Data breach incident management and recovery

How organisations can weaponise data privacy

Organisations should turn data privacy into a competitive advantage and look beyond regulatory compliance to build a privacy programme that aligns with business targets, says Gartner Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Microsoft expands AI Copilot project into security realm

New Microsoft service, Security Copilot, will supposedly expand the reach, speed and effectiveness of cyber teams Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Inside Group-IB’s cyber security playbook

A focus on threat intelligence, fraud protection and its work with Interpol has enabled Group-IB to compete against bigger rivals in the market Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Ransomware attacks up 45% in February, LockBit responsible

NCC Group says it observed a surge in ransomware attacks in February, with LockBit, BlackCat and BianLian all highly active Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

triage in IT

Triage is a term referring to the assignment of priority levels to tasks or individuals to determine the most effective order in which to deal with them. Continue Reading

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• Paul Kirvan
• Ivy Wigmore

forensic image

A forensic image (forensic copy) is a bit-by-bit, sector-by-sector direct copy of a physical storage device, including all files, folders and unallocated, free and slack space. Continue Reading

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• Paul Kirvan

Why Veeam thinks ransomware warranty payouts are unlikely

Veeam Data Platform v12 offers a financial guarantee to customers that can’t restore after ransomware attacks, but the backup supplier is convinced it won’t be making many payouts Continue Reading

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• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Government launches seven-year NHS cyber strategy

The new Cyber Security Strategy for Health and Adult Social Care lays out a plan for promoting cyber resilience in the sector by 2030 to protect services and patients alike Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nordics move towards common cyber defence strategy

Nordic countries agree to work together to improve their cyber defences amid increasing threat Continue Reading

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• Gerard O'Dwyer

Hitachi Energy emerges as victim of Clop gang’s Fortra attack

The power and energy division of Japanese conglomerate Hitachi has disclosed that it has fallen victim to a Clop cyber attack, but insists customer data is safe Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ferrari rejects ransom demand after cyber attack

Italian carmaker Ferrari says it will refuse to pay a ransom after an unspecified threat actor broke into its IT systems and stole customer data Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ransomware gangs harass victims to ‘bypass’ backups

Analysis reveals how cyber criminal gangs are turning to extensive, targeted harassment campaigns to force victims to pay up, even if their backups are in good order Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCSC launches cyber check-up tools for SMEs

The NCSC has launched two new security services aimed at SMEs that lack the resources to address cyber issues, and may underestimate their vulnerability to attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

BEC attacks doubled in 2022, outstripping ransomware

Massive growth in the volume of Business Email Compromise or BEC attacks was linked to a surge in successful phishing campaigns, according to data from Secureworks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Rubrik customer, partner data exposed in possible Clop attack

Rubrik was supposedly compromised by the Clop ransomware gang via a zero-day vulnerability in a managed file transfer software package it uses Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft patches Outlook zero-day for March Patch Tuesday

A highly dangerous privilege escalation bug in Outlook is among 80 different vulnerabilities patched in Microsoft’s March Patch Tuesday update Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How ForgeRock is tackling identity management

ForgeRock CEO Fran Rosch has set the identity and access management software supplier on a path to deliver a frictionless identity experience without compromising security or privacy Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

What can security teams learn from a year of cyber warfare?

With the passing of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we reflect on the ongoing cyber war, and ask what security leaders can learn from the past 12 months Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

APAC IT leaders bullish on tech spending

Over half of respondents in this year’s IT Priorities study have bigger IT budgets as they continue to make strategic investments in cyber security, cloud and automation, among other areas Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Podcast: 2023 compliance and storage outlook

Geopolitical instability casts its shadow as organisations must think about cyber attacks, data location and what to do if things change quickly. We talk to Mathieu Gorge, CEO of Vigitrust Continue Reading

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• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Data breaches in Australia on the rise, says OAIC

Cyber security incidents were the cause of most data breaches, which rose by 26% in the second half of 2022, according to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner Continue Reading

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• Stephen Withers

LastPass attack saw employee’s home computer hacked

The ongoing investigation into a series of linked security incidents at LastPass has found that the attacker was successfully able to compromise a developer’s home PC using a vulnerability in a media software package Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Royal Mail stands firm as LockBit leaks data and renews ransom demand

The LockBit ransomware gang has made good on its threat to leak data exfiltrated from Royal Mail’s systems, but the postal service is not entertaining the possibility of giving in Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

WithSecure proposes ‘undo’ button for ransomware

WithSecure’s Activity Monitor technology supposedly overcomes the shortcomings of sandbox test environments, and may be able to stop ransomware attacks from ever happening Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK forces lead live-fire cyber war exercise

The seven-day Defence Cyber Marvel 2 exercise put cyber responders from 11 countries through their paces Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Researchers find new bug ‘class’ in Apple devices

A group of vulnerabilities in Apple products that stem from the ForcedEntry exploit used by spyware firm NSO constitutes a whole new class of bug, say researchers at Trellix Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Royal Mail resumes full export service after cyber attack

Royal Mail resumes the last of its international services as it recovers from a ransomware attack, while the Post Office offers postmasters compensation for their lost business Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Singapore organisations struggle to operationalise threat intelligence

Organisations in the city-state were satisfied with the quality of their threat intelligence, but they struggled to operationalise the information due to talent shortages and other challenges Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Financial advisory firm Succession Wealth probes cyber attack

Aviva-owned wealth consultancy and financial advisory practice Succession Wealth was hit by an undisclosed security incident on 8 February Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: New trends and drivers in cyber security training

Self-paced, interactive, bite-sized learning is becoming the optimum path for cyber security training in the workplace, says John Tolbert of KuppingerCole Continue Reading

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• John Tolbert, KuppingerCole

What charities should know about ransomware and reputational threats

The NCSC recently called for charities to elevate their cyber security practice. Find out why charities are a soft target for cyber criminals, and what they can do to fight back Continue Reading

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• Rob Shapland and Adam Monks

Royal Mail refused to pay £66m LockBit ransom demand, logs reveal

Leaked chat logs reveal Royal Mail has supposedly refused to pay a £66m ransom demand from the LockBit ransomware gang Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Where next for NHS IT?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as NHS Digital is folded into NHS England, we consider what the merger could mean for the future of NHS IT. We find out how data science and analytics has become an increasingly important function for the John Lewis Partnership. And we examine the importance of building empathy into metaverse applications. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

How to protect your business from fraud during a recession

This winter, the chilly winds of a global recession have fraudsters turning up the heat. PJ Rohall of SEON Fraud Fighters shares some guidance on how to bundle up against fraud Continue Reading

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• PJ Rohall

Security buyers lack insight into threats, attackers, report finds

The majority of cyber security purchasing decisions are made without proper insight into the attackers organisations are facing, according to a Mandiant report Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Killnet DDoS attacks disrupt Nato websites

A series of distributed denial of service attacks on various public websites belonging to the Nato alliance were largely repelled but some resources remain unavailable Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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 Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Social media platform Reddit breached in phishing attack

An unspecified threat actor obtained access to internal documents, code and business systems at Reddit after stealing employee credentials in a phishing attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Check Point is keeping pace with the cyber security landscape

Check Point Software CEO Gil Shwed talks up the company’s growth areas, its approach to cloud security and the impact of generative AI on cyber security Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Security Think Tank: Poor training is worse than no training at all

Bad security training is a betrayal of users, a security risk, and ultimately a waste of money, but there are some reasons to be optimistic about the future, say Mike Gillespie and Ellie Hurst of Advent IM Continue Reading

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• Ellie Hurst, Advent IM
• Mike Gillespie

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 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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 Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Post Office branches struggling after Royal Mail cyber attack

Royal Mail has restored almost all of its international services to some extent, but remains unable to accept parcels bought over the counter in a Post Office branch Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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? Continue Reading

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• Peter Ray Allison

Ransomware operator turns their fire on two-year-old VMware bug

A vulnerability in VMware ESXi servers that users should have patched in 2021 is now being exploited to spread ransomware Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Australian organisations underinvesting in cyber security

Over half of Australian organisations failed to invest enough in cyber security over past three years, though awareness is improving in aftermath of high-profile data breaches Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

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 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor
• Valéry Rieß-Marchive, Rédacteur en chef

Security Think Tank: In 2023, we need a new way to cultivate better habits

Regular, small adjustments to behaviour offer a better way to keep employees on track and cultivate a corporate culture of cyber awareness, writes Elastic’s Mandy Andress Continue Reading

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• Mandy Andress, Elastic

Security Think Tank: Getting the training and development mix right

Rob Dartnall, CEO at SecAlliance and chair of Crest’s UK Council, describes the need for formal, varied and continuous development in the cyber security sector Continue Reading

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• Rob Dartnall, SecAlliance

North Korea’s Lazarus gang exposes itself in opsec failure

WithSecure researchers linked a campaign of cyber attacks targeting medical research and energy firms to North Korea’s infamous Lazarus APT after a group member accidentally screwed up Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Suspected LockBit ransomware attack causes havoc in City of London

A suspected LockBit ransomware attack on trading software firm Ion has caused chaos for City of London traders Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cloud security top risk to enterprises in 2023, says study

A PwC study finds senior executives expect cyber attacks on cloud services to increase significantly this year Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CryptoRom scam abuses Apple and Google app stores to claim victims

Sophos researchers report on two fake apps used by romance scammers to lure victims into parting with their money, both of which were able to escape the attention of Apple and Google app store safeguards Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Russian DDoS hacktivists seen targeting western hospitals

A swathe of attacks by the Putin-supporting DDoS operation known as Killnet has targeted hospitals and other infrastructure in several Nato countries, with the UK thought to be at risk Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

GitHub warns Desktop, Atom users after code-signing certificates pinched

Threat actors stole encrypted code-signing certificates for GitHub’s Desktop and Atom applications in December 2022, prompting warnings for users Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Royal Mail recovers more International Tracked services

Royal Mail is making further progress in recovering IT systems hit by a ransomware attack, and has re-enabled another tranche of international export services Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Hive ransomware gang taken down after FBI hacks back

The FBI hacked into Hive’s servers, stole its decryption keys and then took down its servers in a major action that has successfully disrupted a prolific and dangerous ransomware operation Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Royal Mail resumes some international parcel services from UK

Royal Mail has successfully stood up its International Tracked and Signed, and International Signed, services as it continues to recover from a ransomware attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Zero-trust implementations remain work in progress

Just one in 10 large enterprises are expected to have mature and measurable zero-trust programmes in place by 2026, study finds Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

NCSC exposes Iranian, Russian spear-phishing campaign targeting UK

Spear-phishing campaigns likely linked to Iranian and Russian espionage activity are targeting persons of interest in the UK, warns the NCSC Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Arnold Clark cyber attack claimed by Play ransomware gang

A cyber attack that struck car dealer Arnold Clark prior to Christmas has been claimed as the work of the Play ransomware cartel Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Boards struggle to resolve cyber risk in digital supply chains

Accelerated digitisation of supply chains is introducing more cyber risk for which many organisations seem unprepared, according to the BSI’s annual report on supply chain risk Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

IT’s shift to the cloud: Veeam’s data protection report in detail

With half of servers in the cloud, most backup and nearly all disaster recovery cloud-centric, the shift to the cloud is significant – but container backup is one area that is yet to settle down Continue Reading

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• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

SSRF attacks hit 100,000 businesses globally since November

There has been a dramatic increase in attacks exploiting the ProxyNotShell/OWASSRF exploit chains to target Microsoft Exchange servers Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The rise of fraud in pop culture is impacting consumers’ digital trust

Shows such as The Tinder Swindler and Inventing Anna were big money-earners for Netflix in 2022, but Onfido’s Mike Tuchen says their popularity risks damaging consumer trust Continue Reading

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• Mike Tuchen

NCSC warning over cyber risk to charity sector

Cash-strapped charities without the resource to tackle their resilience deficit are increasingly at risk from malicious actors, says the NCSC Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Royal Mail making limited progress on ransomware recovery

Royal Mail asks customers to hold back from sending post overseas as some services get back on track, while a report warns that disruptive attacks on critical infrastructure are set to become more common Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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 Continue Reading

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• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

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 Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

International post resumes thanks to Royal Mail ‘workarounds’

Royal Mail has resumed limited international services after putting in place operational workarounds to bypass the impact of a ransomware attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

KFC, Pizza Hut parent shuts UK restaurants after cyber attack

A ransomware attack on Yum! Brands, the parent organisation of restaurants including KFC and Pizza Hut, was forced to shut approximately 300 outlets in the UK following a ransomware attack by an unspecified group Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Mailchimp suffers third breach in 12 months

Email marketing service Mailchimp has suffered its third data breach in a year, but has been praised for being open about its latest attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ukraine CERT leaders touch down in London for talks

The UK’s NCSC has been hosting Ukrainian cyber security leaders for a round of bilateral talks on improving resilience Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ukraine cyber teams responded to more than 2,000 attacks in 2022

The Ukrainian authorities responded to more than 2,000 major cyber incidents during 2022, and are blocking thousands more potential attacks every day Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Royal Mail promises ‘workarounds’ to restore services after ransomware attack

Royal Mail CEO Simon Thompson apologises to customers whose businesses are being disrupted by a ransomware attack and promises a ‘workaround’ will be in place in the near future Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

LockBit cartel suspected of Royal Mail cyber attack

The still-developing cyber incident at Royal Mail may be the work of the infamous LockBit ransomware operation Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Companies warned to step up cyber security to become ‘insurable’

Investing in better IT security to protect against cyber crime will make businesses more resilient against other risks  Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Guardian confirms Christmas 2022 cyber attack was ransomware

Guardian Media Group bosses confirm the 20 December cyber attack that left staff locked out of its London office and disrupted several key systems was an untargeted ransomware attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Royal Mail services hit by major cyber attack

UK postal service Royal Mail is asking customers not to send any overseas letters or parcels while it deals with the impact of an ongoing cyber attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Davos 2023: Pervasive cyber crime and cyber security gaps pose severe risk to organisations

Governments and organisations face tough trade-offs as they balance immediate problems caused by economic recession, energy shortages and rising interest rates with longer-term risks, including the impact of global warming Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

New APT group targets ASEAN governments and militaries

The Dark Pink advanced persistent threat group used custom malware to exfiltrate data from high-profile targets through spear-phishing emails last year, according to Group-IB Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

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 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Proposed digital fraud refund rules risk excluding many victims

Proposals to establish a fraud refund mechanism in the UK risk excluding many victims of digitally enabled fraud, a major bank has warned Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Russia’s Turla falls back on old malware C2 domains to avoid detection

Mandiant says it has observed the Russian APT UNC2410, also known as Turla, re-registering expired or sinkholed domains previously used by financially motivated cyber criminals Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Vice Society cyber gang targeted multiple UK schools

The Vice Society ransomware gang has made a habit of attacking educational institutions, and now appears to have struck multiple schools, colleges and universities in the UK Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Warning over ransomware attacks spreading via Fortinet kit

Following the disclosure of a critical vulnerability in October 2022, Fortinet VPN devices were exploited in two known ransomware attacks, with access likely sold on the dark web Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fallout from Guardian cyber attack to last at least a month

The Guardian newspaper’s offices remained shut into the New Year following a supposed ransomware attack, with disruption likely to last some time Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Securing low Earth orbit represents the new space race

The barriers to launching satellites into low Earth orbit are falling fast, and that brings new cyber security challenges Continue Reading

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• Matthew Staff

China and India governments among top targets for cyber attackers

Chinese and Indian governments targeted by hacktivists and ransomware groups out to make statement or expose flaws in their respective security postures Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Cyber security professionals share their biggest lessons of 2022

In the run-up to 2023, cyber security professionals are taking the time to reflect on the past few months and share their biggest lessons of 2022 Continue Reading

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• Nicholas Fearn

How does red teaming test the ultimate limits of cyber security?

An expert ethical hacker reveals how he goes about carrying out a red team exercise Continue Reading

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• Rob Shapland

Why the current fraud model is broken, and how to fix it

Scammers and fraudsters are catching up with the good guys; a new technological approach is needed to fight skyrocketing volumes of digital fraud, says Darwinium founder Alisdair Faulkner Continue Reading

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• Alisdair Faulkner

Top 10 cyber security stories of 2022

The war in Ukraine loomed large over the cyber security news agenda, but 2022 also saw growing awareness of open source security, discussion around cyber insurance, and more besides Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top 10 cyber crime stories of 2022

Cyber crime continued to hit the headlines in 2022, with impactful cyber attacks abounding, digitally enabled fraud ever more widespread and plenty of ransomware incidents Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor