Privacy and data protection

Most finance firms are multicloud, but many are unprepared for public cloud cyber attacks

Financial services firms are moving to the cloud at pace, but many are uncertain whether they could cope with an attack on an application based in the public cloud Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

More Joker malware apps chucked off Google Play Store

Infamous Joker billing fraud malware continues to sneak past Google’s security controls Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Pubs and restaurants failing on cyber fraud protection

Virtually all of the UK’s most popular restaurant and pub brands are failing to proactively block fraudulent emails from reaching their targets Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Tencent Cloud teams up with ADBC on banking services

Singapore’s Asia Digital Bank Corporation could leverage Tencent Cloud’s financial cloud platform to provide banking services to small businesses Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Political awareness needed to ethically handle migration data, panel claims

Understanding the political, social and economic relationships between different groups in society is needed to ensure location data is not used in ways that further endanger already vulnerable people on the move Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Use of spyware apps linked to domestic abuse soars in lockdown

The rise in domestic violence during the pandemic has been linked to increase use of stalkerware apps by abusers Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cosmic Lynx cyber crime group takes BEC to new heights

Newly identified Russian threat group targets large organisations with increasingly dangerous business email compromise attacks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Over 15 billion credentials for sale on dark web

Research by Digital Shadows reveals the scale of the security threat facing consumers as it uncovers 15 billion usernames and passwords stolen in more than 100,000 different data breaches Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security funding soars despite Covid-19 slump, but problems lie ahead

The overall cyber security funding ecosystem in the UK is healthier than ever despite Covid-19, but the figures mask stark and concerning disparities in where the money is going Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CCPA enforcement has begun: Here’s what to expect

The US’s California Consumer Privacy Act came into force in January this year, but enforcement against technology companies did not begin until this month Continue Reading

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• Omer Tene, IAPP

Security Think Tank: Balancing human oversight with AI autonomy

Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques are said to hold great promise in security, enabling organisations to operate an IT predictive security stance and automate reactive measures when needed. Is this perception accurate, or is the importance of automation gravely overestimated? Continue Reading

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• Richard Absalom, Information Security Forum

MSP Xchanging attacked in ransomware incident

Specialist managed services provider is restoring customer access to systems after an unspecified ransomware incident Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Australian government foreshadows ‘sovereign data’ classification

The Australian government will examine if certain government datasets should be declared sovereign and only be hosted in the country Continue Reading

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• Stephen Withers

GDPR at two: How far we’ve come, how far we still have to go

Marking two years of the General Data Protection Regulation, industry voices weigh in on the state of data protection and privacy, consider what has changed, and what still needs to change. Continue Reading

Pub ‘check-in’ apps provoke fresh privacy concerns

With pubs and restaurants required to collect customer data for contact tracing when they reopen, data privacy risks will be heightened. Continue Reading

The privacy challenges of easing lockdown

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as pubs in the UK re-open after lockdown, we examine the privacy issues around collecting customer data for contact tracing. We look at how interconnected devices are revolutionising the manufacturing and engineering sectors. And we assess GDPR progress two years after its introduction. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Lorca scale-ups bring diverse security to the fore

London Office for Rapid Cybersecurity Advancement announces the cyber security scale-ups that will make up its fifth cohort Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

North Korea behind spate of Magecart attacks

The Magecart credit card skimmer found on the website of retailer Claire’s Accessories was likely put there by the Lazarus or Hidden Cobra North Korean APT group, reports Sansec Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Chinese law may require companies to disclose cyber-security preparations outside China

Companies with Chinese operations may have to disclose information about the security of their networks in other countries under China’s draft data security law Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Cops take out encrypted comms to disrupt organised crime

The UK’s National Crime Agency, alongside other law enforcement agencies in France and the Netherlands, have busted illicit arms and drugs rings after disabling an encrypted comms platform Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Locked-down teens flock to NCSC CyberFirst training scheme

A record number of 14 to 17-year-olds have signed up to the National Cyber Security Centre’s CyberFirst summer school Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Police secrecy over ‘IMSI-catcher’ mass surveillance of mobile phones

Following a tribunal ruling, constabularies in England and Wales can refuse to confirm or deny whether they use mass surveillance devices, known as IMSI-catchers to monitor people’s location, phone calls and text messages Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Sodinokibi gang begins dark web celebrity data auctions

Group claims to be auctioning confidential legal data on pop stars Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and basketball player LeBron James Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK’s unsung cyber security heroes sought

Nominations have opened for the fifth annual Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Zoom making progress on cyber security and privacy, says CEO

Three months after being hit by a spate of security incidents, Zoom’s CEO, Eric Yuan, has been discussing progress towards a more secure product Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Remote workers more aware of security, but still flout the rules

Almost three-quarters of remote workers reckon they have gained in cyber security awareness during lockdown, but don’t seem to be especially bothered about keeping themselves safe Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Black Lives Matter, but do bots know that?

The volume of content generated each day necessitates automated moderation to curate everything as it is published, ensuring offensive and objectionable material is blocked. But this only works if systems are adequately configured and reviewed Continue Reading

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• Peter Ray Allison

FakeSpy Android malware targets Royal Mail app users

The FakeSpy malware was first identified in October 2017 but is now significantly more powerful and dangerous Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Unlocking value in the railway network’s data

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how the rail industry is working to improve its use of data to deliver better services to passengers. Is flash the saviour of the storage universe? Our buyer’s guide assesses the choices for IT managers. And we examine the failure of the government’s Covid-19 contact-tracing app. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Lawyers learn of fresh US allegations against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from press reports

The US has filed an updated indictment against Julian Assange alleging that he conspired with hacking groups to obtain information for WikiLeaks. Defence and prosecution lawyers learned about it from press reports Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Evil Corp’s latest ransomware project spreading fast

A new ransomware strain dubbed WastedLocker is spreading rapidly and targeting major corporations Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Out of date security laws leave UK plc at risk during pandemic

The CyberUp coalition has written to Boris Johnson to urge him to reform the UK’s 30 year-old cyber crime laws Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Airports deploy thermal cameras to control Covid-19, science suggests it’s merely ‘safety theatre’

UK airports are rolling out thermal surveillance cameras to identify people who may have coronavirus, but science says the technology is ineffective at detecting and preventing the spread of the disease Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly
• Laura Middag Alvarez

Pub ‘check-in’ apps provoke fresh privacy concerns

With pubs and restaurants required to collect customer data for contact tracing when they reopen, data privacy risks will be heightened Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CBI: Digital economy needs joined-up regulations and gigabit broadband

The coronavirus pandemic has shown the need for fast, reliable networking across the UK. The CBI is urging the government to do more Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Veeam bullish on growth in APAC

Veeam’s top executive in Asia-Pacific expects the company’s growth momentum in the region to continue despite the Covid-19 pandemic, and is setting sights on growth areas such as container backups Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

NCSC catches a million phishes in its nets

The NCSC has racked up a million suspicious email reports from the public just two months after launching a reporting service, but the lucky sender won’t be receiving a grand prize Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

EU judges GDPR an overall success, but changes still needed

Two years after its implementation, an EU report says that the GDPR is achieving what it set out to do, with a few reservations Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Political parties harvest personal data to create profiles on voters, most of it wrong

The UK’s three main political parties are collecting personal data on voters, but much of it is wrong and its use may fall foul of data protection laws Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Brits will sell their personal data for pennies

Surprising findings from an Okta report on digital identity suggest Brits would be willing to part with valuable personal data for a surprisingly low amount Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

APT groups’ mobile momentum finally faces resistance

State-backed APT groups are increasingly targeting mobile devices as Covid-19 puts the spotlight on remote working infrastructure security. We explore how the industry is fighting back Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Neurodiversity on the rise among career hackers

More diverse hackers enhance the ability of both traditional and cutting-edge cyber security solutions to find and fix vulnerabilities, according to a new report from Bugcrowd Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Twitter contacts business users over data exposure

Issue relates to how web browsers cached confidential data entered in Twitter’s ads and analytics services, but is unlikely to have resulted in compromise Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Concern over digital risk falls dramatically during pandemic

Brits are understandably more worried about the NHS than personal cyber security Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

APAC still hotbed for cyber attacks

Individuals and organisations in APAC are encountering malware more frequently than the rest of the world, study finds Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Eurostar to roll out facial recognition for ‘passport-free’ travel to Europe

Facial recognition will make passports on the Eurotunnel an option rather than a necessity, but privacy campaigners have questioned whether gathering biometric data on passengers is necessary Continue Reading

By

• Laura Middag Alvarez

Australian prime minister confirms country is suffering repeated nation-state cyber attacks

Concern over critical national infrastructure as cyber attackers repeatedly try to gain access to network of organisations operating in multiple sectors Continue Reading

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• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

AI bias and privacy issues require more than clever tech

The new AI Barometer report from the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation has assessed the threats and opportunities of artificial intelligence in the UK Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

US pulls out of talks with Europe for global digital tax

Despite the US’s resistance to an international digital services tax, the UK and other European countries plan to continue pushing for a global solution to taxing technology giants Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton , Senior reporter

How Australian firms can plug data protection gaps

Australian organisations can address data protection challenges by creating roles such as a data governance lead, classifying data and improving employee awareness of cyber hygiene. Continue Reading

APAC firms still coming to grips with data protection

More governments in Asia are implementing data protection regimes, but challenges such as checkbox compliance and the lack of effective staff training remain. Continue Reading

CW APAC: Trend Watch – data protection

Asia-Pacific organisations see the importance of having good data protection practices, even as they are still grappling with organisational and operational challenges. In this handbook, Computer Weekly looks at the different levels of preparedness across the region and what firms can do to plug any gaps. Continue Reading

Data protection watchdog calls for controls on police mobile phone stop-and-searches

Information commissioner wants new safeguards on the use of police powers to download sensitive personal data from the mobile phones of suspects and crime victims Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Cisco patches dangerous Webex vulnerability

CVE-2020-3347 bug enables cyber criminals to steal meeting records from within Cisco’s Webex service Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Zoom U-turns on end-to-end encryption

Embattled video-conferencing provider Zoom backtracks on previous refusals to provide end-to-end encryption to free users Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cosmetics company Avon offline after cyber attack

Representatives left unable to place orders after company’s back-end systems went offline over a week ago Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Amnesty identifies most privacy-invasive Covid-19 contact-tracing apps

Bahrain’s ‘BeAware Bahrain’, Kuwait’s ‘Shlonik’ and Norway’s ‘Smittestopp’ are the most privacy-invasive contact-tracing apps, reveals Amnesty International study Continue Reading

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• Laura Middag Alvarez

Macquarie eyes government contracts with new Canberra datacentre

New Macquarie datacentre in the Australian capital designed to achieve Tier 4 datacentre standards will deliver 1.5MW of capacity by December 2020 Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

UK-US data deal puts Brexit data adequacy pact at risk

European Data Protection Board writes to MEPs saying the UK is at risk of failing to strike a post-Brexit data adequacy accord if its data protection agreements with the US don’t strike the right note Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Activists call on Zoom to implement encryption for all

A coalition of tech organisations and nonprofits have urged Zoom CEO Eric Yuan to make end-to-end encryption available to all users Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Norway’s contact-tracing app suspended over privacy concerns

Norway has been given until 23 June to justify the location tracking of citizens who download its contract-tracing app Continue Reading

By

• Laura Middag Alvarez & Bill Goodwin

The Security Interviews: Temper tantrums ahead as GDPR enters its terrible twos?

On the General Data Protection Regulation’s second birthday, Tim Hickman, a data protection lawyer and partner at White & Case LLP, discusses the regulation’s teething troubles and assesses how best to maintain optimum compliance. Continue Reading

Banking trojans roar back to prominence in May

Check Point sees an upswing in malicious activity around a number of classic banking trojan malware variants Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Why UK needs independent oversight body for contact-tracing app

The public needs and deserves clarity, and not just assurances, over the UK’s Covid-19 contact-tracing app Continue Reading

By

• Dan Cooper  

Accessories store Claire’s hit by Magecart credit card fraudsters

Attackers gained access to retailer’s website as long ago as March Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Hospital uses thermal surveillance cameras to protect patients against second wave of Covid-19

A North Midlands NHS trust claims to be the first NHS trust to deploy thermal surveillance cameras to protect patients and staff against the coronavirus Continue Reading

By

• Laura Middag Alvarez

NHS email service users ensnared in phishing attack

More than 100 accounts on the NHSmail service were affected by attack, but health service says no patient data was accessed Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fake contact-tracing apps delivering banking trojans

Spoof government coronavirus apps are popping up all over the world, says the Anomali Threat Research team Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

100,000 cheap wireless cameras vulnerable to hacking

Active devices built by Chinese firm HiChip have been sold in the UK as webcams and connected baby monitors Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UN secretary general calls for global digital cooperation

Antonio Guterres launches roadmap for digital cooperation and calls for world leaders to come together to “connect, respect and protect people in the digital age” Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Twitter kills thousands of misinformation accounts

The accounts were linked to the governments of China, Russia and Turkey, and engaged in systematic operations against pro-democracy activists, political opponents and dissidents Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: Bungled British response leads to rise in security risks

Covid-19 cyber security threats are evolving over the course of the pandemic, becoming more targeted to virus hotspots such as the UK Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Container security starts with good DevOps practice

Adopting containers promises great organisational efficiency advantages, but the fast-evolving technology can be problematic for security teams. What do CISOs need to know to safeguard containers? Continue Reading

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• Paddy Francis

Decade-old vulnerability among 129 Patch Tuesday fixes

A 10 year-old bug in Windows Group Policies could easily enable attackers to gain highly privileged user status on target systems, opening the doors to a wave of cyber attacks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Unsecured Elasticsearch server breached in eight hours flat

Comparitech’s Bob Diachenko wanted to find out how long it would take for hackers to find and attack an unsecured, public internet-facing database, so he set up a honeypot Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Virtual GP practice accidentally exposes patient video calls

A small number of users of Babylon’s GP at Hand service were briefly able to view other patients’ video GP consultations thanks to a bug in a new software feature Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: How to go back to the office safely and securely

Security teams should be used to supporting remote workers effectively by now, but what’s going to happen when people start returning to their offices? We look at the risks and how to address them. Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nasty surprises lurking in furloughed employees’ inboxes

Research conducted by KnowBe4 points to a looming email security problem as furloughed employees head back to work Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Australian firms can defend against supply chain attacks

Supply chain security risks can wreak havoc if measures are not taken to deter cyber attackers from exploiting a supplier’s security gaps to target another firm Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Withers

Honda investigates suspected Snake ransomware attack

Attack disrupts global operations at carmaker, with assembly lines falling silent and sales suspended Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Poorly-secured AWS buckets used to launch Magecart attacks

Cyber criminals are exploiting misconfigured AWS S3 buckets to run credit card fraud and malvertising campaigns, according to new data Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How retailers are staying connected during their coronavirus shutdown

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at how the hard-hit retail sector has turned to technology to stay connected with staff during the coronavirus lockdown. Our latest buyer’s guide examines best practice in data quality and how to avoid “garbage in garbage out” syndrome. And we look at how remote working affects software development teams. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Police chiefs working with Public Health England on contact-tracing security

Police force representatives are in talks with Public Health England over operational security concerns arising from the NHS Test and Trace coronavirus contact-tracing scheme Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ministry of Defence forms new cyber security regiment

The 13th Signal Regiment brings together personnel from across the armed forces to provide specialist security services Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Small businesses failing on remote worker protection

Only one-third of people working for small businesses have received any guidance from their employers on how to secure their remote working set-up Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Data privacy groups pile in on UK contact-tracing app

UK-based digital privacy and free speech campaigning organisation files complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office about contact-tracing app Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

Black Lives Matter activists targeted by cyber attacks

Civil liberties organisations are being targeted by far-right trolls as protests over the murder of George Floyd spread worldwide Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The Security Interviews: How the BSI protects the IoT from itself

David Mudd of the BSI reveals how a pragmatic and realistic approach to security vulnerabilities underpins its internet of things kitemark, helping give users the confidence to buy smart devices safely Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: Cyber criminals target laid-off workers

Malicious actors are targeting workers laid-off or furloughed during the coronavirus pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Why trust is the new currency

Businesses need to engender trust with customers amid the complexity of digital transactions involving multiple third parties, even as consumers are not fully cognizant of the importance of data privacy Continue Reading

By

• Simon Piff

Security procurement framework goes live for NHS and public sector

Cyber Security Services Framework, developed by NHS Shared Business Services, has formally launched Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Infosec 2020: Covid-19 an opportunity to change security thinking

The annual Infosecurity Europe is being held virtually this year, and speakers at an online panel session have been considering the impact of the pandemic on security awareness Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

VMware vulnerability leaves private clouds open to takeover

Ethical hackers from Citadelo uncovered a vulnerability in VMware Cloud Director that left private cloud owners open to takeover Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NIS security regulations proving effective, but more work to do

The UK’s NIS cyber security and risk regulations are proving somewhat effective, according to a government report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Privacy campaigners call for radical changes to contact-tracing app

Liberty, Privacy International and the Open Rights Group join calls for the government to either put in place better data protection policies or abandon its Covid-19 contact-tracing app altogether Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange misses court hearing due to respiratory problems

The WikiLeaks founder is expected to call 21 witnesses during a three-week extradition hearing in September Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

The impact of spycraft on how we secure our data

The history of cyber security owes much to the world of espionage, as a recent, pre-lockdown Science Museum exhibition showed Continue Reading

By

• Mark Hughes

Government launches IoT security funding round

A £400,000 funding pot is on offer for innovators to design schemes that boost internet-of-things security Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Test and Trace has not passed data protection impact assessment

Public Health England failed to complete the required impact assessment before launching the Covid-19 Test and Trace programme Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Singapore’s contact-tracing app tops privacy study

Singapore’s TraceTogether is least intrusive in terms of privacy communications compared with similar apps in the region, study finds Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget