Privacy and data protection

Storage and backup spend in 2024 targets risk and resilience

The TechTarget and ESG spending intentions survey finds big bias towards averting risk and building organisational resilience, but on-premise storage a significant planned outlay Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

ConnectWise users see cyber attacks surge, including ransomware

ConnectWise ScreenConnect users who have yet to patch against a critical vulnerability are now being targeted by a barrage of cyber attacks, including ransomware Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Australian data breach report highlights supply chain risks

The OAIC has called for organisations to proactively address privacy risks from outsourcing personal information handling to third parties Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

How Indian fintechs can address compliance issues

Fintechs will need to bolster their know-your-customer practices and establish self-regulatory mechanisms, among other measures, to address compliance issues that have come under the spotlight Continue Reading

By

• Kavitha Srinivasa

LockBit locked out: Cyber community reacts

Reaction to the takedown of the LockBit ransomware gang is enthusiastic, but tempered with the knowledge that cyber criminals are often remarkably resilient Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

US extradition of Julian Assange is ‘state retaliation’ for exposing war crimes, court hears

Lawyers argue that the US extradition case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is politically motivated and in is breach of the UK-US extradition treaty Continue Reading

By

• Charlie Moloney

Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)

The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a symmetric block cipher chosen by the U.S. government to protect classified information. Continue Reading

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• Rahul Awati
• Corinne Bernstein
• Michael Cobb

LockBit gang members arrested in Poland and Ukraine

The UK’s National Crime Agency and its global partners have shared more details on their audacious takedown of the LockBit ransomware operation, including news of two arrests Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government agrees law to protect confidential journalistic material from state hacking

The government will update Investigatory Powers Act to require secret intelligence agencies to seek independent approval before accessing confidential journalistic material obtained by bulk hacking, but journalists remain vulnerable to other bulk surveillance powers Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces last appeal against ‘political’ extradition

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seeking leave to appeal against extradition to the US in a case that could have chilling implications for journalists reporting on national security Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Microsoft: Nation-state hackers are exploiting ChatGPT

Threat actors from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia have all been probing use cases for generative AI service ChatGPT, but have yet to use such tools in a full-blown cyber attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dutch Supreme Court approves use of EncroChat evidence

Defence lawyers plan appeal to European Court of Human Rights after Supreme Court upholds a conviction based on intercepted messages from the EncroChat encrypted phone network Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Southern Water customer data was taken in ransomware attack

Southern Water has started to contact customers whose data was stolen in a January 2024 ransomware attack on its systems Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Met Police to scrap and replace ‘racist’ Gangs Violence Matrix

A database used by the Metropolitan Police to identify and track people linked with gang violence is being decommissioned and replaced. The decision follows a long-running controversy over its discriminatory impacts on young black people, but campaigners warn that racial discrimination will persist with new tool Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Podcast: What is the impact of AI on storage and compliance?

Start now looking at artificial intelligence compliance. That’s the advice of Mathieu Gorge of Vigitrust, who says AI governance is still immature but firms should recognise the limits and still act Continue Reading

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• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Security experts: Investigatory powers plans will delay security updates

Cyber security experts warn that government proposals to amend the Investigatory Powers Act will limit tech companies’ ability to respond to security threats and could hamper the use of end-to-end encryption Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Podcast: What are snapshots? Can they replace backup?

We talk to Shawn Meyers, field CTO at Tintri, who defines snapshots, why they are no substitute for backups, and the effect on recovery of snapshot granularity Continue Reading

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• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

What will result from Cohesity’s Veritas acquisition?

The $7bn backup giant will leverage huge assets in enterprise customer base, compliance and governance intelligence, AI, R&D, and Kubernetes backup and storage Continue Reading

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• Yann Serra, LeMagIT
• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Executives must face down state-sponsored hacking groups targeting firmware

State-backed groups have ratcheted up the pressure for cyber security professionals and executives. But that’s not an excuse to cede them the territory. Continue Reading

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• Michael Marcotte

Trends driving cyber security in 2024

While cyber security breaches are not going away, emerging threats are driving new and innovative approaches to IT security Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Why open data is needed in the battle to address homelessness

Centrepoint needed to send FOIs to more than 300 local authorities in England to access required information Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Executive alleged to be behind EncroChat encrypted phone network arrested

A businessman allegedly behind EncroChat, an encrypted phone network that was used by organised crime groups, has been extradited from the Dominican Republic to France Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

NCSC warns CNI operators over ‘living-off-the-land’ attacks

Malicious, state-backed actors may well be lurking in the UK’s most critical networks right now, and their operators may not even know until it is too late, warn the NCSC and its partners Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dozens of surveillance companies are supplying spyware to governments, says Google

Google’s Threat Analysis Group has identified 40 companies involved in selling and supplying security exploits and spyware services to governments Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

How Iranian cyber ops pivoted to target Israel after 7 October attacks

Microsoft has shared new intelligence on how Iranian government-aligned threat actors have turned their fire on Israel over the past four months Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

South Staffs Water faces group action over Clop ransomware attack

South Staffordshire Plc, the parent company of South Staffordshire and Cambridge Water, is facing legal action from customers whose data was compromised in a 2022 Clop ransomware attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

encryption

Encryption is the method by which information is converted into secret code that hides the information's true meaning. Continue Reading

By

• Robert Sheldon
• Peter Loshin, Former Senior Technology Editor
• Michael Cobb

AI ID specialist Onfido in talks to be bought by Entrust

UK-based cyber unicorn Onfido agrees to enter talks to be acquired by Entrust Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK’s McPartland Cyber Review to probe trust in technology

The UK government has launched a cyber security review that will investigate how best to give businesses the confidence they need to use new technologies Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Inquiry to explore cyber risk to Sunak-Starmer showdown

The UK’s Joint Committee on National Security Strategy is opening an inquiry into securing the democratic process ahead of the next general election Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK and France push for international agreement on spyware

The UK and France are hosting diplomats, big tech companies and civil society groups, in a two-day conference in London targeting the proliferation of spyware tools and ‘hackers for hire’ Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Generative AI – an early adopter’s experience

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as IT leaders start to implement GenAI in their organisations, we look at the experiences of one early adopter. Our latest buyer’s guide examines the key security trends for 2024. And Microsoft’s head of identity talks about a future without passwords. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

IT security strategy: Assessing the risks of generative AI

Most industry watchers see 2024 as the year when generative AI and large language models will begin moving into enterprise IT Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor
• Adrian Bridgwater

UK police facial recognition explained: What you need to know

In this essential guide, Computer Weekly looks at the use of facial recognition technology by UK police forces, including the points of contention around its deployment so far and where it’s heading next Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Welsh workers’ AI experiences shaped by uneven power dynamics

Workers in Wales are being negatively affected by the unregulated introduction of artificial intelligence into workplaces due to asymmetric power dynamics Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

consumer data

Consumer data is the information that organizations collect from individuals who use internet-connected platforms, including websites, social media networks, mobile apps, text messaging apps or email systems. Continue Reading

By

• Robert Sheldon

Chat control: Tech companies warn ministers over EU encryption plans

Tech companies have written to EU ministers to urge them to back the European Parliament, rather than the European Commission, over proposed regulations to police child abuse. Continue Reading

Tech companies warn EU over encryption plans

In this week’s Computer Weekly, tech companies are calling on the European Commission to rethink plans to weaken internet encryption – we explore the issues. We talk to credit rating agency Moody’s about why it thinks now is the time to start investing in quantum computing. And we examine how a different approach to recruitment could ease the datacentre sector skills gap. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Lords question legality of police facial recognition

Lords committee ‘deeply concerned’ about the rapid expansion of live facial recognition by UK police, which it says is progressing without any real oversight or accountability Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

What developers need to know about LLMs in the enterprise

We look at the main areas enterprise developers need to consider when building, testing and deploying enterprise applications powered by large language models Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor
• Adrian Bridgwater

Security Think Tank: Expect more from GenAI in 2024

But 2024 also feels slightly different; the past 12 months have seen generative AI burst on to the scene, and this year its impact will continue to be felt, says Turnkey Consulting's Harshini Carey. Continue Reading

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• Harshini Carey, Turnkey Consulting

Quantum, AI and geopolitical conflict: '24 will be a big year for cyber

With big trends like quantum, generative AI and geopolitical conflict, 2024 looks set to be a big year in security, but defenders have an unparalleled opportunity to harness these trends for good, says Quorum's Federico Charosky Continue Reading

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• Federico Charosky

Akira ransomware gang claims Lush cyber attack

The Akira ransomware gang claims to have stolen over 100GB of data from cosmetics manufacturer and retailer Lush Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: What to expect in cyber this year

Risk arising from insecure generative AI, an explosion in mainstream acceptance of zero-trust, and increasingly tight cyber insurance policies will all be high on the agenda in 2024, writes Forrester senior analyst Alla Valente Continue Reading

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• Alla Valente

Bulk sender authentication: More vital than ever

With new guidelines from Google and Yahoo governing bulk emails coming into force in February 2024, here's what you need to know to keep your sales and marketing lists compliant Continue Reading

By

• Gerasim Hovhannisyan

encryption key management

Encryption key management is the practice of generating, organizing, protecting, storing, backing up and distributing encryption keys. Continue Reading

By

• Rahul Awati
• Ed Hannan

WebKit vulnerability sparks Apple’s first major security update of 2024

A zero-day in the open source WebKit browser engine that powers Safari has sparked Apple’s first major patch roll-out of the new year Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Southern Water confirms cyber attack after Black Basta claims

Southern Water, which supplies millions of customers in southeast England, has confirmed it has fallen victim to a cyber attack, although its services appear to be running normally Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

AI will heighten global ransomware threat, says NCSC

The benefits of artificial intelligence to cyber criminals being well-known, the NCSC now assesses it’s likely AI will soon be widely used to enhance ransomware attacks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Podcast: Storage and compliance outlook for 2024

Interesting times ahead in 2024 as we talk to Mathieu Gorge, CEO of Vigitrust, about updates to EU regs, PCI, NIST, post-Brexit divergence and 60 national elections across the globe Continue Reading

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• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Leak of 26 billion records may prove to be ‘mother of all breaches’

The discovery of a dataset comprising 26 billion stolen records may prove to be record-breaking in both its size and the danger it poses to ordinary people Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

SEC bitcoin hack was result of SIM-swapping

A cyber attack on the US financial regulator earlier in January 2024 occurred after hackers took over one of its mobile phone accounts in a so-called SIM-swapping attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Chat control: Tech companies warn ministers over EU encryption plans

Tech companies have written to EU ministers to urge them to back the European Parliament, rather than the European Commission, over proposed regulations to police child abuse Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

ICO prompts confusion over police cloud legality

The UK data regulator has suggested that, despite major data protection concerns, it is likely to greenlight police cloud deployments because of an information-sharing agreement with the US government Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Neighbouring Kent councils hit by simultaneous cyber attacks

Canterbury, Dover and Thanet Councils in Kent have all been struck by simultaneous cyber attacks knocking systems offline, with indications of a link between all three Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Powering up cyber security defences with AI

AI holds great promise when it comes to securing valuable, and vulnerable, data, but security teams face some challenges if they are to get the best out of it, writes IBM’s Christopher Meenan Continue Reading

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• Christopher Meenan

Cloud-to-cloud backup: What it is and why you (probably) need it

Basic cloud data protection is just not enough. Several loopholes leave business data vulnerable and that means additional cloud-to-cloud backup should be seriously considered Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

Victims of 2023 Capita data breaches head to High Court

More than 5,000 people impacted by data breaches arising from two cyber incidents affecting outsourcer Capita have joined a group action lawsuit Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Tape is back on the main menu

The news that another of the big players in global file systems, Hammerspace, has integrated tape access into its data orchestration software should remind us all that tape’s modern incarnations ... Continue Reading

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• Bryan Betts, Freeform Dynamics

Singapore proposes governance framework for generative AI

AI Verify Foundation and Infocomm Media Development Authority have proposed a governance framework for generative AI to address the risks and concerns about the emerging technology Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Kaspersky shares Pegasus spyware-hunting tool

Kaspersky has developed a way of easily exposing the presence of Pegasus spyware on iOS devices and believes its methodology may also help users identify other such surveillance malware Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

British Library catalogues back online after ransomware attack

The British Library has restored online access to its main catalogue of nearly 40 million items on a limited basis as it continues the long and arduous process of recovering from a ransomware attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Russia hacked ex-MI6 chief’s emails – what they reveal is more Dad’s Army than deep state

A Russian hacking group that published emails of ex-MI6 chief Richard Dearlove claimed to have uncovered a conspiracy, but it was more Dad’s Army than the ‘deep state’, Computer Weekly and Byline Times reveal Continue Reading

By

• Sophie Hill

NCA director sacked after WhatsApp and email security breaches

Nikki Holland, former director of investigations at the NCA, was sacked for “misconduct” after sending sensitive NCA information over personal email and WhatsApp Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

UK government seeks public views on impacts of AI-generated porn

The government’s Pornography Review will look in part at the use of AI throughout the industry to generate sexually explicit content without people’s consent Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

SEC social media hack highlights value of MFA

The US SEC briefly appeared to approve new bitcoin trading rules after a social media account was targeted by troublemakers, proving the value of MFA once again Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Scotland ‘sleepwalking’ to mass surveillance with DPDI Bill

The independent checks and balances over biometrics and biometric-enabled surveillance must be strengthened to prevent Scotland from sliding into a surveillance state along with the rest of the UK Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Babuk Tortilla ransomware decryptor made available

A joint effort between Cisco Talos, Avast and the Dutch police will bring relief to many victims of a variant of the Babuk ransomware known as Tortilla Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Study reveals cyber risks to US elections

With the 2024 US presidential election cycle beginning, a study produced by Arctic Wolf has highlighted big gaps in preparedness and resourcing at government bodies across the US Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The future of CISOs in APAC

This is a guest post by Geoffrey Coley, regional chief technology officer for Asia-Pacific at Veritas Technologies The pace at which the cyber threat landscape is evolving with the use of malicious ... Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

British Library ransomware attack could cost up to £7m

The cost of recovering the British Library’s ransomware-stricken IT systems could be up to £7m, it has emerged Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Inside the Met Police’s investigation into EncroChat crime gangs

The Met’s senior investigating officer responsible for investigating criminals using the EncroChat encrypted phone network tells the inside story of the UK’s biggest organised crime bust in a BBC podcast series released this week Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Mind the gap: AI leaders pulling ahead as LLMs take off

Advice on how to implement large language models safely within an enterprise IT environment Continue Reading

By

• Oliver King-Smith

Fighting money laundering with AI

Mike Foster, CEO of SymphonyAI Sensa-NetReveal, talks up how AI can be used to fight financial crime and how the company’s technology can augment existing AML investments Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

China’s UNC4841 pivots to new Barracuda ESG zero-day

The Chinese state threat actor behind a series of cyber attacks on Barracuda Networks customers embarked on a campaign targeting the supplier’s email security products in the run-up to Christmas Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top 10 India IT stories of 2023

We recap the year’s top 10 stories in India, including the country’s datacentre boom and innovations in space and agriculture technologies Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Top 10 AI regulation stories of 2023

From the UK government’s publication of its long-awaited AI whitepaper to its convening of the world’s first AI Safety Summit, here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 AI regulation stories of 2023 Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2023

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Top 10 police technology stories of 2023

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 police technology stories of 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Top 10 government IT stories of 2023

In the year that gave life to four new government departments, Whitehall bosses have continued to fly the flag for technology, with mixed results and success. Here are the stories that made waves in 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

What is the CIA triad (confidentiality, integrity and availability)?

The CIA triad refers to confidentiality, integrity and availability, describing a model designed to guide policies for information security within an organization. Continue Reading

By

• Cameron Hashemi-Pour, Site Editor
• Wesley Chai

Top 10 cyber crime stories of 2023

Ransomware gangs dominated the cyber criminal underworld in 2023, a year that will prove notable for significant evolutionary trends in their tactics Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Zero-trust principles: Your gateway to securing remote workers

Remote working has enabled people to work from almost anywhere but has piled pressure on cyber pros. Three years after Covid, how are best practices evolving and what can we expect going forward? Continue Reading

By

• Michael Healey, Turnkey Consulting

What we learned in cyber in 2023, and what to look out for

PA Consulting's Rasika Somasiri looks back at a busy 12 months in the cyber security world, and highlights some key learnings from 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Rasika Somasiri

Top 10 cyber security stories of 2023

The past 12 months have seen the security agenda dominated by the usual round of vulnerabilities, concerns over supply chain security and more besides, but it was the chaotic state of global geopolitics that really made an impact Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How hybrid work patterns change end user computing

While some organisations have mandated that staff return to the office, many places still operate a hybrid policy – we look at the IT admin challenges Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Government plans to regulate to tackle datacentre threats

DSIT outlines a range of proposals designed to protect data storage facilities from cyber attacks, as well as physical threats and the effects of climate breakdown Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

ICO complaint seeks answers from prosecutors over deleted Assange emails

An Italian journalist has complained to the data protection watchdog after the Crown Prosecution Service gave conflicting explanations over its deletion of key emails on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

How ransomware gangs use the tech media against their victims

Ransomware gangs are increasingly media-savvy operators, and this means incident response plans now need to account for communications and PR strategies too Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Inside the Singapore government’s cloud journey

The Smart Nation Group’s chief digital technology officer outlines the government’s cloud journey, including its approach to cloud migration and how it came to host mission-critical workloads on AWS Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

MoD fined after breach of Afghan staffers’ data put lives at risk

The MoD has been fined £350,000 by the ICO after an email blunder exposed data on Afghan nationals who had worked with British forces and were at risk of Taliban reprisals Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Outdated data protection practice key factor in PSNI data breach

The August 2023 data breach at the Police Service of Northern Ireland arose chiefly from an outdated approach to data protection and compliance at the force, according to an independent review Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top IT predictions in APAC in 2024

Generative AI will continue to leave its mark on many areas in business and IT, along with other trends such as sustainability, cyber security and smart factories that are expected to shape the region’s technology landscape in 2024 Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Nordic governments join forces to protect data transfers

Nordic countries deepen their cooperation over cyber security amid heightened threat from neighbouring Russia Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Fancy Bear targets Nato entities via critical Outlook flaw

A vulnerability patched in March has likely been exploited by the Russian state actor Fancy Bear, for over two years, according to the latest intelligence Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK names Russian FSB agents behind political hacking campaign

Russian hacking group, Star Blizzard, was part of a Russian intelligence operation aimed at interfering with UK politics and the democratic process, says government. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

NCSC exposes Russian cyber attacks on UK political processes

The NCSC has firmly attributed a long-running campaign of cyber attacks targeting UK political processes to a group run out of Russia’s FSB intelligence agency, known as Star Blizzard Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Considerations for the security of evolving workspaces

Remote working has enabled people to work from almost anywhere but has piled pressure on cyber pros. Three years after Covid, how are best practices evolving and what can we expect going forward? Continue Reading

By

• Simon Backwell

How Proofpoint is helping to mitigate AI security threats

Proofpoint is offering monitoring tools to prevent leakage of sensitive information in generative AI models and other capabilities to mitigate AI mediated attacks Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Operator of Sellafield nuclear facility denies hacking claims

The operator of the Sellafield nuclear site has denied allegations that senior managers covered up a series of cyber security lapses that enabled Chinese and Russian threat actors to compromise its networks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor