Regulatory compliance and standard requirements

Britain to pay billions for monster internet surveillance network

New questions raised about Britain’s snoopers’ charter after Denmark abandons its own UK-style surveillance programme for a second time Continue Reading

By

• Duncan Campbell , 2QQ Ltd, Sussex University

RSAC16: RSA’s Amit Yoran comes out in support of strong encryption

A policy of weakened encryption would harm US economic interests and undermine those trying to defend digital environments, according to RSA president Amit Yoran Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

RSAC16: US works on data access agreement with UK

The US is negotiating with the UK to establish a new framework that will permit UK authorities to access electronic communications directly from US companies Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Protecting the UK from cyber attacks

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the National Crime Agency’s top cyber cop, Sarah Goodall, about how the police are tackling IT security threats against the country through global collaborations. We ask CIOs for their tips on building an IT strategy for the digital age. And we review the big six storage suppliers’ plans for all-flash arrays. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Majority of Britons support government surveillance for national security

A survey reveals that a majority of UK citizens support government surveillance for national security as Apple attempts to rally public support in its row with the FBI over encryption Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Surviving broadband failure

In this week’s Computer Weekly, after the recent BT broadband outage, we examine the options to keep your communications in place in the event of a failure, to ensure business continuity. We look at the prospects for the OpenStack open source cloud platform in the enterprise. And we see how Ireland is making progress on delivering a digital health service. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Judge orders Apple to unlock San Bernardino gunman’s iPhone

A US judge has ordered Apple to help the FBI bypass the auto-erase function on the San Bernardino gunman's iPhone to find the passcode and access data, but the company says it will contest the order Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

EU managers need to up cyber security collaboration, study finds

There is still much work to be done in the area of collaboration and sharing responsibility when it comes to preventing data breaches, a study has found Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

US IT professionals overconfident in cyber attack detection, study finds

Most US IT professionals are confident in key security controls to detect cyber attacks – but unsure how long it would take automated tools to discover a breach Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

TechUK calls on government to take reports on spy laws seriously

Government must address the fundamental concerns raised by expert witnesses, MPs and Lords about the draft Investigatory Powers Bill, says TechUK Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Bulk data collection unnecessary for surveillance, says cyber expert

Opting for bulk data collection and other intrusive surveillance overlooks other means available that do not involve collateral damage to businesses and innocent people, says cyber expert Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

HSBC online services hit by DDoS attack

HSBC was hit by a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack, which targeted its online personal banking services. Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

ICO launches data privacy assessment tool for SMEs

The ICO has launched an online self-assessment tool to help SMEs to comply with data protection laws and improve data handling procedures Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Business urged to take action on data privacy

Security professionals use Data Protection Day to encourage businesses to do more to protect personal data Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Keep data safe or risk financial impact, ICO warns business

The knock-on effect of a data breach can be devastating for a company, warns information commissioner Christopher Graham Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Is government surveillance going too far?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as the UK prepares new laws on surveillance and data collection, we hear from security experts on the challenges of balancing privacy and security and their insider view on GHCQ and the NSA. We examine the growing threat of ransomware and how to tackle it. And we look at the implications of new EU data protection rules. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull calls for free, open and secure internet

International norms of behaviour should prohibit states from conducting cyber intellectual property theft, says Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

GMB takes concerns over British Airways IT outsourcing to MPs

Trade union fears that the expansion of IT outsourcing at BA is a risk to security and will see UK jobs disappear Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK not involved in mass surveillance, says Theresa May

Coffee shops and libraries could be the target of interception warrants, Theresa May tells MPs and peers Continue Reading

By

• Julia Gregory

Firms can monitor employees’ online chats, EU court rules

Human rights court says it is not unreasonable for employers to want to verify that staff are completing their professional tasks during working hours Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

ICO reiterates call for stronger sentences for data theft

The information commissioner (ICO) reiterates his call for stronger sentences for data theft after a court fined a woman just £1,000 for selling 28,000 customer records Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Tech firms critical of UK draft Investigatory Powers Bill

Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter and Yahoo say they are particularly concerned about six key aspects of the UK's draft Investigatory Powers Bill Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK IoT research hub opens with support from academic world

A consortium of nine UK universities have come together to work alongside the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council on research into the internet of things Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Interview: James Bamford on surveillance, Snowden and technology companies

Investigative journalist and documentary maker James Bamford was among the first to uncover the secrets of the US National Security Agency and its global surveillance Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Disaster recovery planning: Where virtualisation can help

The disaster recovery planning process is not fundamentally technology-centric, so when can virtualisation make it quicker and easier to restore services after an unplanned outage? Continue Reading

By

• Chris Evans

The US and China agree more steps to fight cyber crime

The US and China have made progress in expanding co-operation on cyber crime as China claims criminals and not state-backed hackers broke into the US Office of Personnel Management Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Workday ringfences support in Europe after Safe Harbour ruled unsafe

US cloud HR and financial services provider reponds to Safe Harbour failure by ringfencing European data Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Use legal protection to soften cyber attack impact, says Kemp Little

IT outsourcing provides an opportunity for businesses to transfer risk and recover losses from cyber attacks, says law firm Kemp Little Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber security mindset needs to change, says report

Government organisations are prime targets for cyber attacks, leading to increased importance on robust information security, according to a report by Intel Security and the Digital Government Security Forum Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Snoopers’ charter will force ISPs to raise broadband prices

The Science and Technology Select Committee hears that ISPs may be forced to put up their service charges to cover the cost of retaining communications data, should the Investigatory Powers Bill become law Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Germany is finalising legislation to shore up CNI cyber security

Germany is working to ensure digital sovereignty through IT security legislation and negotiations on IT security regulations and transatlantic trade at a European Union level Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Avoiding security issues when recycling hardware

What are the options for the environmentally and ethically responsible recycling of end-of-life hardware, without compromising data security? Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Theresa May proposes bulk data and internet tracking under the Investigatory Powers Bill

The home secretary has unveiled the draft Investigatory Powers Bill, which sets out the government's plans to collect data on UK citizens' internet use Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Lack of data classification very costly to firms, says survey

Most data retained by organisations is not identified or classified and gobbles budget spent on storage, as well as being potentially non-compliant, reveals Veritas-sponsored survey Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

The true cost of a cyber security breach in Australia

The costs of cyber security breaches can quickly add up with fines, reputational damage and overhauls to network security all hitting the coffers. The case of one Australian firm shows why paying a ransom to a hacker might be tempting. Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

Max Schrems: The man who broke Safe Harbour

Schrems has persuaded a high court judge to confirm that Edward Snowden’s evidence is acceptable in court and that the US is engaged in mass surveillance of European citizens Continue Reading

By

• Kevin Cahill

Facebook ruling not only landmark data protection case in Europe, say experts

A landmark ruling against Slovakia-based website Weltimmo could impact the Max Schrems case against Facebook and new European data protection rules currently being finalised Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

120-day patching gap puts many firms at risk of cyber attack, study shows

The probability of a vulnerability being exploited hits 90% between 40-60 days after discovery, but many firms are taking up to 60 days beyond that to patch, while others are failing to patch at all, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Department for Culture, Media and Sport takes over responsibility for data protection policy

Government transfers responsibility for data protection policy and ICO oversight from Ministry of Justice (MOJ) to Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

RSA Group flags ID theft risk to Lloyds Bank customers following datacentre storage theft

International insurance group has seen 500 customers take up offer of identity theft protection in wake of datacentre theft Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Cloudian boosts object storage HyperStore compliance features

Distributed object storage software maker Cloudian upgrades HyperStore with added granularity of data protection features that can help meet compliance requirements Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Life’s a breach: How to handle the press after a hacking attack

Emily Dent, specialist in crisis PR, offers some advice to organisations that unexpectedly find themselves in the headlines Continue Reading

By

• Emily Dent

ICO orders Google to remove links to right to be forgotten takedowns

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) says Google must remove newer links that reveal the same details as previously removed links Continue Reading

Broadband Stakeholder Group to review UK net neutrality policy

The Broadband Stakeholder Group commissions an independent review into the UK’s industry-led approach to net neutrality and the open internet Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Mobile phone users at risk as hackers bug and track victims

An investigation by Australian TV show 60 Minutes demonstrates how hackers based thousands of miles away in Germany were able to record the calls of an Australian senator and track his movements Continue Reading

By

• Ross Coulthart, 60 Minutes Australia

Technology experts warn of dangers of artificial intelligence arms race

An open letter signed by more than 12,000 technology experts calls for a ban on artificial intelligence (AI) to manage weapons “beyond meaningful human control” Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

SaaS criteria to track for business outcomes

Organisations should evolve their SaaS selection criteria to focus on newer metrics that are better indicators of supplier performance Continue Reading

By

• Liz Herbert

UK considers 10-year jail sentences for online piracy

The UK government is considering new measures to increase the sanctions for criminals who infringe the rights of copyright holders for large-scale financial gain Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Wi-Fi enhances guest experience and profitability for Belgian theme park

Bobbejaanland, one of the largest theme parks in Belgium, is using a Fortinet Wi-Fi network to offer visitors access on the go, and improve its management capabilities Continue Reading

By

• Xavier Mertens

Facebook wins first round in European privacy battle

Facebook has welcomed a Vienna court’s rejection of a 25,000-strong class action lawsuit against the social networking firm for allegedly breaching European privacy laws Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How to cull old, potentially risky data

Unused data is a potential security risk, with old spreadsheets, reports and email containing industry secrets and laced with company gossip. If it's no longer useful, it's time to delete it Continue Reading

By

• Christian Cawley

Most of more than 733,000 police communications data requests approved

Big Brother Watch is calling for a curb on the scale of police access to communications data and greater transparency in the use of this data Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

PSNGB rebrands to drive information sharing across PSN

PSNGB, the trade association set up to promote the Public Services Network, rebrands itself as Innopsis and says its work is far from over Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

EU data protection regulation will drive privacy by design, says KuppingerCole

The EU data protection regulation will drive privacy by design in companies with European clients, says KuppingerCole analyst Karsten Kinast Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Bill Binney, the ‘original’ NSA whistleblower, on Snowden, 9/11 and illegal surveillance

Always a patriot: Computer Weekly talks to Bill Binney, the senior NSA official who blew the whistle before Edward Snowden Continue Reading

By

• Fiona O'Cleirigh

Collaboration key to cyber security, says US homeland security chief

Collaboration between governments and with the private sector key to improving global cyber security Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Banks hide cyber crime losses, says City of London Police

Banks obscure the amount of money lost to cyber fraudsters – preferring to write off cyber theft as operating losses – says the City of London Police Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Security risk potential linked to young, mobile users

A study conducted by wireless supplier Aruba Networks has identified a distinct cohort of high-risk, security-agnostic workers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Can legislation stop cyber crime?

Rising cyber crime suggests criminal law does not deter criminals and that a better legal solution is required to prevent further rises Continue Reading

By

• Stewart James

NHS data security: Lessons to be learned

The NHS does not always provide a trusted repository for patient data, but some trusts are examples of good practice in action Continue Reading

By

• SA Mathieson

AWS gets EU approval for data replication outside of Europe

The European Union Data Protection Authorities has approved Amazon Web Services’ Data Processing Agreement Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Samsung targets business with Microsoft tools integration

Samsung has pre-installed Microsoft OneNote, OneDrive, and Skype on the new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, as it expands into business Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Case study: Norwegian insurer invests in Darktrace machine-learning cyber defence

Shipping insurance company DNK hopes to inspire the rest of the shipping industry to adopt Darktrace’s cyber defence system Continue Reading

By

• Jenny Stadigs

BlackBerry 10.3.1 review: Access Android apps and Blend

BlackBerry has finally released version 10.3.1 of its mobile operating system, which gives access to the Amazon Android app store Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

General election 2015: Major parties focus on tech agenda

With advancements around data protection and state surveillance of internet traffic, the UK is heading into its first tech-aware general election Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

FCC’s Tom Wheeler offers up net neutrality plan

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may rule in favour of a strong regulatory environment to preserve the open internet Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Obama calls for single US data breach notification law

The US president is calling for a single US data breach notification law as part of proposed legislation to improve data security Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Attackers bypass conventional security, says FireEye study

Hackers breach most conventional, signature-based security technologies, with 27% involving advanced threats Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IT fails to get a grip on shadow applications

IT managers are unaware how much shadow IT is used by their business, the Cloud Security Alliance has warned Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Cabinet Office begins procurement for next stage of Gov.uk Verify

The Cabinet Office has submitted a tender notice for a £150m three-year framework for the provision of identity assurance services Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Baldwin, Freelance editor and journalist

US interception in the EU faces new legal challenges

US government orders against Microsoft to hand over email data 'infringes privacy legislation' in other countries Continue Reading

By

• Fiona O’Cleirigh

Care.data faces more delays over concerns about patients

The NHS’s Care.data scheme may face more delays due to concerns over lack of publicity and clarity of the proposed programme Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CGI secures communications between pilots and air traffic control

Satellite communications firm Inmarsat has outsourced the provision of security IT and services to CGI Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Police forces use private cloud to access Holmes database

Police forces across the UK will access the Holmes major investigation system via a private cloud service Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Cloud providers rush to build European datacentres over data sovereignty

Cloud providers IBM and Google build datacentres in the EU as enterprises insist on keeping their data in Europe Continue Reading

By

• Archana Venkatraman, Datacentre Editor

UK ranks third in right to be forgotten requests to Google

The UK has made the third-highest number of requests for links to be removed from Google's search results Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Azure CTO Mark Russinovich's top ten public cloud security risks

Microsoft Azure cloud CTO Mark Russinovich identified ten key security risks of public cloud services Continue Reading

By

• Archana Venkatraman, Datacentre Editor

Malware being used to steal cash from ATMs

Criminals are using malware to steal cash from ATMs without debit and credit cards Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

European firms far from ready for new data rules, study shows

As European authorities aim to ratify revised data protection rules by 2015, many firms have a lot to do to comply Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Case study: Deutsche Post DHL develops software contract templates to reduce costs

Deutsche Post DHL has created contract templates to manage software costs. Computer Weekly speaks to the people leading the initiative Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

WikiLeaks reveals Australian police are using surveillance software

Australia's New South Wales police are using spyware that has been linked to repressive states, according to leaked documents Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Local authorities can improve data protection, says ICO audit

There is room for improvement in how local authorities protect personal data, says an audit report by the ICO Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Paddy Power hit by data breach in 2010

Gambling firm Paddy Power owns up to 2010 data breach after recovering a compromised dataset in Canada Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Hacker and UFO hunter Gary McKinnon launches SEO business

Hacker Gary McKinnon has set up a search engine optimisation business after winning a 10-year battle against extradition to the US Continue Reading

Search firms meet EU regulators over right to be forgotten

Google, Microsoft and Yahoo have met EU data protection authorities to discuss the implications of the right to be forgotten ruling Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Privacy key to UK business opportunity, says KPMG

Finding the right balance between privacy and business insight could help UK firms take the lead in innovative online services, says KPMG Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

The legal considerations of the internet of things

As with many new technologies, there are a number of tricky legal challenges to consider as part of widespread IoT adoption Continue Reading

By

• Kim Walker

Barclays passes government’s ‘internet-born threat’ test

Barclays Bank has been awarded the government’s cyber security certificate for digital banking services after independent tests of services such as Pingit Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: The dos and don’ts of a good incident response plan

What does a good information security incident response plan look like? Continue Reading

By

• Tim Holman, 2-sec

Most people keen to share biometric data for smoother travel

A study has revealed that 89% of citizens agree with the use of biometric identification to aid travel Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Wearable tech must comply with privacy laws, warns ICO

Wearable technology must comply with UK data privacy laws, warns the ICO Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Google begins complying with European takedown requests

Google has begun removing search results in response to takedown requests from European citizens Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Voice recording compliance: What it is and how to achieve it

Voice recording compliance is subject to the regulation by the FSA, PCI, and Data Protection and Freedom of Information Acts Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Vodafone blows lid on government spy networks

Vodafone reveals secret mobile phone-tapping network and joins Microsoft and Cisco in calling for debate on electronic surveillance Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Principles of compliance in the financial services industry

Compliance in financial services can appear a staggeringly complex web of laws and regulations, but some key principles apply, says Mathieu Gorge of Vigitrust Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

US judge orders Microsoft to hand over email data held in Dublin

A US Judge has ordered Microsoft to give the District Court access to the contents of one of its customer’s emails stored on a server located in Dublin Continue Reading

By

• Archana Venkatraman, Datacentre Editor

UK update to copyright law imminent

The UK is to update its 1988 copyright law for the digital age in line with a nearly three-year-old review Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Google says government data requests are up 120% since 2009

Government requests for information about Google customers, have increased by 120% since 2009 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Customer privacy an ongoing challenge, says Unilever

Unilever has set up a programme to address the continually evolving challenge of privacy issues relating to customer data Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Hacktivism: good or evil?

IT lawyer Dai Davis looks at the rise of hacktivism and its impact on business and international politics Continue Reading

By

• Dai Davis, Percy Crow Davis & Co