News
IT for government and public sector
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May 07, 2024
07
May'24
Chinese APT suspected of Ministry of Defence hack
A cyber attack on the Ministry of Defence is suspected to be the work of threat actors working on behalf of Chinese intelligence
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May 07, 2024
07
May'24
Police told in 2016 that Post Office prosecutor withheld evidence of Horizon errors from court
A campaigning former subpostmaster told Surrey Police he suspected a ‘possible criminal offence’ when he found details of a Post Office prosecutor withholding evidence in a 2010 trial
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May 03, 2024
03
May'24
EU calls out Fancy Bear over attacks on Czech, German governments
The European Union, alongside member states Czechia and Germany, have accused Russian government APT Fancy Bear of being behind a series of attacks on political parties and government bodies
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May 03, 2024
03
May'24
Lords say government must ‘go beyond’ current approach to LLMs
Chair of the Lords Communications and Digital Committee has written to the UK’s digital secretary about the government’s approach to generative AI, lamenting a lack of support for copyright holders and measures to ensure competition in AI markets
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May 03, 2024
03
May'24
Post Office legal boss withheld details from statutory body reviewing miscarriages of justice
The Post Office’s top lawyer held back vital information when requested by the criminal cases review commission, preventing wrongful convictions from being reviewed
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May 02, 2024
02
May'24
NCSC updates warning over hacktivist threat to CNI
The NCSC and CISA have warned about the evolving threat from Russia-backed hacktivist threat actors targeting critical national infrastructure, after a number of American utilities were attacked
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May 02, 2024
02
May'24
Post Office investigators saw subpostmasters as ‘enemies’ – and that’s what they became
Post Office investigators were only focused on getting money from subpostmasters blamed for accounting shortfalls, according to a 2013 report commissioned by organisation’s legal boss
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May 02, 2024
02
May'24
BBC instructs lawyers over allegations of police surveillance of journalist
Lawyers for the BBC have written to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal over allegations that the Police Service of Northern Ireland spied on investigative journalist Vincent Kearney
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May 01, 2024
01
May'24
EMEA CISOs must address human factors behind cyber incidents
The 17th annual Verizon report on data breaches makes for sobering reading for security pros, urging them to do more to address the human factors involved in cyber incidents, and highlighting ongoing issues with zero-day patching
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May 01, 2024
01
May'24
DWP anti-fraud measures will allow monitoring of bank accounts of landlords, carers and parents
Parliamentarians raise concerns that a proposed law to require banks to monitor the accounts of millions of people receiving state benefits could lead to those on welfare being denied accommodation or bank accounts
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May 01, 2024
01
May'24
Autonomous weapons reduce moral agency and devalue human life
Military technology experts gathered in Vienna have warned about the detrimental psychological effects of AI-powered weapons, arguing that implementing systems of algorithmic-enabled killing dehumanises both the user and the target
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April 30, 2024
30
Apr'24
Persistent data breaches deny people with HIV dignity and privacy
The ICO has urged charities and healthcare organisations that work with people living with HIV to do better when it comes to protecting their personal data, after the HIV status of more than 100 people was accidentally disclosed by London’s Central ...
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April 30, 2024
30
Apr'24
Global majority united on multilateral regulation of AI weapons
Foreign ministers and civil society representatives say that multilateralism is key to controlling the proliferation and use of AI-powered autonomous weapons, but that a small number of powerful countries are holding back progress
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April 30, 2024
30
Apr'24
Barnsley Council drives social care efficiency with Copilot
Microsoft generative AI tool Copilot is being used to streamline many of the admin tasks Barnsley Council social care workers need to do
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April 29, 2024
29
Apr'24
Post Office misjudged campaigner it labelled a ‘bluffer’
Social media, a trade union and tech expertise helped former subpostmasters expose Post Office bug myth
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April 26, 2024
26
Apr'24
Post Office scheme was a ‘charade’ that never intended for large compensation pay-outs
The Post Office established a scheme to compensate subpostmasters affected by tech faults, but it was just a ‘charade’, says Public Inquiry KC
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April 26, 2024
26
Apr'24
European Parliament approves platform worker directive
The approval of the platform worker directive gives member states two years to incorporate its measures into their national legislation, which includes provisions on how to classify the employment of gig workers and deploy algorithmic ...
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April 26, 2024
26
Apr'24
Post Office ‘lied’ to subpostmasters when forced to meet them, says former federation representative
Post Office executives were forced to meet subpostmasters to discuss an unexplained error in their branch, then misled the branch managers over remote access
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April 25, 2024
25
Apr'24
More evidence emerges that Post Office executive misled High Court judge
Evidence in the questioning of 35-year Post Office veteran reveals the lengths the Post Office went to in hiding computer system vulnerabilities
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April 24, 2024
24
Apr'24
Lords debate amendment to law on use of computer evidence in light of Post Office scandal
Peers to debate amending the law on the use of computer evidence in court, which is partly to blame for the wrongful prosecutions of hundreds of former subpostmasters
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April 23, 2024
23
Apr'24
Post Office boss used husband’s descriptions in 'Orwellian' ploy to downplay Horizon problems
Post Office CEO sought advice from husband on what words to use in reports to downplay known errors in software, inquiry told.
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April 23, 2024
23
Apr'24
Expert investigating Capture system refuses to meet ‘untrustworthy’ Post Office
A former Post Office executive has refused to meet his past employer to discuss the controversial Capture system
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April 23, 2024
23
Apr'24
Lords split over UK government approach to autonomous weapons
During a debate on autonomous weapons systems, Lords expressed mixed opinions towards the UK government’s current position, including its reluctance to adopt a working definition and commit to international legal instruments controlling their use
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April 22, 2024
22
Apr'24
Fujitsu to cut UK jobs as Post Office scandal fallout hits sales
Japanese supplier’s role in the Post Office Horizon scandal is beginning to hurt its UK business, with job cuts announced
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April 22, 2024
22
Apr'24
NCSC announces PwC’s Richard Horne as CEO
Former PwC and Barclays cyber chief Richard Horne set to join UK’s National Cyber Security Centre as CEO
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April 22, 2024
22
Apr'24
Post Office lawyer was a jack of all trades, but failed his own
Post Office IT scandal inquiry hears how a lawyer was at the centre of the Post Office’s attempts to prevent problems with its IT system becoming public knowledge
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April 22, 2024
22
Apr'24
IT leaders hiring CISOs aplenty, but don’t fully understand the role
Most businesses now have a CISO, but perceptions of what CISOs are supposed to do, and confusion over the value they offer, may be holding back harmonious relations, according to a report
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April 21, 2024
21
Apr'24
Crime agency criticises Meta as European police chiefs call for curbs on end-to-end encryption
Law enforcement agencies step up demands for ‘lawful access’ to encrypted communications
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April 19, 2024
19
Apr'24
Report reveals Northern Ireland police put up to 18 journalists and lawyers under surveillance
Disclosures that the Police Service of Northern Ireland obtained phone communications data from journalists and lawyers leads to renewed calls for inquiry
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April 19, 2024
19
Apr'24
Unisys reveals no link to development of controversial Post Office software
IT supplier finds no evidence that it was involved in the development of controversial Post Office software
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April 19, 2024
19
Apr'24
Tech companies operating with opacity in Israel-Palestine
Tech firms operating in Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel are falling “woefully short” of their human rights responsibilities amid escalating devastation in Gaza, says Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
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April 19, 2024
19
Apr'24
CEST: Putting HMRC’s IR35 status checker under the microscope
Since its launch in March 2017, HMRC's online IR35 status checker tool has come under fierce criticism and scrutiny, only exacerbated in recent weeks by the disclosure it has not been updated in five years
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April 18, 2024
18
Apr'24
TUC publishes legislative proposal to protect workers from AI
Proposed bill for regulating artificial intelligence in the UK seeks to translate well-meaning principles and values into concrete rights and obligations that protect workers from systems that make ‘high-risk’ decisions about them
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April 18, 2024
18
Apr'24
Lords to challenge controversial DWP benefits bank account surveillance powers
Members of the House of Lords are pressing for amendments to the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill following concerns over government powers to monitor the bank accounts of people receiving benefits
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April 18, 2024
18
Apr'24
Gov.uk One Login accounts on the rise
Since August 2023, more than 1.8 million people verified their identity using the Gov.uk One Login app, while face-to-face verifications have also increased
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April 18, 2024
18
Apr'24
IT expert who helped expose Post Office scandal offers to investigate second controversial system
IT expert Jason Coyne, who played a critical part in exposing the Post Office Horizon scandal, said he would examine the Capture System
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April 17, 2024
17
Apr'24
Mandiant formally pins Sandworm cyber attacks on APT44 group
Mandiant has formally attributed a long-running campaign of cyber attacks by a Russian state actor known as Sandworm to a newly designated advanced persistent threat group to be called APT44
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April 16, 2024
16
Apr'24
Post Office boss signed off hush money to cover up smoking gun
A former Post Office boss admitted the pain and suffering of subpostmasters could have been avoided had the organisation done the right thing
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April 16, 2024
16
Apr'24
CISOs not yet convinced to invest in AI
CISOs say their eyes are fixed firmly on threats like ransomware and supply chain attacks, and while AI is becoming a threat that needs to be dealt with, it’s not yet an immediate spending priority
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April 16, 2024
16
Apr'24
NHS England scouts for national CCIO
The new national chief clinical informatics officer (CCIO) role comes with a salary offer of up to £146,000 and includes leading NHS England’s Transformation Directorates digital clinical informatics team
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April 16, 2024
16
Apr'24
Alan Bates and JFSA won’t back down in fight with government and Post Office
Over the past 15 years, Computer Weekly has learnt that Alan Bates and the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance don’t give up, and it would be crass to disregard their plans
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April 15, 2024
15
Apr'24
EU’s AI Act fails to protect the rule of law and civic space
Analysis reveals that the AI Act is ‘riddled with far-reaching exceptions’ and its measures to protect fundamental rights are insufficient
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April 12, 2024
12
Apr'24
Apple iPhone security alert renews spyware concerns
An Apple security alert received by users in 92 countries raises fresh fears over ongoing campaigns by users of mercenary spyware products
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April 12, 2024
12
Apr'24
UK in critical need of regulation to fight misinformation online
Misinformation, where it is generated by AI, poses a serious threat due to the ease with which plausible false content can be created and spread
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April 12, 2024
12
Apr'24
Government could still replace Fujitsu in key nuclear contract
Fujitsu’s first government contract of the year could be just a stay of execution as department says that all replacement options are still being considered
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April 12, 2024
12
Apr'24
Post Office boss said subpostmasters had hands in till and blamed technology for missing cash
Former boss reacted to 2009 Computer Weekly expose by telling a colleague that 'subbies with their hands in the till' were blaming technology for their own theft
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April 11, 2024
11
Apr'24
PSNI criticised after ‘utterly vague’ answers on covert surveillance of journalists
The Policing Board of Northern Ireland has asked the Police Service of Northern Ireland to produce a public report on its use of covert surveillance powers against journalists and lawyers after it gave ‘utterly vague’ answers
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April 11, 2024
11
Apr'24
Facial recognition to play key role in UK shoplifting crackdown
UK government will fund roll-out of police facial recognition across the country as part of its crackdown on shoplifting and violence against retail staff, but civil society groups say the government is attempting to police its way out of the ...
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April 11, 2024
11
Apr'24
Former Post Office executive’s neglect prolonged Horizon reliability myth
Executive’s failure to provide terms of reference for a controversial Post Office investigation into its own computer system resulted in a one-sided whitewash report
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April 11, 2024
11
Apr'24
AI skills gap blocking public sector take-up
A Salesforce report claims that a lack of skills in artificial intelligence is preventing effective take-up of generative AI to enhance frontline citizen services across the public sector