IT security

Security Think Tank: Reducing cyber attacker dwell time is critical

Why is reducing cyber attacker dwell time important, and how should it be tackled? Continue Reading

By

• Simon Persin, Turnkey Consulting

Password practices still poor despite increased threats

Despite growing cyber threats and heightened global awareness of hacking and data breaches, password behaviours remain poor and UK users are in denial, a study has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 focuses on IT admins

While it will stop those annoying taskbar InBox and social media messages, at the heart of the April 2018 Windows 10 update is an effort to simplify management Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Making music with AI

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at how artificial intelligence is being used in the creative industries such as music and books, and ask whether AI can ever replace human creativity. TSB’s IT meltdown is symptomatic of the tech challenges facing UK banks – we examine the issues. And our latest buyer’s guide analyses the trends in big data. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

UK critical services need to up cyber defences to avoid fines

UK critical infrastructure providers could be liable for fines of millions of pounds if they do not improve their cyber defences and resilience of their IT infrastructure, a study reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Reducing dwell has never been more important

Why is reducing cyber attacker dwell time important, and how should this be tackled? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Getting cyber security innovation to market is key, says NCSC

Getting cyber security innovation to market is an important area of focus, according to the National Cyber Security Centre, which runs a cyber accelerator programme and recently stated a Dragons Den style security innovation pitch at the 2018 CyberUK conference Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security industry welcomes NHS move to Windows 10

Representatives of the security industry have welcomed the announcement that the NHS will be migrating to Windows 10 as part of a multi-million pound deal with Microsoft, but warn that the move will not be without its challenges Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

No2ID and the Empire Windrush

The "scandal" concerning the "Windrush Generation" appears to be collateral damage from the failure to agree coherent policies for sharing public sector identities and personal information after ... Continue Reading

By

• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

Security Think Tank: GDPR compliance one good reason to cut attacker dwell time

Why is reducing cyber attacker dwell time important, and how should this be tackled? Continue Reading

By

• Maxine Holt, Omdia

Only 5% of charities are ready for GDPR, survey shows

A survey shows relatively few charities are prepared for new data protection regulations, highlighting several areas for improvement Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Conquer the end-user productivity balancing act

Keeping users productive is one of the most critical jobs IT pros have. But there are some hurdles to jump, including understanding the risks with collaboration tools. Continue Reading

By

• Gary Olsen

Microsoft releases Windows 10 security pack

Microsoft has released a download pack that incorporates NCSC guidance to save UK companies weeks of work to secure Windows 10 and comply with government guidelines Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Most organisations unprepared for GDPR, survey finds

Despite the vast majority of businesses agreeing that GDPR affects them, only 5% say they are fully prepared for it, according to a BSI survey Continue Reading

By

• Zach Emmanuel, Computer Weekly

DWP to spend nearly £15m on GDPR

A single government department plans to spend nearly £15m on preparing for new European data protection legislation, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government given six months to rewrite snoopers’ charter

The government has until 1 November 2018 to rewrite a key section of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, after the high court declared them unlawful in a judicial review brought by human rights group Liberty Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

GDPR and the right to erasure: hiding in the shadows or welcome shade?

The European Union's new data protection laws introduce a right to be forgotten – but what does it means for corporate IT? Continue Reading

By

• Mark O’Halloran, Coffin Mew

GDPR: An overview of the latest data protection legislation

The forthcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will have wide-ranging implications for every organisation that processes personal data. This comprehensive overview tells you what you need to know Continue Reading

By

• Dai Davis, Percy Crow Davis & Co

GDPR: Put your data in Azure cloud, says Microsoft chief

Tech giant reports strong growth in its cloud business in third-quarter 2018 fiscal results Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

How machine learning is used to detect fraud

One of machine learning’s most well-known use cases is fraud detection, an area that has drawn the attention of a growing number of technology suppliers looking to develop the best algorithms and ... Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

British banks target Israeli security technology

British banks are turning to Israel’s high-tech sector to protect against cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Facebook posts strong first quarter despite privacy scandal

The data exploitation scandal that hit Facebook has not yet had an adverse impact on advertising revenues or user activity, according to first quarter financial results Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Reduce attacker dwell time with defence in depth

Why is reducing cyber attacker dwell time important and how should this be tackled? Continue Reading

By

• Mike Gillespie

EC calls on online platforms to develop common code of practice to tackle ‘disinformation’

The European Commission says online platforms such as social media and video sites, have not done enough to tackle unethical use, and calls on them “to decisively step up their efforts to tackle online disinformation” Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Finnish R&D and utilities in line of cyber espionage fire, say security police

Finnish research and development, as well as critical infrastructure, are being targeted by state-backed cyber espionage attacks, says report Continue Reading

By

• Tarmo Virki

NCSC shows support for common standards for secure communication

The UK cyber security authority is supporting an industry drive towards common standards for secure communication by joining an industry organisation that aims to achieve this goal Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Digital economy research projects to get funding

Research projects aimed at building trust, privacy and security in the use of personal data and digital technologies are to receive funding Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

EC sets out plans for sharing health data across borders

The European Commission wants to introduce EU-wide standards for health records, and allow EU citizens to access and share their patient information securely across member states Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Google claims it is GDPR ready

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, says that since its advertising business relies on keyword searches, the impact of GDPR is limited Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Government urges UK businesses to beef up cyber crime defences

Government is urging UK organisations to defend against cyber crime, as newly released figures show that large numbers of businesses and charities suffered at least one cyber attack in the past year Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How a new ISO standard helps you take control of your IT assets

The updated ISO standard 19770-1:2017 offers IT managers a way to bring their hardware and software assets under a single management standard Continue Reading

By

• Jesper Østergaard , ITAMorg

Major DDoS cyber crime website shut down

International law enforcement has shut down the Webstresser cyber crime website, which was the world’s biggest marketplace for selling distributed denial of service attack services that were used against seven UK banks Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Most firms will not be GDPR-ready by compliance deadline

Survey of IT decision-makers shows one-fifth of companies lack continuous encryption capabilities and only half have the systems required for the right to erasure and the right to rectification Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Stoke-on-Trent websites found to be most leaky ahead of GDPR

The majority of websites in the UK could be prone to cyber attacks, a security scan across 135,035 sites has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Employees still in the dark about data protection

With just a month to go before the GDPR compliance deadline, many employees still don’t know how to protect confidential data, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber fraud costs SMEs more than £1,000 per case

Just over half of IT and telecoms SMEs are targeted by fraudsters, with each case of cyber fraud costing more than £1,000, study reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

One month to GDPR compliance deadline

With one month to go before the deadline for compliance with EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, organisations should ensure they are able to meet minimum requirements to defend against adverse scrutiny Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Ransomware attack hit Ukraine energy ministry website

Cyber attack on Ukraine’s energy ministry shows that websites remain a weak point for many organisations online, say security experts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

London plans to be a smarter city

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we meet the first ever chief digital officer for London, Theo Blackwell, and find out about his plans for making the capital a smarter city. SAP has overhauled its controversial indirect licensing policy – we look at the implications for users. What are the jobs of the future in retail as the sector is transformed by technology? We ask the experts. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Orangeworm cyber attack group targets health sector

A cyber crime group is targeting the health sector and related industries in the US, Europe and Asia in a suspected corporate espionage campaign, researchers warn Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Executive interview: Werner Knoblich, Red Hat

Red Hat is 25 years old. We speak to its European chief about how open source, containers and hybrid cloud computing represent the foundation for IT Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Nearly half of UK manufacturers hit by cyber attacks

Nearly half of UK manufacturers have been hit by a cyber security incident, according to a report by an industry organisation, which calls for greater government focus on the specific security needs of the sector Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Next generation of SCADA industrial controls will protect against cyber attack

Oil, energy and chemical companies are rethinking how to control big manufacturing plants, replacing expensive control technology with cheaper, more secure systems, taking their cue from biology Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

No business safe from cyber attack, says KPMG

Businesses that operate online should be working to ensure operational resilience, while the financial sector should focus more on collaboration, says professional services firm KPMG Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Global cyber crime worth $1.5tn a year, study reveals

Cyber criminal operations worldwide are generating revenues that equal the GDP of Russia though a web of profit that involves legitimate businesses, research has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Data protection is critical for all businesses

Companies that misuse data or fall victim to breaches not only risk financial loss, but also reputational damage. There are many reasons good data practice is essential Continue Reading

By

• Nicholas Fearn

Account takeover up tenfold in past year

The incidence of online account takeover and the proportion of high-risk account access attempts underlines the need for improved authentication, says fraud detection firm Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Business needs to keep up with Investigatory Powers Act

All indications are that the obligations on communication service providers under the controversial Investigatory Powers Act will change, and affected companies must ensure they are constantly up to date Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Data protection is a business issue, says IAPP

Data privacy is a rapidly maturing profession as organisations around the world increasingly see data protection as a business issue, according to an industry association Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Why Windrush scandal demonstrates the importance of technology to political decision-making

The Windrush scandal has revealed many disturbing things about government policy that have nothing to do with IT. But the issues raised amply demonstrate the importance of technology considerations ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Security Think Tank: Use good practice to address cryptojacking risk

How can organisations best defend against cryptojacking? Continue Reading

By

• Simon Persin, Turnkey Consulting

UK surveillance laws a potential ‘sticking point’ post-Brexit

The UK’s controversial Investigatory Powers Act could be an impediment to achieving an adequacy agreement for free data exchanges with the EU post-Brexit, says privacy lawyer Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK Commonwealth cyber security funding welcomed

The security community has welcomed the UK government announcement of funding to help Commonwealth countries strengthen their cyber security capabilities Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CyLon continues to drive cyber security innovation with next accelerator cohort

CyLon has selected the next group of innovative cyber security startups for its seventh London accelerator programme Continue Reading

By

• Zach Emmanuel, Computer Weekly

Mastercard calls for global online payments standard

Mastercard and its EMV partners are pushing for online payments standards similar to those for point-of-sale payments Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CW ANZ: OpenStack gains a foothold in Australia

In this issue of CW ANZ, we look at how OpenStack has changed the way Australian enterprises operate their IT infrastructure. Also read how Australia’s Citic Pacific Mining is digging into IoT technology to track vehicles, and how Telstra is investing in two submarine cables to bolster Asia-US connectivity. Continue Reading

CW ASEAN: SD-WAN helps find best route to cloud

This year, more enterprises will adopt a “cloud-first” SD-WAN architecture to support their increasingly cloud-based application mix. In this issue of CW ASEAN, we take a closer look at how ASEAN enterprises are gearing up for this eventuality. Also, read how a new HPE facility in Singapore will help build collaborative partnerships across the internet of things, and how communications service providers should embrace microservices and DevOps to thrive in the digital economy. Continue Reading

Australian supermarket chain hit by IT outage

Thirty-minute glitch knocked out checkout systems at half of Woolworths’ stores in Australia Continue Reading

By

• Stuart Kennedy

Good time to be in data protection, says information commissioner

There has never been a better time to be in data protection, Elizabeth Denham has told an IAPP data protection conference in London, addressing some key questions about the changing data protection regulatory landscape Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

PAC sets June 2018 deadline for Department of Health to count NHS cost of WannaCry

Government spending watchdog orders Department of Health and Social Care to work out the cost of the WannaCry ransomware attack on the NHS so trusts know where to target their cyber security spending Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

DDoS attacks cost up to £35,000

Despite the direct financial impact of DDoS attacks, this is not considered to be the most damaging effect on companies targeted this way, a survey shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security budgets up, but talent scarce, says Isaca

Security budgets are increasing, but qualified cyber talent remains difficult to find with positions taking at least three months to fill, an industry association report on the state of cyber security reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

APAC is becoming a hotspot for DDoS attacks

The region’s largest and most-connected economies are most vulnerable to distributed denial-of-service attacks, according to CenturyLink Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

UK identity fraud reaches record level

The level of identity fraud has reached its highest level to date, a UK fraud report shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Top tech firms take cyber security pledge

Top tech firms have committed to protecting customers worldwide from cyber attacks and prevent the misuse of their technology Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Business at risk from unidentified network traffic, report warns

A lack of network traffic visibility poses significant security challenges to businesses, a report on network firewalls warns Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

China’s ZTE a national security risk, UK telcos warned

UK national cyber security authority has warned telecommunications companies against using equipment and services from Chinese network equipment supplier ZTE, citing national security risks Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Targeted cyber attacks doubled in past year, study shows

The number of targeted attacks has doubled in the past year compared with the previous 12 months, despite improvements in detecting and blocking them, a cyber resilience study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Judge in Max Schrems v Facebook action raises red flag on EU-US data transfers

The Irish High Court (Commercial Division) has once again cast a long shadow, with a very short deadline, over the arrangements for the safe and legal transfer of data between the EU and the US Continue Reading

By

• Kevin Cahill

Why AI skills, broadband and machine liability must be addressed

The House of Lords select committee on artificial intelligence has urged the government to adapt policies to bolster AI and protect the public Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Flashpoint researchers warn of new VBS Loader

Researchers have issued warnings about a new VBScript downloader that behaves like a remote access Trojan, is designed to run undetected and can update and delete itself Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK and US accuse Russia of targeting network infrastructure

The UK and US have accused the Russian government of targeting network infrastructure, calling on network operators to take the necessary protective measures Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Fintech professional’s tech predictions: 5 – better understanding of privacy settings

Consumers are set to become much more aware of the privacy settings on the websites they use Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK businesses urged to ensure they do cyber security basics

The cyber threat to business has never been greater, so the National Cyber Security Centre is urging UK companies to ensure they have implemented all the basic, best-practice cyber security controls and processes Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Australian healthcare services most hit by data breaches

Nearly a quarter of data breaches reported under Australia’s new mandatory data breach regime took place in the healthcare sector Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

EU-US data sharing under threat as Irish court refers Facebook case to Europe

The Irish High Court is seeking answers from the European Court of Justice in a case that could have huge implications for EU-US data sharing and raises questions about US government surveillance of EU citizens. The move could bring a five-year legal battle between Austrian lawyer Max Schrems and Facebook to a close Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Cyber attackers can breach targets in hours, report reveals

The majority of hackers claim they can breach an organisation within hours, while most security professionals admit they do not know what to look for Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Phishing for beer

Pishing is when you get fed plenty of booze and then start mouthing-off, reveal a few secrets, passwords and PIN Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Companies must take a share of cloud security responsibility

The cloud is seen as highly secure and more and more critical data is being held in public clouds, but organisations need to adapt their internal security processes Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

UK playing central role in Facebook data misuse probe

Data protection is a hot issue and all about increasing confidence in the way data is handled, says UK privacy watchdog Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber security a shared responsibility, says Amber Rudd

The UK home secretary has emphasised that cyber security is a shared responsibility and committed to promote EU cyber cooperation post-Brexit at the National Cyber Security Centre’s conference in Manchester Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Lauri Love escaped extradition to the US - what does that mean for future cases?

The US lost its attempt to extradite Lauri Love to face hacking charges in a landmark case. What will it mean for other UK citizens facing extradition? Continue Reading

By

• Joanna Dimmock , White & Case

GCHQ growing cyber capability to match threat

GCHQ continues to grow and develop its cyber capability to match the rapidly expanding and evolving threat landscape, says agency director Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK cyber attack reporting set to be more streamlined

Government funding has been allocated to help streamline cyber attack reporting, according to the National Cyber Security Centre Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

New cyber incident classification to boost UK response

A new cyber attack categorisation system has been unveiled to improve UK response to incidents Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government to set up £13.5m cyber security centre

Located at the 2012 Olympic Park, the London Cyber Innovation Centre could create up to 2,000 jobs in cyber security Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Diversity key to more effective cyber security, says NCSC

Diversity in defence teams is key to improved cyber security, according to the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

GCHQ to set up shop in Manchester

UK intelligence, security and cyber agency GCHQ is expanding its network of UK sites to north west England Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

NSA calls for cyber security community collaboration

A US National Security Agency (NSA) representative has called for cyber security community collaboration at the National Cyber Security Centre’s conference in Manchester Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK to launch crackdown on dark web

The UK is to enhance its specialist law enforcement response to crack down on criminals operating on the dark web Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Mobile phishing a growing threat, warns report

Phishing on mobile devices is a growing threat to business as attacks move beyond email to text messages and apps Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

ThreatQuotient ups the ante for dealing with security incidents

As cybercrime becomes ever more widespread and the actors involved diversify, targeted organisations must become more sophisticated and timely in their ability to detect and respond. Continue Reading

By

• Bob Tarzey

Podcast: Storage compliance for GDPR data subject requests

The General Data Protection Regulation is upon us. Mathieu Gorge, CEO of Vigitrust, talks you through the key areas needed for compliance in storage of data subjects’ data and how to find it quickly on request Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Cyber criminals earn up to $2m a year, study shows

Academic study reveals just how lucrative cyber crime can be, with top-level cyber criminals out-earning government leaders and university graduates Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Technology is a lifesaver for NHS Blood and Transplant

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the CDO of the NHS’s blood and transplant agency about how digital transformation is proving to be a real lifesaver. Our latest buyer’s guide examines the state of public cloud. And we find out how Ireland is expecting a Brexit dividend to boost its tech sector when the UK leaves the EU. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Ransomware top cyber threat, DBIR shows

Ransomware remains the top cyber security threat to organisations, humans continue to be significant weakness and HR departments are a top target, according to the latest Verizon Data breach investigations report Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber threat to UK business greater than ever, report reveals

The cyber threat to UK business is “bigger than ever” and the best way to defend against it is collaboration between government, law enforcement and business, a report shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security of big data fashions a whole new look with GDPR

As data managers scramble to protect their precious lakes of washed and unwashed data from the evils of hacking, malware, ransomware and botnets, there comes a privacy regulation of European Union origin that could change the way many U.S. companies protect their data from inside and outside forces. For some U.S. companies doing business in Europe and preparing for compliance, the EU's General Data Protection Regulation could be a well-intended enforcer of better data governance practices. But for businesses forced to change their old data protection habits, GDPR can be a four-letter word.

The April issue of Business Information opens with our editor's note and historical insights into the fundamental differences in attitude between the U.S. and Europe when it comes to protecting the data privacy of customers. As data breaches mount, however, the U.S. government -- willing or not -- may have to take steps beyond current regulations to ensure companies increase their security of big data.

Along those lines, our cover story examines some GDPR rules that can directly impact U.S. companies doing business overseas and, in the process, their data governance and ethics procedures. With the noted lack of maturity in data governance and security tools, we see in another feature how IT teams are addressing data security issues upfront in do-it-yourself ways when deploying big data systems.

Also in this issue, a GDPR compliance expert advises data managers on the best ways to prepare for a regulation that puts more control of information in the hands of users, the internet of things and edge computing could be compromising the security of big data and surveys show that companies place data protection among the top reasons for escalating their security spending.

 Continue Reading

GDPR requirements put focus on data ethics, governance

The General Data Protection Regulation makes privacy paramount and reinforces the practice of good data governance. Will a new focus on data ethics be an important side effect? Continue Reading

By

• Jack Vaughan

U.S. data protection laws fall short in the age of big data

Data breaches and a history of data abuse led the EU to adopt GDPR, but it might take massive scale data security crises for the U.S. to legislate similar data protection laws. Continue Reading

By

• Bridget Botelho, Editorial Director, News