Hackers and cybercrime prevention

Global ransomware attack could be a security wake-up call

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at the global WannaCry ransomware attack that struck the NHS and spread across 150 countries – will it be the wake-up call that finally makes organisations take cyber security seriously? We find out how Moscow is leading the way in smart city digitisation. And our latest buyer’s guide examines customer experience management. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Windows 7 accounts for most WannaCry infections

Statistics show that computers running Windows 7 accounted for the biggest proportion of machines infected with the WannaCry ransomware, while NHS suppliers are blamed for hampering patching by NHS trusts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Command and control communications key to detecting threats

Malware command and control (C&C) communications are key to detecting advanced threats, according to a security researcher Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Strong cyber security posture reduces impact of breaches

There is a direct correlation between data breaches and falls in stock prices, but the impact is lighter on companies with good cyber security, a study has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Organised crime exploiting new technology

European law enforcement is to focus on collaborating with industry around cyber crime as organised crime groups increasingly exploit new technologies, according to a regional crime threat report Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

UK government, NHS and Windows XP support - what really happened

In all the debate about the NHS ransomware attack, much has been made of a government decision in 2015 to end a contract with Microsoft to provide support for the ageing Windows XP operating system ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Attackers have no need of zero-days, breach data shows

Cyber attackers do not have to use previously unseen or extremely sophisticated attacks to bypass defences, analysis of publicly reported breaches in the past year reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

NHS hospitals hit in global ransomware attack

Hospitals across England are reporting problems with IT systems that are affecting healthcare treatment, caused by what could be a global ransomware campaign enabled by a leaked NSA exploit Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Five cyber security imperatives for all companies

There are five things all companies should ensure they are doing in terms of cyber security Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Singapore universities hit by advanced persistent threat attacks

The attacks on NUS and NTU networks appear to be the work of APT actors and not casual hackers Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Blockchain economy on the horizon

Blockchain technologies will enable many new and disruptive business models than the internet itself, an expert predicts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cognitive security is the future, says Martin Kuppinger

Modern computing capabilities combined with cognitive technology has huge potential for tackling unknown attack patterns and addressing the security skills shortage, says Martin Kuppinger Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Barclays launches £10m UK digital safety campaign

Barclays is to lead a £10m campaign against digital fraud as research reveals London, Bristol and Birmingham are scam hotspots, with young adults most at risk Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Testing is key to IoT security, says researcher

Building an effective testing process across all elements associated with a product is key to securing the internet of things, according to a researcher in the field Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UBS applies data protection for compliance and competitive advantage

Swiss bank UBS aims to get greater value out of investments in sensitive data protection systems by using its security capabilities as a differentiator Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How to deal with data under GDPR

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we take an in-depth look at GDPR – the new EU General Data Protection Regulation - with only 12 months left for organisations to prepare for significant changes in data management. We hear how one firm is using machine learning to revolutionise online fashion retail. And we examine how CIOs can apply lessons from buying software to improve digital transformation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Intel urges business to patch critical remote-execution flaw

Intel advises business customers to apply a security update for some versions of its administration firmware for vPro processors to fix a remote execution flaw Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber security centre of excellence to open at Cardiff University

Cardiff University and Airbus have launched the first centre of its kind in Europe to tackle cyber attacks on critical infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Banks suffer average of 85 attempted serious cyber attacks a year, and one-third are successful

Banks face daily cyber attacks, many of which succeed in stealing data, research finds Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

InterContinental Hotel Group reveals extent of malware attack

Hotel group InterContinental (IHG) reveals that malware attempting to glean payment card details sat undetected on its network in the US for three months Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Human interaction still key to cyber attacks, study reveals

An analysis of threats faced by organisations in the first quarter of 2017 reveals that cyber attackers still rely heavily on user interaction Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Skype most popular communication channel for cyber criminals

The cyber criminal network is truly global and collaborative, making use of popular messaging services, a study has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

What to do first when hit by a cyber attack

What actions should organisations take if they suspect they have suffered a cyber security incident? Continue Reading

By

• Gemma Moore

Enterprise adoption of encryption accelerating, study shows

Cloud adoption and escalating threats are accelerating adoption of encryption, a study has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Six key security weaknesses in industrial systems

Organisations should mitigate six key vulnerabilities in industrial control systems to reduce the risk of cyber attack, warns security firm FireEye Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security as a service on the rise in the UAE

Organisations in the United Arab Emirates are increasingly turning to security services Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

Virtual reality in healthcare

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how virtual reality technology is starting to be used to improve health and patient care. We examine the new UK tax laws that are causing IT contractors to quit government digital projects. And we analyse the software licensing issues arising from SAP’s recent court case over indirect access to its applications. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

IAM a core building block for GDPR compliance

Identity and access management is key to enabling organisations to become compliant with the GDPR, increase security and improve customer relationships, according to a senior analyst at KuppingerCole Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How UK organisations are leaving themselves open for cyber attack

UK organisations are leaving themselves wide open to cyber attack despite huge investments in cyber security systems, according to two former hackers now working in cyber defence Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Interview: F-Secure’s Mikko Hyppönen on the Nordics, Russia and the internet of insecure things

Computer Weekly sat down with Finnish cyber security expert Mikko Hyppönen to talk about security in the Nordics, Russia and the trouble with connected devices Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Chinese hacking group targeted firms through IT MSPs

Security researchers have uncovered a China-based cyber espionage campaign that targeted IT services firms and their customers, underlining the need for supply chain security Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How IT can be more defensible

A renowned Google engineer calls for the IT industry to build devices capable of being defended and for enterprises to take a balance sheet approach in managing risks Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

First cyber security startups graduate from GCHQ accelerator

The first group of companies has completed a government-led cyber accelerator programme aimed at helping UK startups take the lead in producing the next generation of cyber security systems, with another round to be announced in 2017 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Thorn CEO on using machine learning and tech partnerships to tackle online child sex abuse

The CEO of US-based no-profit Thorn explains how cross-industry collaboration and machine learning is helping her organisation stay one step ahead of online child sex abusers Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Non-malware attacks pose bigger threat than malicious software

Malware-free cyber attacks are on the rise and artificial intelligence in cyber security is still far from replacing humans, according to most cyber security researchers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Threats grow in Saudi Arabia’s cyber sector

Saudi Arabia's wealth makes it an attractive target for cyber criminals, but what have been the recent trends in cyber crime? Continue Reading

By

• Triska Hamid

Making the UK fit for 5G

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at the government’s new 5G strategy and assess whether it’s enough to stimulate development of next generation mobile networks. We meet some of the Silicon Valley startups hoping to revolutionise big data analytics. And we examine how to prevent the move to DevOps from harming work-life balance for IT professionals. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

UK business least likely to offer rewards to infosec professionals

UK firms need to rethink incentives to attract and retain people with cyber security skills, according to the findings of a recent global study Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government to ramp up help for UK cyber security industry

Government, in partnership with industry, is pursuing a range of initiatives aimed at establishing a UK cyber security ecosystem, developing skills and products and boosting exports, says DIT’s Conrad Prince Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

US accuses Russian spies of directing Yahoo breach

US authorities have arrested a man in Canada who has been charged alongside two Russian intelligence officers and a Russian hacker in connection with a 2014 data breach at Yahoo affecting 500 million accounts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CW ASEAN: Raising national security standards

In this month’s CW ASEAN, we describe how Singapore is improving its cyber security defenses and preparations through a partnership with British security company BAE Systems. We also find out why the Thai military plans to recruit civilian cyber warriors and we take a look at evolving security approaches. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

CW ANZ: Take cover from cyber threats

In the latest issue of CW ANZ we focus on security, with analysis of why Australian organisations are not sold on cyber insurance. It certainly isn’t a lack of cyber attacks – Australia is, in fact, making cyber security headlines for the wrong reasons. We also take a look at the need for organisations to meet IoT security challenges head-on. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

APAC topped the world in number of cyber attacks in 2016

The prevalent use of pirated software is one of the possible reasons for the APAC region’s poor showing in Trend Micro’s annual study on the state of cyber security Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

CIO interview: Simon McCalla, Nominet

Nominet, the registry for more than 10 million of the UK’s internet domains, is expanding into the internet of things and internet security services Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

NCSC to educate UK politicians on the cyber threat

The National Cyber Security Centre is to deliver tailored seminars for politicians on how to protect their email communications and voters’ data to defend against cyber threats to the political system Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Paying ransomware attackers perpetuates attacks, says researcher

Continually evolving ransomware is among the threats organisations need to factor into their cyber defences in 2017, but only once they have taken care of the basics, says Kaspersky Lab researcher Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CW Europe: Technology poses new risks to jobs, economies and society

Rapid advances in technology could have destabilising effects on employment and economic growth, and could exacerbate social unrest, the World Economic Forum (WEF) warned. Society’s failure to keep pace with technology change was a key risk under discussion at Davos in January. Continue Reading

WhatsApp, Signal, ProtonMail safe from CIA hacking tools

Top secure messaging and email apps are said to be safe from CIA hacking tools, but organisations are urged to assess their own vulnerability if the tools were to fall into the hands of cyber criminals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Retail industry steps up the fight against rising cyber threats

UK retail body BRC publishes the first of its kind step-by-step guide on how to manage cyber security threats Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Industrial control systems pose big risk to security

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the risks to critical national infrastructure from security vulnerabilities in legacy industrial control systems. DevOps is growing in popularity – we find out about the organisational, process and cultural approaches to make it succeed. And we ask CIOs how they are becoming hybrid IT and digital leaders. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

More than a million Gmail and Yahoo account credentials on sale

Usernames, email addresses and plaintext passwords of more than a million Yahoo and Gmail accounts are reportedly on sale on the dark web, posing a threat to corporate security Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber attack on Barts NHS trust exploited zero-day vulnerability

A cyber attack that forced parts of Barts NHS trust offline in January 2017 has been blamed on previously unknown malware that was able to bypass the antivirus systems, highlighting a common weakness in cyber defences Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Businesses blame rivals for DDoS attacks

Industrial sabotage is considered to be the most likely reason behind a distributed denial of service attack, a study has revealed Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Yahoo breaches underline executive role in cyber security

Yahoo's data breaches cost its top lawyer his job, CEO Marissa Mayer millions in bonuses, and $350m off its sale price, highlighting the importance of executive involvement Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

The internet of things: an overview

Despite security and other concerns, there are many benefits associated with embracing the internet of things Continue Reading

By

• Bruce Hughes, KuppingerCole

Citizen Love: the story of an ordinary family's fight with the US government

Finnish documentary makers Raimo Uunila and Lauri Danska tell the behind-the-scenes story of activist Lauri Love’s battle with the US government – and the impact of the case on his family Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Cyber criminals net £8bn from financial services in 2016

Organised cyber fraud gangs are turning their attention to online lenders and emerging financial services, potentially netting £8bn in 2016, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Banking malware, DDoS, ransomware and CEO fraud top UK cyber threats

Businesses need to be aware of the value of their data, how that data is likely to be attacked, and how to defend against particular attacks, says leading UK cyber cop Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CW Nordics: Top IT priorities for Nordic CIOs in 2017

In this first issue of CW Nordics in 2017 we take a look what CIOs in the region are expecting in the year ahead. We asked a select group of CIOs and analysts in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden what IT projects are at the top their priority lists. Also read about the Nordic region as a hotspot for IT startups, with Sweden punching above its weight in financial technology. And find out how board executives at healthcare company Elekta are analysing workforce data to make better strategic decisions. Continue Reading

Beware printer helpline scam, warns NTS eCrime Team

National Trading Standards is warning consumers about a scam targeting those looking for help with printer problems Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Microsoft issues critical patches but not for zero days

After missing the monthly security update for 14 February, Microsoft has issued some patches but not for zero-day vulnerabilities despite the availability of exploit code Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Risk of DNS attacks goes beyond websites

What are the main security risks associated with DNS and how are these best mitigated? Continue Reading

By

• Eleanor Upson

RSAC17: Geopolitical changes driving encryption usage, survey shows

More organisations are planning to deploy encryption in response to geopolitical changes, but confidence in organisations’ ability to secure and protect encryption is low, a survey shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

RSAC17: Infosec pros must help create business-driven security, says RSA CTO

The inability to draw connections between security details and business metrics is one of the biggest challenges facing most companies, according to RSA CTO Zulfikar Ramzan Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Major DDoS attacks see huge increase, says Akamai

Akamai’s State of the Internet/Security Report for the fourth quarter of 2016 finds that distributed denial of service attacks larger than 100Gbps are rapidly increasing as more IoT devices are compromised Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW Benelux: Is there a Dutch digital delusion?

On government and business levels, the Netherlands aspires to be a digital leader in Europe, but it may be losing ground because of a lack of research and development investment. Also in this issue, IT decision makers based in the Benelux region are less confident than their European neighbours that IT budgets will increase in 2017, and Dutch bank ING, which used digital technology to reinvent itself after the financial crash, is about to reinvent itself again. Continue Reading

How a Dublin court case could derail EU-US data privacy agreements

The Irish Commercial Court will consider whether privacy protection offered by standard contractual clauses for data transfers to the US from Europe is legally valid Continue Reading

By

• Kevin Cahill and Dai Davis

NHS websites defaced by Tunisian Islamist hacktivists

Another series of pro-Islamic State hacktivist attacks on NHS websites has underlined the need to harden websites and keep software up to date as attackers exploit a vulnerability in WordPress Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

APAC businesses turn to DevOps to improve app quality, security

Security validation and metrics are some of the key trends in DevOps this year, according to CA Technologies Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Data breach costs exceed 20% of revenue

The cost of data breaches topped 20% of revenue in the past year as cyber attacks became more sophisticated and defenders struggled to keep pace, the latest Cisco security report shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Facebook ups security with Fido U2F two-factor authentication

Social media giant is enabling users to increase the security of their logins with Fido U2F USB security keys Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security spending leaving data vulnerable, study finds

Cyber breaches are increasing despite increased security spending, a study shows, highlighting that security investment decisions are not aligned with actual cyber threats Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Lloyds Bank hit by massive DDoS attack

It has emerged that UK banks have been targeted by a DDoS campaign that affected services intermittently only at the Lloyds Banking Group Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CW ANZ: The role of cognitive computing in data analytics

In this month’s CW ANZ, read why enterprises need to worry just as much – if not more – about the business implications, rather than the technical challenges, when implementing cognitive software. Read about the experiences of Dutch banking and financial services company Rabobank which has been using predictive analytics for years to predict which customers might default on their mortgage or abandon an account application midway through the process. We also take a look at why the future of Apple Pay Australia is still unresolved, how the Red Cross data breach has highlighted security shortcomings, and what Virgin Atlantic has gained from its use of Salesforce CRM software. Continue Reading

How information security professionals can help business understand cyber risk

Information security is continually moving up business and board agendas, but information security professionals find it challenging to help business leaders to understand fully the cyber risks across increasingly digital businesses. Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

RAC digitises driver assistance

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we speak to the RAC about its modernisation initiative, where it is using Microsoft Azure to digitise older cars and gather real-time data to alert members of faults before they result in roadside breakdowns. We also look at how a lack of diversity in organisations is costing the UK economy money, and how attacks against IoT devices are highlighting the vulnerabilities of specific devices but failing to provide a complete picture of the security challenges. Continue Reading

Davos: Technology poses new risks to jobs, economies and society

Politicians and business leaders will discuss the risks posed by technology to jobs, political stability and cyber security at the World Economic Forum in Davos Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

TechUK launches framework to build public trust in the IoT

Tech sector association techUK wants to help overcome public distrust in the internet of things Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Flawed GoDaddy security certificates show need for control

Vulnerabilities in digital security certificates highlight the need for organisations to be able to exercise more control over those certificates Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Top three DNS-related security risks

What are the main security risks associated with the domain name system and how are these best mitigated? Continue Reading

By

• Richard Hollis

Cyber security scare stories could sharpen focus at banks

There are continual cyber attacks on banks, and although most are repelled, there is significant room for improvement Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Flight booking systems easy to hack, researchers warn

Malicious actors could infiltrate systems to alter passenger information and even cancel bookings, Chaos Communications Congress told Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Top 10 networking stories of 2016

A look back at Computer Weekly’s most-read networking stories of 2016 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

European court delivers blow to Snoopers’ Charter

Parts of the controversial Investigatory Powers Act relating to the bulk collection of communications data have been ruled unlawful by the European Court of Justice Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top 10 IT security stories of 2016

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 IT security stories of 2016: Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Data danger: Cyber threats lurk inside every company

In this week’s issue, we investigate the hidden threats lurking in every company and discuss what options CIOs and heads of security have to limit damage. We also look at how CIOs can fund digital initiatives when costs are under pressure, and how Boots has built an SAP centre of expertise to take back control of the strategic direction of its IT organisation from its previously outsourced structure. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Top 10 cyber crime stories of 2016

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 cyber crime stories of 2016: Continue Reading

Typo allowed Russian hackers to access US Democratic Party emails

Typographical mistake in an email warning of a phishing attack on the US Democrats led to thousands of private emails being accessed and published by Russian-backed hackers Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

European law enforcement seeking smart ways to fight cyber crime

Cyber criminals are always likely to be better resourced than law enforcement. Now, national and regional police forces in Europe are switching tactics to even the odds. Under-resourced law enforcement needs a smarter approach as cyber crime becomes increasingly prevalent and sophisticated, backed by the money and expertise of organised crime groups set up and run as well-resourced and efficient professional business organisations. Cyber crime operations typically have teams dedicated to looking at open source intelligence, targets’ physical environments, weaknesses in supply chains, and potential collaborators inside target organisations to enable sophisticated, blended attacks that involve a combination of actions against a range of vulnerabilities, making them difficult to detect and defend against. Continue Reading

PowerShell security threats greater than ever, researchers warn

Administrators should upgrade to the latest version of Microsoft PowerShell and enable extended logging and monitoring capabilities in the light of a surge in related security threats, warn researchers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

More than 2,000 TalkTalk routers hijacked by Mirai botnet variant

Security researchers are urging ISPs to issue emergency patches for Marai botnet infections after 2,374 TalkTalk routers were linked in a regional botnet Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UKtech50 interview: ARM Holdings CEO Simon Segars

The UKtech50 most influential person in UK IT 2016, ARM Holdings CEO Simon Segars, shares his thoughts on the consequences of Brexit, access to skills and the importance of security in a world full of connected devices Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Security Think Tank: Communication is key to cyber security in digital era

How can information security professionals help organisations to understand the cyber risks across increasingly digital businesses? Continue Reading

By

• Ramses Gallego

40 firms to trial IBM Watson cognitive computing for cyber security

Forty companies sign up to apply IBM’s Watson cognitive computing systems to cyber security, but threat intelligence experts caution against total reliance on such systems Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK falls below global cyber security confidence

Global confidence in ability to accurately assess cyber risk has fallen in the past year, but the UK has fallen below the global average Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Top 10 ANZ enterprise IT stories of 2016

Here is a rundown of Computer Weekly’s most popular ANZ enterprise IT articles for 2016 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Academics link payment card vulnerability to Tesco Bank cyber heist

UK academics uncover a vulnerability in online payment systems, which they say could have been used in the Tesco Bank cyber heist Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Mozilla and Tor issue patches for Firefox flaw exposing Tor users

Users of Tor anonymous browsing urged to update to the latest versions of relevant software to block an exploit that collects IP and MAC addresses to identify users Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Mastercard uses artificial intelligence for transaction approval

Mastercard is using artificial intelligence to reduce the number of transactions that are wrongly declined, while maintaining security Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

IBM blamed for Australian census website crash

Computer giant reportedly pays $30m to Australian government as reports are released from two inquiries into DDoS attacks on census website Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head