Privacy and data protection

Chrome cookies reprieved amid Google Privacy Sandbox changes

Google abruptly changes tack on third-party cookies in its Chrome web browser, cancelling plans to deprecate them in favour of an unspecified ‘new experience’ for users Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

What is the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA)?

The Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) is a United States federal law designed to protect the personally identifiable information of licensed drivers from improper use or disclosure. Continue Reading

By

• Katie Terrell Hanna
• Corinne Bernstein

Enhancing mobile app security with behaviour-based biometrics

Behavioural-based biometrics offer tantalising advantages over more traditional biometric solutions. Learn about some of the benefits and potential challenges for safe and secure implementation Continue Reading

By

• Isla Sibanda

What is data privacy?

Data privacy, also called information privacy, is an aspect of data protection that addresses the proper storage, access, retention, immutability and security of sensitive data. Continue Reading

By

• Cameron Hashemi-Pour, Site Editor
• Stephen J. Bigelow, Senior Technology Editor

Lawyers and journalists seeking ‘payback’ over police phone surveillance, claims former detective

Former Durham detective will be required to give evidence to a tribunal investigating allegations that police unlawfully monitored journalists’ phones Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Growth in nude image sharing heightens cyber abuse risk

The normalisation of sharing self-created intimate content with others is putting great numbers of people at risk of online abuse, says Kaspersky Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Incubator Plexal heads to Singapore for CyberBoost

Cyber startup hub Plexal expands its presence to Singapore through a new initiative, and sets its sights on helping new UK businesses break into the booming Asia-Pacific market Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Snowflake is tackling AI challenges

Snowflake’s regional leader Sanjay Deshmukh outlines how the company is helping customers to tackle the security, skills and cost challenges of AI implementations Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Dutch research firm TNO pictures the SOC of the future

In only a few years, security operations centres will have a different design and layout, and far fewer will remain Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohius

The security interview: Managing the ‘no’ mindset

Matt Riley, data protection and information security officer at Sharp Europe, discusses balancing cyber risks with business leaders’ goals Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Safeguarding democracy from cyber threat peril  

There has been an increase in disturbing activity emerging on the dark web involving the sale of public sector assets, including election data Continue Reading

By

•  Barry O’Connell

How Recorded Future is operationalising threat intelligence

Recorded Future is investing in APIs to enable automated security workflows, among other measures, to help organisations overcome the hurdles of operationalising threat intelligence Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Gulf Edge to operate Google Distributed Cloud in Thailand

The Gulf Energy subsidiary will offer Google’s sovereign cloud service in Thailand with a focus on air-gapped configurations Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange freed from prison

A deal reached with US authorities will end the WikiLeaks founder’s years-long legal saga, setting him free if he pleads guilty to a criminal conspiracy charge Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

NHS experts raise warning over patient data breach risk in registries project

Clinicians warn that the NHS England Outcome Registries Platform has poor security and is vulnerable to cyber attack, putting critical patient data at risk of being exposed Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sellafield pleads guilty to criminal charges over cyber security

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority-backed organisation Sellafield Ltd pleads guilty to criminal charges brought over significant cyber security failings that could have compromised sensitive nuclear information Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Qilin ransomware gang publishes stolen NHS data online

The ransomware gang behind a major cyber attack on NHS supplier Synnovis has published a 400GB trove of private healthcare data online Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Executive interview: Open models pros and cons

We speak to Meta’s vice-president of AI research about recent publicly released research and models, and the role of closed AI models Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

personally identifiable information (PII)

Personally identifiable information (PII) is any data that could potentially identify a specific individual. Continue Reading

By

• Alexander S. Gillis, Technical Writer and Editor
• Corinne Bernstein

ICO police cloud guidance released under FOI

Long-awaited guidance from the UK data regulator on police cloud deployments highlights some potential data transfer mechanisms it thinks can clear up ongoing legal issues, but tells forces it’s up to them to decide if the measures would work Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Sir Alan Bates hits out at Post Office ‘incompetence’ after data breach

Victims of the scandal react with anger at news the Post Office published a document containing their names and addresses on its website Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA
• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Microsoft admits no guarantee of sovereignty for UK policing data

Documents show Microsoft’s lawyers admitted to Scottish policing bodies that the company cannot guarantee sensitive law enforcement data will remain in the UK, despite long-standing public claims to the contrary Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

privacy impact assessment (PIA)

A privacy impact assessment (PIA) is a method for identifying and assessing privacy risks throughout the development lifecycle of a program or system. Continue Reading

By

• Cameron Hashemi-Pour, Site Editor
• Paul Kirvan
• Ben Cole, Executive Editor

PSNI ran secret unit to monitor journalists’ and lawyers’ phones, claims former senior officer

The Police Service of Northern Ireland denies claims that its anti-corruption unit used a standalone computer to ‘avoid scrutiny and control’ Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

NHS blood stocks running low after ransomware attack

The NHS is appealing for people with O Positive and O Negative blood types to come forward to donate as hospitals in London struggle to keep critical services running after ransomware attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Northern Irish police used covert powers to monitor over 300 journalists

PSNI publishes report on police surveillance of journalists and lawyers, but Northern Ireland’s Policing Board says it does not give the assurances needed Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

DDoS gang threatens to disrupt European elections

Russian hacktivists are threatening to disrupt the European Parliament elections, while the BBC reports on new deepfake threats to the UK’s electoral process Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Bitdefender makes MDR services free to NHS bodies hit by Qilin

Bitdefender offers NHS bodies affected by a major cyber incident free access to its product suite, as the health service continues to deal with the impact of the Qilin ransomware attack on partner Synnovis Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sophos uncovers Chinese state-sponsored campaign in Southeast Asia

Sophos found three distinct clusters of activity targeted at a high-level government organisation that appeared to be tied to Chinese interests in the South China Sea Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

FBI finds 7,000 LockBit decryption keys in blow to criminal gang

The US authorities say they now have more than 7,000 LockBit decryption keys in their possession and are urging victims of the prolific ransomware gang to come forward Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Qilin ransomware gang likely behind crippling NHS attack

Security experts investigating a major cyber attack on an NHS partner that has caused frontline services across South London to grind to a halt say the Qilin ransomware gang appears to be the culprit Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

OAIC files civil penalty action against Medibank

The OAIC alleges that Medibank failed to take reasonable steps to protect the personal information of 9.7 million Australians in the October 2022 data breach Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Invasive tracking ‘endemic’ on sensitive support websites

Websites set up by police, charities and universities to help people get support for sensitive issues like addiction and sexual harassment are deploying tracking technologies that harvest information without proper consent Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

NHS services at major London hospitals disrupted by cyber attack

A major cyber attack at NHS services provider Synnovis is disrupting frontline care at hospitals across London Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Russia used fake AI Tom Cruise in Olympic disinformation campaign

Microsoft threat researchers report a surge in Russian disinformation campaigns targeting the 2024 Summer Olympics, including AI-enhanced propaganda Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Police chief commissions ‘independent review’ of surveillance against journalists and lawyers

PNSI chief constable appoints lawyer to conduct review into police phone surveillance of journalists, lawyers and NGOs Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Major breaches allegedly caused by unsecured Snowflake accounts

Significant data breaches at Ticketmaster and Santander appear to have been orchestrated through careful targeting of the victims’ Snowflake cloud data management accounts Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sellafield local authority slammed over response to North Korean ransomware attack

The local authority for Europe’s biggest nuclear site has been slammed by auditors for its response to a North Korea-linked cyber attack that temporarily crippled its operations Continue Reading

By

• Tommy Greene

Ticketek Australia hit by data breach

Customer names, dates of birth and email addresses of Ticketek Australia account holders reportedly impacted in latest data breach affecting event ticketing firm Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Law student ‘unfairly disciplined’ after reporting data breach blunder

A law student has accused a leading legal college of unethical behaviour and a “lack of integrity” after it brought misconduct proceedings against him when he reported a data security blunder Continue Reading

By

• Tommy Greene

Storebrand divests from IBM over supply of biometrics to Israel

Norwegian asset manager Storebrand’s decision to divest from IBM comes amid growing scrutiny of the role technology companies play in Israel’s human rights abuses Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Kersley

Proofpoint exposes AFF scammers’ piano gambit

Ransomware and nation state actors dominate the headlines, but fraud and scams still net career cyber criminals thousands from unsuspecting members of the public. Proofpoint reports on a campaign targeting victims of a musical inclination Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Organisations value digital trust, but aren’t working at it

Three quarters of organisations believe digital trust is relevant to their businesses, yet clear gaps in strategies still seem to persist Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

AI governance needs global approach

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the UN agency, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) argues that AI governance needs a world-wide approach Continue Reading

By

• Doreen Bogdan-Martin

Interview: EU data chief Ulrich Ahle on obstacles to Europe’s digital single market

EU data scheme Gaia-X is trying to plug the UK into Europe’s planned digital single market as opposition mounts to efforts to extend the reach of Europe’s vast and controversial data laws over global supply chains Continue Reading

By

• Mark Ballard

Executive Interview: Why Dell wants to be your one-stop AI shop

At Dell Technologies World in Las Vegas, artificial intelligence was the talk of the town as Dell staked out an all-encompassing strategy ahead of an anticipated goldrush. Dell’s Nick Brackney explains why the tech giant believes it's onto a winner Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Parliamentarians warn of UK election threat from Russia, China and North Korea

Joint parliamentary security committee chair Margaret Beckett writes to prime minister urging government to prepare for foreign states interfering with 4 July election Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Northern Ireland police face £750,000 fine after data protection blunder put lives at risks

Information commissioner John Edwards uses discretion to reduce proposed fine from £5.6m to £750,000 Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

The Security Interviews: What is the real cyber threat from China?

Former NCSC boss Ciaran Martin talks about nation-state attacks, why the UK has become so exercised about cyber espionage, and how our leaders are in danger of misunderstanding their adversaries Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange granted appeal

Two high court judges granted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange leave to appeal against extradition to the US after defence lawyers argued that the US had failed to give adequate assurances Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

US authorities crack BreachForums for a second time

The BreachForums data leak website has been seized by the FBI and international partners again Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

GCHQ to protect politicians and election candidates from cyber attacks

The National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, to protect election candidates from hostile state cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

NHS trust dismisses governors who questioned allegations of email tampering

Two NHS trust governors who raised questions in a dispute over allegations of email tampering concerning whistleblower Peter Duffy have been dismissed after an investigation that followed their suspension Continue Reading

By

• Tommy Greene

Major breach of customer information developing at Dell

Almost 50 million data records relating to Dell customers appear to have been compromised in a major cyber breach Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Over 5.3 billion data records exposed in April 2024

The number of data records breached in April 2024 hit over five billion, a staggering year-on-year increase Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber attack victims need to speak up, says ICO

The Information Commissioner’s Office is urging organisations to be transparent and learn from each other’s mistakes as it reveals most of the cyber attacks it responds to stem from the same core errors Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ofcom publishes draft online child safety rules for tech firms

In the draft codes, Ofcom calls on technology firms to use ‘robust’ age-checking and content moderation systems to keep harmful material away from children online Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Police accessed phone records of ‘trouble-making journalists’

The Police Service of Northern Ireland ran a rolling programme to monitor phone records of journalists to identify the source of police leaks, it was claimed today Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Germany: European Court of Justice ruling on EncroChat could lead to new legal challenges

A ruling by the European Court of Justice could prompt legal challenges in EncroChat prosecutions in Germany and other EU states Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Government plans to scan bank accounts of disabled people will lead to another scandal

The government is sleepwalking into another scandal as it pushes plans for ‘bank scanning’ algorithms to monitor bank accounts of disabled people Continue Reading

By

• Mikey Erhardt, campaigner at Disability Rights UK

Chinese APT suspected of Ministry of Defence hack

A cyber attack on the Ministry of Defence is suspected to be the work of threat actors working on behalf of Chinese intelligence Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

What does the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill mean for UK industry?

The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill is the first shift in the UK’s data protection regime since leaving the EU, but what could it mean for UK industry? Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

EU calls out Fancy Bear over attacks on Czech, German governments

The European Union, alongside member states Czechia and Germany, have accused Russian government APT Fancy Bear of being behind a series of attacks on political parties and government bodies Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Why IAM is central to cyber security

BeyondTrust’s chief security strategist talks up the importance of identity and access management, and the role of cyber insurance in driving security improvements Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Withers

Dropbox Sign user information accessed in data breach

Account data belonging to Dropbox Sign users was accessed by an unknown threat actor after they hacked into the organisation’s backend infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

BBC instructs lawyers over allegations of police surveillance of journalist

Lawyers for the BBC have written to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal over allegations that the Police Service of Northern Ireland spied on investigative journalist Vincent Kearney Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Australia’s Qantas apologises for mobile app data breach

Australian flag carrier Qantas has apologised after a glitch in its mobile application temporarily enabled some customers to view the flights and booking details of other frequent fliers on two separate occasions Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

DWP anti-fraud measures will allow monitoring of bank accounts of landlords, carers and parents

Parliamentarians raise concerns that a proposed law to require banks to monitor the accounts of millions of people receiving state benefits could lead to those on welfare being denied accommodation or bank accounts Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Are we ready for the era of the ‘sentient’ document?

This year is set to be the automation of documents since the invention of the printing press. Content control is key Continue Reading

By

• John Bates

Autonomous weapons reduce moral agency and devalue human life

Military technology experts gathered in Vienna have warned about the detrimental psychological effects of AI-powered weapons, arguing that implementing systems of algorithmic-enabled killing dehumanises both the user and the target Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Persistent data breaches deny people with HIV dignity and privacy

The ICO has urged charities and healthcare organisations that work with people living with HIV to do better when it comes to protecting their personal data, after the HIV status of more than 100 people was accidentally disclosed by London’s Central YMCA Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Zero trust is a strategy, not a technology

Zero-trust security should be seen as a strategy to protect high-value assets and is not tied to a specific technology or product, says the model’s creator John Kindervag Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

TikTok ban sails through US Senate

A law that will ban TikTok in the US unless its owner sells up pronto passed the US Senate by a landslide majority after being included in a package of military aid Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Questions for IT and cyber leaders from the CSRB Microsoft report

The US government's CSRB report on last year's state sponsored cyber attacks on Microsoft raises significant concerns for Redmond and its customers. Expert Owen Sayers outlines five key questions IT and cyber security leaders should now consider Continue Reading

By

• Owen Sayers, Secon Solutions

Former Sellafield consultant claims the nuclear complex tampered with evidence

Whistleblower Alison McDermott claims former employer Sellafield tampered with metadata in letters used in evidence during an employment tribunal Continue Reading

By

• Tommy Greene
• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Fujifilm plans to ‘make tape easy’ with Kangaroo SME appliance

Fujifilm to add 100TB SME-focused Kangaroo tape infrastructure in a box to existing 1PB offer, as energy efficiency and security of tape make it alluring to customers Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Crime agency criticises Meta as European police chiefs call for curbs on end-to-end encryption

Law enforcement agencies step up demands for ‘lawful access’ to encrypted communications Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Report reveals Northern Ireland police put up to 18 journalists and lawyers under surveillance

Disclosures that the Police Service of Northern Ireland obtained phone communications data from journalists and lawyers leads to renewed calls for inquiry Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Tech companies operating with opacity in Israel-Palestine

Tech firms operating in Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel are falling “woefully short” of their human rights responsibilities amid escalating devastation in Gaza, says Business & Human Rights Resource Centre Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

CSA warns of emerging security risks with cloud and AI

Few users appreciate the security risks of cloud and have the expertise to implement the complex security controls, says CSA chief executive David Koh Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

TUC publishes legislative proposal to protect workers from AI

Proposed bill for regulating artificial intelligence in the UK seeks to translate well-meaning principles and values into concrete rights and obligations that protect workers from systems that make ‘high-risk’ decisions about them Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

US provides assurances over extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

Extradition of the WikiLeaks founder moves a step closer after the US government gives diplomatic assurances over his treatment in the US. Assange supporters accuse the US of ‘weasel words’ Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

CISOs not yet convinced to invest in AI

CISOs say their eyes are fixed firmly on threats like ransomware and supply chain attacks, and while AI is becoming a threat that needs to be dealt with, it’s not yet an immediate spending priority Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW Innovation Awards: Balancing security and user experience

The National University of Singapore’s Safe initiative has strengthened the security of IT systems and end-user devices while prioritising user experience through passwordless access Continue Reading

By

• Edwin Yapp

2024 election security: Confronting disinformation and deepfakes

Although disinformation and deepfakes are a threat to electoral integrity, we already have ways to counter emerging threats and there is an opportunity is to adapt and scale these approaches to counter the challenge to democracy, writes Saj Huq. Continue Reading

By

• Saj Huq, Plexal

Threat actors look to stolen credentials

In 2023, threat actors wrought havoc on corporate networks by logging in through valid accounts, and as bad actors begin investing in AI to help them identify priority targets, this problem is only expected to worsen in the future Continue Reading

By

• Martin Borrett

EU’s AI Act fails to protect the rule of law and civic space

Analysis reveals that the AI Act is ‘riddled with far-reaching exceptions’ and its measures to protect fundamental rights are insufficient Continue Reading

By

• Josh Osman, Computer Weekly

Apple iPhone security alert renews spyware concerns

An Apple security alert received by users in 92 countries raises fresh fears over ongoing campaigns by users of mercenary spyware products Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

5G networks and biometric breakthroughs: Navigating opportunities and risks

Businesses are quickly adopting 5G to introduce advanced security features such as facial recognition, but while these technologies improve safety and ease of use, they also raise concerns about how sensitive biometric information is gathered and may be misused Continue Reading

By

• Isla Sibanda

Executive interview: Balancing AI with human creativity

We speak to the chief product officer at Getty Images and iStock about the role generative AI can play in the image-making process. Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

European Digital Identity Wallet: One ID for EU citizens

The European Digital Identity Wallet is a personal digital wallet with which you will be able to identify yourself digitally in the future. Is this the solution for a centralised ID? Continue Reading

By

• Oliver Schonschek

Facial recognition to play key role in UK shoplifting crackdown

UK government will fund roll-out of police facial recognition across the country as part of its crackdown on shoplifting and violence against retail staff, but civil society groups say the government is attempting to police its way out of the cost-of-living crisis Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Government dismisses Lords’ concerns over facial recognition

UK government is claiming police forces’ use of live facial recognition is comprehensively covered by existing laws, in response to a Lords investigation that found police lacked a clear legal basis to deploy it Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Breakthrough may herald secure home quantum computing

An emerging approach to quantum security dubbed blind quantum computing may one day help spur mass adoption of quantum computing safely and securely, using technology that is already available today Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Biden considering whether to end prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

US president Joe Biden says he is considering requests by Australia to end the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange under espionage and computer fraud charges Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Salesforce helps customers establish bug bounty programmes

Salesforce has added new learning content to its Trailhead platform designed to help customers develop their own bug bounty programmes Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Public worried by police and companies sharing biometric data

More than half of the British public do not feel comfortable with police forces sharing biometric data with the private sector, including facial recognition images, to tackle crimes such as shoplifting Continue Reading

By

• Josh Osman, Computer Weekly

How do companies protect customer data?

Companies can protect customer data through various technical tools and strategies, like authentication and encryption. But some types of data need more protection than others. Continue Reading

By

• Sandra Mathis, Microsoft

Is a cyber arms control treaty out of reach?

The world needs cyber arms control more than ever, but the challenges facing a multilateral agreement will be hard to surmount, according to researchers at Germany’s Digital Society Institute Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Police forces check intelligence and criminal databases after errors discovered in O2 phone data

Criminal Bar Association calls for information about reliability of communications data used in criminal trials to be disclosed Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly