IT for utilities and energy
Utility firms and energy companies rely on IT to support their often highly complex operations. The industry is being forced by politial and customer pressure to be greener and technology is central to achieving greater energy efficiency, through major initiatives such as smart meters. Our stories about energy and utility firms examine how IT is helping to enable change and improvement in these companies.
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News
10 Jul 2025
UK and France forge closer cyber, tech research ties
The navigation and timing systems used by power suppliers and emergency services to run their operations will fall in scope of an Anglo-French research pact that will also foster development in AI and supercomputing Continue Reading
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News
08 Jul 2025
July Patch Tuesday brings over 130 new flaws to address
Microsoft patched well over 100 new common vulnerabilities and exposures on the second Tuesday of the month, but its latest update is mercifully light on zero-days Continue Reading
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News
02 Jul 2025
US CISA agency extends Iran cyber alert, warns of CNI threat
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency reiterates guidance for operators of critical national infrastructure as it eyes the possibility of cyber attacks from Iran Continue Reading
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News
02 Jul 2025
Google fixes type confusion flaw in Chrome browser
An actively exploited type confusion vulnerability in the Google Chrome web browser needs immediate attention from users Continue Reading
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News
02 Jul 2025
Dutch study uncovers cognitive biases undermining cyber security board decisions
Dutch research reveals how cognitive biases can lead to catastrophic security decisions Continue Reading
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Opinion
30 Jun 2025
Better governance is required for AI agents
The Security Think Tank considers how CISOs can best plan to facilitate the secure running of AI and Gen AI-based initiatives and ensure employees do not inadvertently leak data or make bad decisions Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2025
UK ransomware costs significantly outpace other countries
UK organisations hit by ransomware attacks paid much higher ransoms than in other countries over the past 12 months, according to study Continue Reading
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News
23 Jun 2025
Widening Middle Eastern war increases cyber risk
With the entry of the US into the widening Middle Eastern conflict, cyber risk is likely to increase across the board Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2025
Cyber Essentials certifications rising slowly but steadily
The number of businesses attaining the NCSC Cyber Essentials certification continues to increase, but much more can be done to raise awareness of the scheme Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2025
Dutch cloud pioneers face the hard limits of digital sovereignty
The Netherlands’ ambitious talk of digital independence meets the unforgiving economics of global cloud dominance Continue Reading
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News
17 Jun 2025
UKtech50: Vote for the most influential person in UK technology
Our judges have selected the top 50 leaders from a shortlist of nearly 500 people – now it’s your chance to tell us who you think is the most influential person in UK technology Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2025
UKtech50 2025: the longlist of the UK’s influential tech leaders
Each year, Computer Weekly launches a search for the most influential people in UK IT, asking the tech community who it thinks should be in the top 50 – here is the longlist of everyone nominated for 2025 Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2025
Sweden gets help pulling its sovereign AI socks up
Urgent government calls for more high-powered sovereign computers to fulfil Swedish goal of building a more powerful AI industry answered by foreign financiers, US tech and Europe’s AI emergency fund Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2025
NHS IT the big winner in Reeves’ Spending Review
The chancellor of the exchequer has significantly upped spending on digital and technology initiatives in the current Spending Review period, with the NHS receiving a 50% tech funding increase Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Jun 2025
Human vs digital therapy: AI falls short when IT pros need help
Stressed IT and cyber professionals are turning to AI chatbots for support, but is handing people's mental wellbeing over to algorithms really such a bright idea? Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Jun 2025
Investor behaviour in the wake of cyber's 'black swan' moment
So-called Black Swan events expose the blind spots in even the most sophisticated forecasting models, signaling a need to rethink how businesses, and those investing in them, quantify and prepare for cyber risk. Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2025
June Patch Tuesday brings a lighter load for defenders
Barely 70 vulnerabilities make the cut for Microsoft’s monthly security update, but an RCE flaw in WEBDAV and an EoP issue in Windows SMB Client still warrant close attention Continue Reading
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News
04 Jun 2025
NCSC sets out how to build cyber safe cultures
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre has published guidance for security teams and leaders on how to foster accessible and appropriate cyber security cultures in their organisations Continue Reading
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Opinion
04 Jun 2025
Fortifying the future: The pivotal role of CISOs in AI operations
The Security Think Tank considers how CISOs can best plan to facilitate the secure running of AI and Gen AI-based initiatives and ensure employees do not inadvertently leak data or make bad decisions. Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 Jun 2025
Preparing for AI: The CISO’s role in security, ethics and compliance
The Security Think Tank considers how CISOs can best plan to facilitate the secure running of AI and Gen AI-based initiatives and ensure employees do not inadvertently leak data or make bad decisions. Continue Reading
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Opinion
02 Jun 2025
The hidden security risks of open source AI
The Security Think Tank considers how CISOs can best plan to facilitate the secure running of AI and Gen AI-based initiatives and ensure employees do not inadvertently leak data or make bad decisions. Continue Reading
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Opinion
02 Jun 2025
AI security: Balancing innovation with protection
The Security Think Tank considers how CISOs can best plan to facilitate the secure running of AI and Gen AI-based initiatives and ensure employees do not inadvertently leak data or make bad decisions. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 May 2025
How cyber security professionals are leveraging AWS tools
It’s now essential for IT security teams to have oversight of cloud computing, and AWS offers a plethora of tools to make managing it easier. Find out how cyber pros are using them in the wild Continue Reading
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Opinion
29 May 2025
Signalgate is a signal to revisit security onboarding and training
A leak of information on American military operations caused a major political incident in March 2025. The Security Think Tank considers what can CISOs can learn from this potentially fatal error. Continue Reading
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News
27 May 2025
Armed forces charity steps in to address cyber mental health crisis
CIISec and military charity PTSD Resolution hope to address a gathering mental health crisis among frontline cyber professionals Continue Reading
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Feature
27 May 2025
Preparation and appreciation – the human factor in incident response
A typical incident response effort is highly technical, so where do soft skills come in and how do you know how effective your team is? We look at a measurement option and the human consideration in these scenarios Continue Reading
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Feature
26 May 2025
What are the best practices for securing AWS tech stacks?
An AWS tech stack can aid business growth and facilitate efficient operations, but misconfigurations have become all too common and stall this progress Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2025
Microsoft raises posse to target dangerous Lumma malware
Microsoft, along with a consortium of partners, has seized and disrupted a significant part of the Lumma malware-as-a-service network used to steal data and funds Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2025
Ransomware attacks dropped by a third last month
Reported ransomware attacks eased off during April following a dramatic spike in the first quarter of 2025 Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2025
Mid-career professionals must learn to understand and use AI as GenAI tips balance
Whether in the finance, IT or legal sectors, artificial intelligence will change the way businesses operate and how their people work Continue Reading
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News
13 May 2025
May Patch Tuesday brings five exploited zero-days to fix
Microsoft fixes five exploited, and two publicly disclosed, zero-days in the fifth Patch Tuesday update of 2025 Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2025
US tells CNI orgs to stop connecting OT kit to the web
US authorities have released guidance for owners of critical national infrastructure in the face of an undisclosed number of cyber incidents Continue Reading
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News
07 May 2025
Oxford Uni adds cyber resilience module to MBA programme
Oxford University’s Saïd Business School is working with cyber response specialist Sygnia to help future business leaders get on top of security Continue Reading
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News
07 May 2025
UK hands Indian IT suppliers competitive boost in trade deal
Trade deal will exempt IT workers from India from paying National Insurance contributions for three years Continue Reading
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Feature
06 May 2025
Beyond the hook: How phishing is evolving in the world of AI
Phishing attacks are evolving. Gone are the days of clumsy, error-ridden emails that were easy to spot – today’s campaigns harness advanced techniques to bypass even the latest defences. A new approach is needed Continue Reading
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Opinion
02 May 2025
Security Think Tank: What CISOs can learn from Signalgate
A leak of information on American military operations caused a major political incident in March 2025. The Security Think Tank considers what can CISOs can learn from this potentially fatal error. Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 May 2025
Signalgate: Learnings for CISOs securing enterprise data
A leak of information on American military operations caused a major political incident in March 2025. The Security Think Tank considers what CISOs can learn from this potentially fatal error Continue Reading
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News
30 Apr 2025
Current SaaS delivery model a risk management nightmare, says CISO
JPMorgan Chase security chief Patrick Opet laments the state of SaaS security in an open letter to the industry and calls on software providers to do more to enhance resilience Continue Reading
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Opinion
24 Apr 2025
Challenges persist as UK’s Cyber Security and Resilience Bill moves forward
Elements of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill are welcome but questions remain about how best to act in the face of persistent challenges like geopolitical chaos, threats to critical infrastructure, and technological advances Continue Reading
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News
24 Apr 2025
South East Water modernises through Google Cloud
Utility’s five-year transformation project sees it adopt Google Cloud technologies to help change how it works Continue Reading
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News
24 Apr 2025
March ransomware slowdown probably a red herring
An apparent slowdown in ransomware attack volumes is raising eyebrows, but the statistics never tell the full story Continue Reading
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Opinion
23 Apr 2025
Rethink authentication to remove the burden on users
The rise of AI powered threats and non-human identities will push an already strained identity security model over the edge Continue Reading
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Opinion
22 Apr 2025
Beyond baselines - getting real about security and resilience
In an increasingly contested world, the UK government needs a security certification that goes beyond baseline measures. Continue Reading
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News
17 Apr 2025
Tariff turmoil is making supply chain security riskier
Many businesses around the world are taking the decision to alter their supplier mix in the face of tariff uncertainty, but in doing so are creating more cyber risks for themselves, according to a report Continue Reading
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News
16 Apr 2025
Saudi Arabia struggling to reach global leadership in deeptech
Petrostate monarchy trying to build surrogate industry made of foreign startups because own ecosystem is too immature Continue Reading
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News
15 Apr 2025
Hertz warns UK customers of Cleo-linked data breach
Car hire giant Hertz reveals UK customer data was affected in a cyber incident orchestrated via a series of vulnerabilities in Cleo managed file transfer products Continue Reading
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Opinion
14 Apr 2025
Defending the grid with secure connectivity
Connectivity providers, device manufacturers and the energy companies they support must prioritise cyber security as the use of IoT grows in Singapore's energy sector Continue Reading
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News
08 Apr 2025
Spoofing vuln threatens security of WhatsApp Windows users
Meta has disclosed and patched a potentially dangerous spoofing flaw in WhatsApp for Windows that could have caused big problems for unwitting users Continue Reading
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Opinion
08 Apr 2025
It’s time to stop the victim-blaming and insist on safer software
Businesses spend too much time and money protecting themselves against flaws and vulnerabilities in modern software products, when they ought to raise their expectations and insist on better solutions from providers Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 Apr 2025
Taking a ‘good enough’ approach with cloud security isn't enough
In the wake of the January 2025 'Codefinger' attacks against AWS S3 users, Thales Rob Elliss argues that many organisations are dropping the ball when it comes to their understanding of cloud security best practice Continue Reading
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News
03 Apr 2025
Danish supercomputer to drive innovation
Supercomputer project will add a competitive edge to drive innovation and growth among Denmark’s enterprises and research organisations Continue Reading
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News
02 Apr 2025
UKtech50 2025 – help us find the most influential people in UK IT
Computer Weekly’s annual search for the 50 most influential people in UK IT is on – let us know who you would like to nominate for this year's list Continue Reading
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Opinion
02 Apr 2025
Bridging Borders: The rise of Ukrainian-British tech collaboration
The IT sectors of the UK and Ukraine have built strong relationships since Russia’s invasion of the latter, and there is more to come, writes the IT Ukraine Association’s ambassador in the UK Continue Reading
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News
01 Apr 2025
Gmail ‘bubble’ encryption may be an S/MIME killer, says Google
Marking the 21st anniversary of Gmail, Google is preparing to roll out an end-to-end encryption standard for its email service in hopes of democratising encryption and leaving old standards in the dust Continue Reading
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News
31 Mar 2025
Top 1,000 IT service providers in scope of UK cyber bill
The government’s proposed Cyber Security and Resilience Bill is set to include regulatory provisions covering both datacentre operators and larger IT service providers Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Mar 2025
Countering nation-state cyber espionage: A CISO field guide
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
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News
21 Mar 2025
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
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News
21 Mar 2025
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
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News
20 Mar 2025
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
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News
19 Mar 2025
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
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Opinion
14 Mar 2025
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
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News
13 Mar 2025
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
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News
11 Mar 2025
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
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News
11 Mar 2025
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
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Feature
06 Mar 2025
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
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News
06 Mar 2025
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
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Opinion
27 Feb 2025
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
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News
27 Feb 2025
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
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News
26 Feb 2025
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
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News
26 Feb 2025
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
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News
21 Feb 2025
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
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News
18 Feb 2025
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
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News
18 Feb 2025
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
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News
14 Feb 2025
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
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News
14 Feb 2025
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
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News
12 Feb 2025
Cisco Live EMEA: Network supplier tightens AI embrace
At its annual EMEA show, Cisco tech leadership unveiled a raft of new products, services and features designed to help customers do more with artificial intelligence Continue Reading
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News
11 Feb 2025
AI Action Summit: European AI investment ramps up
A number of private companies and European governments have announced large-scale investments in artificial intelligence during the two-day AI Action Summit in Paris Continue Reading
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News
07 Feb 2025
US lawmakers move to ban DeepSeek AI tool
US politicians have introduced a bill seeking to ban the use of the DeepSeek AI tool on government-owned devices, citing national security concerns due to its alleged links to the Chinese state Continue Reading
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News
07 Feb 2025
Ransomware payment value fell over 30% in 2024
Several factors, including the impact of law enforcement operations disrupting cyber criminal gangs and better preparedness among users, may be behind a significant drop in the total value of ransomware payments Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Feb 2025
Self-healing networks: The next evolution in network management
The age of AI is highlighting the security risks and pitfalls of traditional network management techniques. Self-healing networks may offer a solution that not only bolsters security, but makes IT and network teams more efficient Continue Reading
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News
06 Feb 2025
UK’s Cyber Monitoring Centre begins incident classification work
The Cyber Monitoring Centre will work to categorise major incidents against a newly developed scale to help organisations better understand the nature of systemic cyber attacks and learn from their impact Continue Reading
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Opinion
04 Feb 2025
“Unsafe At Any Speed”. Comparing automobiles to code 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
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Opinion
03 Feb 2025
Vigilant buyers are the best recipe for accountable suppliers
In January 2025, outgoing CISA chief Jen Easterly called on IT buyers to demand better security standards from their software suppliers. The Security Think Tank considers what better means, and what does best practice for secure software procurement looks like in 2025. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2025
Vallance rejects latest charge to reform UK hacking laws
Science minister Patrick Vallance rejects proposed amendments to the Computer Misuse Act, arguing that they could create a loophole for cyber criminals to exploit Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Jan 2025
Your first steps to improve international compliance
The Computer Weekly Security Think Tank considers how security leaders should best navigate the multitude of new national and multinational regulations affecting their work, and ensure their organisations remain compliant and protected Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2025
Concerns over Fujitsu billing application used at SSE Airtricity in Republic of Ireland
Under-scrutiny IT services firm has escalated fears over problems with one of its applications, used at a Republic of Ireland energy firm, to its headquarters in Japan Continue Reading
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News
27 Jan 2025
Cyber incident that closed British Museum was inside job
An IT incident that disrupted visitor access to the British Museum last week was the work of a disgruntled contractor who had been let go Continue Reading
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News
22 Jan 2025
Privacy professionals expect budget cuts, lack confidence
Over 50% of privacy professionals in Europe expect to see less money earmarked for data security initiatives in 2025, and many don’t have faith their organisations are taking the issue seriously, according to an ISACA report Continue Reading
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News
22 Jan 2025
Funksec gang turned up ransomware heat in December
The criminal ransomware fraternity was hard at work over the festive period, with attack volumes rising and a new threat actor emerging on the scene Continue Reading
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Opinion
17 Jan 2025
Cyber innovation to address rising regulatory, threat burden
The Computer Weekly Security Think Tank considers how security leaders should best navigate the multitude of new national and multinational regulations affecting their work, and ensure their organisations remain compliant and protected Continue Reading
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News
15 Jan 2025
Government, Nesta and ODI issue £600k smart data challenge to technologists
Department for Business and Trade, Challenge Works and the Open Data Institute have issued a Smart Data Challenge to app developers and entrepreneurs with a total prize fund of £600,000 Continue Reading
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News
15 Jan 2025
Biggest Patch Tuesday in years sees Microsoft address 159 vulnerabilities
The largest Patch Tuesday of the 2020s so far brings fixes for more than 150 CVEs ranging widely in their scope and severity – including eight zero-day flaws Continue Reading
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News
13 Jan 2025
UK government plans to extend ransomware payment ban
A ban on ransomware payments by UK government departments will be extended to cover organisations such as local councils, schools and the NHS should new government proposals move forward Continue Reading
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Opinion
13 Jan 2025
Why we need better cyber regulation to protect the UK from disruption
The Computer Weekly Security Think Tank considers how security leaders should best navigate the multitude of new national and multinational regulations affecting their work, and ensure their organisations remain compliant and protected. Continue Reading
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News
13 Jan 2025
CNI operators should ask these 12 questions of their OT suppliers
The NCSC, CISA and others have set out 12 cyber security considerations CNI organisations and other users of operational technology should incorporate into their buying processes to force their suppliers to do better Continue Reading
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News
10 Jan 2025
Mandiant: Latest Ivanti vulns exploited by Chinese cyber spooks
Threat actors are once again lining up to exploit vulnerabilities in the widely used Ivanti product suite, with an apparent link to Chinese espionage activity Continue Reading
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Opinion
07 Jan 2025
Why CISOs should build stronger bonds with the legal function in 2025
The Computer Weekly Security Think Tank considers how security leaders should best navigate the multitude of new national and multinational regulations affecting their work, and ensure their organisations remain compliant and protected. Continue Reading
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News
03 Jan 2025
US Treasury incident a clear warning on supply chain security in 2025
A cyber incident at the US Department of the Treasury – blamed on a Chinese state actor – raises fresh warnings about supply chain risk after it was found to have originated via vulnerabilities in a remote tech support product Continue Reading
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News
19 Dec 2024
LockBit ransomware gang teases February 2025 return
An individual associated with the LockBit ransomware gang has broken cover to tease details of a new phase of the cyber criminal operation's activity, which they claim is set to begin in February 2025 Continue Reading
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News
19 Dec 2024
Latest attempt to override UK’s outdated hacking law stalls
Amendments to the Data Bill that would have given the UK cyber industry a boost by updating restrictive elements of the Computer Misuse Act have failed to progress beyond a Lords committee Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Dec 2024
Innovation, insight and influence: the CISO playbook for 2025 and beyond
From Covid-19 to war in Ukraine, SolarWinds Sunburst, Kaseya, Log4j, MOVEit and more, the past five years brought cyber to mainstream attention, but what comes next? The Computer Weekly Security Think Tank looks ahead to the second half of the 2020s Continue Reading
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News
18 Dec 2024
The Security Interviews: Martin Lee, Cisco Talos
Threat intel expert and author Martin Lee, EMEA technical lead for security research at Cisco Talos, joins Computer Weekly to mark the 35th anniversary of the first ever ransomware attack Continue Reading