News

IT legislation and regulation

• February 13, 2023 13 Feb'23

  Investigatory Powers Act: Home Office proposes rethink of safeguards on bulk data collection

  David Anderson KC will review the safeguards on intelligence service and police use of bulk datasets following a Home Office assessment that they are 'disproportionate'.

• February 13, 2023 13 Feb'23

  Police tech needs clear legal rules, says biometrics regulator

  Police use of artificial intelligence and facial recognition needs to be controlled by strict rules and mechanisms to ensure public trust

• February 13, 2023 13 Feb'23

  Whistleblower in limbo as sensitive NatWest customer files remain under her bed

  Whistleblower and NatWest at stalemate as regulators leave it up to them to come to an agreement on return of sensitive customer data

• February 09, 2023 09 Feb'23

  UK imposes sanctions on Conti ransomware gang leaders

  Seven Russian nationals associated with the Conti and Ryuk ransomware operations have been sanctioned by the UK

• February 09, 2023 09 Feb'23

  Banking regulatory body wants a ‘tripwire’ to flag APP fraud

  Banking code of practice organisation wants banks to monitor where authorised push payment scammers are sending stolen money

• February 08, 2023 08 Feb'23

  Prolific social media fraudster jailed for three years

  Ramzan Abubakarov of Hendon will serve three-year prison sentence after using Telegram to coordinate series of frauds which netted almost £2m

• February 08, 2023 08 Feb'23

  Campaigners lament lack of movement on Computer Misuse Act reform

  Westminster has opened a new consultation on proposed reforms to the Computer Misuse Act of 1990, but campaigners who want the law changed to protect cyber professionals have been left disappointed

• February 07, 2023 07 Feb'23

  UK government sets up dedicated department for science and technology

  For the first time, the UK has a Cabinet-level role responsible for all science and technology policy, as part of prime minister Rishi Sunak’s departmental reshuffle

• February 07, 2023 07 Feb'23

  LockBit cartel finally claims Royal Mail ransomware attack

  The LockBit ransomware gang claims it has stolen sensitive data from Royal Mail and will leak it later this week if its demands go unmet

• February 07, 2023 07 Feb'23

  APP fraud reimbursement proposal is ‘fundamentally flawed’, say MPs

  MPs claim the involvement of a bank-sponsored organisation in reimbursing victims of APP fraud would be a conflict of interest

• February 07, 2023 07 Feb'23

  ‘Profound’ digital pound decision faces policymakers

  The UK Treasury has launched a consultation paper to help lay the foundations for a ‘profound decision’ over a digital currency

• February 07, 2023 07 Feb'23

  UK altnets slam Ofcom BT wholesale tariff approval

  UK’s independent full-fibre providers express fear that likely regulatory green light for new wholesale pricing from market leader threatens competitiveness of UK gigabit sector

• February 07, 2023 07 Feb'23

  Benelux CIO interview: Marijn Grevink, leader of digital transformation, Mars

  In an interview with Computer Weekly, the digital head at Mars, Marijn Grevink, takes the wrapper off digital transformation at the company in the Netherlands

• February 06, 2023 06 Feb'23

  Estonian anti-money laundering platform used to fight APP fraud

  A real-time data-sharing platform originally built to identify money laundering is also being applied to the fight against authorised push payment fraud

• February 06, 2023 06 Feb'23

  The Security Interviews: How to overcome data protection compliance challenges

  Complying with the vast swathe of data protection legislation around the world is complex, especially for smaller organisations without the necessary expertise. Could the compliance process be simplified, and if so, how?

• February 03, 2023 03 Feb'23

  Finance regulator finding more misleading promotions quicker through improved digital tools

  UK finance regulator able to find and block misleading promotions faster through improved digital tools

• February 03, 2023 03 Feb'23

  LockBit gang confirms Ion cyber attack as disruption continues

  The LockBit ransomware cartel has taken responsibility for this week’s attack on financial software firm Ion, and is threatening to leak stolen data on Saturday 4 February

• February 03, 2023 03 Feb'23

  FCA cracks down on misleading promos by social media influencers

  Social media is becoming a major part of the FCA’s work in clamping down on misleading financial advertising and promotions, with multiple influencers rapped for their behaviour

• February 03, 2023 03 Feb'23

  Record fibre growth fails to halt mixed Q3 for BT

  Strategy of focus on fibre and 5G vindicated in financial results showing leading UK telco buffeted by inflationary headwinds – but also seeing benefit of growing investment in fixed network infrastructure

• February 03, 2023 03 Feb'23

  MEPs vote to amend platform worker directive

  MEPs have voted in favour of amendments to the European Commission’s platform worker directive that would introduce a presumption of employment and increase algorithmic transparency

• February 02, 2023 02 Feb'23

  UK government announces plans to protect consumers through cryptoasset regulation

  UK government wants feedback on its plans to regulate organisations operating in the cryptoasset sector

• February 02, 2023 02 Feb'23

  Arnold Clark customer data was stolen in Play ransomware attack

  Arnold Clark confirms data leaked on dark web was stolen from its systems in ransomware attack

• February 01, 2023 01 Feb'23

  Malware variant can block contactless payments

  Kaspersky warns that the latest variant of the Prilex malware can block contactless payments to force people to insert cards, enabling criminals to steal money

• February 01, 2023 01 Feb'23

  UK Cyber Council and ISACA launch audit, assurance programme

  The UK Cyber Security Council has teamed up with ISACA to partner on a new audit and assurance programme for security pros

• January 31, 2023 31 Jan'23

  MI5 unlawfully collected and held millions of people’s data

  Secretive court finds MI5 knowingly acted unlawfully in use of bulk surveillance warrants, and the Home Office continued granting warrants despite information the agency was operating outside the law

• January 31, 2023 31 Jan'23

  MPs warned of AI arms race to the bottom

  Expert tells Parliamentary committee that tech companies developing artificial intelligence are cutting corners and placing safety on the backburner, opening up ‘enormous risks’ for the future of AI

• January 30, 2023 30 Jan'23

  Data of 10 million JD Sports customers accessed in cyber attack

  Data on 10 million people who shopped online at JD Sports over a two-year period was accessed and potentially stolen in a cyber attack

• January 27, 2023 27 Jan'23

  UK local authorities reveal connectivity priorities, challenges

  Study examining topics ranging from gigabit-capable broadband to 5G, smart places, telecoms and net-zero finds progress being made in UK local government, but challenges remain in the drive to improve digital connectivity

• January 27, 2023 27 Jan'23

  Lords question ‘extensive’ government online safety powers

  Digital minister Paul Scully defends government Online Safety plans to give secretary of state powers to direct Ofcom

• January 25, 2023 25 Jan'23

  Will mass big tech lay-offs affect employment prospects of IT contractors in 2023?

  With some of the biggest tech firms in the world announcing mass redundancies, will the flood of new entrants to the jobs market affect the prospects of IT contractors already looking for work amid the cost-of-living crisis?

• January 24, 2023 24 Jan'23

  UK insurers need to up their game on cyber gaps, says PRA

  Gaps and limitations in how insurers respond to cyber risk need to be addressed, according to the Bank of England regulator, the Prudential Regulation Authority

• January 24, 2023 24 Jan'23

  Nationwide Building Society CIO to join Co-operative Bank

  Gary Delooze to join Co-operative Bank as CIO after six years heading up Nationwide Building Society’s IT department

• January 24, 2023 24 Jan'23

  Executive interview: Andrew Roughan, CEO, Plexal

  Plexal CEO Andrew Roughan talks about how tech startups collaborate with the government to transform public services, the barriers to entry, and how the process can be improved

• January 23, 2023 23 Jan'23

  Royal Society calls on public sector to pilot privacy tech

  The Royal Society says public sector bodies should lead the way in piloting privacy-enhancing technologies to unlock the value of data without compromising privacy and data rights, but lack of standards and incentives mean adoption is slow

• January 20, 2023 20 Jan'23

  Veeam survey finds ransomware blocks digital transformation

  Annual report shows secular trend to the cloud and increased use of containers, but prevalence of ransomware attacks means digital transformation is hindered

• January 20, 2023 20 Jan'23

  WhatsApp’s £4.8m fine raises questions for organisations using behavioural advertising

  The Irish Data Protection Commissioner has fined WhatsApp, owned by Meta, in a case that will raise questions for organisations that rely on contracts rather than consent to comply with GDPR when offering behavioural advertising

• January 19, 2023 19 Jan'23

  UK seeks to ban sharing ‘positive’ Channel crossing videos online

  Under UK government amendments to the Online Safety Bill, video footage that shows people crossing the Channel in a ‘positive light’ could be added to a list of illegal content that all tech platforms must proactively prevent from reaching users, ...

• January 19, 2023 19 Jan'23

  Newham Council rejects use of live facial-recognition tech by police

  Live facial-recognition technology should not be used by police in Newham until biometric and anti-discrimination safeguards are in place, according to a motion passed unanimously by the council, but the Met Police and the Home Office have indicated...

• January 17, 2023 17 Jan'23

  Benelux CIO interview: Richard Ventre, SHV Holdings

  In his role at Netherlands-based SHV Holdings, Richard Ventre is tackling the challenge of enabling a diverse set of digital transformations across a range of industries

• January 17, 2023 17 Jan'23

  Claim IR35 reform repeal and U-turn cost the government ‘nothing’ called into question

  After responding to a question about the cost of the government’s repeal of the IR35 reforms and its subsequent U-turn on the decision, the financial secretary has come under fire for claiming no additional costs were incurred by its flip-flopping

• January 17, 2023 17 Jan'23

  Cloudflare urged to clamp down on pirates, counterfeiters

  A whitepaper produced by brand protection specialist Corsearch calls on Cloudflare to do more to stop online content piracy and sales of counterfeit goods

• January 17, 2023 17 Jan'23

  Crest throws support behind CyberUp CMA reform campaign

  Cyber accreditation association Crest International has lent its support to the CyberUp campaign for reform to the Computer Misuse Act of 1990

• January 16, 2023 16 Jan'23

  IR35 reforms: Contractors cite tax avoidance legislation as ‘biggest concern’ in 2023

  Contractors have cited the IR35 reforms as being their biggest concern in 2023, ahead of the cost-of-living crisis and the government’s planned tax rises

• January 14, 2023 14 Jan'23

  Experts concerned over silence around government obligation to review UK surveillance laws

  The government is required to review the UK’s surveillance law, the Investigatory Powers Act, but experts say they are in the dark about its plans. The National Crime Agency’s operation Venetic has highlighted the need for urgent reforms

• January 13, 2023 13 Jan'23

  Cabinet Office looks to expand public data sharing for digital ID

  Cabinet Office seeks feedback on proposed legislation to enhance data sharing across the public sector, in support of the UK government’s ambition to have a single sign-on identity-check system for all public services

• January 13, 2023 13 Jan'23

  BBC assures UK Parliament that digital transformation plans are on track

  UK Parliamentary accounts watchdog probes British Broadcasting Corporation senior management regarding plans to reconstruct organisation to be fit for purpose in modern media industry and satisfy multiplatform needs of licence fee payers

• January 12, 2023 12 Jan'23

  Government accused of leaving umbrella company regulation in limbo by shelving enforcement body

  The UK government is coming under pressure to reveal the state of its plans to regulate umbrella companies after it emerged that the enforcement body it promised to create is unlikely to materialise

• January 12, 2023 12 Jan'23

  UK net neutrality regulation failing all stakeholders

  Leading analyst releases study showing net neutrality regulation is failing consumers, innovators and investors, calling for evidence-based broadband policy

• January 11, 2023 11 Jan'23

  Internet shutdowns cost global economy $24bn in 2022

  Deliberate disruption of people’s access to the internet by governments is having a substantial economic impact and contributing to a range of human rights abuses, primarily against protestors

• January 10, 2023 10 Jan'23

  Insurer Beazley introduces catastrophe bond to ease cyber risk

  Insurance company Beazley says that its $45m cyber catastrophe bond will help to protect its balance sheet and enable it to offer more cyber insurance cover