Hackers and cybercrime prevention

Cisco fixes high-impact flaw in unified comms platform

Cisco unified comms customers are urged to patch a critical vulnerability in Unity Connection, a messaging and voicemail product Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Redefining the cyber domain to tackle the challenges of tomorrow

Emerging technologies have brought about a new age of cyber – and we need a 360-degree collaborative approach more than ever to succeed Continue Reading

By

• Saj Huq, Plexal

Davos 2024: AI-generated disinformation poses threat to elections, says World Economic Forum

Disinformation and misinformation are the top risks facing businesses, governments and the public over the next two years Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Windows Kerberos, Hyper-V vulns among January Patch Tuesday bugs

Microsoft starts 2024 right with another slimline Patch Tuesday drop, but there are some critical vulns to be alert to, including a number of man-in-the-middle attack vectors Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

SEC social media hack highlights value of MFA

The US SEC briefly appeared to approve new bitcoin trading rules after a social media account was targeted by troublemakers, proving the value of MFA once again Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Babuk Tortilla ransomware decryptor made available

A joint effort between Cisco Talos, Avast and the Dutch police will bring relief to many victims of a variant of the Babuk ransomware known as Tortilla Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Study reveals cyber risks to US elections

With the 2024 US presidential election cycle beginning, a study produced by Arctic Wolf has highlighted big gaps in preparedness and resourcing at government bodies across the US Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

British Library ransomware attack could cost up to £7m

The cost of recovering the British Library’s ransomware-stricken IT systems could be up to £7m, it has emerged Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Inside the Met Police’s investigation into EncroChat crime gangs

The Met’s senior investigating officer responsible for investigating criminals using the EncroChat encrypted phone network tells the inside story of the UK’s biggest organised crime bust in a BBC podcast series released this week Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Dutch working to promote cooperation in Europe to keep internet safe

A Dutch cooperative approach offers national and international cooperation opportunities for ISPs to guard against DDoS attacks, lawful interception and detect abuse in networks Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Fighting money laundering with AI

Mike Foster, CEO of SymphonyAI Sensa-NetReveal, talks up how AI can be used to fight financial crime and how the company’s technology can augment existing AML investments Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

China’s UNC4841 pivots to new Barracuda ESG zero-day

The Chinese state threat actor behind a series of cyber attacks on Barracuda Networks customers embarked on a campaign targeting the supplier’s email security products in the run-up to Christmas Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top 10 ASEAN IT stories of 2023

Organisations across the region have continued to shore up their cyber security posture while investing in infrastructure to pave the way for emerging technologies like GenAI Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Top 10 cyber crime stories of 2023

Ransomware gangs dominated the cyber criminal underworld in 2023, a year that will prove notable for significant evolutionary trends in their tactics Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Zero-trust principles: Your gateway to securing remote workers

Remote working has enabled people to work from almost anywhere but has piled pressure on cyber pros. Three years after Covid, how are best practices evolving and what can we expect going forward? Continue Reading

By

• Michael Healey, Turnkey Consulting

What we learned in cyber in 2023, and what to look out for

PA Consulting's Rasika Somasiri looks back at a busy 12 months in the cyber security world, and highlights some key learnings from 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Rasika Somasiri

ALPHV/BlackCat operation down, but maybe not out

Multinational law enforcement has targeted the operations of the notorious ALPHV/BlackCat cyber extortion gang, but the group’s members appear to remain defiant Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top 10 NHS IT stories of 2023

In the year we said goodbye to NHS Digital, the NHS has made some serious strides in digitising the health service, but many challenges remain. We look back at the stories that made the headlines in 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Top 10 cyber security stories of 2023

The past 12 months have seen the security agenda dominated by the usual round of vulnerabilities, concerns over supply chain security and more besides, but it was the chaotic state of global geopolitics that really made an impact Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The ransomware threat to UK critical infrastructure

In this week’s Computer Weekly, a parliamentary report warns that a lack of ransomware preparedness at the highest levels of government is leaving UK critical national infrastructure dangerously exposed – we analyse the risks. We examine how AI tools are helping to enhance cloud security. And the CTO at jewellery retailer Pandora discusses organisational change in IT. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Critical UK infrastructure a ‘hostage of fortune’ to ransomware

A lack of ransomware planning and preparedness at the highest levels of government is leaving UK operators or critical national infrastructure dangerously exposed, according to a Joint Committee report Continue Reading

How threat intelligence is applied in DNS security

Infoblox’s director of security architecture explains how the company leverages its threat intelligence capabilities to help organisations stay ahead of DNS security threats Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Cyber threats risk our progression as a society

This is a guest post by Jason Baden, regional vice-president for multicloud application services and security company, F5 A shadow of doubt has been cast over the preparedness of Australian ... Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

NCSC CEO Lindy Cameron to step down in 2024

NCSC chief exec Lindy Cameron, who helped lead and elevate the national dialogue on cyber security through major events such as Covid-19, SolarWinds Sunburst and Colonial Pipeline, is to step down in the New Year Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How ransomware gangs use the tech media against their victims

Ransomware gangs are increasingly media-savvy operators, and this means incident response plans now need to account for communications and PR strategies too Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Critical UK infrastructure a ‘hostage of fortune’ to ransomware

A lack of ransomware planning and preparedness at the highest levels of government is leaving UK operators or critical national infrastructure dangerously exposed, according to a Joint Committee report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top IT predictions in APAC in 2024

Generative AI will continue to leave its mark on many areas in business and IT, along with other trends such as sustainability, cyber security and smart factories that are expected to shape the region’s technology landscape in 2024 Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Nordic governments join forces to protect data transfers

Nordic countries deepen their cooperation over cyber security amid heightened threat from neighbouring Russia Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Fancy Bear targets Nato entities via critical Outlook flaw

A vulnerability patched in March has likely been exploited by the Russian state actor Fancy Bear, for over two years, according to the latest intelligence Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK names Russian FSB agents behind political hacking campaign

Russian hacking group, Star Blizzard, was part of a Russian intelligence operation aimed at interfering with UK politics and the democratic process, says government. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

NCSC exposes Russian cyber attacks on UK political processes

The NCSC has firmly attributed a long-running campaign of cyber attacks targeting UK political processes to a group run out of Russia’s FSB intelligence agency, known as Star Blizzard Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

2023 may have seen highest ransomware ‘body count’ yet

Ransomware, or cyber extortion as it is increasingly being termed, remained the most prominent security threat in 2023 – and thanks to large-scale supply chain attacks, the past 12 months may have seen the most victims ever Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Proofpoint is helping to mitigate AI security threats

Proofpoint is offering monitoring tools to prevent leakage of sensitive information in generative AI models and other capabilities to mitigate AI mediated attacks Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

CW EMEA: Prepare for cyber war

When the war between Hamas and Israel began in October, cyber security professionals and major government and private organisations braced for an inevitable accompanying online war. In this issue of CW EMEA, we outline cyber war, patterns of threat activity, and find out what security teams can do to protect their organisations. We also look at Finland’s advances in quantum computing, how Belgian researchers have developed technology to help datacentres process data faster, and the secrets of KPN’s successful business transformation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Government launches UK-wide Cyber Explorers Cup

Schoolkids across the UK are being called on to team up and defeat Herbert the Hacker in a new government-backed competition Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

offensive security

Offensive security is the practice of actively seeking out vulnerabilities in an organization's cybersecurity. Continue Reading

By

• Gavin Wright

How to recover systems in the event of a cyber attack

Recovering compromised systems after a cyber attack isn’t easy, but understanding industry best practice offers a template for the key processes to follow Continue Reading

By

• Nicholas Fearn

Operator of Sellafield nuclear facility denies hacking claims

The operator of the Sellafield nuclear site has denied allegations that senior managers covered up a series of cyber security lapses that enabled Chinese and Russian threat actors to compromise its networks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Technologies to support hybrid working

In this week’s Computer Weekly, our latest buyer’s guide looks at technologies to support hybrid working – even when your business is as unique as farming. We examine the new guidelines on AI cyber security published by G7 government security chiefs. And we find out how the Jaguar Formula E racing team is using digital twins to improve electric vehicle performance. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Rhysida ransomware gang hits hospital holding royal family’s data

Ransomware gang boasts of having stolen data on the royal family in an attack on a private London hospital Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

What are the cyber risks from the latest Middle Eastern conflict?

The outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel in October 2023 has seen a wide variety of accompanying cyber attacks from hacktivists and other groups. We look at the risks to organisations Continue Reading

Supporting a hybrid workforce

The now permanent shift to cloud services and the necessity of dealing with a hybrid workforce have changed modern IT Continue Reading

Report reveals sorry state of cyber security at UK football clubs

Football clubs up and down the country are putting staff, players and fans alike at risk through outdated attitudes to cyber security, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Prepare for your worst day: How to create a cyber incident response plan

What goes into a good incident response plan, and what steps should security professionals take to ensure they are appropriately prepared for the almost inevitable attack, and secure buy-in from organisational leadership? Continue Reading

By

• James Allman-Talbot

Government’s Online Fraud Charter welcomed

The government has corralled 11 of the largest tech platforms in the world to commit to its Online Fraud Charter, designed to tackle online scams, fake adverts, and more Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Rhysida gang stole hundreds of gigabytes of British Library data

The Rhysida ransomware gang behind the cyber attack on the British Library has published almost 600GB of stolen data to its dark web leak site Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Law enforcement dismembers major ransomware operation in Ukraine

A joint law enforcement operation between the Ukrainian authorities, Europol and Eurojust has seem five ransomware operators taken into custody Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Scope of Okta helpdesk breach widens to impact all users

Okta has widened the scope of the October breach of its systems to include every customer that has used its helpdesk service, after new information came to light Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

timing attack

A timing attack is a type of side-channel attack that exploits the amount of time a computer process runs to gain knowledge about or access a system. Continue Reading

By

• Gavin Wright

Scope of British Library data breach widens

Personal data on British Library users has appeared for sale on the dark web following a Rhysida ransomware attack, as the scope of the still-developing incident widens again Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Volume of unique malware samples threatens to overwhelm defenders

A massive increase in malware volumes could cause problems for security teams tasked with adapting their defences against them Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The Security Interviews: Zeki Turedi, field CTO Europe, CrowdStrike

Organisations are racing to keep their security up to date against the latest threats. CrowdStrike’s Zeki Turedi explains how to protect against novel and innovative cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

APAC organisations warm to microsegmentation

Nearly two-thirds of organisations in the APAC region see microsegmentation as a way to protect their IT assets, but lack the skills to deploy the technology Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

MOVEit incident spurred UK decision makers to spend big on cyber

The MOVEit cyber attacks that unfolded in the spring and summer of 2023 seem to have driven an increase in both ransomware awareness and spend, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

North Korean APTs go all in on supply chain attacks, warns NCSC

Threat actors linked to the North Korean regime are becoming more adept at targeting software supply chains in the service of their cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Australia ups ante on cyber security

Australia’s new cyber security strategy will focus on building threat-blocking capabilities, protecting critical infrastructure and improving the cyber workforce, among other priorities Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Withers

An inside look at a Scattered Spider cyber attack

Threat researchers at ReliaQuest share the inside track on a Scattered Spider cyber attack they investigated Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CISA reveals how LockBit hacked Boeing via Citrix Bleed

As alarm grows around the world about the impact of the so-called Citrix Bleed vulnerability, Boeing has shared details of its experience at the hands of the LockBit ransomware crew Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Over half of SME cyber incidents now ‘malware-free’

The age of malware-driven cyber attacks may have peaked, at least when it comes to incidents affecting small and medium sized enterprises Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Internal documents leaked as Rhysida claims responsibility for British Library ransomware attack

Ransomware group Rhysida threatens to sell documents stolen from the British Library to the highest bidder Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Can AI take education to a new level?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine how large language models are being used to teach, support and assess students, enhancing education rather than impairing it. We look at how the AI revolution is impacting the semiconductor sector as the big tech companies put off server upgrades. And we find out how generative AI is changing the way enterprise software works. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Defence lawyers seek appeal of tribunal ruling on police EncroChat cryptophone hack

Defence lawyers are seeking leave to appeal against a tribunal ruling that found the National Crime Agency had lawfully obtained warrants to access messages from 9,000 cryptophones used in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Automated Clearing House fraud (ACH fraud)

ACH fraud is the theft of funds through the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Automated Clearing House financial transaction network. Continue Reading

By

• Rahul Awati

Royal Mail spent £10m on cyber measures after LockBit attack

Royal Mail has spent approximately £10m on recovery and improved cyber resilience measures in the wake of the January 2023 LockBit ransomware attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ransomware gang grasses up uncooperative victim to US regulator

The ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware gang has added a new tactic to its playbook, going to ever more extreme lengths in search of a pay-off Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

British Library’s Halloween cyber scare was ransomware

The British Library has provided an update on an ongoing cyber incident affecting its systems, confirming it to be the result of a ransomware attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

BlackCat affiliate seen using malvertising to spread ransomware

Researchers at eSentire identified a wave activity from an ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware affiliate which has adopted a somewhat unusual approach to delivering its locker Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Russian cyber criminal pleads guilty to running IPStorm botnet

Sergey Manikin faces years in jail after his illicit proxy botnet service was taken down by US law enforcement Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

US government reinforces ICBC hack link to Citrix Bleed

US Treasury adds weight to reports that a ransomware gang gained access to the systems of Chinese bank ICBC by exploiting a critical Citrix flaw Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Gigamon is making its mark in deep observability

Gigamon CEO Shane Buckley talks up the company’s ability to inspect encrypted network traffic for malicious activity, how it stands out with its deep observability capabilities and the tailwinds that are fuelling its growth Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Fast-acting cyber gangs increasingly disabling telemetry logs

Sophos guidance for security practitioners and defenders highlights a growing trend for threat actors to disable or wipe telemetry logs to cover their tracks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The UK AI Safety Summit – what did it achieve?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look back at the UK government’s AI Safety Summit and assess what it achieved – and what it didn’t. Our latest buyer’s guide examines the future of business software and modernising legacy applications. And we find out how the UK Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act aims to protect your smart devices. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Rogue state-aligned actors are most critical cyber threat to UK

The prospect of rogue nation-state-aligned attackers bringing down the UK’s critical infrastructure is keeping the NCSC up at night Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Lloyds Bank warns over rising threat of crypto scams

Report by Lloyds Banking Group finds there has been a 23% increase in cryptocurrency scams in 2023 compared with last year, targeting mostly younger investors Continue Reading

By

• Scarlet Charles

Encrypted mail service Tuta says it was wrongly accused of being a front for intelligence services

German encrypted email service Tuta, formerly known as Tutanota, has denied claims by a former Canadian police intelligence officer accused of passing secrets to criminals that it was compromised by intelligence services Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Victims’ legal action over 2015 Carphone Warehouse breach moves forward

A class action against Currys Retail over the 2015 data breach of Carphone Warehouse customers has been granted permission to move forward in the courts Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ransomware attack on major Chinese lender disrupts financial markets

The financial services arm of one of the world’s largest banks was taken offline by a supposed LockBit ransomware attack, causing problems for US markets Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

APAC cyber security workforce hits record high

The cyber security workforce in Asia-Pacific now stands at just under a million people, but demand for cyber security talent in the region continues to outpace supply Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Revealed: How Russia’s Sandworm ramped up attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure

New Mandiant intelligence reveals how the APT known as Sandworm has been evolving its playbook, twisting legitimate executables known as LoLBins into malicious tools as it seeks to disrupt daily life in Ukraine Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCSC makes annual Black Friday plea to consumers

Ahead of the annual festival of retail avarice, the NCSC is once again asking consumers to do the bare minimum to avoid falling victim to scams Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Suspected ransomware attack hits Scottish council

Systems at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar were downed on 7 November in a suspected ransomware attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Heineken lets the data flow

In this month’s CW EMEA ezine, we find out about Heineken’s mission to make the most out of the data it holds through an enterprise-wide data ecosystem. We also look at how the UK has turned its back on the German government-funded Gaia-X data platform, why cyber experts are urging the EU to rethink vulnerability disclosure plans, and how the IT industry is responding to the software developer skills shortfall. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

The plan for the inevitable cyber attack: Get the gist of NIST

What goes into a good incident response plan, and what steps should security professionals take to ensure they are appropriately prepared for the almost inevitable attack, and secure buy-in from organisational leadership? Continue Reading

By

• Theodore Wiggins, Airbus Protect

Iconic Singapore hotel caught up in major data breach

The Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore uncovered a data breach of its guest loyalty programme last month Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

King’s Speech misses the mark on cyber law reform, says campaign

A group of activists who want to reform the UK’s computer misuse laws to protect bona fide cyber pros from prosecution have been left disappointed by a lack of legislative progress Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Researchers ‘break’ rule designed to guard against Barracuda vulnerability

Vectra AI researchers found that a Suricata rule designed to detect exploitation of a dangerous Barracuda Email Security Gateway flaw was not entirely effective Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Unesco unveils seven-point anti-disinformation plan

United Nations body outlines seven proposals for civil society, governments, regulators and tech platforms to adopt to combat the source of disinformation Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

IR plans: The difference between disaster and recovery

What goes into a good incident response plan, and what steps should security professionals take to ensure they are appropriately prepared for the almost inevitable attack, and secure buy-in from organisational leadership? Continue Reading

By

• Becky Gelder, Turnkey Consulting

Shadow IT use at Okta behind series of damaging breaches

Okta now believes the initial access vector in a series of damaging breaches was one of its own employees who used a corporate device to sign into their personal Google account Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Trellix’s CISO keeps threat actors at bay

Trellix’s chief information security officer, Harold Rivas, outlines how the company mitigates security threats through containment and by helping security analysts to respond faster to cyber incidents Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

SolarWinds hack explained: Everything you need to know

Hackers targeted SolarWinds by deploying malicious code into its Orion IT monitoring and management software used by thousands of enterprises and government agencies worldwide. Continue Reading

By

• Saheed Oladimeji, Sean Michael Kerner

Admins told to take action over F5 Big-IP platform flaws

Two vulnerabilities in the widely used F5 Networks Big-IP platform are now being exploited in the wild Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How the UK crime agency repurposed Amazon cloud platform to analyse EncroChat cryptophone data

UK crime agency repurposed AWS-based analytics platform to triage EncroChat data and identify threats to life in messages sent on encrypted phone network Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly
• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Incident response planning is vulnerable to legacy thinking

What goes into a good incident response plan, and what steps should security professionals take to ensure they are appropriately prepared for the almost inevitable attack, and secure buy-in from organisational leadership? Continue Reading

By

• Mike Gillespie

Lloyds bank kicks off Hyderabad operation

Lloyds Banking Group has opened its latest tech operation in Hyderabad, with plans to recruit around 600 IT experts Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

British Library falls victim to cyber attack

The British Library is experiencing a major IT outage following a cyber incident of an undisclosed nature Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

SEC sues SolarWinds, alleging serious security failures

SolarWinds and its CISO have been charged with fraud and internal control failures by the US authorities amid allegations of a series of cyber security failings leading up to the 2020 Sunburst attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Reported major cyberattacks are falling – but watch out for the massive threats posed by gen AI

 The number of reported major cyberattacks is falling. Are we just getting used to them? Continue Reading

By

• Jim Tiller

Tech firms cite risk to end-to-end encryption as Online Safety Bill gets royal assent

Tech firms continue to be concerned that the Online Safety Bill could undermine end-to-end encryption despite government reassurances Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Microsoft warns over growing threat from Octo Tempest gang

The English-speaking Octo Tempest extortion gang – which became an ALPHV/BlackCat affiliate recently – presents one of the most significant and rapidly growing threats to large organisations at this time, says Microsoft Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor