IT security

Dutch regulator reveals potential Microsoft privacy breach

Netherlands privacy watchdog has revealed potential breaches while testing Microsoft software changes Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Targeted cyber attacks, including ransomware, on the rise

Governments and healthcare institutions are prime targets of ransomware operators, a report shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Gov.uk Verify’s £40m bill for losing Experian

The Government Digital Service (GDS) insists that its plans for Gov.uk Verify “remain on track” despite the withdrawal of three of the five remaining identity providers (IDPs) supporting the ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Mitigating social engineering attacks with MFA

The growing frequency of social engineering attacks highlights the increasing need for organisations to take steps to mitigate the effects of phishing Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Most UK firms ignore security in tech investments

Less than a quarter of UK firms prioritise security when investing in new technology, despite the threat of cyber attacks and data protection regulations, a survey reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Ransomware has evolved into a serious enterprise threat

Ransomware has seen a resurgence since the start of 2019, with cyber criminals changing code and tactics to target enterprises and local authorities for higher ransom payments, McAfee researchers warn Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Employees, MSPs and developers top third-party risks

Employees, managed service providers and developers are the top sources of third-party risks in terms of data security, a survey reveals, highlighting the value of workplace monitoring Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

VMware’s latest acquisitions point to emerging platform war

VMware’s buyout of Carbon Black and Pivotal is a sign of an emerging platform war following the IBM-Red Hat deal Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Three more identity providers to withdraw from troubled Gov.uk Verify programme

Three of the five companies supporting the government's troubled digital identity scheme are pulling out, raising further questions over the viability of the £175m programme Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

How to bolster IAM strategies using automation

Identity and access management processes and technologies play an important role in security strategies, but organisations and IT professionals need to ensure these strategies are robust enough to deal with new threats Continue Reading

By

• Nicholas Fearn

Majority of organisations struggling with cloud security

The majority of organisations find securing the cloud difficult and more than a quarter feel the shared security responsibility model is unclear, according to a survey of information security professionals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Kaspersky eyes enterprise business, opens APAC transparency hub

The security firm wants to engage with enterprises and use its newly launched Malaysian Transparency Centre to burnish its credentials Continue Reading

By

• Edwin Yapp

Human rights group challenges police over counter-terrorism powers

Bringing into question the effectiveness of terror laws, a report by human rights group Cage highlights poor conviction rates and the discriminatory application of police powers at the border Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Security pros reiterate warning against encryption backdoors

The majority of security professionals believe countries with government-mandated encryption backdoors are more susceptible to nation-state cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

A helping hand from the Nordics in the eye of the GDPR storm

Nordic IT companies are well suited to supporting enterprises in their data protection projects, even though openness is more natural to them Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

UK businesses at risk due to PSD2 security standard myths re-emerging

UK businesses could put themselves at risk because of myths surrounding the PSD2 security standard Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Use modern cloud security best practices

Enterprises still worry about the security of cloud and if migrating will put data at risk. Explore modern methods, technologies and tools that help strengthen cloud environments. Continue Reading

By

• George Lawton

Tech firms join forces to boost cloud security

Top tech firms are to collaborate on open source technologies, tools, frameworks and standards that accelerate the adoption of confidential computing to boost security in cloud and edge computing Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CW Nordics: Copenhagen woos tech startups

Copenhagen offers all the advantages startups need to get off the ground and many are setting up with the intention of staying there for the long haul. Also read how shipping giant Maersk is employing a cloud-first strategy to disrupt competition and build innovation, and why three Finnish banks are sharing a core IT platform. Continue Reading

Cyber attackers exploiting poor cloud security

More than a third of organisations report a cyber attack on the cloud environment due to a lack of basic cloud security hygiene Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Top four considerations when securing the multi-cloud environment

This is a guest post by Stephen Dane, managing director for cyber security at Cisco Asia-Pacific, Japan and Greater China We live in a multi-cloud world. A world where a multitude of offerings from ... Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

GDPR, AI intensify privacy and data protection compliance demands

This guide covers the challenges data management teams face on data protection and privacy, particularly with the rise of GDPR and similar laws and the growing use of AI tools. Continue Reading

By

• Craig Stedman, Industry Editor

Box aims to shield businesses from data loss threat

Box has introduced an add-in to its cloud-based collaboration platform to lock down and monitor access to files and folders Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Healthcare faces triple cyber threat, says FireEye

Criminal and nation-state cyber attackers are increasingly targeting the healthcare industry to steal data, carry out espionage and cause disruption, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Still work to be done securing Open Banking as PSD2 deadline looms

Banks and retailers have work to do to ensure that open banking and PSD2 don't open doors for fraudsters Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Security concerns blocking UK digital transformation

The majority of UK firms are holding off adopting new, more efficient and cost effective technology because they are failing to see cyber security as a driver of strategic value, report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Silence APT group eyes APAC banks

Russian-speaking advanced persistent threat group has set its sights on banks in the region, customising its arsenal for targeted attacks Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Human error a big risk to ICS cyber security, study shows

Despite the rise in automation, industrial processes are at risk due to human error, a report on industrial cyber security reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Who will win the world’s biggest cloud contract?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the $10bn Pentagon cloud contract – codenamed JEDI – and ask why it is taking so long to choose a supplier. We discuss with IT chiefs how AI will transform technology leadership. And we look at how to improve your email security. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

PSD2 creates more potential entry points for fraudsters

PSD2 widens the target for fraudsters preying on consumers through social engineering and other non technical attacks Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How IT pros are building resilience against email security threats

For most people, emails are an easy and harmless way to communicate in the workplace, but they could also be a security disaster waiting to happen Continue Reading

Malware still top security threat, say infosec pros

Malware remains the top security threat to organisations, with ransomware still considered to be the top malware threat and lack of budget the biggest obstacle to defence, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Huawei to US: Ban violates free market principles

Huawei has hit back at the US government’s latest moves to restrict its activities Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Even fintech startups battling to meet cyber security challenges

A study shows that most fintech startups, like most banks, are failing to address vulnerabilities in the web and mobile applications, underlining the scale of the challenge Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK financial account takeovers up, report warns

Commercial cyber criminal services are helping to drive up the number of account takeovers, a fraud report for the first half of the year shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

From Action Fraud to Action Plans

1 Action Fraud had an impossible task The Times undercover investigation at Action Fraud  has led to a rash of publicity, both tabloid  and professional . The only surprise is that it has taken so ... Continue Reading

By

• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

What are network firewalls? Test your network security IQ

Network firewalls have been an essential part of network security since the internet began. This quiz covers what network firewalls are and tests your security expertise. Continue Reading

By

• Michaela Goss, Senior Site Editor

Q2 shows ransomware proliferation, Kaspersky warns

Ransomware modifications have more than doubled in the past year, the number of ransomware families has grown, and the number of attempted infections is up nearly 50% Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

US extends temporary stay on Huawei ban

American network operators given extra wiggle room to wean themselves off Huawei’s hardware Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How EDR is moving beyond the endpoint

An emerging breed of detection and response offerings is going beyond endpoints to collect and decipher telemetry data from across the enterprise Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Google finds that web users log in with compromised credentials

People continue to use passwords that have been breached. Google has proposed a protocol, which could warn them if their credentials have been stolen Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Passwordless enterprise already possible, says RSA

The passwordless enterprise is getting easier to attain as the security industry gears up to support a passwordless future, says RSA’s identity chief Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

New approach to risk management needed, says Gartner

Most third-party risks are discovered after the initial due diligence period, Gartner study shows, highlighting the need for a new approach to risk management and the importance of effective access controls Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

ICO to probe facial recognition at King’s Cross

UK privacy watchdog is to investigate whether the use of live facial recognition technology at King’s Cross complies with data protection laws Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How C3M is easing multi-cloud management

Managing and securing access to multiple public cloud services can be a challenge for enterprises that are embarking on a multi-cloud strategy. Besides making sure that only authorised members of ... Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Australia needs to get digital identity right

A top Ping Identity executive urges Australia to put more focus on digital identity management following the government’s efforts to lay the groundwork for an open banking regime Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

2019 set to be another record year for data breaches

The number of data breach incidents continues to rise and looks set to reach another record this year, with the business sector first in the firing line, according to a mid-year breach report Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Most UK financial firms hit by cyber attack in the past year

The majority of UK financial companies are failing to prevent cyber security incidents, mainly because of employees failing to follow security policies and a lack of security budget, a survey reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cisco frozen out of China as Trump’s trade war rages on

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins reveals the firm is being edged out of the Chinese market Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Formjacking dominates web-related data breaches

Formjacking has become one of the most popular data stealing methods, say researchers, who urge commercial websites to review all third-party coding practices without delay Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Melbourne researchers uncover privacy lapses in transport dataset

A team of University of Melbourne researchers has been able to re-identify individuals from a public transport dataset, raising serious privacy, safety and security issues Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Security Think Tank: Data architecture and security must evolve in parallel

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

By

• Deshini Newman, (ISC)²

Publicly accessible biometric database highlights key failings

The discovery of a publicly accessible database of biometric information highlights failings by the supplier, the need for supply chain security, and the challenges of using biometric data Continue Reading

DCMS funding aims to increase diversity in cyber sector

A funding round has been announced as part of the Cyber Skills Immediate Impact Fund (CSIIF) with aims of encouraging more diverse talent into the UK’s cyber security sector Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

GDPR faces growing pains across Europe

The General Data Protection Regulation is over a year old now, but it faces challenges across Europe where compliance has taken place at different speeds Continue Reading

By

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

Cyber criminal collaboration intensifies

The level of cooperation between high-profile cyber threat groups has shifted up a gear, enabling a higher level of automation and making attribution more difficult, research shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Digital domain identified as major security threat by Norway’s intelligence service

Norway's intelligence services has revealed the extent of the threat posed to the country by cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Norman evasive cryptominer conquers networks

Cryptomining malware designed to evade detection is capable of invading every device in targeted companies, researchers warn Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK finance regulator gives extra time for companies to meet payment security rules

Financial Conduct Authority gives companies under its watch an extra 18 months to meet an EU payments security standard Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

British Airways e-ticketing system could expose passenger details

British Airways has not addressed a potential leak of passenger details despite warnings from security researchers, but says it is aware of the issue and is taking action Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

NTT Security partners with Europol

Link-up is part of a commitment to share strategic information with partners and law enforcement to bolster threat intelligence in the global fight against cyber crime Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Data architects should be key allies of infosec pros

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

By

• Eoin Keary

Breach cost $53m in Q2, says Desjardins

Credit union cooperative Desjardins reveals that a data breach in June cost the company $53m in the second quarter, but that could be just the start, warn industry commentators Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

A new look at the Cybersecurity Skills Market

Hence the need to address the cyberskills for justice and deterrence , not just those for cyberwarfare, protection and surveillance. And the more widespread those skills, the more dangerous the ... Continue Reading

By

• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

UK businesses still overlooking human element in security

Most UK businesses are still failing to address the human element in cyber security as part of an integrated approach, exposing themselves unnecessarily to cyber criminal attacks, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

BACnet IoT building automation devices vulnerable to attack

A security researcher has revealed that internet-connected building automating devices using the BACnet communication protocol are vulnerable to cyber attack Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

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

How tech experts could earn millions as whistleblowers

In this week’s Computer Weekly, a tech expert is set to earn millions after successfully blowing the whistle on vulnerabilities in Cisco’s video surveillance software. Our latest buyer’s guide examines the issues around big data architecture. And we look at how the end of Windows 7 could spark a new era for desktop productivity. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Phishing top security threat to business

A new Telefónica security service for business shows that phishing is the most-blocked threat and smaller businesses are a popular attack target in the first two months of deployment Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

South Wales Police starts facial recognition trial despite opposition

The use of the facial recognition app by South Wales Police marks the latest deployment of controversial facial recognition technology by police forces in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

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

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

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

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

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

Can you trust pen-testers?

Pen-testers have knowingly posted security workarounds on the public internet that are now commonly used by hackers Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

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

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

Southeast Asian ‘white hat’ urges more countries to sign the Paris Call

A renowned ethical hacker in Malaysia has called for more nations to support the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace to counter the threat of cyber warfare Continue Reading

By

• Avanti Kumar

Digging into the cloud security arguments of the Capital One data breach

In this guest post, Dob Todorov, CEO and chief cloud officer, HeleCloud, sets out why it is wrong to declare cloud not fit for business use in the wake of the Capital One data breach. In two ... Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

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

Industry collaborates to patch SwapGS CPU vulnerability

Newly disclosed SwapGS vulnerability in modern processors has been patched in Windows, Linux and ChromeOS, underlining the importance of keeping systems up to date Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

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

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

Using tech to boost staff morale

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at the emerging technologies being used to improve employee experience and raise staff loyalty and motivation. The CIO of the Football Association explains how IT is changing the way the national game is administered. And we examine the growing role of AI in preventing cyber attacks. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Organisations turn to AI in race against cyber attackers

Businesses are racing to automate their defences as hackers and nation states launch increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. Continue Reading

ICO joins international call for transparency around Facebook’s Libra currency

Data protection regulators from around the world have signed a statement raising privacy concerns about Libra Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly
• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

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

Enhancing business purpose with privacy compliance

Computer Weekly looks at the importance of building on basic GDPR compliance and making privacy a key foundation of business culture Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

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

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

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