News

Hackers and cybercrime prevention

• December 13, 2016 13 Dec'16

  KFC hacked: Customers urged to reset loyalty scheme passwords

  Fast food giant has emailed all 1.2 million members of its loyalty scheme, urging them to change their passwords after its recent data breach

• December 09, 2016 09 Dec'16

  IT Priorities 2017: Buyers look for network privacy, visibility tools

  The 2017 Computer Weekly/TechTarget IT Priorities survey shows growing interest in network privacy, security and management, but SDN and NFV are still lagging

• December 08, 2016 08 Dec'16

  PowerShell security threats greater than ever, researchers warn

  Administrators should upgrade to the latest version of Microsoft PowerShell and enable extended logging and monitoring capabilities in the light of a surge in related security threats, warn researchers

• December 08, 2016 08 Dec'16

  More than 2,000 TalkTalk routers hijacked by Mirai botnet variant

  Security researchers are urging ISPs to issue emergency patches for Marai botnet infections after 2,374 TalkTalk routers were linked in a regional botnet

• December 07, 2016 07 Dec'16

  UKtech50 interview: ARM Holdings CEO Simon Segars

  The UKtech50 most influential person in UK IT 2016, ARM Holdings CEO Simon Segars, shares his thoughts on the consequences of Brexit, access to skills and the importance of security in a world full of connected devices

• December 07, 2016 07 Dec'16

  Few iOS apps in enterprises meet Apple’s new security mandate

  Most iOS apps in the enterprise pose potential security risks, according to research by Appthority

• December 07, 2016 07 Dec'16

  40 firms to trial IBM Watson cognitive computing for cyber security

  Forty companies sign up to apply IBM’s Watson cognitive computing systems to cyber security, but threat intelligence experts caution against total reliance on such systems

• December 06, 2016 06 Dec'16

  Dailymotion breach prompts calls for password alternatives

  The latest breach of millions of user details prompts fresh calls for better security of user data and an alternative to passwords

• December 06, 2016 06 Dec'16

  UK falls below global cyber security confidence

  Global confidence in ability to accurately assess cyber risk has fallen in the past year, but the UK has fallen below the global average

• December 05, 2016 05 Dec'16

  Europol hosts simulated cyber attack on retail sector

  Europol and MasterCard hold a retail cyber attack simulation exercise to raise awareness of the issue and how to respond to attacks, as well as promote information sharing in the sector

• December 05, 2016 05 Dec'16

  IT Priorities 2017: UK and European firms to continue to invest in data protection ahead of GDPR

  Data protection is to remain a key focus for IT security investment for European firms in 2017, but the emphasis is on cloud and mobile security as companies move to these technology platforms

• December 05, 2016 05 Dec'16

  Top 10 ANZ enterprise IT stories of 2016

  Here is a rundown of Computer Weekly’s most popular ANZ enterprise IT articles for 2016

• December 02, 2016 02 Dec'16

  Security veteran urges firms to prioritise spear phishing defence

  UK firms should prioritise defence against spear phishing as a key component of cyber attacks, according to security veteran Peter Wood

• December 02, 2016 02 Dec'16

  UK helps dismantle Avalanche global cyber network

  The UK's National Crime Agency has contributed to the takedown of a cloud-based cyber crime network in a collaborative law enforcement operation involving 30 countries

• December 02, 2016 02 Dec'16

  Academics link payment card vulnerability to Tesco Bank cyber heist

  UK academics uncover a vulnerability in online payment systems, which they say could have been used in the Tesco Bank cyber heist

• December 01, 2016 01 Dec'16

  Mirai botnet hits Post Office Broadband and Kcom customers

  Broadband providers Post Office Broadband and Kcom are among a number of operators to have been hit by a hack targeting Zyxel routing hardware

• December 01, 2016 01 Dec'16

  Mozilla and Tor issue patches for Firefox flaw exposing Tor users

  Users of Tor anonymous browsing urged to update to the latest versions of relevant software to block an exploit that collects IP and MAC addresses to identify users

• November 30, 2016 30 Nov'16

  Mastercard uses artificial intelligence for transaction approval

  Mastercard is using artificial intelligence to reduce the number of transactions that are wrongly declined, while maintaining security

• November 30, 2016 30 Nov'16

  Thousands of National Lottery accounts hacked

  National Lottery operator Camelot says the log-in details of thousands of people who do the lottery online have been stolen

• November 29, 2016 29 Nov'16

  Deutsche Telekom botnet attack underlines infrastructure vulnerabilities

  German telco says its broadband outages are linked to a botched attempt to hijack routers, which security experts say further underlines the cyber threat to internet connected infrastructure

• November 28, 2016 28 Nov'16

  IBM blamed for Australian census website crash

  Computer giant reportedly pays $30m to Australian government as reports are released from two inquiries into DDoS attacks on census website

• November 28, 2016 28 Nov'16

  San Francisco transport system hit by ransomware attack

  San Francisco's transport agency appears to be the latest target of cyber criminals using encryption malware to hold organisations to ransom

• November 28, 2016 28 Nov'16

  HMRC geared up to block 500 million phishing emails a year

  HMRC is first department to implement technology to block phishing emails as part of UK government’s active cyber defence programme and self-testing strategy

• November 25, 2016 25 Nov'16

  One in four Wi-Fi hotspots vulnerable to attack, study finds

  At least one in four Wi-Fi hotspots are open to attack, a study by Kaspersky Lab reveals

• November 25, 2016 25 Nov'16

  US Navy breach highlights third-party cyber risk

  The personal details of more than 130,000 current and former US Navy personnel have been exposed in a breach linked to the compromise of third-party supplier’s laptop

• November 25, 2016 25 Nov'16

  UK firms neglecting cyber security, say 74% of IT managers

  Most UK firms lack the time and resources to ensure adequate cyber security and data protection, according to a survey of IT managers

• November 24, 2016 24 Nov'16

  Bletchley Park to teach teenagers to become cyber experts

  A cyber security college is to be set up at Bletchley Park, home to the men and women who decoded German cyphers during the Second World War

• November 23, 2016 23 Nov'16

  High-assurance identity top priority for government and finance

  The UK government and financial sector is working together to meet the need for high-assurance identity globally

• November 22, 2016 22 Nov'16

  Alleged hacker Lauri Love’s ‘life will be destroyed’ under Trump regime

  Supporters fear for activist Lauri Love if his extradition to face hacking charges to the US goes ahead

• November 18, 2016 18 Nov'16

  Three breach highlights several security issues, says (ISC)2

  Customer data breaches continue to demonstrate that companies are still not treating cyber risk like every other business risk, says Adrian Davis of (ISC)2

• November 18, 2016 18 Nov'16

  European security industry has failed users, says expert

  Cryptology expert Bart Preneel says the European security industry must commit to secure communication for the masses and open source is the key to secure infrastructure

• November 18, 2016 18 Nov'16

  Hackers arrested in Three mobile upgrade scam

  Three men arrested in connection with mobile handset upgrade fraud enabled by unauthorised access to customer data

• November 17, 2016 17 Nov'16

  One million cyber attacks on UK retailers forecast for Christmas

  Cyber attacks on internet shopping are expected to increase in the run up to Christmas, with a million attacks targeted at UK retailers alone

• November 17, 2016 17 Nov'16

  Investigatory Powers Bill looks set to become law

  Rights groups have vowed to continue to oppose the controversial Investigatory Powers Bill, which is now just two steps away from becoming law

• November 16, 2016 16 Nov'16

  National Police Chiefs’ Council sets out strategy for digital policing

  UK police chiefs aim to improve data sharing, integrate IT functions, improve digital intelligence and make digital interactions easier by 2025

• November 16, 2016 16 Nov'16

  Government data security confusing, finds PAC

  A Public Accounts Committee hearing shows the government’s data and cyber security landscape is chaotic and confusing

• November 16, 2016 16 Nov'16

  Business needs AI defence against AI attacks, says Darktrace

  Cyber attackers are turning to machine learning to create smarter attacks and defenders will require similar technology to detect them, warns Darktrace

• November 16, 2016 16 Nov'16

  Adobe uses shared responsibility to meet security challenges

  Adobe discovers ways of addressing security challenges of scalability, diverse technology stacks and business criticality

• November 15, 2016 15 Nov'16

  Identity for online gambling industry a potential market opportunity

  Identity for online gambling presents a potential market opportunity, because no suppliers are meeting the industry's consumer identify requirements

• November 15, 2016 15 Nov'16

  Amber Rudd orders Lauri Love extradition to US to face hacking charges

  Engineering student Lauri Love faces trials in three US states and a possible 99-year jail sentence for allegedly hacking into US government computer systems as part of a political protest, despite concerns over his health

• November 14, 2016 14 Nov'16

  412 million user accounts exposed in FriendFinder Networks hack

  Another huge data breach has exposed poor security of user details and continued poor user password practices

• November 11, 2016 11 Nov'16

  National Cyber Security Centre to trial cyber defence initiatives on government

  NCSC technical director Ian Levy details some of the initiatives being pursued as part of its Active Cyber Defence Programme

• November 11, 2016 11 Nov'16

  Russian banks hit by IoT-enabled DDoS attacks

  DDoS attacks on Russian banks have been linked to IoT botnets, further confirming this worrying trend and highlighting the need for IoT suppliers to improve security capabilties

• November 11, 2016 11 Nov'16

  24 cyber criminals arrested in Europol operation

  Romanian police arrest 24 members of a card skimming and cloning operation and identify 47 other suspects

• November 10, 2016 10 Nov'16

  Yahoo admits data breach may affect Verizon acquisition

  In its latest SEC filing, Yahoo admits some people knew of the 2014 breach shortly after, that the true cost of the breach is still unknown, and that the breach could affect its deal with Verizon

• November 10, 2016 10 Nov'16

  US information security lobby group hopeful of reform under Trump

  The Internet Security Alliance is hopeful that the Trump administration will take decisive action on shoring up US cyber security policy

• November 09, 2016 09 Nov'16

  HP sponsors cyber security research chair at Birmingham University

  Five-year research collaboration agreement will support government efforts to address cyber security challenges

• November 09, 2016 09 Nov'16

  Financial Conduct Authority concerned about cyber security of banks

  The FCA expresses concern about the cyber security of banks after 9,000 Tesco Bank customers lost £2.5m in fraudulent transactions

• November 08, 2016 08 Nov'16

  Human-machine teaming key to cyber defence, says Intel Security

  Intel Security is working with a select group of customers on developing systems to enable human-machine teaming to get the best of both worlds in applying cyber threat intelligence

• November 08, 2016 08 Nov'16

  European agencies seek to bolster co-operation on cyber crime

  Fifth annual joint workshop seeks to foster better co-operation between national cyber incident response teams and law enforcement agencies to establish a network to discuss topics of mutual interest

• November 08, 2016 08 Nov'16

  Tesco Bank theft shows need to take cyber security more seriously

  Tesco Bank compromise should act as a wake up call to UK businesses to take cyber security more seriously, say security experts

• November 07, 2016 07 Nov'16

  Tesco Bank halts online banking after weekend hacker fraud

  Tesco Bank halts online banking after thousands of current account customers were hit by fraudulent transactions by hackers at the weekend

• November 04, 2016 04 Nov'16

  IoT security window closing

  The window of opportunity for addressing security risks in internet of things devices is closing rapidly, according to Intel's IoT security manager

• November 04, 2016 04 Nov'16

  Failure to prepare for cyber attack could be catastrophic, warns Ted Koppel

  Veteran investigative reporter Ted Koppel says a cyber attack on the US power grid is likely, but preparations for such an event are not up to scratch

• November 03, 2016 03 Nov'16

  Check Point, Huawei join Intel Security Innovation Alliance

  Intel Security Innovation Alliance continues to grow as security firm opens up McAfee data exchange layer

• November 03, 2016 03 Nov'16

  Intel Security to become McAfee in April 2017

  Intel Security has detailed a wave of product innovations at Focus 2016, but promises more to come when it is spun out as an independent company under the McAfee banner

• November 03, 2016 03 Nov'16

  NHS trust recovers after cyber attack

  IT systems are back up and running at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust four days after its systems were shut down when a virus was discovered

• November 03, 2016 03 Nov'16

  Cyber security image putting women and girls off, says panel

  There is still a lot of work to be done to change the perception of cyber security and corporate culture to attract more women to the profession, according to a panel of security professionals

• November 02, 2016 02 Nov'16

  Pure-play cyber security has real value, says incoming McAfee head

  Intel Security has outlined its strategy to protect the new digital economy as it gears up for innovation as a new independent pure-play security firm under the McAfee banner

• November 02, 2016 02 Nov'16

  Intel Security shifts channel strategy

  Intel Security adjusts its channel strategy in response to a market shift towards services-based security

• November 01, 2016 01 Nov'16

  Philip Hammond goes on the attack to target cyber threat to UK economy

  Speaking at the Microsoft Future Decoded event in London, the Chancellor revealed how Britain would take an offensive stance to protect infrastructure

• November 01, 2016 01 Nov'16

  UK government re-announces £1.9bn cyber security spend

  Five-year spending increase - announced by Chancellor Philip Hammond 12 months after George Osborne did so - will support new UK cyber security strategy

• October 28, 2016 28 Oct'16

  Red Cross data breach shows security is still not a priority

  The Australian Red Cross Blood Service has responded quickly to a breach of 550,000 donor details, but security commentators say the incident shows security is still not a priority for many organisations

• October 28, 2016 28 Oct'16

  Apple iCloud and Gmail hacker gets 18 months in jail

  A US man is given a sentence of 18 months in jail for hacking into celebrity iCloud and Gmail accounts after investigators failed to find a link with the leak of celebrity nude photos online in 2014

• October 27, 2016 27 Oct'16

  Dyn reveals details of complex and sophisticated IoT botnet attack

  DNS services provider Dyn, which was the victim of a large-scale DDoS attack perpetrated by an IoT botnet earlier in October, discusses details of its experience

• October 27, 2016 27 Oct'16

  Information security set for steep trajectory, says (ISC)2

  By helping to create a thriving, diverse and open information security community, (ISC)2 hopes to ensure a steep rise for the profession

• October 27, 2016 27 Oct'16

  Schneider Electric praised for positive response to ICS security flaw

  Schneider Electric has patched a security flaw that highlights the vulnerability of industrial control systems to cyber attack

• October 26, 2016 26 Oct'16

  US Treasury tells banks to provide more cyber attack information

  The US government is calling on financial institutions to share more cyber attack information as concerns grow about the sector's vulnerability

• October 25, 2016 25 Oct'16

  Malaysian insurer partners IT supplier to tailor cyber security policies

  Partnership is in response to requests from AIG customers for a more comprehensive risk management approach to cyber insurance

• October 25, 2016 25 Oct'16

  DevOps largely failing to improve security, study shows

  Despite the promise of improved application security, DevOps is failing to deliver due to some key barriers, an HPE study shows

• October 24, 2016 24 Oct'16

  Dyn DDoS attack highlights vulnerability of global internet infrastructure

  Last week’s DDoS attack on DNS firm Dyn has highlighted both the vulnerability of the world’s internet infrastructure, and the dangers of leaving internet of things devices unsecured

• October 24, 2016 24 Oct'16

  UK National Cyber Security Centre a positive development, says CNI expert

  There needs to be greater understanding of cyber threats facing business, and the UK's new National Cyber Security Centre is a step in the right direction, says CNI expert Barrie Millett

• October 24, 2016 24 Oct'16

  More than 100 MPs ask Obama to halt extradition bid against Lauri Love

  UK MPs across all parties call for US president to save activist from extradition to the US on hacking charges on humanitarian grounds

• October 21, 2016 21 Oct'16

  No endgame for cyber security, says Mikko Hypponen

  Two of the most valuable lessons in cyber security are to know your enemy and not to rely on users to be secure, according to industry veteran Mikko Hypponen

• October 21, 2016 21 Oct'16

  Major DDoS attack on Dyn causes internet disruption

  DNS provider Dyn experiences a large DDoS attack, causing disruption to online services

• October 21, 2016 21 Oct'16

  Defence secretary announces £265m funding to boost UK cyber defences

  Defence secretary Michael Fallon has promised funding to get rid of “cyber vulnerabilities” in the UK, as he also revealed the government is using “offensive cyber” against Daesh

• October 21, 2016 21 Oct'16

  UK first to bring surveillance under rule of law, says former GCHQ director

  Former GCHQ head David Omand says the UK will be the first country in Europe to legislate to regulate digital intelligence and put it under judicial supervision with judicial review

• October 20, 2016 20 Oct'16

  Lessons to be learned from attempted $1bn bank heist

  Analysis of an attack aimed at stealing $1bn reveals important lessons for cyber defenders, says BAE Systems head of threat intelligence Adrian Nish

• October 20, 2016 20 Oct'16

  Armed forces minister wants military recruiters to "think different" to attract cyber security pros

  Armed Forces minister Mike Penning says military must rethink how it recruits trainees to attract people with the cyber security skills the country needs to protect itself

• October 19, 2016 19 Oct'16

  Asean countries deepen joint efforts against global cyber threats

  Asean Cyber Capacity Programme (ACCP) launched in Singapore to fund cyber security efforts across the region.

• October 19, 2016 19 Oct'16

  Ireland to follow UK in setting up national cyber security centre

  The Republic of Ireland plans to set up a national cyber security centre and education programme to improve the security of critical infrastructure, businesses and citizens

• October 19, 2016 19 Oct'16

  Snowden: the IT analyst turned whistleblower who exposed mass surveillance

  Oliver Stone's biopic on Edward Snowden reaches the heart of the ethical crisis posed by mass surveillance for the state and ordinary citizens

• October 19, 2016 19 Oct'16

  Knowing the business is key to security, says consultant

  Security must be based on real-world business needs and practices as traditional perimeter-based security is no longer working, says independent security consultant Brian Honan

• October 19, 2016 19 Oct'16

  Information security needs to cast recruitment net wider, says panel

  Companies struggling to fill info sec roles should focus on finding people who can do what they need, not on qualifications, according to a security industry panel

• October 18, 2016 18 Oct'16

  Saving Lauri Love: activists plan their next move

  An eclectic bunch of activists, charity workers and reformed hackers spent a rainy Sunday afternoon plotting their next move in a campaign to save Lauri Love from extradition to the US on hacking charges

• October 18, 2016 18 Oct'16

  DCMS appoints director general for digital and media

  Matthew Gould is taking on the role as director general for digital and media to help build “digital ecosystems” and promote innovation

• October 18, 2016 18 Oct'16

  Cyber security is about big team efforts, says CNI expert

  Cyber security requires a team approach, based on a good understanding of the threat, to achieve effective resilience, according to Barrie Millett of the Cyber Rescue Alliance

• October 18, 2016 18 Oct'16

  Most businesses vulnerable to cyber attacks through firmware, study shows

  Company culture and overall attitude to security is a major contribution to vulnerability to cyber attack through firmware, a study by Isaca has revealed

• October 14, 2016 14 Oct'16

  Retail websites riddled with security holes, researchers warn

  Retailers urged to improve the security of their online stores amid a series of discoveries of cyber criminal campaigns to exploit vulnerabilities in retail websites

• October 13, 2016 13 Oct'16

  Almost two-thirds of US office workers unaware of ransomware threat

  Nearly half of ransomware attacks are aimed at office workers, but almost two-thirds of those polled in the US are unaware of the threat

• October 12, 2016 12 Oct'16

  Thousands of significant cyber incidents hit Australian organisations

  Australian Cyber Security Centre report reveals growing threat, with energy, banking and finance, and communications sectors targeted most often

• October 12, 2016 12 Oct'16

  Government to name and shame departments failing to secure email

  The NCSC is piloting various cyber security intiatives with government departments such as Dmarc and other email security measures, and plans to name and shame those which fail to comply

• October 12, 2016 12 Oct'16

  MPs campaign for Lauri Love to be tried in UK

  Backbench MPs are campaigning against Lauri Love’s extradition to the US so he can face trial in the UK

• October 12, 2016 12 Oct'16

  G7 sets financial sector cyber defence guidelines as attacks grow

  G7 countries have agreed cyber security guidelines in response to concerns about the safety of interconnected global financial systems that are increasingly coming under attack, according to Symantec

• October 11, 2016 11 Oct'16

  Three-quarters of UK policing websites lack secure encryption

  A quarter of UK policing websites have secure foundations, but half have room for improvement, and the remaining quarter are in need of serious and urgent improvement, according to the Centre for Public Safety

• October 11, 2016 11 Oct'16

  Middle East CISO Council CEO warns of global cyber security storm

  Cyber security issues will be a major theme at this month’s GITEX Technology Week 2016 conference in Dubai

• October 10, 2016 10 Oct'16

  Singapore: a nation united on its digital future

  Singapore is setting itself to be a leader in the digital age, with a reorganised government department the protagonist

• October 10, 2016 10 Oct'16

  Smartwatches banned from UK Cabinet as EC plans IoT security standards

  The EC is planning a security certification scheme for internet of things devices as the UK Cabinet bans smartwatches amid heightened fears of cyber espionage

• October 07, 2016 07 Oct'16

  Security industry failing users, says behaviour expert

  The information security community is failing to educate users in a way that helps then understand cyber threats and change their behaviour, according to consultant Jessica Barker

• October 07, 2016 07 Oct'16

  London police charge third member of ATM hacking gang

  London police arrest and charge a third man suspected of being involved in a series of ATM thefts across the UK in 2014 using malware to bypass security controls