Hackers and cybercrime prevention

How NZ schools are tapping managed network services

Using managed network services has freed up time and resources for New Zealand school teachers and alleviated the pressure and challenges of maintaining technology infrastructure Continue Reading

How do SOAR and SIEM services fare in a rapidly changing cyber threat landscape?

Given that cyber risks are rapidly growing in sophistication and number, we look at whether SIEM and SOAR security tools are still effective Continue Reading

Berlin court reverses ban on use of EncroChat evidence in criminal trials

Berlin Superior Court allows use of EncroChat evidence in criminal trials but lawyers say the question will ultimately need to be decided by the German Supreme Court Continue Reading

Mandiant, Sophos detail dangerous ProxyShell attacks

Threat researchers and incident responders continue to track threat activity around the dangerous ProxyShell Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities, including impactful ransomware hits Continue Reading

China accused of cyber attacks on Norwegian IT systems

China-based cyber attackers have been blamed for multiple assaults on IT systems in Norway Continue Reading

How high can the contactless card limit go without two-factor authentication?

The spending limit for contactless cards has reached an eyebrow-raising triple-digit figure – £100 – raising questions about the need for user authentication Continue Reading

Twitter tests auto-block feature for accounts at risk of abuse

Latest Twitter feature automatically blocks abusive users, and is intended to help victims regain control of their experience on the platform Continue Reading

Experts warn on Office 365 phishing attacks

Newly observed campaign is particularly dangerous because it appears to neutralise one of the most widely known anti-phishing techniques Continue Reading

Making a mark in cyber security

Claudean Zheng’s knack for hacking landed her a career in cyber security, one that has been dotted by stints in both public and private sectors Continue Reading

GovTech launches vulnerability rewards programme

Vulnerability rewards programme will offer rewards ranging from $250 to $5,000 to white hat hackers who find vulnerabilities in critical government systems Continue Reading

Supply chain cyber security is only as strong as the weakest link

A spate of high-profile cyber attacks has highlighted the criticality of supply chain security and put new pressures on security leaders. How can we ensure that cyber security remains robust down the full length of supply chains? Continue Reading

How the cyber security market is evolving

The cyber security market has gained even greater importance in the post-Covid era and continues to grow and evolve. But what factors are driving trends in that market and what should your organisation consider when making cyber security investments? Continue Reading

Tech giants commit to Biden's cyber security action plan

Some of the world’s most prominent tech giants have made a series of commitments to enhance the US’ national cyber security posture following a high-profile meeting with president Biden Continue Reading

NZ privacy lead John Edwards named new information commissioner

DCMS has named John Edwards, currently New Zealand privacy commissioner, to succeed Elizabeth Denham as UK information commissioner Continue Reading

How women can succeed in cyber security

A cyber security professional at Australia’s IAG shares her career journey and insights on how women can succeed in the field Continue Reading

Calling the cops for ransomware attacks doesn’t help, say cyber pros

A new study for the #Ransomaware campaign reveals some insight into why so few victims report ransomware attacks Continue Reading

UK loses £1.3bn to fraud and cyber crime so far this year

New figures from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau show a threefold spike in reported financial losses to fraud and cyber crime in the first six months of 2021 Continue Reading

13 million malware attacks on Linux seen in wild

Cryptominers, web shells and ransomware are the most common varieties of malwares targeting Linux systems, thanks to its prevalence as the backbone of most public cloud services Continue Reading

Half of MS Exchange servers at risk in ProxyShell debacle

Up to 50% of MS Exchange users in the UK are exposed to three vulnerabilities that are now being actively exploited Continue Reading

The ransomware debate – to pay or not to pay?

The debate around banning ransomware payments is highly nuanced, and we must take care to avoid overt victim-blaming, in favour of an open and honest approach, says SASIG’s Martin Smith Continue Reading

More data breaches in Australia arising from ransomware

The number of data breaches in Australia arising out of ransomware attacks grew by 24% during the first half of 2021, according to OAIC’s latest data breach report Continue Reading

How the pandemic transformed IAG’s Hangar 51 accelerator

Businesses of all shapes and sizes have had to take a different approach during the pandemic – Dupsy Abiola, head of global innovation at IAG, explains how IAG transformed its Hangar 51 accelerator during the coronavirus outbreak Continue Reading

IT leaders fear ‘trickle-down’ of nation-state cyber attacks

Three-quarters of IT decision-makers are concerned that the tactics, techniques and procedures used by nation-state attackers could be used against them Continue Reading

MoD seeks security tech to harden military systems

The Defence and Security Accelerator has launched a programme to root out technology that will reduce the military’s exposure to cyber attacks Continue Reading

Nearly half of retailers hit by ransomware in 2020

In the face of increasingly prevalent and sophisticated ransomware attacks, retail organisations need to develop alternative ways of restoring lost or encrypted data, as paying the ransom does not guarantee its return in almost a third of cases Continue Reading

Cyber Runway programme supports new security businesses

The Cyber Runway programme is a government-backed scheme to support entrepreneurs, startups and scaleups in launching and growing new security businesses Continue Reading

Hospitals see cyber security investment as a low priority

Almost half of hospitals have experienced an IT shutdown as a result of a cyber attack in the past six months, but just over one in 10 hospital executives see cyber security investment as a high priority Continue Reading

LGA goes live with Digital Pathfinders Programme

Programme offers £20,000 in funding to councils that come up with ‘pioneering solutions’ for cyber security, digital inclusion and connectivity Continue Reading

Openness can protect Dutch companies against ransomware

 Continue Reading

US wins bid to widen grounds of appeal in Julian Assange extradition case

The US government accused medical expert professor Michael Kopelman of misleading the court by failing to disclose details of Assange’s relationship  Continue Reading

Hacker makes off with $600m in world’s largest crypto-heist

Despite bagging $600m worth of cryptocurrency in what has been described as the biggest decentralised finance hack, the hacker has already started returning the funds Continue Reading

The Netherlands still lacks digital resilience, says report

Report by National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security says the Netherlands’ digital resilience has improved, but is still insufficient Continue Reading

Ransomware demands and payments hit new records

Ransomware groups continue to intensify their operations as ransom demands and payments increase alongside use of “quadruple extortion” tactics during first half of 2021 Continue Reading

How Grab is using Kafka in fraud detection

Grab is using Apache Kafka in its fraud detection and prevention platform to ingest event streams from its mobile software development kits and client backends to pick up fraudulent activities Continue Reading

Possible ransomware attack hits Italian vaccine booking system

It is still unclear who is behind the attack that caused Covid-19 vaccine bookings in Lazio, Italy, to grind to a halt, as despite masses of files being encrypted no specific ransom demands have been made for the decryptor Continue Reading

Nine security flaws found in critical hospital infrastructure

The ‘PwnedPiper’ vulnerabilities identified in systems used by 80% of US hospitals could be used to launch ransomware attacks Continue Reading

BlackMatter goes on the record about DarkSide and REvil links

BlackMatter gives details of its ransomware-as-a-service operation and distinguishes itself from now-defunct ransomware gangs in interview with cyber security analysts from Recorded Future Continue Reading

Cloud misconfiguration a growing cause of security incidents

Rapid cloud adoption during the pandemic has increased the attack surface and heightened the risk of misconfiguring services, leaving organisations more vulnerable to cyber attacks Continue Reading

Six Isle of Wight schools hit by ransomware attack

Authorities are still working to manage the fallout from the attack, which has already forced at least one school to delay the start of the new term in September Continue Reading

Initial access brokers unaffected by ransomware content bans

Banning ransomware content from cyber crime forums has done little to prevent initial access brokers from advertising their services, with the number of access listings increasing in the second quarter of 2021 Continue Reading

UK MoD turns to hackers to help secure digital assets

Hackers given direct access to internal Ministry of Defence systems to identify and report security vulnerabilities Continue Reading

New ransomware gang spins out of DarkSide

The emergence of a ransomware gang known as BlackMatter raises questions that it could be a re-brand of REvil or DarkSide Continue Reading

Destruction and integrity cyber attacks on the rise

Cyber security professionals have reported a sharp rise in debilitating attacks aimed at destroying or manipulating data Continue Reading

Ransomware attacks increase dramatically during 2021

Dramatic increase in ransomware attacks globally during first half of 2021 driven by triple extortion technique, and is only set to expand further Continue Reading

The fears and benefits of virtualising reality

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the mingling of virtual and physical worlds and find positive applications and worrisome implications from augmented reality. We find out how to run a virtual hackathon during the pandemic – pizza still included. And we look at how to improve performance of your private cloud. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Government publishes second version of digital identity trust framework

The second iteration of the framework, still in alpha version, sets out how organisations can become certified digital identity service providers Continue Reading

Technical hiccups force Babuk ransomware gang to change tactics

The Babuk ransomware operation backed away from encrypting its victims’ files, and technical difficulties may be to blame, reports McAfee Continue Reading

Investigatory Powers Tribunal finds UK spy agencies unlawfully collected personal data

Campaign groups Privacy International and Liberty are gearing up to bring further legal action after a court found that UK spy agencies unlawfully collected phone and internet records Continue Reading

Top vulnerabilities target perimeter devices

The most frequently exploited CVEs of the year so far are to be found in perimeter and network access devices, according to a joint advisory from the NCSC and partners Continue Reading

COP26 cyber resource hub launched for Glasgow businesses

New digital information hub for Glasgow business to help organisations keep secure both physically and online ahead of major climate change summit Continue Reading

US lawmakers call for probe into ‘arrogant’ spyware firm

US members of Congress have called for an investigation into NSO Group, the spyware supplier at the centre of a massive surveillance scandal Continue Reading

TikTok sets up cyber security hub in Dublin

Dublin-based cyber centre will oversee the security of TikTok’s users across Europe Continue Reading

How IBM is solving the data privacy problem

IBM’s fully homomorphic encryption technology lets enterprises apply analytics and machine learning to encrypted data without compromising data privacy Continue Reading

Are we getting cyber security skills all wrong?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the chair of the new UK Cyber Security Council tells us how she plans to fundamentally reimagine what working in IT security means. Our latest buyer’s guide examines ERP modernisation and its role in digital transformation. And we take an in-depth look at the first preview version of Windows 11. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Malicious actors turn to obscure programming languages

Using new, lesser-known or otherwise uncommon programming languages to code new malwares can help skirt cyber defences Continue Reading

No More Ransom initiative saves £850m over five years

Initiative’s free ransomware decryption tools have been used by more than six million people since 2016 Continue Reading

Tokyo 2020 hit by data breach

The user names and passwords of Tokyo 2020 ticket holders and event volunteers were reportedly compromised, but government official claims the data leak was not large Continue Reading

OAIC: Uber failed to protect personal data of Australians

Uber did not take reasonable steps to protect Australians’ personal information from unauthorised access, says Australia’s national privacy watchdog Continue Reading

Kaseya obtains universal ransomware decryptor

Kaseya says it obtained a ransomware decryptor key from a trusted third party, but there is no word on whether a ransom was paid Continue Reading

Respect in Security challenges abuse and harassment in cyber

With around a third of cyber pros saying they have personally experienced harassment at work or online, a new initiative is urging organisations to pledge their support to help free the community from the scourge of abuse. We met its founders Continue Reading

New thinking and systems required to tackle online fraud in retail

Online fraud is a growing problem for retail, but are merchants doing enough to update systems and how should they change their actions to address it? Continue Reading

Five ways to ensure remote working security and compliance

A mix of on-site and remote working has become a fact of life for many organisations. We look at five key things you should consider to ensure compliance and security Continue Reading

France’s Macron among alleged Pegasus targets

Data relating to devices used by French president Emmanuel Macron and the head of the World Health Organization, among others, has been uncovered in a dataset linked to government use of spyware Continue Reading

NCSC’s Cameron urges deeper cyber alliance-building

Speaking to an event in Israel, NCSC CEO Lindy Cameron has praised joint UK-Israeli efforts on security collaboration Continue Reading

Sparsely staffed offices: the new post-pandemic cyber gap

With many offices still operating at limited capacity, a red teaming expert reveals how his job is getting easier, and why this is a problem Continue Reading

The Secret IR Insider’s Diary: It’s all gone quie...

The ‘Q’ word isn’t one that’s really used in incident response, says the Secret IR Insider, largely because as soon as you use it, something happens Continue Reading

Ripe for change – mixing digital innovation with traditional winemaking

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how global winemaker Concha y Toro uses the latest tech to enhance 150-year old traditional processes. Pharma giant GSK explains how an API strategy is changing its business model. And we talk to retailers using video technology to bridge the gap between in-store and online selling. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

UK, US confirm Chinese state backed MS Exchange Server attacks

UK and US governments, alongside the EU and Nato, have formally attributed the March 2021 Microsoft Exchange Server attacks to Chinese state-backed actors Continue Reading

Pegasus mobile RAT abused to monitor journalists and activists

Israel-based surveillance specialist NSO Group is facing renewed pressure after it emerged its Pegasus mobile surveillance tool may be being widely abused by repressive regimes Continue Reading

Legacy SonicWall kit exploited in ransom campaign

Users of older versions of SonicWall Secure Mobile Access 100 and Secure Remote Access products are at risk from a new ransomware campaign Continue Reading

Macquarie Data Centres to build Sydney North facility

Macquarie Data Centres’ latest 32MW facility will come with a cyber security centre that monitors and manages cyber security events Continue Reading

Covid-19 vaccine supply chain under attack by unknown nation state

An unknown nation state actor is attempting to disrupt the supply of coronavirus vaccines Continue Reading

The rise and rise of supply chain attacks

Supply chain attacks in Asia-Pacific and elsewhere have intensified as cyber threat actors look to exploit the weakest links in business and digital supply chains Continue Reading

CW APAC: Trend Watch on supply chain security

In this handbook, Computer Weekly looks at the rise of supply chain attacks, the challenges that come with zero trust security and attacks on the Covid-19 vaccine supply chain Continue Reading

Lawyers take EncroChat hacking operation to French supreme court

Lawyers head to French supreme court after appeals court finds EnroChat inception legal under French law Continue Reading

Singapore to invest S$50m in ‘digital trust’ capabilities

The Singapore government is pumping in S$50m to bolster research in technologies that will foster digital trust in areas such as privacy protection and identity management Continue Reading

REvil ransomware crew drops offline, reasons murky

The REvil ransomware operation appears to have gone dark, but claims about its demise are almost certainly exaggerated Continue Reading

Multiple Microsoft bugs being actively exploited

Microsoft’s July Patch Tuesday update fixes 117 vulnerabilities, 13 rated as critical and four already being actively exploited Continue Reading

Modipwn vulnerability puts millions of building systems at risk

Authentication bypass vulnerability in a Schneider Electric product could lead to device takeover Continue Reading

Met Police seize £180m worth of Bitcoin

The largest ever seizure of cryptocurrency in the UK comes just weeks after a previous multi-million pound confiscation, as law enforcement clamps down on money laundering Continue Reading

Dutch prosecutor ordered to give evidence on EncroChat hack

Netherlands court rules that a public prosecutor should give evidence about the role of the Dutch in the EncroChat cryptophone hack which has led to arrests of organised gangs worldwide Continue Reading

Kaseya VSA services coming online after week-long outage

Kaseya has successfully deployed a patch to its ransomware-hit VSA product as per a revised schedule, and customers are beginning to come back online Continue Reading

NSW department of education hit by cyber attack

Australia’s New South Wales department of education takes some systems offline as a precautionary measure in response to a cyber attack last Thursday Continue Reading

Ransomware and botnets among top cyber threats in Singapore

The city-state saw more ransomware threats and command-and-control servers hosted out of its highly connected network infrastructure last year, as threat actors capitalised on the pandemic Continue Reading

Professionals need protection from the Computer Misuse Act

The UK needs cyber legislation fit for the 21st century, so it is important for the industry to get behind the government’s proposed reform of the Computer Misuse Act Continue Reading

Ransomware gangs seek people skills for negotiations

The process of negotiating a ransomware payment is delicate, hence cyber criminal organisations are prepared to offer good terms to those with the right skillsets Continue Reading

Met Police should release information on British WikiLeaks journalists passed to US, tribunal told

The Metropolitan Police should release correspondence with the US Department of Justice about three UK based WikiLeaks journalists, despite national security claims, a tribunal heard Continue Reading

Are you betting your future on the worst gambling odds in the world?

Gambling is a high-risk strategy. Doing nothing in the face of the threat from ransomware and hoping for the best provides some of the worst odds you will ever come across Continue Reading

Kaseya apologises for extended downtime after ransom attack

CEO of Kaseya apologises after pushing back the restoration of the firm’s VSA service following a REvil ransomware attack Continue Reading

PrintNightmare haunts Microsoft as patch may miss mark

Microsoft dropped an out-of-band patch to fix PrintNightmare, but there are concerns it may not be totally effective. This does not mean it shouldn’t be applied Continue Reading

US government given permission to appeal UK’s decision to not extradite Julian Assange

US offers assurances that Assange could serve time in his home country of Australia if convicted Continue Reading

How the UK Cyber Security Council plans to professionalise security

As chair of the new UK Cyber Security Council, Claudia Natanson is in a superb position to develop professional standards in IT security and she intends to fundamentally reimagine what a security job actually is Continue Reading

Opportunists seen targeting Kaseya REvil victims

Malwarebytes researchers highlight new spam campaign targeting businesses impacted by the ongoing Kaseya REvil ransomware incident Continue Reading

About 60 Kaseya customers hit by REvil

Kaseya has revised upward the number of managed service providers compromised by the REvil ransomware gang in a supply chain attack at the weekend Continue Reading

Cyber insurance costs up by a third

The frequency and severity of ransomware attacks is a leading factor behind a substantial increase in the cost of obtaining cyber security insurance Continue Reading

BA reaches settlement in data breach group action

A group action against BA following its 2018 data breach has been successfully settled Continue Reading

REvil crew wants $70m in Kaseya ransomware heist

Two days after one of the largest ransomware attacks in history by the REvil/Sodinokibi gang, the security community is assessing its next moves, while over 1,000 victims remain in limbo Continue Reading

Berlin court finds EncroChat intercept evidence cannot be used in criminal trials

In a major setback for police hacking operations, Berlin’s regional court has decided that intercepted data from the EncroChat phone network should not be used in criminal prosecutions Continue Reading

Should I be worried about PrintNightmare?

The accidental publication of proof of concept code for a Windows vulnerability, and the reclassification of said bug from low to critical severity, has the cyber community concerned. Is it right to be? Continue Reading

Cyber attackers up the ante on embattled IT teams

Opportunistic threat actors are pouncing on embattled IT teams that are under pressure to expand remote work arrangements Continue Reading