Security policy and user awareness

Can Lady Gaga and Madonna get people to take IT security seriously?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, after hackers threatened to release data from a US law firm’s celebrity clients, will people finally take cyber security seriously? Designing software for older users makes systems better for all – we examine how. And the IT chief at TSB explains how the bank recovered from its 2018 IT disaster. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Australia calls for stronger defences amid cyber attacks

The Australian Cyber Security Centre offers guidance for critical infrastructure operators to guard against cyber attacks which have already hit the healthcare sector Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

How effective security training goes deeper than ‘awareness’

Cyber criminals are constantly developing their techniques and strategies, so security training needs to do the same Continue Reading

By

• Adenike Cosgrove

Covid-19 will leave organisations exposed to higher cyber risks

Hacking attacks and phishing emails could become the new norm, according to research by the World Economic Forum Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Identification and access management: some possible futures

Learn about how we might be using our heartbeats, brainwaves and eye movements to unlock our mobiles in the future Continue Reading

By

• Francois Lasnier

Serco exposes contact tracers’ data in email error

Error saw almost 300 coronavirus contact tracers’ email addresses made visible to other recipients of the message Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Personal devices putting Singapore employers at risk

More than half of Singapore respondents to a CrowdStrike-commissioned survey believe their devices are only somewhat secure against advanced cyber threats Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Cancelled NCSC CyberUK event gets green light for 2021

The NCSC’s popular CyberUK event has been rescheduled to next year, and will again take place in Newport in south Wales Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

GDPR wholly inappropriate to govern contact-tracing data

Human Rights Committee Chair Harriet Harman says current data protection law is not up to the job of governing the data collected by the Covid-19 contact-tracing app Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nine million EasyJet customer details lost in data breach

Cyber attack on EasyJet’s systems originated from a highly sophisticated source, says the airline Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Blue tooth, not privacy, is the problem with NHSX

He would never enable Bluetooth on a mobile phone because of its inherent security problems. It is unclear how many of these have been fixed with the latest releases. But some are unlikely to be ... Continue Reading

By

• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

Vast majority of cyber attacks are easy to stop, says Verizon

Almost 90% of data breaches are motivated by the prospect of financial gain, but cyber criminals have clearly defined breach pathways, giving the good guys an advantage if they care to use it Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Venafi buys cloud protection service Jetstack

Jetstack specialises in open source machine identity protection software for Kubernetes and cloud native ecosystems Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

China targeting Covid-19 researchers through IT suppliers, claims US

The US CISA says it is seeing targeting and attempted network compromise of Covid-19 research centres by China Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK’s contact-tracing app targeted by scammers

Even though it is only operational on the Isle of Wight as a beta test, the UK government’s coronavirus contact-tracing app has already attracted the attention of cyber criminals Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Report reveals inadequate cyber security at Schiphol Airport

A report has revealed problems with critical security systems in Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport Continue Reading

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• Kim Loohuis

Podcast: UK SME planning and compliance for ‘the new normal’

We look at how UK SMEs face a “new normal” following the coronavirus lockdowns and how they can plan for compliance with more remote working and a new data landscape Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Security Think Tank: Burnt out CISOs are a huge cyber risk

Cyber criminals are enjoying a boom during the Covid-19 pandemic, and security teams are working overtime as a result. How can security pros manage their increased workload, safeguard their mental wellbeing, and avoid burnout? Continue Reading

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• Cavan Arrowsmith, Turnkey Consulting

Nation state APT groups prefer old, unpatched vulnerabilities

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI have published details of the most commonly exploited vulnerabilities of recent years, and there are some “classics” on the list Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Can Lady Gaga and Madonna get people to take security seriously?

What does it take to get people to pay attention to cyber security? A celebrity law firm hack may hold some answers Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Draft Covid-19 contact tracing legislation proposes formal oversight

Human Rights Committee chair Harriet Harman has outlined a proposed bill to guarantee the security and privacy of data generated by the UK’s Covid-19 contact tracing app Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

MPs take part in first live test of remote voting during Covid-19 debate

MPs will use phones and computers to vote from their homes in a House of Commons debate today in the biggest change in parliamentary procedure for 150 years Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Pay the ransom and double your recovery costs, report warns

Paying cyber criminals a ransom to recover your data adds over half a million dollars to the cost of organisational recovery, says Sophos Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Create healthy habits to avoid burnout

Cyber criminals are enjoying a boom during the Covid-19 pandemic, and security teams are working overtime as a result. How can security professionals manage their increased workload, safeguard their mental well-being and avoid burnout? Continue Reading

By

• Dan Norman

APAC firms still coming to grips with data protection

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

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

What are the security priorities for the post-coronavirus world?

The Covid-19 pandemic is forcing massive change across the business world and things may never go back to normal. What does security look like in this new world, and what will buyers be prioritising? Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

SilverTerrier cyber crime group targets Covid-19 key workers

Organisations on the front line in the fight against coronavirus are under attack from Nigeria’s SilverTerrier criminal gang Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Contact-tracing app fails to protect privacy and human rights

Reassurances over the security and human rights implications of NHSX’s approach to developing its Covid-19 contact-tracing app are insufficient, says the cross-bench Human Rights Committee Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Next round of Zoom updates targets consumer security

Casual consumer users of Zoom will get additional protections in an update to be released over the long weekend Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCSC Covid-19 scam reporting service sees more than 160,000 reports

The general public has taken to the NCSC’s scam reporting service like ducks to water, with thousands of suspicious emails reported to it in just two weeks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Criminal justice system is failing cyber crime victims

Victims of cyber crime face barriers to reporting, receiving support and achieving justice, says a Home Office-backed study Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

HMRC tackles almost 300 coronavirus phishing websites

Of 292 websites removed since lockdown began on 23 March, 237 were proactively identified by HMRC and 55 were flagged by the public Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

End-users failing to protect themselves online

Remote workers and stuck-at-home consumers are taking silly risks with their security during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Security teams are key workers and need support

Cyber criminals are enjoying a boom during the Covid-19 pandemic, and security teams are working overtime as a result. How can security pros manage their increased workload, safeguard their mental wellbeing, and avoid burnout? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Contact tracing: The privacy vs protection debate

The Covid-19 pandemic has necessitated extreme measures not seen in peacetime for over 100 years. Contact-tracing apps are being developed as a tool for managing the pandemic, but are they a step too far? Continue Reading

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• Peter Ray Allison

Coronavirus: NCSC issues urgent alert for healthcare sector

UK National Cyber Security Centre and US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency say they are seeing large-scale campaigns targeting healthcare bodies and medical research organisations Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

GoDaddy owns up to October 2019 data breach

Web hosting services provider has suffered yet another security incident, confirming that an unauthorised individual accessed hosting accounts Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Caring for the IT security caretakers

Cyber criminals are enjoying a boom during the Covid-19 pandemic, and security teams are working overtime as a result. How can security professionals manage their increased workload, safeguard their mental well-being and avoid burnout? Continue Reading

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• Paddy Francis

Four risks to data privacy and governance amid Covid-19

EY privacy experts assess some of the novel risks to data privacy, protection and governance during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic Continue Reading

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• Pragasen Morgan and Paul Smith

Security Think Tank: CISOs must adapt to fight Covid-19 burnout

Cyber criminals are enjoying a boom during the Covid-19 pandemic, and security teams are working overtime as a result. How can security pros manage their increased workload, safeguard their mental wellbeing, and avoid burnout? Continue Reading

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• Jason Yakencheck, Isaca

IT Priorities 2020: Compliance and risk are top security concerns

When it comes to security, buyers are prioritising solutions and services that address compliance issues, risk management and data protection, according to the Computer Weekly/TechTarget IT Priorities 2020 study Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCSC tackles unconscious bias in security terminology

The terms whitelisting and blacklisting are out at the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Why you should think before you Zoom

Feel free to use Zoom during the coronavirus lockdown, but think before you discuss anything confidential Continue Reading

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• Dai Davis, Percy Crow Davis & Co

Security Think Tank: How to manage security team well-being

Cyber criminals are enjoying a boom during the Covid-19 pandemic, and security teams are working overtime as a result. How can security professionals manage their increased workload, safeguard their mental well-being and avoid burnout? Continue Reading

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• Chris Goslin, Daniel Edwards, Caroline von Koenig

Cyber security skills courses go online during pandemic

The government is turning to online learning to find the next generation of cyber security talent Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Critical SaltStack vulnerability affects thousands of datacentres

Critical vulnerabilities in the Salt remote task and configuration framework enable hackers to take control of cloud servers and must be patched right away Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Mobile banking customers at risk from new EventBot trojan

Customers of Barclays, HSBC, Santander and many other banks should be alert to a dangerous new trojan Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Covid-19 is driving need for zero trust security

This is a guest post by Michael Warnock, Australian head of growth for SecureAuth Cyber attackers are turning their attention to identity, raising the security stakes for Australian companies ... Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

IMDA to issue 5G spectrum to Singtel and StarHub-M1 venture

Singapore’s telco regulator will award 5G spectrum to major operators whose proposals have exceeded its requirements in some cases Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Coronavirus: Call for extension to European payment security standard deadline

Payment processors across Europe want more time to meet the SCA payment security standard Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Under the spotlight, video apps rush to strengthen security

Most popular videoconferencing applications now meet Mozilla’s minimum security standards, with fierce competition and public pressure driving rapid improvement Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Almost half of security pros being redeployed during pandemic

Close to half of cyber security professionals say they have been taken off some or all of their security duties to focus attention elsewhere during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Black Rose Lucy ransomware now posing as FBI porn warning

A new strain of Russian-developed ransomware impersonates US federal law enforcement to force payment, says Check Point Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

When IT met Covid: The World Changed

This the first plague where predictions of its likely local impact reached rulers/politicians/journalists before their subjects/voters/readers starting falling ill and/or dying in large numbers ... ... Continue Reading

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• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

Microsoft patches .gif file vulnerability in Teams

Vulnerability could have enabled cyber criminals to use a malicious .gif file to scrape user data and take over Teams accounts Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The Security Interviews: Can AV go from dodgy scareware to cyber hero?

Alun Baker, CEO of Clario, is on a mission to rehabilitate the image of consumer security products and take the fear out of selling antivirus. We find out how things are changing Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

iOS zero-day leaves iPhone users dangerously exposed

Researchers identify dangerous vulnerabilities in Apple’s iOS operating system that allow remote code execution on target devices Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Zoom to roll out fresh cyber security updates

New features include support for advanced AES 256-bit encryption Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

A carrot-and-stick approach to fixing cyber security complacency

With a majority of IT decision-makers holding the opinion that their employers are complacent when it comes to data protection, we look at what needs to be fixed, and how to fix it Continue Reading

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• Matthew Staff

NCSC overwhelmed by response to coronavirus campaign

The UK’s NCSC has taken down more than 80 malicious web campaigns and received 5,000 reports of suspicious emails within 24 hours of launching reporting service Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: Banking and mobile sectors collaborate to stop text scams

Initiative aims to protect 50 genuine brands and government organisations from being impersonated by cyber criminals Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: Cyber criminals may be changing tactics

Cyber criminals “may soon shift to heavier exploitation of footholds established through phishing and other scams”, warns Cyber Threat Coalition Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: HMRC job retention scheme targeted by cyber criminals

The UK government’s scheme to pay furloughed employees 80% of their wages is being targeted by cyber criminals Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

When data protection is not enough

Organisations should take a holistic approach to data protection and cyber security in what the CEO of Acronis deems a “cyber protection” strategy Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

NCSC launches coronavirus cyber security campaign

The National Cyber Security Centre has launched a reporting service for scam emails as part of a campaign to help people protect themselves from cyber criminals exploiting the pandemic Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Zoom and WebEx users targeted by credential stealing attempts

Videoconferencing apps such as Zoom and Cisco’s WebEx are being targeted by cyber criminals trying to steal users’ personal data Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dutch organisations address business email compromise fraud

Public-private partnership in the Netherlands works to break the chains used by fraudsters to carry out BEC attacks Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Australian workers are weakest link in fight against cyber attacks

About four in 10 employees are sharing inappropriate data across mobile devices and half of all security incidents in 2019 occurred through inappropriate IT use, new study finds Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Coronavirus: How Nominet fights back against malicious domains

Domain name registry has thwarted hundreds of attempts to register malicious .uk domain names during the coronavirus pandemic Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: Security certification body puts exams online

Candidates for certification by the International Association of Privacy Professionals will now be able to sit their exams remotely Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Check Point sounds alarm over double extortion ransomware threat

Researchers say double extortion ransomware attacks are likely to increase in frequency, and warn organisations to be on guard Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: ICO temporarily relaxes regulatory approach

The Information Commissioner’s Office sets out a revised approach to its regulatory duties during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: Standard Chartered bans employees from Zoom

Standard Chartered is the first bank to have instructed its staff to refrain from using Zoom Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Do IT service providers need MSP cybersecurity insurance?

Today's fraught threat landscape puts MSPs and customers at risk. Purchasing liability insurance reassures subscribers while protecting providers in case of a malware incident. Continue Reading

By

• Esther Shein

Coronavirus: Researcher finds security vulnerability in Slack

Some common assumptions about the security of cloud-based messaging platform Slack may not be entirely accurate, says an Alien Labs researcher Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft patches 19 critical bugs in another heavy Patch Tuesday

The volume of vulnerabilities being uncovered by Microsoft remains high, with more than 100 fixes pushed out in April’s Patch Tuesday Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

A legal perspective on data breaches and home working

Legal experts from Fieldfisher share guidance on how to deal with cyber attacks during the coronavirus crisis, and what the ICO expects in terms of notification Continue Reading

By

• Sabba Mirza and Michael Brown

Apple and Netflix most imitated brands in phishing attacks

A new report highlights the brands which are being most frequently spoofed by cyber criminals in phishing attacks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: Zoom user credentials for sale on dark web

IntSight researchers say they have found a database containing thousands of Zoom usernames and passwords being sold on the dark web Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: Warning over surge in Zoom security incidents

Check Point researchers have observed a surge in suspicious Zoom domains as cyber criminals target popular remote working and collaboration tools Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: Zoom restricted or banned at multiple organisations

Use of videoconferencing tool has been banned at Google and in parts of the German and US governments Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Revealed: Estonia targeted by Russia-linked disinformation deluge

Kremlin-linked threat actors are undermining the government of Estonia and its relationship with the European Union through a concerted disinformation campaign, with wider ramifications Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Despite coronavirus, overall cyber crime volumes hold steady

The UK’s NCSC and the US’s CISA see little change in overall volumes of cyber crime in spite of the coronavirus crisis – for the time being Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: McAfee unearths dark web blood bank

Cyber criminals are selling fake goods and running scams on online marketplaces during the Covid-19 pandemic. Don’t be taken in Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus threats ramp up as more hospitals come under attack

The Covid-19 Cyber Threat Coalition finds the majority of security pros have been targeted by cyber criminals exploiting the coronavirus pandemic, and adds to warnings of increased activity targeting the health sector Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Judge refuses to delay Assange's extradition hearing over coronavirus pandemic

District Judge Vanessa Baraitser says extradition proceedings will go ahead against Julian Assange, after his lawyers argued that the coronavirus lockdown means they cannot prepare their defence Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Happy developers write secure code, report claims

DevOps specialist Sonatype claims to have found a direct correlation between satisfied developers and application security hygiene Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: Criminals using Zoom installer to spread cryptominer

Videoconferencing application targeted to deliver cryptomining malware to unsuspecting victims Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Combatting Covid Fraud: both doorstep and on-line: clarifying the sources of guidance

The UK is apparently the number one target for covid-related on-line fraud but doorstep fraudsters are targeting those who do not go on-line with “testing” and “decontamination” services. Continue Reading

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• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

Two-factor authentication is broken: What comes next?

Two-factor authentication is seen by many as a robust authentication method, but is it really as impervious as it seems? Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Zero-day exploits increasingly commodified, say researchers

The exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities increasingly demonstrates access to cash, rather than skills Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Why and how cyber criminals exploit world events

In our globalised world, high-profile events such as Covid-19 have huge business impacts, some of which may be felt by CISOs. What responsibilities do security professionals have in such circumstances? Continue Reading

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• Paddy Francis

Google data shows high interest in security and remote working

An analysis of the most Googled technology terms during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the scale of the cyber security challenge presented by the crisis Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

100,000 Community and Cyber Police volunteers to help handle the Covid aftermath

The proportion of special constables to full time police has fallen over the past 20 years from 16% in 1996 to 9% in 2019. The trend is distorted by the Metropolitan Police where the proportion ... Continue Reading

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• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

Security Think Tank: Continuity planning doesn’t have to be complex

In our globalised world, high-profile events such as Covid-19 have huge business impacts, some of which may be felt by CISOs. What responsibilities do security professionals have in such circumstances? Continue Reading

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• Andrew Morris, Turnkey Consulting

Morrisons appeal success is cold comfort for enterprises

The success of Morrisons’ appeal against judgments that it should be held vicariously liable for an insider data breach will be welcomed by businesses, but may be of limited comfort to them Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: Is Zoom safe and should security teams ban it?

Zoom’s rapid rise to prominence has highlighted a score of security problems with the service. Should CISOs try to steer their organisations away from it, or ban it outright? Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Podcast: Covid-19, compliance risk, remote assessment and training

We talk to Mathieu Gorge, CEO of Vigitrust, about why organisations cannot drop their guard on compliance during the increased risks faced as a result of the coronavirus crisis Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

What we can learn from Marriott’s new data breach embarrassment

Marriott International has egg on its face once again following a second data breach in as many years, but there are encouraging signs in its response that suggest it is at least trying to learn from its experiences Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Morrisons not liable for 2014 data breach, says Supreme Court

Court allows supermarket chain’s appeal against judgments holding it liable for a 2014 insider data breach, saying previous rulings misunderstood the concept of vicarious liability Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor