Regulatory compliance and standard requirements

Security Think Tank: A response to planned data protection changes

The ISF’s Emma Bickerstaffe assesses how organisations might respond to proposed changes to the UK’s data protection regime Continue Reading

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• Emma Bickerstaffe, Information Security Forum (ISF)

The rise of the chief risk officer

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has seen chief risk officers take their rightful place in the boardroom Continue Reading

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• Chris Lorigan

UK’s new data protection strategy risks costing business more than it gains

The apparent business benefits of pursuing data adequacy agreements around the world may not be as enticing as they at first appear Continue Reading

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• Ben Rapp

WhatsApp fined €225m over GDPR breaches

Irish data protection watchdog has issued one of the largest GDPR fines to date against Facebook-owned WhatsApp Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Protecting children in the digital playground

The ICO’s Age Appropriate Design Code ushers in a new set of standards that advance children’s rights in the digital age Continue Reading

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• Rachel O’Connell

Security Think Tank: Managing data securely throughout its lifecycle

Managing data in a secure manner is key to ensuring its integrity and therefore its value to the organisation, as well as reducing risk from breaches and misinformation Continue Reading

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• Andrew Morris, Turnkey Consulting

Making a mark in cyber security

Claudean Zheng’s knack for hacking landed her a career in cyber security, one that has been dotted by stints in both public and private sectors Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

GovTech launches vulnerability rewards programme

Vulnerability rewards programme will offer rewards ranging from $250 to $5,000 to white hat hackers who find vulnerabilities in critical government systems Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

How the cyber security market is evolving

The cyber security market has gained even greater importance in the post-Covid era and continues to grow and evolve. But what factors are driving trends in that market and what should your organisation consider when making cyber security investments? Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Are proposed data protection changes a threat to UK citizens’ privacy?

Though changes are as-yet undefined pending an upcoming consultation, concerns are already being expressed over the government’s plan to liberalise data protection laws in the service of innovation and growth Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Tech giants commit to Biden's cyber security action plan

Some of the world’s most prominent tech giants have made a series of commitments to enhance the US’ national cyber security posture following a high-profile meeting with president Biden Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government unveils post-Brexit data flow proposals

The government will pursue data partnerships with countries including Australia, South Korea and the US as part of a post-Brexit data regime that may also see substantial changes to the UK’s data protection law Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Steps to a solid data privacy practice

Petra Wenham of the BCS shares her expertise on building, or rebuilding, a solid business data privacy practice in a post-Covid-19 world Continue Reading

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• Petra Wenham

NZ privacy lead John Edwards named new information commissioner

DCMS has named John Edwards, currently New Zealand privacy commissioner, to succeed Elizabeth Denham as UK information commissioner Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Calling the cops for ransomware attacks doesn’t help, say cyber pros

A new study for the #Ransomaware campaign reveals some insight into why so few victims report ransomware attacks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK loses £1.3bn to fraud and cyber crime so far this year

New figures from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau show a threefold spike in reported financial losses to fraud and cyber crime in the first six months of 2021 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The ransomware debate – to pay or not to pay?

The debate around banning ransomware payments is highly nuanced, and we must take care to avoid overt victim-blaming, in favour of an open and honest approach, says SASIG’s Martin Smith Continue Reading

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• Martin Smith, SASIG

Over a million opt out of NHS data-sharing

Failure to communicate benefits of data-sharing proposals and privacy concerns are prompting large numbers of people to opt out of a proposed NHS Digital scheme Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Campaign groups claim police have bypassed Parliament with plans for live facial-recognition tech

Civil society groups call for Parliament to scrutinise the use of live facial-recognition cameras Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

More data breaches in Australia arising from ransomware

The number of data breaches in Australia arising out of ransomware attacks grew by 24% during the first half of 2021, according to OAIC’s latest data breach report Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Educational publisher Pearson fined for data breach cover-up

Securities and Exchange Commission says publisher misled its investors over the extent of a 2018 data breach Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UN special rapporteurs call for surveillance tech moratorium

In the wake of revelations about NSO Groups Pegasus spyware, a number of special rapporteurs from the United Nations are re-igniting calls for a global moratorium on the sale and transfer of surveillance technologies Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Cyber Runway programme supports new security businesses

The Cyber Runway programme is a government-backed scheme to support entrepreneurs, startups and scaleups in launching and growing new security businesses Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Hospitals see cyber security investment as a low priority

Almost half of hospitals have experienced an IT shutdown as a result of a cyber attack in the past six months, but just over one in 10 hospital executives see cyber security investment as a high priority Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

The Netherlands still lacks digital resilience, says report

Report by National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security says the Netherlands’ digital resilience has improved, but is still insufficient Continue Reading

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• Kim Loohuis

Third of finance firms accelerate use of artificial intelligence to detect money laundering

Financial services firms are stepping up their use of artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to fight increasing money laundering activity Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Real-time data analytics in action

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the emerging applications of real-time analytics and highlight the challenges for businesses to maximise the benefits. EU experts are calling for reform of US surveillance laws – we look at the issues. And we talk to the co-CEO of HR software giant Workday. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Researchers uncover database with 126 million unsecured records

Business-to-business marketing firm OneMoreLead was storing tens of millions of records in an unsecured database, exposing at least 63 million people to fraud, identify theft and phishing campaigns Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Leading venture capital firms are failing to protect human rights

Venture capital firms and high-profile tech accelerators are not conducting human rights due diligence on their investments, which means they cannot be sure the companies they invest in are not causing, or contributing to, human rights abuses Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Disaster recovery for SMEs: Five key areas to consider

We look at key disaster recovery considerations for SMEs, including why backup is not enough, how to create a disaster recovery plan, best-practice DR testing and DR as a service Continue Reading

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• Stephen Pritchard

Five tips to ensure your crisis comms plan is ready for a cyber attack

Business leaders take note: standard crisis communications plans are inadequate if you have fallen victim to a cyber attack. HPL’s Ted Birkhahn shares five tips to make sure you are ready to face the public Continue Reading

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• Ted Birkhahn

Government publishes second version of digital identity trust framework

The second iteration of the framework, still in alpha version, sets out how organisations can become certified digital identity service providers Continue Reading

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• Lis Evenstad

Investigatory Powers Tribunal finds UK spy agencies unlawfully collected personal data

Campaign groups Privacy International and Liberty are gearing up to bring further legal action after a court found that UK spy agencies unlawfully collected phone and internet records Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Almost half unaware of GP data-sharing plans

Around half of adults in England – approximately 20 million people – remain unaware of the scope of the NHS GPDPR programme, prompting calls for a public education campaign Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Consider cyber policies and procedures as you welcome employees back

With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect their returning office workers? Continue Reading

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• Simon Backwell

ICO ends its involvement in dispute between NatWest Bank and data breach whistleblower

The Information Commissioner’s Office has ended its involvement in a dispute between a data breach whistleblower and NatWest bank Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

TikTok sets up cyber security hub in Dublin

Dublin-based cyber centre will oversee the security of TikTok’s users across Europe Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How IBM is solving the data privacy problem

IBM’s fully homomorphic encryption technology lets enterprises apply analytics and machine learning to encrypted data without compromising data privacy Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

OAIC: Uber failed to protect personal data of Australians

Uber did not take reasonable steps to protect Australians’ personal information from unauthorised access, says Australia’s national privacy watchdog Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

How the UK Cyber Security Council plans to professionalise security

As chair of the new UK Cyber Security Council, Claudia Natanson is in a superb position to develop professional standards in IT security and she intends to fundamentally reimagine what a security job actually is Continue Reading

Respect in Security challenges abuse and harassment in cyber

With around a third of cyber pros saying they have personally experienced harassment at work or online, a new initiative is urging organisations to pledge their support to help free the community from the scourge of abuse. We met its founders Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Five ways to ensure remote working security and compliance

A mix of on-site and remote working has become a fact of life for many organisations. We look at five key things you should consider to ensure compliance and security Continue Reading

By

• Valéry Rieß-Marchive, Rédacteur en chef
• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

France’s Macron among alleged Pegasus targets

Data relating to devices used by French president Emmanuel Macron and the head of the World Health Organization, among others, has been uncovered in a dataset linked to government use of spyware Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NHS Digital tightens rules for GPDPR data scrape

The proposed collection of patient data held by GPs will now only commence when three key criteria have been fulfilled, says NHS Digital Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: A return to the office is not a return to normal

With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect their returning office workers? Continue Reading

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• Mark Ward

Privacy Shield: One year on and companies are still grappling for answers

Activist lawyer Max Schrems and Eduardo Ustaran, partner at Hogan Lovells, look for common ground in a problem with no easy answers Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Macquarie Data Centres to build Sydney North facility

Macquarie Data Centres’ latest 32MW facility will come with a cyber security centre that monitors and manages cyber security events Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Lawyers take EncroChat hacking operation to French supreme court

Lawyers head to French supreme court after appeals court finds EnroChat inception legal under French law Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Privacy Shield: US surveillance law reforms essential for EU-US data, says EU parliamentary study

EU Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs study calls for major reforms of US spying laws to enable an EU-US data-sharing agreement to replace Privacy Shield Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Singapore to invest S$50m in ‘digital trust’ capabilities

The Singapore government is pumping in S$50m to bolster research in technologies that will foster digital trust in areas such as privacy protection and identity management Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Regional cyber clusters score £700k of funding

DCMS has awarded £700,000 of funding to a network of 20 regional cyber clusters Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Secureworks sets up in EU datacentre for XDR services

New datacentre location helps Secureworks’ customers meet EU data residency requirements Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK Cyber Security Council calls for new push on training

Too many companies have cut back on security training and development during the pandemic, says UK Cyber Security Council Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Met Police seize £180m worth of Bitcoin

The largest ever seizure of cryptocurrency in the UK comes just weeks after a previous multi-million pound confiscation, as law enforcement clamps down on money laundering Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Kaseya VSA services coming online after week-long outage

Kaseya has successfully deployed a patch to its ransomware-hit VSA product as per a revised schedule, and customers are beginning to come back online Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Professionals need protection from the Computer Misuse Act

The UK needs cyber legislation fit for the 21st century, so it is important for the industry to get behind the government’s proposed reform of the Computer Misuse Act Continue Reading

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• Martin Smith, SASIG

Choose the right ITSM tool for digital era success

IT service management (ITSM) tools are essential for many organisations to help optimise the design, delivery, support, use and governance of IT, but not all ITSM solutions are created equal, therefore selecting the right one is crucial Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Why identity is the central problem for the future of the internet

As debate rages over who has the right to control user identities online, is the concept of decentralised identity about to have its day? Continue Reading

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• Nick Lambert

Security Think Tank: Reopening is an opportunity to reassess wider security posture

With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect their returning office workers? Continue Reading

By

• Louise Barber, Turnkey Consulting

US government given permission to appeal UK’s decision to not extradite Julian Assange

US offers assurances that Assange could serve time in his home country of Australia if convicted Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

ICO to probe Hancock over private email use

Former health secretary faces an investigation by the UK’s data protection watchdog over his use of private email to conduct government business Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How the UK Cyber Security Council plans to professionalise security

As chair of the new UK Cyber Security Council, Claudia Natanson is in a superb position to develop professional standards in IT security and she intends to fundamentally reimagine what a security job actually is Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber insurance costs up by a third

The frequency and severity of ransomware attacks is a leading factor behind a substantial increase in the cost of obtaining cyber security insurance Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

BA reaches settlement in data breach group action

A group action against BA following its 2018 data breach has been successfully settled Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Berlin court finds EncroChat intercept evidence cannot be used in criminal trials

In a major setback for police hacking operations, Berlin’s regional court has decided that intercepted data from the EncroChat phone network should not be used in criminal prosecutions Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

The secret to building a future-proof cyber security team

In a post-pandemic digital world, where cyber criminals see a feast of opportunities, what are the secrets to building a world-class cyber security function? Continue Reading

By

• Russ Kirby

Cyber attackers up the ante on embattled IT teams

Opportunistic threat actors are pouncing on embattled IT teams that are under pressure to expand remote work arrangements Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency launches ransomware assessment tool

Newly launched service will help US organisations understand how prepared they are to deal with a ransomware attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nominations open for 2021 Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards

Nominations are now open for this year’s edition of the Unsung Heroes Awards for cyber professionals and educators Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Half of mobile phones sold in the UK at risk of security issues

Lengthy mobile phone contracts leave buyers at risk of their devices losing support for security updates Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

LinkedIn denies exposure of 700 million user records is a data breach

Data relating to 700 million users of the LinkedIn networking platform has appeared for sale, but the firm says it is the victim of data scraping, not a security breach Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK data exchanges with EU can continue after adequacy decision - but for how long?

For now European businesses can continue to send data to the UK without additional safeguards and paperwork. How long will it last? Continue Reading

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• Ben Rapp

UK Cyber Security Council launches inaugural initiatives

Security association seeks to determine terms of reference for committees to oversee standards and ethics, and qualifications and careers in the cyber sector Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

EU recognises UK data protection adequacy but warns against divergence

The European Commission has granted the UK data adequacy, allowing data sharing between the EU and the UK, but warns it may yet be revoked Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Insurers unprepared for challenges of underwriting ransomware

RUSI think tank calls for an industry-wide reset amid intense challenges for providers of cyber security insurance Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK’s FCA bans crypto exchange Binance as crackdown spreads

Ban on Binance Markets comes amid a wider global crackdown on the largely unregulated global market for cryptocurrencies and related assets. Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

HMRC-branded phishing scams surge despite protections

The number of HMRC-branded phishing scams surged 87% in the past 12 months, according to latest revealed figures Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How CIOs can help their organisations accelerate digital transformation

Companies need to win the trust of their customers to gather the data they need to transform their businesses Continue Reading

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• Dan Higgins, EY

NCSC CEO: UK-Ireland collaboration crucial to stop cyber threats

Speaking at a conference in Dublin, NCSC Lindy Cameron is highlighting the importance of continued collaboration between the UK and Ireland to protect shared interests and counter security threats Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CMA to probe Amazon and Google over fake reviews

The CMA has opened an investigation into Amazon and Google over possible breaches of consumer protection law Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Google hands third-party cookies a stay of execution

Google’s proposed Privacy Sandbox initiative – which will see third-party cookies phased out in the Chrome web browser – has been pushed back to 2023 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Revealed: Crypto platform’s role in Cl0p ransomware raid

Crypto infrastructure provider Binance provided assistance to law enforcement after finding its exchange was being used by cyber criminals to launder their ransomware profits Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Make ransomware payments illegal, say 79% of cyber pros

Report produced for MSSP Talion claims overwhelming support for the criminalisation of ransomware payments Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

City of York picks Barracuda Networks for data protection

York Council needed to refresh its backup service to bring new security protections after it went ‘all-in’ on Microsoft Office 365 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

European Union to set up new cyber response unit

Proposed Joint Cyber Unit will tackle a rising number of serious incidents impacting public services, businesses and citizens of the EU Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Openness can protect Dutch companies against ransomware

Dutch businesses that suffer ransomware attacks need to be more open about it, if this growing problem is to be brought under control Continue Reading

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• Kim Loohuis

SonicWall sees 226.3 million ransomware attack attempts this year

SonicWall detected 226.3 million attempted ransomware attacks between January and May 2021, more than double the number seen in the same period last year Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Innova and RISE drive node development in Sweden

Swedish cyber security project, National Node, opens its doors to the country’s security firms Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

European ‘chat control’ plans in the name of ‘child safety’ threaten end-to-end encryption

Proposals by European Commission to search for illegal material could mean the end of private messaging and emails Continue Reading

By

• Patrick Breyer

ICO issues guidance on facial recognition in public spaces

Information commissioner’s concern over the problematic use of facial recognition in public spaces has prompted her to publish official guidance on its deployment, while civil society calls for an outright ban Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Lorca Ignite programme targets breakout cyber talent

Six of the most successful companies to have come through Lorca’s existing accelerators are being inducted into an intensive programme Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB Act or GLBA), also known as the Financial Modernization Act of 1999, is a federal law enacted in the United States to control the ways financial institutions deal with the private information of individuals. Continue Reading

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• Garry Kranz

Biden tackles Putin on ransomware at Geneva summit

Discussions between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin on cyber crime appear to have been somewhat positive, but the path ahead remains unclear Continue Reading

Organisations cannot rely on cyber insurance to cover losses

Ransomware attacks have become a big driver of cyber insurance claims, but insurance must not be relied upon as a failsafe, says a report Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NHS Test and Trace picks Risk Ledger to secure supply chain

Risk Ledger’s technology promises ‘unparalleled’ visibility into NHS Test and Trace’s supply chain Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Privacy pro salaries rise throughout pandemic, but at a cost

Data from the IAPP’s latest salary survey reveals some insight into how the pandemic impacted the privacy profession Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The Security Interviews: How to build a government model to ‘hack for good’

Kyle Hanslovan started Huntress to give back after a career in the intelligence sector. After US authorities took action to help people hit by the Microsoft Exchange attacks, we discussed how governments can ‘hack for good’ Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

G7 commits to action on ransomware, digital privacy

The G7 urges Russia to do more to hold criminal ransomware gangs operating from within its borders to account as it commits to more action on the issue Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Europe’s proposed AI regulation falls short on protecting rights

The European Commission’s proposal for artificial intelligence regulation focuses on creating a risk-based, market-led approach replete with self-assessments, transparency procedures and technical standards, but critics warn it falls short of being able to protect people’s fundamental rights and mitigating the technology’s worst abuses Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

FBI planned a sting against An0m cryptophone users over drinks with Australian investigators

Australian Federal Police and the FBI came up with the idea over drinks: build a cryptophone network with a built-in backdoor and sell it to crime gangs around the world Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly