News

IT for government and public sector

September 18, 2019 18 Sep'19
Government relaunches search for chief digital and information officer

The role, which will tackle issues such as eradicating legacy and leading data strategy, has been redesigned and elevated at permanent secretary level
September 18, 2019 18 Sep'19
Universities tempting targets for cyber criminals, warns NCSC

As hundreds of thousands of students prepare for the new academic year, universities have been warned that they are at high risk of cyber attack
September 18, 2019 18 Sep'19
Emotet phishing botnet returns from summer vacation

The Emotet phishing trojan-turned-botnet is back in action after a three-and-a-half month break, say threat researchers
September 17, 2019 17 Sep'19
Robotics and Automation: UK must tackle skills, immigration and SME challenges

Home-grown skills may not be enough to enable the UK to build on the government's Industrial Strategy and push robotics and automation

September 17, 2019 17 Sep'19
Northwestern cuts storage costs in half with Komprise

Komprise’s Deep Analytics helps university classify and migrate research data to cheaper disk and cloud as it cuts storage costs from $1.1m to $680,000 per annum
September 17, 2019 17 Sep'19
Network Rail to use automation and analytics in tunnel examinations and station security

Operator Network Rail will tap into its £357m R&D fund to back innovation competitions aimed to improve assessment of more than 600 rail tunnels and station surveillance
September 17, 2019 17 Sep'19
Ecuador citizens’ data breach holds lessons for enterprises

What caused the mass breach of Ecuadorian citizens’ data, and what can businesses learn from it?
September 16, 2019 16 Sep'19
Gartner Catalyst: Prepare for web giants crushing your industry

Companies like Amazon and Alibaba are taking a bigger chunk of the customer journey, but they are also spreading across industry sectors
September 16, 2019 16 Sep'19
NHSX emphasises need for ethical patient data access

The health service's digital unit welcomed the launch of Health Data Research hubs, but stressed that it will control the design of research collaborations
September 16, 2019 16 Sep'19
Councils awarded funding to boost online services

Local authorities received more than £750,000 in the second round of the Local Digital Fund, aimed at improving citizen offerings in areas such as housing and payment

September 16, 2019 16 Sep'19
Police use of algorithms needs stronger safeguards to prevent bias, report says

A study by the Royal United Services Institute calls for new code of practice to guide use of algorithmic tools in policing
September 13, 2019 13 Sep'19
Ditch hoodies and hackers to encourage diverse security recruitment

The cyber security industry needs to address a systemic image problem if it is to succeed in recruiting more diverse teams
September 13, 2019 13 Sep'19
When AIs go to war: Autonomous cyber weapons ‘inevitable’

CISOs must start thinking about how to engage with intelligent, adaptive, non-human attackers, says Trend Micro’s Rik Ferguson
September 13, 2019 13 Sep'19
Dutch banks to work together in fight against money laundering

Dutch banks are sharing expertise and resources to help reduce money laundering through their accounts
September 13, 2019 13 Sep'19
Justice system transformation sees delays and reduction of scope

“Ambitious” timescales and scope for £1.2bn modernisation of services had to be scaled back, says NAO report
September 13, 2019 13 Sep'19
Industry opposition to no-deal Brexit hardens, says TechUK

A survey of TechUK members has found that 71% believe a no-deal Brexit at the end of October will negatively affect them in spite of their preparations
September 12, 2019 12 Sep'19
Government seeks views on post-Brexit security alignment

The government has called for views on its proposals to align the UK’s post-Brexit cyber security policy to that of the European Union
September 12, 2019 12 Sep'19
ICO to probe government over Gov.uk data collection plan

The ICO is to look into the government’s leaked data collection plans over fears they may breach the law
September 12, 2019 12 Sep'19
UN agency Unicef praised for response to accidental data leak

The UN’s children’s agency has disclosed an inadvertent leak of personal data belonging to users of its online learning platform Agora
September 12, 2019 12 Sep'19
Mirai descendants dominate IoT threat environment

Attacks leveraging compromised IoT devices are growing in size, scale and frequency, report security experts at F-Secure and Trend Micro, with Mirai-related botnets a major source of trouble
September 11, 2019 11 Sep'19
Government departments urged to publish R&D spending roadmaps

Issues including funding concentration in the “golden triangle” of London, Oxford and Cambridge must be addressed, according to a Science and Technology Committee report
September 11, 2019 11 Sep'19
UK consumers want biometrics but fear driverless cars and AI

Report also shows many adults across the country have never heard of the internet of things or big data
September 11, 2019 11 Sep'19
GDPR non-compliance worse than feared

Over half of UK businesses do not yet appear to be fully GDPR-compliant, and many have de-prioritised their compliance efforts
September 10, 2019 10 Sep'19
UK calls for cyber capacity-building at UN security group

The UK’s representative to a United Nations cyber security working group has called for increased investment in capacity around cyber security
September 10, 2019 10 Sep'19
Tech startups can boost UK shipping market after Brexit

Increased connectivity and propositions based on tools such as AI and blockchain can provide opportunities to the shipping sector after Brexit, says report
September 10, 2019 10 Sep'19
BT gears up to take on rogue drones

BT’s Enterprise unit is offering customers an anti-drone security solution to protect their physical sites from intrusion
September 10, 2019 10 Sep'19
Ministry of Defence unveils innovation priorities

Artificial intelligence and 3D printing are among the key areas of focus for the Ministry of Defence's latest approach to emerging tech
September 09, 2019 09 Sep'19
Terror watchlist faces reform after court rules it violates rights of people entering US

A secret US terrorist database containing information on more than 1.2 million people – who face repeated interrogations, detentions and electronic searches – violates constitutional rights, a US judge said last week
September 09, 2019 09 Sep'19
Social engineering a factor in virtually all cyber attacks, report claims

Almost every single cyber attack will, at some stage, require a human to be tricked into doing something, according to research by Proofpoint
September 09, 2019 09 Sep'19
Loyal Dutch IT professionals not being rewarded enough, survey shows

Companies warned they could lose loyal IT staff because salary rises do not match those on offer from rival employers
September 06, 2019 06 Sep'19
Towns invited to bid for connectivity boost

Some 100 places in England are eligible to get resources from the £3.6bn fund aimed at creating local jobs and economic growth, with broadband as a key priority
September 06, 2019 06 Sep'19
Royal Navy readies autonomous technology push

A competition ran by new accelerator NavyX will seek to find mature ideas around the approach to improve operations and increase efficiency in maritime operations
September 05, 2019 05 Sep'19
Security pros doubt officials can enact effective security laws

Elected officials cannot be trusted to enact effective cyber security legislation and social media firms should be subject to strict privacy regulation, according to most information security professionals in a survey
September 04, 2019 04 Sep'19
New funding announced to tackle online child abuse

Government announces £30m of new cash to tackle online child harm as part of Spending Review 2019
September 03, 2019 03 Sep'19
Post Office changes IT leadership reshuffle decision

The Post Office has changed its IT leadership reshuffle weeks after announcing its original plan
September 02, 2019 02 Sep'19
Nearly £1m of EU funding to boost tech skills in UK SMEs

An initiative led by the Department for Work and Pensions will focus on enhancing skills in rural locations to unleash competitiveness in areas such as agritech and biorenewables
September 02, 2019 02 Sep'19
Interim GDS boss gives preview of priorities

Alison Pritchard sets out key areas of attention for the digital service, from analytics to Brexit work
September 02, 2019 02 Sep'19
UK organisations join quantum comms pilot

Four UK companies are taking part in a pilot project to build the most secure communication infrastructure in Europe
September 02, 2019 02 Sep'19
Dutch virtual reality can help reduce teacher shortage worldwide

Dutch lecturer uses virtual reality to improve teaching and developments are being watched by the Teachers Task Force of Unesco
August 30, 2019 30 Aug'19
Government confirms GDS minister

Simon Hart appointed minister for implementation, with responsibility for the Government Digital Service
August 30, 2019 30 Aug'19
Location analysis expands Nordic telco’s range of services

Nordic telecoms company works with startup to offer services to businesses through location data analysis
August 29, 2019 29 Aug'19
UK gets first millionaire ethical hacker

Six months after the first millionaire ethical hacker was announced, five more have been recognised, including a Briton, who have collectively discovered nearly 5,000 vulnerabilities
August 29, 2019 29 Aug'19
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency hit by IT workers’ strike

DVSA tech staff are on a month-long strike over working conditions and expect their action to affect the IT workload at the government agency
August 29, 2019 29 Aug'19
Government investigates matching geospatial data with AI

Report looks into the commercial opportunities of matching location data with a number of emerging technologies
August 28, 2019 28 Aug'19
Targeted cyber attacks, including ransomware, on the rise

Governments and healthcare institutions are prime targets of ransomware operators, a report shows
August 28, 2019 28 Aug'19
CIO interview: Network Rail plans digital factory to accelerate modernisation

The operator will enhance its multimillion-pound IT strategy with a sharper focus on areas including mobile, data and cultural change for digital transformation
August 28, 2019 28 Aug'19
Ransomware has evolved into a serious enterprise threat

Ransomware has seen a resurgence since the start of 2019, with cyber criminals changing code and tactics to target enterprises and local authorities for higher ransom payments, McAfee researchers warn
August 27, 2019 27 Aug'19
Councils deliver savings through digital initiatives

Projects under the Digital Channel Shift programme reported fivefold return on investment
August 23, 2019 23 Aug'19
IR35 reforms: HMRC defends off-payroll rules guidance against "woeful" IPSE jibes

HMRC promises there are more preparatory materials in the pipeline to help the private sector prepare for the April 2020 IR35 rules, after IPSE brands its current guidance "woeful"
August 23, 2019 23 Aug'19
Three more identity providers to withdraw from troubled Gov.uk Verify programme

Three of the five companies supporting the government's troubled digital identity scheme are pulling out, raising further questions over the viability of the £175m programme
August 22, 2019 22 Aug'19
Security pros reiterate warning against encryption backdoors

The majority of security professionals believe countries with government-mandated encryption backdoors are more susceptible to nation-state cyber attacks
August 22, 2019 22 Aug'19
A helping hand from the Nordics in the eye of the GDPR storm

Nordic IT companies are well suited to supporting enterprises in their data protection projects, even though openness is more natural to them
August 22, 2019 22 Aug'19
Student Loans Company appoints chief information officer

Stephen Campbell will be leading a complex transformation programme and handling problems including high staff turnover
August 22, 2019 22 Aug'19
NHSX aims for mental health services transformation

Digital unit of the NHS has started a discovery process focused on children and young people
August 21, 2019 21 Aug'19
Healthcare faces triple cyber threat, says FireEye

Criminal and nation-state cyber attackers are increasingly targeting the healthcare industry to steal data, carry out espionage and cause disruption, a report reveals
August 20, 2019 20 Aug'19
NHSX kicks off discovery process to revamp screening

The digital unit decides to prioritise improving the delivery of services and starts discovery exercise
August 20, 2019 20 Aug'19
Government opens new round of digital funding for councils

Grants of up to £350,000 will be invested from the £7.5m Local Digital Fund for local authorities to enhance their projects focused on innovation
August 20, 2019 20 Aug'19
YPO debuts £400m datacentre and cloud framework for local councils and schools

Procurement management organisation YPO has set live a public sector framework designed to support local authorities and educational institutions embrace hybrid cloud
August 20, 2019 20 Aug'19
Buyers think SD-WAN is too expensive and complicated

Building and maintaining an SD-WAN is perceived as a complicated endeavour, and the industry’s messages are not getting through, says a new report
August 19, 2019 19 Aug'19
Q2 shows ransomware proliferation, Kaspersky warns

Ransomware modifications have more than doubled in the past year, the number of ransomware families has grown, and the number of attempted infections is up nearly 50%
August 16, 2019 16 Aug'19
ICO to probe facial recognition at King’s Cross

UK privacy watchdog is to investigate whether the use of live facial recognition technology at King’s Cross complies with data protection laws
August 16, 2019 16 Aug'19
UK government advances plans for National Robotarium

Edinburgh-based facility National Robotarium is hoped to support the growth of national smart robotics companies
August 16, 2019 16 Aug'19
NHS readies data-driven health checks

The government takes another step towards ramping up use of data-driven technologies in the public health system, with expected benefits including reduced pressure on public resources
August 15, 2019 15 Aug'19
Australia needs to get digital identity right

A top Ping Identity executive urges Australia to put more focus on digital identity management following the government’s efforts to lay the groundwork for an open banking regime
August 15, 2019 15 Aug'19
Latest Post Office Horizon problems fixed with software update to blame

The Post Office has fixed the latest problems with its Horizon system, affecting hundreds of branches
August 15, 2019 15 Aug'19
2019 set to be another record year for data breaches

The number of data breach incidents continues to rise and looks set to reach another record this year, with the business sector first in the firing line, according to a mid-year breach report
August 14, 2019 14 Aug'19
Publicly accessible biometric database highlights key failings

The discovery of a publicly accessible database of biometric information highlights failings by the supplier, the need for supply chain security, and the challenges of using biometric data
August 14, 2019 14 Aug'19
NTT Security partners with Europol

Link-up is part of a commitment to share strategic information with partners and law enforcement to bolster threat intelligence in the global fight against cyber crime
August 13, 2019 13 Aug'19
Government drives surge in outsourcing spend

Back-office transformation is a key area of focus for the government as new deals continue to flow despite economic uncertainty, according to research
August 13, 2019 13 Aug'19
HS2 rolls out augmented reality for staff training

Immersive technology will support processes around the development of high-speed railway’s London super hub before it is built
August 12, 2019 12 Aug'19
South Wales Police starts facial recognition trial despite opposition

The use of the facial recognition app by South Wales Police marks the latest deployment of controversial facial recognition technology by police forces in the UK
August 12, 2019 12 Aug'19
Department for Work and Pensions claims payments progress

Key milestones were completed as the government department seeks to evolve its service delivery with innovations such as distributed ledger technologies
August 12, 2019 12 Aug'19
Hundreds of Post Office branches hit by new Horizon problem

Subpostmasters suffering slow running and frozen terminals while Post Office searches for a fix to issues apparently caused by a software update
August 09, 2019 09 Aug'19
Prime minister to launch fast-tracked visas for skilled workers

Prime minister Boris Johnson has urged government departments to work on a new fast-tracked visa for those skilled in sciences, and may scrap other visa caps to attract top talent
August 09, 2019 09 Aug'19
F-Secure warns of F5 Big IP-related security issue

F-Secure has discovered security issues relating to an F5 device that it says could potentially turn hundreds of thousands of load balancers into beachheads for cyber attacks
August 09, 2019 09 Aug'19
Whistleblowers: James Glenn’s battle with Cisco opens new front on cyber security

James Glenn, a 42-year-old security specialist, fought a 10-year legal battle with Cisco after blowing the whistle on serious security flaws. He lost his job, but has no regrets
August 08, 2019 08 Aug'19
Ransomware a continued threat to business, report warns

Businesses are increasingly becoming the most popular targets for ransomware, which remains a top cyber threat around the world, especially in the US, a report reveals
August 08, 2019 08 Aug'19
NHS gets £250m boost for AI and genomics

National Artificial Intelligence Lab will work on new treatments for cancer, dementia and heart disease
August 07, 2019 07 Aug'19
The $10bn question: Why is the US government’s JEDI cloud contract taking so long to award?

The announcement of who has won the US government’s controversial $10bn, decade-long cloud contract is nearly 12 months overdue. So what’s holding it up?
August 07, 2019 07 Aug'19
Digital transformation hampered by lack of C-suite support

Most organisations are driving digital projects, but only a small percentage is happy with the board support they receive, according to research
August 06, 2019 06 Aug'19
African bank foils suspected North Korean cyber attack

An African bank is among the financial institutions to be targeted by North Korea’s multi-billion dollar cyber theft campaign to support its weapons programmes
August 06, 2019 06 Aug'19
Scottish government launches £30m Cloud Services Framework with a 50% SME supplier list

Framework has gone live with 14 suppliers making the cut, who will be on hand to provide public sector organisations in Scotland with access to public, private and hybrid cloud services, as well as colocation capacity
August 06, 2019 06 Aug'19
Problems around police algorithms emerge in government debates

Information sharing across agencies, data protection and governance implications are discussed as the government attempts to appropriately use data-driven technologies
August 05, 2019 05 Aug'19
Most UK university applicants at risk of email fraud

The majority of hundreds of thousands of applicants to UK universities are at risk of email fraud before and after A-level results day, due to a failure to implement full Dmarc protection, a study reveals
August 02, 2019 02 Aug'19
CDEI concludes public engagement on online targeting

The Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation has concluded a major events programme supporting one of its upcoming reviews
August 02, 2019 02 Aug'19
Birmingham City Council ends 13-year IT contract with Capita

Local authority to bring IT services in-house, saying “the time is right to transfer the services back to the council”
August 01, 2019 01 Aug'19
IR35 reforms: Contractor poll highlights lack of faith in new UK government

Research into how the contractor community views the government and its ability to deliver the private sector IR35 reforms should provide “food for thought” for prime minister Boris Johnson
August 01, 2019 01 Aug'19
Industrial control system cyber security risk high, report warns

The industrial control system cyber risk to global oil and gas companies is high and rising, as new attack groups continue to enter the arena
August 01, 2019 01 Aug'19
Central government data infrastructure threatens digital progress

Leaders across UK public sector see their current legacy technology as a key hurdle to modernisation, according to research
July 31, 2019 31 Jul'19
Cisco pays $8.6m after whistleblower discloses security flaws in video surveillance system

James Glenn, a video surveillance expert working for a Cisco reseller in Denmark, alerted Cisco to security faults and stands to gain a share of a multimillion-dollar settlement with the US government
July 31, 2019 31 Jul'19
Middle East businesses welcome Amazon Web Services region launch

Bahrain AWS region, with three datacentres, links Middle East to AWS's global network and will help to accelerate digital transformation
July 31, 2019 31 Jul'19
Police Scotland awards National Network contract to BT

Police Scotland is embarking on a £3.9m network project as part of its wider digital transformation strategy
July 31, 2019 31 Jul'19
5G mobile networks transformative for health and social care, says TechUK

A new report produced by TechUK and the Liverpool 5G testbed shows how 5G can be used effectively in the NHS, and offers recommendations to government
July 30, 2019 30 Jul'19
UK government announces new online safety body

The UK Council for Internet Safety has an expanded scope to tackle digital abuse and will inform future policy development
July 30, 2019 30 Jul'19
Mobiles top target of nation state surveillance

Nation states are targeting individual mobile users for intelligence gathering and disruption of rivals as security on mobile devices lags behind traditional computing, a report reveals
July 29, 2019 29 Jul'19
ODI investigates use of private sector data by cities

The Open Data Institute is seeking to find out whether cities have the levels of access needed to access data collected by private sector organisations
July 29, 2019 29 Jul'19
ICO selects first innovation Sandbox participants

UK privacy watchdog has chosen the first firms to take part in its Sandbox programme aimed at developing innovative and beneficial products and services that are privacy compliant
July 29, 2019 29 Jul'19
One-third of UK councils have IT budgets cut

Many local authorities’ IT budgets are being reduced at a time when they are trying to digitally transform to cut costs and improve processes
July 26, 2019 26 Jul'19
New digital minister appointed as PM Johnson continues reshuffle

Former telecoms executive Nigel Adams takes over as minister for digital and sport, succeeding Margot James
July 25, 2019 25 Jul'19
Crown Commercial Service to replace Crown Marketplace

The Cabinet Office’s executive agency tweaks its modernisation strategy to boost government procurement efficiency and advances its own technology agenda