the scale of cyber attacks taking place over the internet Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Santander brings global digital services under one roof

Spanish banking giant Santander Group is creating a global digital unit as part of its transformation plans Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Innovate Finance expands national network with three regions added

Innovate Finance is continuing to expand its network of fintechs with agreements with three regional hubs Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Global malware down but ransomware up, with UK hard hit

Despite a global decrease in the volume of malware in the past year, ransomware is surging once again, and the UK is one of the worst-hit countries, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Smart technology will transform Dutch neighbourhood

A programme in the Netherlands is creating a smart neighbourhood as a pilot for how people could live in the future Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Controversial ‘immigration exemption’ used in 60% of cases

The UK government has used a controversial GDPR opt-out in response to the majority of its immigration-related data requests since the start of 2019, the High Court has heard Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

AI to advance Swedish military systems

Swedish report into use of artificial intelligence in military systems reveals opportunities and concerns Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Phishing attack highlights cyber security need at universities

UK university cyber security is once again under the spotlight after Lancaster University reveals that it has been targeted by a phishing attack used to send fake invoices Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK government to boost AI and data use in preventive healthcare

A programme led by Public Health England and NHSX will aim to usher in a “new era of evidence-based self-care", with patients increasingly expected to allow access to their personal data Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari