IT security

CW Middle East: Bahrain aims to be fintech hub

Bahrain’s government wants to make the country the go-to place in the Middle East for financial technology companies. It hopes to capitalise on its banking know-how to establish an ambitious fintech “ecosystem”. Also read about Dubai’s plans for the Smart Data platform and the UAE Pass, a digital ID and signature, and how Shell is using AI to amplify the human impact of its workforce. Continue Reading

UK Finance plays down fraud threat through contactless card skimming

Contactless card fraud is rising bit it is easily preventable Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Germany races to boost cyber defences after breach

Germany is scrambling to improve its cyber defences before the European parliamentary elections after a student leaked politicians’ personal data Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

2FA bypass tool highlights top business security vulnerabilities

CEOs are the most likely target of two-factor authentication phishing bypasses, demonstrated by a security researcher’s proof-of-concept attack Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How Brexit-friendly are your SaaS contracts?

If you think Brexit will be advantageous for the UK economy and the British people, this post is not for you. If your assessment of the available information, like mine, is that our economy will ... Continue Reading

By

• Dale Vile, Freeform Dynamics

FireEye gears up email security for emerging threats

Email continues to be a top means of initiating cyber attacks with new detection bypass techniques and executive impersonation capabilities continually emerging, research shows Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

NHS Digital chief information security officer resigns

Robert Coles, who joined NHS Digital as its chief information and security officer in October 2018, is stepping down from the role for personal reasons Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Security Think Tank: The security role of SDN, containers, encryption and SDP

How can organisations combine software-defined networking, containerisation and encryption to prevent rogue code from running freely across a corporate network? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

Second Lorca cohort to focus on supply chain security

The second cohort of companies to benefit from the new London cyber innovation centre will focus on user-centric security and securing supply chains Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

eIDAS and the EU’s mission to create a truly portable identity

It is important for businesses to work more actively with technology partners, regulators and governments to create more robust identity verification processes  Continue Reading

By

• Zac Cohen, Trulioo

Protego Labs launches serverless app security tool

Security professionals and developers now have a way to assess the security of their serverless applications with a new open source testing tool donated to Owasp Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Technology innovation in music

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we visit the first hackathon at Abbey Road Studios, once home to The Beatles, to find out how tech startups hope to revolutionise music creation. Our latest buyer’s guide examines the technologies and benefits of perimeterless network security. And we look ahead to the key CIO skills and jobs trends for 2019. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Meeting the security challenge of multiple IT environments

How can organisations combine software defined networking, containerisation and encryption to prevent rogue code from running freely across a corporate network? Continue Reading

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• Maxine Holt, Omdia

Boards need to be active partners in cyber defence

Board members must be active governance partners in collaborative cyber defence, says US regional information sharing and analysis organisation Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

BlackBerry licenses security tech to IoT device makers

BlackBerry is to license its secure software development technology to the makers of internet-connected devices to boost IoT security Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Use SDN, containerisation and encryption tools to boost security

How can organisations combine software defined networking, containerisation and encryption to prevent rogue code from running freely across a corporate network? Continue Reading

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• Simon Persin, Turnkey Consulting

Expanding the boundaries of the digital workplace

We look at the steps enterprises can take to implement a secure perimeterless digital workplace Continue Reading

By

• Manjunath Bhat

UK contactless card fraud surges

Fraudsters stole £1.18m from contactless users in 2018, with the average theft size also increasing Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Almost half of containers in production have vulnerabilities, study finds

More containers are being deployed in production, but many businesses are unaware if they are secure Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Singapore Airlines’ software glitch exposed customer data

More than 280 members of the Krisflyer frequent flyer programme had their personal information compromised by a one-off software bug Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

How long will your New Year stay Happy?

The Freeform Dynamics crystal ball has been given a polish for 2019. Here's a few of the upcoming events - and risks - that we glimpsed in it... Online privacy back in the headlines A year on from ... Continue Reading

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• Bryan Betts, Freeform Dynamics

Modern IT underlines need for zero-trust security

The increasing complexity of supply chains and interconnectivity of IT systems means the attack surface is widening and security has to evolve accordingly, warns British computer scientist Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Data breaches affected more than a billion people in 2018

The personal information of more than a billion people was compromised in 2018 as companies holding the data failed to keep it safe Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

German politicians’ data leak shows need for global action

Hacked data includes contacts’ email addresses, private chats, mobile numbers, photographs and credit card details, which were published on Twitter Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Phishing attacks hidden by custom fonts

Security researchers have uncovered a new way in which phishing attacks are evading detection. Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IT regulators and practitioners need common language

There needs to be greater understanding between lawmakers and technologists to ensure regulations do not have unintended consequences, says a US computer security researcher and bug bounty pioneer Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Intel admits chip security has a long way to go

A year ago, the world came to realise how a side-loading attack could compromise a microprocessor. Intel has been working hard to make fixes easier Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Fortinet to lead cyber security discussion at WEF annual summit

The head of cyber security firm Fortinet has been named as a discussion leader at the upcoming World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Kaspersky Lab champions gender equality and digital child safety

Kaspersky Lab report highlights gender equality in the technology industry and child education about digital security Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How e-signatures fix broken digitisation

A big barrier to the end-to-end digitisation of business processes is that certain steps require paper – but DocuSign plans to fix this Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

New Year’s Honours 2019 lauds women in IT and data specialists

The New Year’s Honours list 2019 features accolades for leading women in IT and data, as well as other specialists in data Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Senior Analyst, Business Applications

Can we live without passwords?

Can you imagine a future in which we can be secure online without having to remember an unwieldly list of passwords? Solutions are emerging that could make passwords redundant, but there will be other security problems to resolve Continue Reading

By

• Bruno Halopeau & Adrien Ogee

Security Think Tank: Pay attention to attribute-based system access permissions

At the close of 2018, we asked CW Security Think Tank contributors to name one thing predicted for 2018 that did not happen, one thing that was not predicted and did happen and one thing that should happen in 2019, but probably will not Continue Reading

By

• Simon Persin, Turnkey Consulting

Top 10 network stories of 2018

2018 was the year when software-defined networking, and more specifically software-defined WANs, took centre stage. We look back at a transformative year for the world of the network manager Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Focus on malicious use of AI in 2019

At the close of 2018, we asked CW Security Think Tank contributors to name one thing predicted for 2018 that did not happen, one thing that was not predicted but did happen, and one thing that should happen in 2019 but probably will not Continue Reading

By

• Rob Clyde, Isaca

Top 10 stories on national security in 2018

From Russian disinformation, state surveillance, and police stop and seizure powers, to Facebook and WikiLeaks Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Malwarebytes: Fileless ransomware an emerging threat for U.S.

A new Malwarebytes report examines Sorebrect, a fileless ransomware threat that's been detected in the U.S. this year, as well as with three other fileless attacks. Continue Reading

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• Casey Clark, TechTarget

Security Think Tank: Strong 2FA should be a goal in 2019

At the close of 2018, we asked CW Security Think Tank contributors to name one thing predicted for 2018 that did not happen, one thing that was not predicted but did happen, and one thing that should happen in 2019 but probably will not Continue Reading

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• Paddy Francis

Top 10 IT security stories of 2018

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 IT security stories of 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Let’s hope for treaty on online norms

At the close of 2018, we asked CW Security Think Tank contributors to name one thing predicted for 2018 that did not happen, one thing that was not predicted but did happen, and one thing that should happen in 2019 but probably will not Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Bonner, Deloitte Cyber Risk Services

'Serious' Twitter flaw allows hackers to post on other people's accounts

A vulnerability in Twitter allows hackers to send tweets, private messages, post images or videos, and turn off security features, says British security researcher Continue Reading

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• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Government announces new plans to develop cyber talent

The government has announced plans for a Cyber Security Council to form a strategy for developing future cyber talent Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Security Think Tank: Put collaboration on 2019 security agenda

At the close of 2018, we asked CW Security Think Tank contributors to name one thing predicted for 2018 that did not happen, one thing that was not predicted but did happen, and one thing that should happen in 2019 but probably will not Continue Reading

By

• Emma Bickerstaffe, Information Security Forum (ISF)

Top 10 cyber crime stories of 2018

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 cyber crime stories of 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CW ANZ: Rise to cloud and data management challenges

Use of cloud services is soaring in Australia, but a lack of cloud management skills is holding back enterprises from reaping the full benefits of the technology. In this edition of CW ANZ, we look at how enterprises in ANZ are approaching data management in the cloud, and some of the best practices that they can adopt to address cloud related challenges. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Six months on, GDPR is a qualified success

Anyone hoping that we would by now have greater clarity on GDPR will have been sadly disappointed. Large swathes of the Regulation have yet to be tested in a court, and many of the high profile ... Continue Reading

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• Bryan Betts, Freeform Dynamics

Ticketmaster breach: How did this card skimming attack work?

The hacking group Magecart was recently found to have run a card skimming campaign that put customer information at risk. Learn how this attack worked from Nick Lewis. Continue Reading

By

• Nick Lewis

Marriott data breach losses could be over half a billion dollars

Direct losses related to a huge data breach at US hotel group could reach $600m Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Top 10 Australia IT stories of 2018

Australia continues to cement its position as a leader in mastering and deploying advanced information and communications technology across a large segment of its economy Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Lauri Love battles police for return of computers as NCA confirms live investigation

The National Crime Agency (NCA) confirms there is a live investigation into Lauri Love in the UK, as Love brings legal action against UK police for the return of seized computer equipment Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin & Julia Gregory

Security Think Tank: Align security strategy to business objectives

At the close of 2018, we asked CW Security Think Tank contributors to name one thing predicted for 2018 that did not happen, one thing that was not predicted and did happen and one thing that should happen in 2019, but probably will not Continue Reading

By

• Mike Gillespie

APAC cyber security landscape to be more tumultuous in 2019

Amid growing cyber threats, the Asia-Pacific cyber security landscape will not get any rosier in 2019 unless organisations start shoring up their cyber hygiene Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Have your Christmas Presents vanished from your doorstep?

So far only one of the presents we have ordered on-line this year failed to arrive - more than one e-mails telling us of delivery slots arrived after the parcel. It was therefore only chance that ... Continue Reading

By

• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

Mobile security needs a rethink for the 5G era

A report released through the government’s 5G Testbeds and Trials programme has recommended the UK rethink its mobile security strategy Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Broadband coverage improved through 2018, says Ofcom

Ofcom’s annual Connected Nations report reveals that the number of people who cannot receive a 10Mbps broadband connection has halved Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Let’s get back to basics in 2019

At the close of 2018, we asked CW Security Think Tank contributors to name one thing predicted for 2018 that did not happen, one thing that was not predicted but did happen, and one thing that should happen in 2019 but probably will not Continue Reading

By

• Mike Sheward

Top 10 ASEAN stories of 2018

Organisations across Southeast Asia have been doubling down on efforts to take the lead in digital transformation initiatives Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Security Think Tank: Prioritise multifactor authentication in 2019

At the close of 2018, we asked CW Security Think Tank contributors to name one thing predicted for 2018 that did not happen, one thing that was not predicted but did happen, and one thing that should happen in 2019 but probably will not Continue Reading

By

• Corey Nachreiner, Watchguard Technologies

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

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

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

By

• Beverley Head

Security Think Tank: Smart botnets resist attempts to cut comms

As attackers begin to use multiple command and control systems to communicate with backdoors and other malware, how can organisations ensure that they detect such methods and that all C&C systems are removed, including "sleepers" designed to be activated at a future date Continue Reading

By

• Raef Meeuwisse

Security Think Tank: Strategies for blocking malware comms

As attackers begin to use multiple command and control systems to communicate with backdoors and other malware, how can organisations ensure that they detect such methods and that all C&C systems are removed, including “sleepers” designed to be activated at a future date? Continue Reading

By

• Greg Temm

ICO and government help UK businesses prepare for no-deal Brexit

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the government are providing guidance for UK businesses, particularly SMEs, on how to prepare for a possible no-deal Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Machine identity protection development gets funding boost

Cyber security firm Venafi has launched a development fund aimed at accelerating the delivery of protection for machine identities Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Shock Headline: IT Saves $$$$ (again)!

Two and a bit years ago – I should remember, it was on my birthday! – I was presenting a panel debate on the latest Cybersecurity deterrents. With four vendors and two consultants on the panel, it ... Continue Reading

By

• Steve Broadhead, Broadband Testing

Detail of Dutch reaction to Russian cyber attack made public deliberately

 Continue Reading

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

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

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

UK trade sector risks GDPR fines over poor data disposal

UK businesses in the trade sector are risking GDPR fines for failing to wipe data from old IT equipment, a survey shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Most UK retailers plan to up cyber security

The majority of UK retailers are planning to increase cyber security measures during the Christmas season, a survey reveals Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Prevention and detection key to disrupting malware comms

As attackers begin to use multiple command and control systems to communicate with backdoors and other malware, how can organisations ensure that they detect such methods and that all C&C systems are removed, including “sleepers” designed to be activated at a future date? Continue Reading

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• Simon Persin, Turnkey Consulting

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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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Severing C&C comms is key, but complex

As attackers begin to use multiple command and control systems to communicate with backdoors and other malware, how can organisations ensure that they detect such methods and that all C&C systems are removed, including “sleepers” designed to be activated at a future date? Continue Reading

By

• Emma Bickerstaffe, Information Security Forum (ISF)

Mac malware makes debut in top 10 list

Mac malware appears in the WatchGuard top 10 malware list for first time, and 6.8% of major websites still use an insecure SSL protocol, according to the firm’s latest internet security report Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Trusted nodes: The next generation in quantum key distribution

QKD is a form of protection against interception by quantum computers, but cost and technical limitations have made the technology impractical. Could trusted nodes make all the difference? Continue Reading

Manchester’s evolution from rag trade to digital hub

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we visit Manchester to examine the city’s expanding digital and e-commerce industry and find out the key to tech sector growth in the former home of the UK rag trade. We look at the challenges of IT security in the quantum computing age. And we talk to Bloomberg’s CTO about tech innovation, machine learning and blockchain. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Large disparity in NHS cyber skills and training spend

Despite government pledges to up cyber security spending across the NHS, there are still huge disparities in cyber security skills and spending on cyber security training, FoI requests reveal Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

O2 expected to pursue Ericsson for compensation over 24-hour stoppage

Mobile network operator could seek up to £100m in damages from its supplier, which failed to update expired software certificates, causing a day-long outage Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Firms neglect DNS security at their peril

As attackers begin to use multiple command and control systems to communicate with backdoors and other malware, how can organisations ensure that they detect such methods and that all C&C systems are removed, including “sleepers” designed to be activated at a future date? Continue Reading

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• Simon McCalla, Nominet

UK businesses feel let down by government on cyber security

Government needs to provide more support around cyber security issues in 2019, according to the majority of UK IT leaders polled Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

What does the 802.11ax wireless standard mean for your network?

The publication of the 802.11ax standard will pave the way for the next generation of wireless technology, but what does it mean for enterprise networks? Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

O2 outage highlights importance of software certificate audits

A major outage on the O2 4G mobile network was caused by an expired certificate and could easily have been avoided, it has emerged Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Half of business leaders unaware of BPC cyber attacks

Half of management teams polled in 12 countries, including the UK, are unaware of business process compromise (BPC) attacks Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Three steps to detect malware comms

As attackers begin to use multiple command and control systems to communicate with backdoors and other malware, how can organisations ensure that they detect such methods and that all C&C systems are removed, including “sleepers” designed to be activated at a future date? Continue Reading

By

• Bruce Beam , (ISC)²

Court orders Post Office to explain inability to access encrypted file

Post Office unable to open encrypted recording of an interview that forms part of its evidence in High Court case Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Security Think Tank: How to tool up to catch evasive malware comms

As attackers begin to use multiple command and control systems to communicate with backdoors and other malware, how can organisations ensure that they detect such methods and that all C&C systems are removed, including “sleepers” designed to be activated at a future date? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

Fileless malware surge, warns Malwarebytes report 

Data from millions of consumers reveals an uptick in fileless malware and other new-generation malware that calls for a new cyber security approach, report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

China demands release of arrested Huawei CFO

The Chinese government has called for the release of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who was detained in Canada at the weekend Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Adobe releases Flash patch for zero-day exploit

Emergency security update released for zero-day vulnerability that is being exploited in the wild via a Microsoft Office document, according to researchers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

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

By

• Phil Wilcox

Brexit implications for data protection

Leaving the European Union will have serious implications for data protection in the UK unless adequate steps are taken, so businesses are advised to have contingency plans in place Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

BT moves to strip Huawei kit from EE’s network

Telco will remove Huawei’s networking equipment from the core of EE’s 4G mobile network Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Situational awareness underpins effective security

As attackers begin to use multiple command and control systems to communicate with backdoors and other malware, how can organisations ensure they detect such methods and that all C&C systems are removed, including ‘sleepers’ designed to be activated at a future date? Continue Reading

By

• Mike Gillespie

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

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Raising security awareness through phishing simulation – how to get it right

Testing employees’ security practices by sending fake phishing emails has become commonplace, but few organisations are conducting such exercises effectively Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tucker, Human Firewall

Nominet brings security expertise and tech to market

The .uk domain registry is to bring its DNS expertise and technology developed for the NCSC to market to address cyber security ‘blindspot’ Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

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

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK consumers threaten data breach backlash

Most UK and global consumers are willing to walk away from businesses that fail to look after personal data, with retailers most at risk, research shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

What are the differences between network security vs. cybersecurity?

IT groups need to consider varying layers of security. For instance, the similarities and differences between cybersecurity and network security are closely entwined. Continue Reading

By

• Mike Jude, Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan