IT for government and public sector

Advanced Software fined £3m over LockBit attack

The ICO has issued a £3m fine to software provider Advanced in the wake of security failings that led to significant disruption to NHS customers in a ransomware attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Chancellor Rachel Reeves to use AI to catch wealthy tax dodgers

HMRC’s use of artificial intelligence is one of many initiatives outlined in Chancellor’s Spring Statement Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Military AI caught in tension between speed and control

The use of artificial intelligence in military contexts can unlock a range of benefits for defence organisations, but also highlights a clear tension between speed and control baked into the technology Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Public Accounts Committee calls out legacy IT

Unsupported and out-of-date software and hardware are hindering the government’s artificial intelligence plans for the public sector Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Government needs to fix tech staff hiring process, says Whitehall’s AI boss

Giving evidence to the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, tech experts highlighted the lack of clarity on data exchange, the need for the new Government Digital Service to execute, and a lack of actual tech experts Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Kroll reviewing Post Office Horizon’s current integrity and discrepancy identification

The Post Office appoints third party to review Horizon following concerns about current version of the system Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Scottish police hold almost no data on facial recognition use

It is currently impossible to assess Police Scotland’s use of retrospective facial recognition for efficacy and fairness because the force does not collect meaningful information that would enable a proper evaluation Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

MPs demand government reconsider response to Post Office compensation report

Select committee calls on government to ‘reflect and revise’ response to Post Office scandal compensation scheme Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

NHS England scrapped – and what that means for health service digitisation

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the impact of scrapping NHS England on the health service’s long road to digital modernisation. We look at real-life examples of how digital twins are helping to improve manufacturing and urban infrastructure. And we analyse the options for datacentre expansion, from cloud to colocation and on-premise. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Tech specialist files legal claim after being refused security clearance for MI6 role

An IT specialist has asked the Investigatory Powers Tribunal to investigate a series of hacking incidents after disclosing their social media accounts to MI6 vetting staff Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

CIO interview: Sean Green, Birkbeck, University of London

Birkbeck University interim CIO got a taste for the ‘exciting’ and ‘challenging’ role of a tech leader in higher education while in his previous role at the University of East Anglia Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Why I am challenging Yvette Cooper’s ‘secret backdoor’ order against Apple’s encryption

I took steps to lock down all personal data after I was named as an opponent of Russia. Now I am again worried about my family's safety after the home secretary issued a secret order against Apple Continue Reading

By

• Gus Hosein

NCSC, DSIT enlist IBM to spearhead cyber diversity agenda

IBM signs on to a partnership deal in support of the popular NCSC CyberFirst Girls scheme designed to foster gender diversity in the cyber security profession Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dutch workforce faces radical transformation as AI adoption accelerates

While the Netherlands leads Europe in AI adoption, a deeper analysis of the labour market reveals a more nuanced narrative than the apocalyptic predictions of job losses Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

NCSC proposes three-step plan to move to quantum-safe encryption

The NCSC urges service providers, large organisations and critical sectors to start thinking today about how they will migrate to post-quantum cryptography over the next decade Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government considering redress scheme for families of Post Office scandal victims

Campaign group brings together the children of subpostmasters to meet Post Office minister to discuss redress for their suffering Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Clop resurgence drives ransomware attacks in February

The exploitation of two new vulnerabilities in a popular file transfer service saw the Clop ransomware gang soar in February, according to NCC Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Local digital government needs overhaul, says Future Governance Forum report

Future Governance Forum calls for a new blueprint to modernise and digitise local government Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

UK under-prepared for catastrophic cyber attack

In this week’s Computer Weekly, MPs have been told the UK is under-prepared to cope with a catastrophic cyber attack – we find out where the problems lie. Our new buyer’s guide assesses the challenges of datacentre capacity planning. And one of the UK’s most successful businessmen, Sir Martin Sorrell, gives his view on the risks and opportunities of AI. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

PSNI’s ‘ridiculous’ withholding of evidence in spying operation delayed court hearings 

Landmark ruling by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal will decide whether the surveillance court can award costs against government bodies accused of unreasonable behaviour  Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly
• Cormac Kehoe

Online Safety Act measures come into effect

Regulator Ofcom is now able to take enforcement action against platforms under the Online Safety Act if they fail to proactively safeguard against content such as terrorist or child sexual abuse material Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Who takes responsibility? Birmingham’s ERP extraordinary meeting

Council members took the opportunity to raise their concerns during the Birmingham City Council ERP meeting, which took place on 11 March Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Satellite technology to provide broadband to remote areas of Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire Council harnesses low Earth orbit technology to serve the most remote areas of the county with ultrafast broadband Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

The importance of taking time to get IT right

The dust has yet to settle on the 67-page auditor’s report looking into what went so badly wrong at Birmingham City Council with its enterprise resource planning (ERP) project to replace SAP with ... Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

UK government under-prepared for catastrophic cyber attack, hears PAC

The Commons Public Accounts Committee heard government IT leaders respond to recent National Audit Office findings that the government’s cyber resilience is under par Continue Reading

Apple encryption legal challenge heard behind closed doors despite calls for public hearing

Investigatory Powers Tribunal hearing held behind closed doors as press and civil society groups argue for open hearings Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

AI Action Summit review: Differing views cast doubt on AI’s ability to benefit whole of society

Governments, companies and civil society groups gathered at the third global AI summit to discuss how the technology can work for the benefit of everyone in society, but experts say competing imperatives mean there is no guarantee these visions will win out Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Can a future digital NHS survive another change?

Computer Weekly looks at the prime minister’s decision to abolish NHS England and the potential impact on the progress of digitising the NHS Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Will Whitehall withstand Starmer’s AI revolution?

As the prime minister sets out plans for the use of artificial intelligence to take over civil service tasks, Computer Weekly looks at potential challenges and concerns around the decision Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

How CISOs can counter the threat of nation state espionage

The rise of DeepSeek has prompted the usual well-documented concerns around AI, but also raised worries about its potential links to the Chinese state. The Security Think Tank considers the steps security leaders can take to counter threats posed by nation state industrial espionage? Continue Reading

By

• Elisabeth Mackay, PA Consulting

Minister asks for evidence of Post Office ECCO+ system problems

Subpostmaster federation is calling on former Post Office crown branch staff to come forward if they experienced problems with ECCO+ Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

US Congress demands UK lifts gag on Apple encryption order

Apple and Google have told US lawmakers that they cannot tell Congress whether they have received technical capability notices from the UK Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly
• Duncan Campbell , 2QQ Ltd, Sussex University

SuperBlack ransomware may have ties to LockBit

Forescout researchers report on a new ransomware gang that appears to be keeping the legacy of the notorious LockBit crew alive Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

HMRC looks to upgrade SOC with advanced SIEM tech

HMRC issues a request for information notice ahead of opening up bids for a new security information and event management project that aims to reinforce its ability to respond to cyber threats Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Starmer to send AI tech teams into government departments

In his plans to reform the state, the prime minister is pushing for artificial intelligence to take on tasks for civil servants and calling time on NHS England Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Driving licence data could be used for police facial recognition

The government’s Crime and Policing Bill could allow police to access the UK driving licence database for use in facial recognition watchlists, but the Home Office denies biometric data would be repurposed in this way Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

IR35 reforms: HMRC’s assessment of private sector impacts called into question

HM Revenue & Customs recently published figures that show it generated £1.8bn more than expected from private sector roll-out of IR35 reforms, but those figures are being called into question Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Major strike by Fujitsu staff at ‘cash cow’ HMRC

Fujitsu staff working at government department will strike for 22 days in protest over pay offer Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Our data, our decisions, our AI future: why we need an AI Regulation Bill

The Labour government has failed to introduce measures to regulate AI - so a Lords' private members bill aims to do just that Continue Reading

By

• Lord Chris Holmes, House of Lords

March Patch Tuesday brings 57 fixes, multiple zero-days

The third Patch Tuesday of 2025 brings fixes for 57 flaws and a hefty number of zero-days Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Perimeter security appliances source of most ransomware hits

Perimeter security appliances and devices, particularly VPNs, prove to be the most popular entry points into victim networks for financially motivated ransomware gangs, according to reports Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Secret London tribunal to hear appeal in Apple vs government battle over encryption

Campaigners call for High Court hearing to be held in public as tech giant appeals against UK government order to open a backdoor into its encrypted iCloud service Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

UK government under-prepared for catastrophic cyber attack, hears PAC

The Commons Public Accounts Committee heard government IT leaders respond to recent National Audit Office findings that the government’s cyber resilience is under par Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Government to create pathfinder programme for digital spend

Changes to government digital spending will include staged funding with regular review and a pathfinder programme to test new funding models suitable for digital projects Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Post Office scandal data leak interim compensation offers made

Some subpostmasters affected by Post Office data breach offered interim compensation payments Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Liverpool reinvents customer service through digital platform

Liverpool City Council wants to improve residents’ experience of dealing with the council, and sees digital technologies as key to achieving its goal Continue Reading

Digitally mapping the world

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how digital twins are mapping our planet to guide strategic decisions such as environmental policies. Liverpool City Council explains how a digital overhaul will transform customer experience. And we find out what it takes to become a cyber security entrepreneur. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Peter Kyle sets stage for making tech work

During his speech at the Tech Policy conference, Kyle announced a number of initiatives to support AI and other new technologies Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Goverment overhauls AI funding to drive agility

A startup mindset is at the heart of a Labour’s approach to how it wants to speed up AI innovation in the public sector Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Government announcement on Fujitsu talks add ‘vague words’ and no interim payment

Peer James Arbuthnot says he is ‘disappointed’ that there was no mention of an interim payment in announcement of government’s latest talks with Fujitsu Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

David Willetts to chair Regulatory Innovation Office

The former science minister will lead the Regulatory Innovation Office, which aims to remove barriers and outdated regulations to speed up the road to market for innovative products and services Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Government to create digital sourcing strategy

Government officials revealed to the Public Accounts Committee that it will develop a sourcing strategy for digital technology, steering departments on what to build themselves and what to procure Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

UK cyber security damaged by ‘clumsy Home Office political censorship’

Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre secretly censors computer security guidance and drops references to encryption Continue Reading

By

• Duncan Campbell , 2QQ Ltd, Sussex University

Why did IT suppliers allow Birmingham City Council to go live with Oracle?

Councillors at the local authority’s budget setting and audit committee meetings raised questions as Birmingham faces budget deficits Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

NHS chief data officers concerned by FDP roll-out

The Chief Data and Analytical Officers Network has raised concerns over the way the NHS Federated Data Platform is being implemented and NHS England’s approach to its adoption Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Norway says ‘no way’ to global financial crime

Oslo’s startup ecosystem is fighting back against cyber criminals with tech to wipe out attacks rather than just detect them Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Can the government's new digital broom sweep the civil service clean of its resistance to change?

In September last year, Computer Weekly sat down with three of the most senior and influential digital leaders in the UK government to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead under a new ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

CFIT publishes blueprint for digital company business IDs

Plan to increase the use of digital identities by businesses could add billions of pounds to UK economy through compliance savings and reduced fraud Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Apple IPT appeal against backdoor encryption order is test case for bigger targets

The Home Office decision to target Apple with an order requiring access to users’ encrypted data is widely seen as a ‘stalking horse’ for attacks against encrypted messaging services WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

IR35: Government outlines two-pronged approach to umbrella company regulation

The government looks set to deliver on its long-promised vow to roll out regulation for umbrella companies Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

French oceanographers clock up 23 years on Atempo backup software

Oceanogaphic research institute keeps Atempo backup software for near a quarter century with no plans to replace it for protection of critical data helping map the world’s oceans Continue Reading

By

• Stéphane Larcher, LeMagIT
• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

NHS investigating how API flaw exposed patient data

NHS patient data was left vulnerable by a flaw in an application programming interface used at online healthcare provider Medefer Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Delivering digital government – it’s (still) not about technology

One of the UK government's most senior digital leaders reveals the flaws and difficulties of delivering digital transformation across the civil service, as she departs for a new role in the private sector Continue Reading

By

• Gina Gill

NHS rolls out AI app to predict and prevent falls that could land patients in hospital

Healthtech company Cera's artificial intelligence app can also predict the onset of winter viruses, and is being keenly adopted across the NHS Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Metropolitan Police concern puts brakes on Post Office Horizon data migration

The Post Office has paused its project to migrate all Horizon data from Fujitsu systems to its own while in discussions with Metropolitan Police Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Cutting the costs of AI

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we analyse how the emergence of the DeepSeek AI model shows how the cost of deploying artificial intelligence is coming down. Samsung put a UK tech startup at the heart of its latest flagship smartphone launch – we talk to its founder. And we look at a transport industry project looking to optimise road haulage to reduce carbon emissions. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

What the UK is getting right (and wrong) about AI adoption

The government's promotion of AI is necessary, but risks missing the vital importance of enabling and encouraging businesses to adopt AI in pursuit of greater productivity Continue Reading

By

• Gavin Poole, Here East

France pushes for law enforcement access to Signal, WhatsApp and encrypted email 

Proposals to be discussed in the French Parliament will require tech companies to hand over decrypted messages and email or face huge fines  Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

What is the NSA and how does it work?

The National Security Agency (NSA) is a federal government surveillance and intelligence agency that's part of the U.S. Department of Defense and is managed under the authority of the director of national intelligence (DNI). Continue Reading

By

• Paul Kirvan
• Andy Patrizio
• Kathleen Richards

Post Office makes first official apology to Capture users

The Post Office has written to former Capture user Ken Tooby to apologise for its failings which devastated his family’s lives Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

'Positive steps' in redress for Post Office Capture victims

Lawyers say progress has been made in efforts to provide financial redress and justice for former users of the Post Office's flawed Capture system Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

MPs grill X, TikTok and Meta about online misinformation

Representatives from the social media firms said that while the scale of their platforms makes content moderation difficult, they are effectively dealing with the vast majority of misinformation Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Peer demands Fujitsu cough up £300m interim payment towards Post Office scandal bill

Kevan Jones tells fellow peers in the House of Lords that Fujitsu should also be barred from bidding for public sector contracts Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Secure software: Third-party suppliers your first-party risk

Outgoing CISA chief Jen Easterly called on buyers to demand better security standards from their software suppliers. The Security Think Tank considers what better means, and what best practice for secure software procurement looks like in 2025 Continue Reading

By

• Ejona Preci, Lindal Group

CVE volumes head towards 50,000 in 2025, analysts claim

Many trends, notably a big shift to open source tools, are behind an expected boom in the number of disclosed vulnerabilities Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard probes UK demand for Apple’s encrypted data

A secret order issued by the UK against Apple would be a ‘clear and egregious violation’ if it provides back door access to Americans’ encrypted data, says US director of national intelligence Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

CISOs spending more on insider risk

Insider risk management budgets have more than doubled in the past 12 months and look set to grow further still in 2025, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Everything, everywhere, all at once: automated decision-making in public services

Despite the UK government's fervent embrace of artificial intelligence, there is still little meaningful transparency around the scope of the technology's deployment throughout public services Continue Reading

By

• Jasleen Chaggar, Big Brother Watch

Scottish police fail to record ethnicity in DNA database

Scottish policing bodies are failing to properly record and publish data on the ethnicity of arrested people, making it impossible to determine whether they are discriminating against certain sections of the population Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

IoT and SaaS will underpin government legislation introduced to protect rivers

Tech platform will enable water companies, regulators and the public to monitor pollution levels in rivers Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Lord Holmes warns of increasingly ‘urgent’ need to regulate AI

The real-world negative impacts of artificial intelligence will only get worse if the UK does not move to regulate the technology in a way that centres on accountability, trust and public participation, says Lord Holmes Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Government launches Digital Inclusion Action Plan

Whitehall aims to fix digital exclusion through funding local digital skills, as charities and industry pledge to help with skills training, devices and connectivity Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Government seeks payments tech partner through £49m contract

UK government wants tech partner to help it embed open banking functionality into its Gov.uk Pay platform Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

European Union calls for more cyber data-sharing with Nato

Updates to the EU’s Cyber Blueprint, establishing best practice for multilateral security incident response in Europe, include calls for more collaboration with Nato member states, as the geopolitical environment becomes ever more fractious Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

HMRC working to resolve system glitch that doubles self-assessment tax rebates

A communications glitch in systems processing tax self-assessments has seen rebates duplicated in ‘very niche scenarios’ Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Auditor: 2026 till Birmingham recovers from botched Oracle project

Grant Thornton’s report into a botched Oracle Fusion implementation at Birmingham City Council finds governance and risk comprehension failures to be at the heart of the fiasco Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

UK police forces ‘supercharging racism’ with predictive policing

Amnesty International says predictive policing systems are ‘supercharging racism’ in the UK by taking historically biased data to further target poor and racialised communities Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

A landscape forever altered? The LockBit takedown one year on

The NCA-led takedown of the LockBit ransomware gang in February 2024 heralded a transformative year in the fight against cyber crime. One year on, we look back at Operation Cronos and its impact Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fujitsu’s £600m-plus prize with His Majesty’s ‘cash cow’ in 2025

Controversial supplier continues to reap the rewards of government IT contracts despite its participation in ‘ghastly fraud’ Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Watchdog approves Sellafield physical security, but warns about cyber

The Office for Nuclear Regulation has taken Sellafield out of special measures for physical security, but harbours cyber security concerns Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Warning over privacy of encrypted messages as Russia targets Signal Messenger

Russia is using phishing attacks to compromise encrypted Signal Messenger services used by targets in the Ukraine. Experts warn that other encrypted app users are at risk Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

EY: Industrial companies worldwide stunted in emerging technology use

Businesses globally are spending more on emerging technologies year-on-year, but struggle to expand experimental use cases, finds EY’s sixth annual Reimagining Industry Futures study Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Meta’s planned subsea cable will exceed circumference of Earth and support AI innovation

Meta’s planned 50,000 km subsea cable will be the world’s longest and connect the five major continents Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

AI Action Summit calls for a rethink of regulation

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we report from the AI Action Summit in Paris on how easing red tape is overtaking safety as a priority. We examine the AI regulations that IT leaders need to understand. And we talk to the UK government’s AI minister about the country’s artificial intelligence opportunities. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Liverpool reinvents customer service through digital platform

Liverpool City Council wants to improve residents’ experience of dealing with the council, and sees digital technologies as key to achieving its goal Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Opinion: Saudi plans to be an IT superpower, but challenges lie ahead

Impressions of Saudi Arabia during Leap 2025: Big plans ahead, but challenges in physical and digital infrastructure, and in transition from public to private sector dominance Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

RAG AI: ‘Do it yourself,’ says NYC data scientist

New York City council data scientist says organisations should get their hands dirty with open source AI as his teams build AI apps to check for duplicates in legislative documents Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

NHS launches breast cancer AI trial

The trial will see 700,000 women taking part in artificial intelligence-based screening for breast cancer, looking at whether use of technology can help identify signs of cancer earlier Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Gartner: CISOs struggling to balance security, business objectives

Only 14% of security leaders can ‘effectively secure organisational data assets while also enabling the use of data to achieve business objectives’, according to Gartner Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government launches consultation on plan to streamline business through e-invoicing

Government announces 12-week consultation on electronic invoicing as part of its plan for change Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA