News

Hackers and cybercrime prevention

• September 13, 2017 13 Sep'17

  CBI calls for transitional deal with EU on data

  The CBI is warning of the risks to UK businesses of no deal with the European Union on data exchange when Brexit arrives

• September 12, 2017 12 Sep'17

  Government wants to remain in EU cyber security club after Brexit

  The UK government wants to maintain deep links with the European Union’s cyber security working groups following Britain’s exit from the bloc in 2019

• September 08, 2017 08 Sep'17

  Millions of customer records compromised in Equifax breach

  Major security breach unfolded over a two-month period, and is thought to have affected 143 million customers in the US, as well as an undisclosed number of Britons and Canadians

• September 05, 2017 05 Sep'17

  UK universities increasingly targeted by cyber criminals

  Cyber attacks are turning their attention to UK universities, with research being the main prize

• September 05, 2017 05 Sep'17

  People with non-IT backgrounds could help fill cyber security skills gap

  Organisations should look to fill cyber security roles with people who are curious and have work experience rather than focusing solely on graduates

• September 01, 2017 01 Sep'17

  Almost all UK law firms vulnerable to email fraud, study shows

  Robust defence of law firms’ email systems is critical to the £26bn industry in the face of increased impersonation attacks aimed at stealing money and data, claims security firm OnDmarc

• September 01, 2017 01 Sep'17

  Content delivery innovation improves user experience for e-tailer

  WorldStores Group, the owner of a number of online home and lifestyle retail brands, has transformed its customer experience with enhanced content delivery capabilities from Instart Logic

• September 01, 2017 01 Sep'17

  Business warned of massive ransomware campaign

  Security researchers are urging businesses to prepare for ransomware attacks after the discovery of a massive attack campaign

• August 31, 2017 31 Aug'17

  Instagram fixes API blamed for celebrity data leaks

  Instagram says it has fixed the API responsible for enabling hackers to access some personal details of high-profile users of the service

• August 31, 2017 31 Aug'17

  Suspected UK bank cyber attacker extradited from Germany

  A British man suspected of cyber attacks on banks is back in the UK to face charges

• August 31, 2017 31 Aug'17

  PCI DSS compliance reduces likelihood of data breaches

  A Verizon report shows a link between compliance with the payment card industry security standard and an organisation’s ability to defend against cyber attacks, but nearly half are failing to maintain compliance

• August 30, 2017 30 Aug'17

  Researcher finds over 711 million compromised email accounts

  A security researcher has discovered a spambot using more than 711 million compromised email accounts to spread data-stealing malware

• August 29, 2017 29 Aug'17

  NHS Lanarkshire recovers from ransomware attack

  The Scottish health board was hit by a cyber attack over the weekend, affecting several IT systems and leading to cancelled operations and appointments

• August 29, 2017 29 Aug'17

  Google removes Play Store apps used in WireX DDoS botnet

  Google has axed around 300 Play Store apps after security researchers revealed the apps were hijacking Android devices to carry out DDoS attacks

• August 29, 2017 29 Aug'17

  UK critical infrastructure skipping security checks

  Almost two-fifths of the UK’s national infrastructure providers have not completed basic cyber security steps recommended by the UK government, an FOI response shows

• August 25, 2017 25 Aug'17

  Business confidence in managing digital threats low, survey shows

  Business digital transformation and cyber threats have outpaced enterprise security capacity, a survey has revealed

• August 25, 2017 25 Aug'17

  Security professionals name top causes of breaches

  Security professionals have named the top reasons for successful cyber attacks, which are affecting more than half of organisations

• August 25, 2017 25 Aug'17

  US arrests Chinese national for using malware linked to OPM hack

  US authorities have arrested a Chinese national for allegedly using malware linked to a breach of millions of records at the US federal personnel agency

• August 24, 2017 24 Aug'17

  Future of dark web markets not yet in question, says analyst

  AlphaBay and Hansa shutdowns are unlikely to jeopardise the future of dark web markets, according to a security analyst

• August 24, 2017 24 Aug'17

  Flashpoint warns of under-the-radar phishing campaigns

  Simple but hard-to-detect phishing campaigns are targeting all industry sectors as a key enabler of business email compromise attacks, security analysts warn

• August 24, 2017 24 Aug'17

  Mac malware continuing to escalate, warn security researchers

  Malware targeting the Mac operating system has seen a significant growth in the first half of this hear, according to security firm Malwarebytes

• August 24, 2017 24 Aug'17

  Policing revamp needed to tackle rise of digital crime, says Reform report

  Think tank calls for £450m increase in police digital budget and giving bosses the ability to fire officers without digital skills

• August 23, 2017 23 Aug'17

  UK business urged to do more as ID fraud continues to rise

  Identity fraud continued to increase at a record rate in the first half of 2017, reaching epidemic levels, a fraud data report has revealed

• August 23, 2017 23 Aug'17

  Russian hackers expose allegedly doping footballers

  Russian hacking group Fancy Bear has exposed 150 footballers worldwide for allegedly taking banned substances, underlining the importance of protecting personal data

• August 22, 2017 22 Aug'17

  Mimecast calls for action to counter game-changing email exploit

  Email security firm warns of a newly-discovered email exploit that could be a game-changer if used by attackers

• August 22, 2017 22 Aug'17

  Industrial robots a security risk, warns IOActive

  Some of the most popular industrial and domestic robot brands have various vulnerabilities that could by exploited by cyber attackers, a research paper warns

• August 22, 2017 22 Aug'17

  Cyber criminals hack Enigma to steal $500,000 in Ethereum

  Hackers have reportedly used stolen contact details to trick investors into sending funds to a fake trading platform digital wallet, but some allege poor password security is to blame

• August 21, 2017 21 Aug'17

  Calls for UK boards to be better educated on cyber threats

  While there is increased focus on cyber security education for young people in the UK, the latest government reports have prompted calls for better education at board level

• August 21, 2017 21 Aug'17

  NotPetya highlights cyber risk in shipping industry

  Malware attack has shown that the shipping industry is vulnerable to cyber attacks, with Danish shipping giant Maersk reporting potential cost of up to $300m

• August 21, 2017 21 Aug'17

  GCHQ knew WannaCry hero risked arrests by travelling to the US

  UK intelligence officials were reportedly aware that security researcher Marcus Hutchins risked arrest by travelling to the US to attend a series of cyber security conferences

• August 21, 2017 21 Aug'17

  AI leaders call for a stop on development of autonomous weapons

  Business leaders and artificial intelligence experts sign an open letter to governments warning of the risks of an AI arms race in autonomous weapons

• August 19, 2017 19 Aug'17

  Top UK directors lack training to deal with cyber attacks

  The UK’s top firms and charities urgently need to do more to protect themselves from online threats, according to a government-backed audit

• August 18, 2017 18 Aug'17

  Researchers find potentially lethal car hack with no quick fix

  Security researchers have discovered a supplier-neutral and stealthy smart car hack that can drastically affect the performance and function of the vehicle

• August 17, 2017 17 Aug'17

  School leavers urged to look at cyber security apprenticeships

  Cyber security apprenticeships are a good alternative to ‘clearing’ and debts, according to security certification body, Crest

• August 17, 2017 17 Aug'17

  UK rail passengers don’t trust on-board Wi-Fi

  YouGov survey commissioned by Cobham Wireless finds UK commuters are increasingly frustrated with connectivity standards on the rail network

• August 17, 2017 17 Aug'17

  Cyber criminals command top-level attacks, warns Check Point

  Businesses need to rethink cyber defences with nation-state attack tools in the hands of ordinary cyber criminals, warns Check Point

• August 17, 2017 17 Aug'17

  LG Electronics hit by suspected WannaCry attack

  LG Electronics have been hit by ransomware that uses malicious code that could signal another WannaCry attack

• August 17, 2017 17 Aug'17

  Developers lack skills needed for secure DevOps, survey shows

  The growing demand for developers with security skills is outpacing supply, but a survey reveals that a lack of formal security education and training by employers is contributing to the growing skills gap

• August 16, 2017 16 Aug'17

  NotPetya attack cost up to $300m, says Maersk

  Danish shipping line Maersk estimates that the NotPetya cyber attack in June cost the company up to $300m

• August 16, 2017 16 Aug'17

  UK workers interested in cyber security, survey shows

  Many UK workers are interested in cyber security and would consider a career in the field, a survey has revealed, which could help close the skills gap

• August 16, 2017 16 Aug'17

  Regulation and impact of cyber attacks driving security spending

  Awareness of the impact of cyber attacks on business and regulation are expected to be the top drivers of continued and increased spending on cyber security, according to research firm Gartner

• August 16, 2017 16 Aug'17

  Hackers hit Holyrood with Westminster-style brute-force attack

  The Scottish parliament has been hit by a cyber attack similar to the one that struck Westminster in June

• August 15, 2017 15 Aug'17

  Leaked SMB exploits make malware powerful, warns Cylance

  Four key exploits at the heart of hacking tools leaked by the Shadow Brokers have given malware authors a lot of power, say security researchers

• August 15, 2017 15 Aug'17

  Exploit leaks are a cyber security game changer, says Kaspersky Lab

  Leaked exploits became the game changer of the cyber threat landscape in the second quarter of 2017, say security researchers

• August 15, 2017 15 Aug'17

  WannaCry hero Marcus Hutchins under house arrest

  Briton, 23, pleads not guilty to charges of writing and distributing malware

• August 15, 2017 15 Aug'17

  How companies can fend off cyber attacks

  Organisations should map IT assets to business strategy and adopt a proactive cyber security programme, says Centurylink’s chief security officer Dave Mahon

• August 14, 2017 14 Aug'17

  Statistics show retailers need to improve data security

  Data breach statistics show retailers need to address customer data security ahead of the GDPR compliance deadline, a law firm has warned

• August 14, 2017 14 Aug'17

  NHS Digital signs cyber security agreement with Microsoft

  Support contract comes three months after NHS hit by global ransomware attack that targeted Windows computers

• August 14, 2017 14 Aug'17

  Everton FC works with Netskope to safeguard cloud-stored data

  Cloud provider’s Active Platform will help football club secure player and fan data as GDPR deadline approaches

• August 14, 2017 14 Aug'17

  HBO stands firm as hackers release more stolen content

  HBO appears to be standing firm and refusing to negotiate with hackers as more stolen television content is released

• August 11, 2017 11 Aug'17

  Malicious email spikes in Q2, reports Proofpoint

  Malicious email campaigns saw a spike in volume and increased variety in the second quarter of 2017, a cyber security report reveals

• August 11, 2017 11 Aug'17

  Russian cyber espionage group targeting hotel Wi-Fi

  A Russian cyber espionage group is targeting hotel Wi-Fi networks to carry out malware infections and potentially steal credentials, researchers warn

• August 11, 2017 11 Aug'17

  Manufacturing a key target for cyber attacks

  Manufacturers are a key and growing target for cyber criminals, a threat intelligence report reveals

• August 10, 2017 10 Aug'17

  China tests hack-proof quantum satellite communications

  China has tested a prototype communication system that uses the principles of quantum mechanics to make it impossible for hackers to access

• August 10, 2017 10 Aug'17

  Kaspersky Lab to drop EU complaint against Microsoft

  Security firm Kaspersky Lab is to drop a complaint that Microsoft is abusing its market dominance to promote its security software in light of changes to the latest Windows 10

• August 10, 2017 10 Aug'17

  New TalkTalk fine takes total for poor data protection to £500,000

  Information Commissioner’s Office fines TalkTalk for putting up to 21,000 customers’ details at risk of exposure prior to September 2014

• August 10, 2017 10 Aug'17

  IT pros urged to support ‘WannaCry hero’ Marcus Hutchins

  Computer experts fear chilling effect on security research over US arrest of Marcus Hutchins who halted the spread of the WannaCry ransomware

• August 09, 2017 09 Aug'17

  HBO hacking gets personal

  Theft of data from US television network has become personal with the release of details of actors in Game of Thrones and could signal a trend of cyber attacks on entertainment firms

• August 09, 2017 09 Aug'17

  Websites giving hackers easy access, audit reveals

  Many company websites still contain critical vulnerabilities that cyber criminals can use to carry out a variety of cyber attacks, a security audit shows

• August 09, 2017 09 Aug'17

  WannaCry hero malware trial postponed

  The US court appearance of British WannaCry hero on charges of writing and distributing malware has been postponed

• August 08, 2017 08 Aug'17

  WannaCry hero due in court on malware charges

  The Briton who played a key role in halting the global WannaCry ransomware attacks is due in court in the US to face charges in connection with the Kronos banking Trojan

• August 08, 2017 08 Aug'17

  NIS Directive plans show UK is serious about tackling cyber threats

  UK government plans to implement the EU’s Network and Information Systems (NIS) Directive have been welcomed for assuring its commitment to cyber defence post-Brexit

• August 08, 2017 08 Aug'17

  Child cyber exploration good for the UK, says ex-GCHQ head

  Children should be encouraged to spend more time online learning cyber skills to inspire future generations of computer scientists, cyber defenders and engineers, says former GCHQ head

• August 07, 2017 07 Aug'17

  UK mulls hefty fines for CNI providers with poor cyber security

  The UK is considering the same hefty fines for critical national infrastructure (CNI) providers with poor cyber security as those failing to protect the personal data of UK citizens

• August 07, 2017 07 Aug'17

  Cultural change a critical but neglected element of IoT security

  Managing how people within an enterprise deal with data is a vital element of shoring up security around the internet of things, says Vodafone

• August 07, 2017 07 Aug'17

  Gaming apps ‘main source’ of mobile phishing attacks, research shows

  Analysis of 100,000 corporate devices shows more than a quarter of traffic going to phishing domains was from gaming apps

• August 07, 2017 07 Aug'17

  UK calls for smart car cyber protection

  A new generation of internet-connected cars will have to be better protected from cyber attackers, under tough new UK government guidance

• August 04, 2017 04 Aug'17

  Security audits reveal poor state of corporate cyber defences

  Critical vulnerabilities detected in 47% of corporate systems investigated in security audits by Positive Technologies

• August 04, 2017 04 Aug'17

  FBI arrests UK WannaCry hero on malware charges

  The Briton credited with stopping the WannaCry global malware attacks in their tracks in May has been arrested in the US on malware charges

• August 03, 2017 03 Aug'17

  Cyber criminals make it difficult to follow the money

  Following the money is a classic technique used by law enforcement to link criminals to crimes by tracing associated financial exchanges, but that may not be easy in the case of the WannaCry attacks

• August 03, 2017 03 Aug'17

  Ransom DDoS attacks on the rise

  The use of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks to extort money from organisations is on the rise, warns security firm Kaspersky Lab

• August 03, 2017 03 Aug'17

  IT pros look to endpoint security to counter custom malware

  IT professionals are focusing on endpoint security in the face of custom malware that is bypassing traditional perimeter defences, a survey shows

• August 02, 2017 02 Aug'17

  US plans IoT security legislation, but UK unlikely to follow

  US Republican and Democrat senators have proposed legislation seeking to address security vulnerabilities in IoT devices

• August 02, 2017 02 Aug'17

  One in three SMEs in Singapore hit by ransomware

  Nearly one-fifth of small businesses in the city-state targeted by ransomware last year had to shut down their business operations

• August 01, 2017 01 Aug'17

  Businesses failing to understand GDPR compliance status

  With less than a year to go before the General Data Protection Regulation compliance deadline, many businesses are floundering, while others are embracing data-centric security to fast-track compliance

• August 01, 2017 01 Aug'17

  SMEs failing to address cyber threats despite risks

  Small to medium enterprises are failing to prepare adequately to address cyber threats – despite the risks – because of a false sense of security, particularly in the UK, a survey has revealed

• August 01, 2017 01 Aug'17

  UK to call on US tech giants to step up fight against extremism

  The UK is to call on US tech giants to take more decisive action against extremist groups that use their online platforms

• July 31, 2017 31 Jul'17

  Nearly half of UK SMEs spend less than £1,000 on cyber defences

  Almost 50% of UK small to medium enterprises plan to spend £1,000 or less on cyber security in the next year and 22% do not know how much they will spend, insurance firm Zurich has revealed

• July 31, 2017 31 Jul'17

  Enterprises are upping security demands on SME suppliers

  More and more enterprise-level organisations are assessing cyber security during supplier contract negotiations, a survey shows

• July 31, 2017 31 Jul'17

  Virgin America praised for cyber breach response

  Virgin America’s detection and response to a data breach has been praised by security commentators

• July 31, 2017 31 Jul'17

  How Japan is gearing up to secure the Tokyo Olympics

  The country is focused on securing critical infrastructure such as power and communications systems, and training the manpower it needs to secure the global sporting event in 2020

• July 28, 2017 28 Jul'17

  CIA hacking tools for Mac OS and Linux exposed by WikiLeaks

  WikiLeaks has exposed hacking tools targeting the Mac and Linux operating systems in the latest of its series of leaks allegedly from the US Central Intelligence Agency

• July 27, 2017 27 Jul'17

  Cyber security not a priority for most sectors, study finds

  Despite data breaches costing UK firms nearly £30bn in 2016, cyber security is still not a priority for most UK industry sectors, a study has revealed

• July 26, 2017 26 Jul'17

  Nordic digitisation brings unwanted consequence of heightened cyber security risks

  The Nordic region is becoming highly connected – which has not gone unnoticed by cyber criminals

• July 26, 2017 26 Jul'17

  Radiation detection devices open to cyber attack, researcher finds

  A security researcher has discovered numerous security flaws in multiple devices that are used to detect radiation in critical facilities

• July 26, 2017 26 Jul'17

  RSA president calls for business-driven security

  A business-centric rather than one-size-fits-all approach to cyber security will help organisations mitigate cyber attacks that have become bolder than ever

• July 26, 2017 26 Jul'17

  Adobe to kill off Flash Player by end of 2020

  Adobe has announced it is to stop updating and distributing Flash Player in just over three years’ time

• July 25, 2017 25 Jul'17

  Ransomware threat escalating, warns Europol

  Europol warns that the threat of ransomware continues to escalate as it marks the anniversary of a cross-industry anti-ransomware initiative

• July 25, 2017 25 Jul'17

  Ransomware as a service is a game changer, warns Sophos

  The advent of ransomware as a service heralds a new era in malware, which means security suppliers and user organisations will have to adapt

• July 25, 2017 25 Jul'17

  North Korean web users enjoy Amazon, Facebook and YouTube, report claims

  Threat intelligence specialist Recorded Future claims that the North Korean elite are as plugged in to the worldwide web as any western citizen

• July 25, 2017 25 Jul'17

  Big data means big risk, Swedish Transport Agency leak shows

  The Swedish Transport Agency exposed sensitive information by transferring its databases to a third party cloud provider without following data protection procedures

• July 25, 2017 25 Jul'17

  London security centre handed £14.5m to get off the ground

  The government is to fund a new cyber security innovation centre in the capital and has launched a competition to develop and design it

• July 24, 2017 24 Jul'17

  UK government wants to give 6,000 teenagers cyber security training

  Government launches £20m Cyber Schools Programme aimed at students aged between 14 and 18

• July 21, 2017 21 Jul'17

  Destruction of service attacks an existential threat to business, says Cisco

  Security threats and attacks against the network are set to become far more destructive, according to Cisco’s mid-year security report

• July 20, 2017 20 Jul'17

  Security Serious Week summit goes virtual

  The third annual Security Serious Week in October 2017 will feature an entirely virtual conference, accessible to anyone who is online

• July 20, 2017 20 Jul'17

  Devil’s Ivy a call to action on IoT security

  The discovery of a security flaw in an open source third-party code library that could allow attackers to access and hijack devices underlines the need for a greater focus IoT security, say experts

• July 20, 2017 20 Jul'17

  Retail data breaches still high as GDPR deadline looms

  As the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation compliance deadline approaches, retail data breaches remain unacceptably high, a data threat report reveals

• July 20, 2017 20 Jul'17

  Citadel malware developer jailed

  A Russian man believed to be one of the developers of the Citadel malware used to steal millions by infecting around 11 million computers around the world

• July 19, 2017 19 Jul'17

  WannaCry has changed attitudes to cyber security, surveys show

  Attitudes to cyber security have changed in the boardroom and among staff in the wake of the recent WannaCry attack, two surveys have revealed

• July 19, 2017 19 Jul'17

  US bipartisan alliance to defend elections from cyber attack

  Former Democrat and Republican campaign managers are joining forces with security experts to defend US elections from cyber attack