Regulatory compliance and standard requirements

2.3 billion business and consumer data files exposed online

In the year since the GDPR compliance deadline, the number of data files exposed online without adequate protection is up more than 50% due to misconfigured security controls, report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

ICO to shortlist Sandbox applicants

Privacy watchdog’s Sandbox service aims to help develop innovative and beneficial products and services that are privacy compliant Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Many search engine users unaware of personal data collection

Many users of online search engines are still unaware that data is being collected about them for personalised advertising, a study has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Australian firms coming to grips with AI ethics

Australian businesses are warming up to AI, but just two in five have standards and guidelines for AI ethics, a study finds Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Just over half of UK firms don’t have a cyber resilience plan

Many UK firms still lack cyber resilience and data protection capabilities covering email a year after the implementation of the GDPR aimed at improving personal data protection Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

GDPR: Are we there yet?

A full year since the General Data Protection Regulation was implemented, there has not been the severe punitive action expected by many and personal data breaches continue to happen, leaving many wondering if any progress has been made Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Effect of GDPR yet to be felt, says law firm Hogan Lovells

Despite the fact that the GDPR has been in full effect for a year, the true effect of the regulation is yet to be felt and organisations should ensure they keep their eye on the ball, says leading privacy law firm Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

No real change a year into GDPR, says privacy expert

A year after the GDPR compliance deadline, many organisations still have a lot of work to do to make real changes and shift focus away from fines to business value and gain, says PwC’s GDPR and data protection lead Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

SurveyMonkey opens Dublin datacentre region to court data-security conscious enterprises in Europe

Online survey software provider SurveyMonkey is on a Europe-wide enterprise charm offensive, and is focusing on winning over CIOs with the offer to locally host their data within its European datacentre region Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Arm China seeks solutions to US export controls with Huawei

Chip design firm in communication with Huawei-owned semiconductor firm HiSilicon following US move to halt exports of US technology to Chinese tech giant Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

IBM’s investment in automation pays off in GDPR’s first year

The first year of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation has demonstrated the value of IBM’s investment in machine learning-based automation and the importance of having the right strategy and systems in place, according to the firm’s data protection officer Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

TalkTalk admits new failings in 2015 data breach notification

TalkTalk’s failure to notify all those affected by its 2015 data breach highlights the importance of data visibility so that breach notifications are fast and accurate – a key requirement of the GDPR Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Singapore proposes data portability provisions

The Personal Data Protection Commission is seeking public feedback on proposed provisions that will let consumers move their personal data across organisations Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

GDPR an opportunity to improve data systems and processes

A year after the official implementation of the GDPR, it is important to highlight the positive opportunities that compliance provides and the insights breach reports are providing, say Deloitte consultants Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

ICO to support GDPR certification schemes

The UK data protection watchdog is accepting enquiries from organisations considering developing GDPR certification schemes, which the ICO says could help recipients achieve competitive advantage Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Facebook engaged in ‘calculated’ campaign to eliminate competition, claims businessman

A US businessman is seeking damages from Facebook after accusing the social media company of unfairly blocking “humorous” Facebook pages which generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising revenue Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin and Sebastian Klovig Skelton

Microsoft working to support decentralised identity

Microsoft is among the big tech players aiming to help enable personalisation of products and services without putting privacy at risk Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Electronic ID in the Nordics – a model for other countries?

Use of electronic identity schemes in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark is far ahead of other countries – but why? Continue Reading

By

• Alex Cruickshank

Facebook co-founder: ‘It is time to break up Facebook’

Co-founder of Facebook, Chris Hughes, has published an op-ed in The New York Times calling for Facebook to be broken up, as it faces investigations from the US Federal Trade Commission Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor
• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

HMRC begins deleting unlawful voice biometric data

HM Revenue and Customs is to forge ahead with Voice ID despite beginning to delete the largest state-held voice biometric database gathered without consent after UK privacy and data protection watchdog issues order Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Zero trust: A 21st century security model

Traditional corporate security models date back to a time when there were fewer, lower-level threats, but a zero trust model is better suited to the 21st century, according to the originator of the idea Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Protecting your digital assets: Why it pays to invest in cyber insurance

Cyber insurance offers financial protection against the worst happening to a company’s data and digital assets, and is something few businesses can afford to be without Continue Reading

By

• Stuart Burns

Privacy and data protection an opportunity, says entrepreneur

Organisations should see data protection and privacy compliance as an opportunity to build trust with customers, according to startup One.Thing.Less Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

GDPR cases drive bigger budgets for Nordic regulators

High-profile General Data Protection Regulation cases in Finland and Sweden have increased the workload for regulators, which are to receive an increase in funding Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

NCSC and ICO pledge to support data breach victims

The UK’s cyber security agency and privacy watchdog have agreed to work together to improve support for data breach victims and enhance cyber guidance Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

European Union to create central biometrics database

New rules will see the introduction of a repository of personal data from hundreds of millions of citizens to support law enforcement across member states Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Politics, privacy and porn: the challenges of age-verification technology

The age-verification requirements of the Digital Economy Act are to come into force in July this year, but registering people’s personal details for accessing age-restricted content carries significant risks and challenges Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Morrisons to launch fresh appeal against breach liability ruling

Supermarket chain Morrisons is to launch a second appeal against a High Court ruling that found it liable for a data leak by a former employee Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Cyber attack survival not a matter of luck

How should businesses plan to survive a potential cyber attack extinction event? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

Bounty UK fined £400,000 for sharing personal data unlawfully

UK pregnancy and parenting club fined for “unprecedented” level of unauthorised sharing of personal data by operating as a data broking service Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Most organisations still lack incident response plans

Most companies lack incident response plans, others fail to test them and nearly half are not GDPR compliant, but some report improved security through automation, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK councils team up to boost cyber security

Three UK councils and data analysis firm Splunk have teamed up to improve cyber defence capabilities and maintain their security systems Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

GDPR at a critical stage, says information commissioner

The ICO is calling on data protection officials to help kick off the next phase of the GDPR by embedding sound data governance at its annual conference, where another DPO was recognised for excellence Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How APAC firms can tame the data beast

Companies and data management experts across Asia-Pacific reveal how they are tackling data management challenges that have been compounded by growing cloud usage and compliance requirements Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

London council fined by the ICO for disclosing personal information held on Met Police Gangs Matrix

The London Borough of Newham has been fined for disclosing the sensitive personal information of more than 200 individuals that police held information on Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

European firms see value in ‘known good’ approach to security

European data protection regulations are driving enterprise interest in an approach to security being championed by virtualisation software maker VMware, says the company’s security lead Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Third-party Facebook apps expose 540 million users’ details

Researchers have discovered another trove of Facebook users’ details, showing there is still no control over data shared with third parties, potentially exposing Facebook to more regulatory and legal action Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government urges businesses and charities to up cyber security

The UK government is urging businesses and charities to take action to prevent cyber attacks as the costs go up, despite an overall reduction in breaches, partly driven by new data protection laws Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Black Hat Asia 2019: Get ready for the cyber arms race

The arms race is now squarely in the cyber realm as defence teams and threat actors arm themselves with AI tools Continue Reading

By

• Ai Lei Tao

Zuckerberg calls for new internet regulation

Facebook chief calls for new internet regulation in four key areas to define clear responsibilities for people, companies and governments, including more GDPR-aligned data protection rules Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Mind the Brexit gap in cyber security

Leaving the EU could mean a new cyber security regime for the UK – firms need to understand how the changes might affect them Continue Reading

By

• Elliot Rose

Singapore government to review data security in public sector

A high-level committee comprising ministers and private sector security experts will review data security practices and recommend measures to better protect citizens’ data Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

ICO kicks off sandbox beta to support innovation

The UK’s privacy watchdog has launched the first phase of an initiative aimed at enhancing data protection while supporting business innovation Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Mind the overlap between GDPR and ePD, warns privacy lawyer

Organisations need to be aware of the overlaps between European data protection and privacy rules, and which takes precedence, a privacy lawyer warns Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Mike Lynch heads to High Court to defend against HP allegations

The UK’s biggest fraud case commences, with the former CEO of Autonomy, Mike Lynch, attempting to clear his name Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Small businesses hit hardest by cyber crime costs

Small businesses felt the biggest impact of the UK’s cyber crime bill in 2018, research shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Facebook security policy and practices unfit, say infosec pros

Confidence in Facebook’s ability to keep users’ data safe has once again been shaken by revelations of poor password protection practices, prompting calls for a security review Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK police should not deploy live facial recognition technology until issues are resolved, MPs told

The Science and Technology Committee has heard from the information and biometrics commissioners about the flawed use of live facial recognition technology by UK police Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Brexit complicating already complex data protection

GDPR impact is yet to be felt and data protection is set to become increasingly complex, with Brexit adding even more complexity that could be overwhelming, warns head of international privacy association Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

National Cyber Security Programme at risk of missing targets

The National Audit Office has sharply criticised the Cabinet Office over failings in how it set up the National Cyber Security Programme that mean it may struggle to meet its goals Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Met Police collaborated with US prosecutors in WikiLeaks investigation

The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it exchanged information on WikiLeaks staff in the UK with the US Department of Justice, which is conducting criminal investigations into the organisation Continue Reading

By

• BIll Goodwin & Niels Ladefoged

ICO pledges to support innovation

UK data privacy watchdog is increasingly gearing up to support innovation to ensure developers of tech and digital services do not lose society’s trust Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Is it true you can't manage what you don't measure?

What should be the key cyber security risk indicator for any business? Continue Reading

By

• Vladimir Jirasek, Foresight Cyber

ICO data raises doubts over UK firms’ ability to manage breaches

Most ICO data breach reports late and incomplete prior to full GDPR implementation, FoI request data reveals, raising doubts about breach prevention, detection and response capabilities Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CW Europe: Robots deliver savings for Dutch postal service

In this issue we look at how Dutch delivery company PostNL is reaping huge efficiency savings by using robotic technology to automate time-consuming administrative tasks, Facebook’s opposition to the referral of questions about the legality of data transfers between Europe and the US to the European Court of Justice, and how Oslo is thriving from a unique combination of business agility, a cultural receptiveness to technology, and a social desire to do good. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

ICO head still in top three of DataIQ data leader list

The UK’s information commissioner remains in the top three data leaders after claiming top spot in 2018 in the DataIQ 100 list of most influential data leaders, but GDPR is not the only focus in the industry Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Zuckerberg commits to Facebook becoming privacy-focused

After a storm of controversy and criticism over the way Facebook fails to protect users’ privacy, the company’s chief says he plans to transform it into a privacy-focused platform Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Singapore can now certify security products based on Common Criteria

The city-state is has attained the status of a Certificate Authorising Nation, enabling it to evaluate and certify security products under the Common Criteria standard Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Cyber awareness of UK boards found wanting

Boards of many of the UK’s biggest firms must do more to be cyber aware, according to a government report. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Facebook asked George Osborne to influence EU data protection law

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg invited one of the chancellor’s children to Facebook’s office as part of a intensive lobbying programme to influence European data protection legislation Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Duncan Campbell & Sebastian Klovig Skelton

Facebook facing 10 GDPR investigations in Ireland

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has revealed it has 10 active probes into Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, as well as Apple, LinkedIn and Twitter, on its books Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

GDPR: Irish Data Protection Commission may show where the WWW is heading

The Irish Data Protection Commission's (DPC) annual report makes interesting reading, given that the World Wide Web is celebrating its 30th birthday this month. People regularly give away vast ... Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Most UK consumers say Facebook should be regulated

Nearly three-quarters of UK consumers feel the social platform is damaging people’s mental health, survey shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Wearable technology in the workplace and data protection law

Wearable technology is slowly creeping into the workplace to monitor staff performance and health, but do employers understand the legal implications? We assess the data protection implications Continue Reading

By

• Charlotte Allery, Coffin Mew

EU gathers momentum in cyber security legislation and cooperation

The past two years have seen a step-change in the rate at which the European Union is putting legislation in place to support improved cyber security standards, collaboration and sharing of resources, says digital commissioner’s representative Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Android now Fido2 certified

Mobile operating system’s certification accelerates global migration beyond passwords, says Fido Alliance, which seeks to eliminate the world’s dependence on password-based security Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Facebook planned to spy on Android phone users, internal emails reveal

Facebook planned to use its Android app to track the location of its customers and to allow advertisers to send political advertising and invites to dating sites to ‘single’ people, confidential documents show Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

UK committed to working with EU cyber security partners

NCSC CEO uses cyber security conference in Brussels to set out his agency’s position on Brexit, 5G security, Huawei, market incentives and international cooperation on active cyber defence Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IT Priorities 2019: Cyber security and risk management among top priorities for 2019

This year’s Computer Weekly/TechTarget IT Priorities research shows that cyber security and risk management are among the top investment priorities Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Finding security in the cloud

When choosing a cloud security provider, enterprises will need to consider the level of data privacy and data security risk involved Continue Reading

By

• Krishna Balakrishnan

Australian government warns of blockchain gaps

Digital Transformation Agency dispels some myths around blockchain, calling for government agencies to be cautious about using the technology Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Dutch developer offers businesses nuclear security option for communications

Startup that created the secure platform for communication between world leaders at the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit in the Netherlands seeks to revolutionise business mail Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

APAC healthcare providers losing $23m to cyber attacks

Healthcare organisations in the Asia-Pacific region could lose an average of $23.3m to cyber attacks, including losses from productivity and customer churn, a study finds Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

A guide to choosing cloud-based security services

Cloud-based security services can help organisations with a growing cloud footprint to reduce cost and address the manpower crunch in cyber security Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Security Think Tank: Approach UTM with caution

How can organisations best use unified threat management tools to help stem the tide of data breaches? Continue Reading

By

• Simon McCalla, Nominet

Data breaches in Australia show no sign of abating

Australia’s privacy watchdog recorded over 800 cases of data breaches, nearly one year into the country’s mandatory data breach notification regime Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

Civil liberties groups to challenge bulk surveillance and intelligence sharing in Strasbourg

Coalition of campaigning groups wins the right to challenge the UK’s use of bulk surveillance powers, which allows suspicionless surveillance of the population and sharing of intercepted data with overseas intelligence agencies, in European Court of Human Rights Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Security Think Tank: Many routes to UTM to boost security capabilities

How can organisations best use unified threat management tools to help stem the tide of data breaches? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Innocent people arrested following surveillance blunders, IPCO reveals

Interception of communications commissioner Adrian Fulford warns of “grave” repercussions for people wrongly identified as suspects due to errors made when government bodies access email, phone and telephone data Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

ICO to audit Leave.EU and Eldon Insurance

UK privacy watchdog will audit the data protection practices at Leave.EU and Eldon Insurance and has confirmed fines for both companies for unlawful marketing messages Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Airbus investigates personnel data breach

Intruders were detected in the information systems of manufacturer’s commercial aircraft business, highlighting the need for a new approach to data protection Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Facebook profit up despite privacy failings

Social media giant reports profit gains for the last quarter and the past year, despite a string of privacy blunders that came to light in 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Unconfigured IoT is a security risk, warns researcher

Internet of things researcher says unconfigured internet-connected devices are a largely unrecognised cyber security risk to businesses and consumers, and welcomes the increased likelihood of UK IoT legislation Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

No-deal Brexit would undermine digital economy, BCS warns

Skills, funding and the free flow of data are all at risk, says the chartered institute for IT Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Data protection practices still poor, survey shows

Despite concerns over privacy and data protection and a greater understanding of best security practices, individuals and businesses are still falling short, a survey reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Minister urges UK firms to prepare for no-deal Brexit

On International Data Protection Day, the UK’s digital minister has added her voice to calls by the data protection watchdog for UK firms to prepare for a no-deal Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Brexit and data protection: What’s next?

PA Consulting assesses how a no-deal Brexit would affect the flow of data from the UK into and out of Europe Continue Reading

By

• Annelie van Milink

ICO adds to guidance on ‘no-deal’ Brexit

The UK’s privacy watchdog has been advising UK firms to prepare for a no-deal Brexit and has added some guidance for SMEs Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Former EU data protection tsar joins ICO

Former EU data protection supervisor joins the UK’s privacy watchdog as non-executive director, strengthening its commitment to international work Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

A cloud compliance checklist for the GDPR age

The cloud is supposed to make things simpler, but when it comes to compliance, things can get complex. Here is a look at the essential elements of a cloud compliance strategy Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

Poor practices expose 24 million financial records

Failure to maintain appropriate security controls has again led to the exposure of millions of sensitive data records, this time from the banking world Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IoT application vulnerabilities leave devices open to attack

Barracuda Networks calls for internet of things devices to be subject to regular security review after researchers detail the application vulnerabilities of an internet-connected security camera Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How to prepare for the UK’s uncertain Brexit terms

Analyst firm Gartner looks at the main business continuity plans that need to be in place Continue Reading

By

• Peter Aykens

Thales eSecurity spins out nCipher

After just over a decade, Thales eSecurity has announced that it has spun out HSM specialist nCipher, the UK-based encryption firm it acquired for $100m in 2008 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Business failing to see strategic value of cyber security

UK businesses are failing to get value out of cyber security because they fail to see its strategic importance and often have a negative attitude towards security professionals, a study has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

AWS now accredited to run protected workloads in Australia

Accreditation from the Australian Cyber Security Centre will enable organisations to store and process sensitive data in the Amazon Web Services Sydney region Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Facebook’s objections to court concerns over privacy more about ‘optics’ than facts

Facebook’s challenge to a High Court ruling that raises serious concerns about data transfers between Europe and the US is more about appearance than facts, lawyers for the Irish Data Protection Commission told Dublin's Supreme Court Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Time to deploy strong authentication, says Fido

The time has come for organisations to deploy cryptographically backed strong authentication, according to the Fido Alliance, which seeks to eliminate the world’s dependence on password-based security Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

€50m GDPR fine for Google is a wake-up call for tech giants

The French data protection authority has fined Google €50m for contravening EU data protection laws, which has been hailed as a warning for tech giants and other data handling firms Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Podcast: How to get ready for the California Consumer Privacy Act

If you have any customers in California, you need to know about that state’s equivalent to GDPR. Mathieu Gorge of Vigitrust talks through what you need to achieve compliance Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor