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.
-
Opinion
11 Dec 2024
Happy New Year: Three steps to maximise AI’s ROI in 2025
On the Eighth Day of AI, we explore the key considerations and strategic frameworks essential for extracting maximum value from AI projects. Continue Reading
-
News
10 Dec 2024
Dangerous CLFS and LDAP flaws stand out on Patch Tuesday
Microsoft has fixed over 70 CVEs in its final Patch Tuesday update of the year, and defenders should prioritise a zero-day in the Common Log File System Driver, and another impactful flaw in the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol Continue Reading
By- Alex Scroxton, Security Editor
-
News
09 Sep 2013
Most websites could be targeted through PHP, warns Imperva
Hackers are focusing on vulnerabilities in PHP web application development platform, threatening most websites, warns Imperva Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
09 Sep 2013
Executive interview: Andrew Brem, Connected Homes, British Gas
British Gas is digitising energy. Andrew Brem speaks to Computer Weekly about the internet connected home Continue Reading
By- Cliff Saran, Managing Editor
-
News
03 Sep 2013
Disinfecting PCs false security, says security expert
Many companies proud of their ability to identify and clean malware infected machines are missing a trick, says veteran security expert Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
22 Aug 2013
Charlie McMurdie joins PwC’s cyber practice
Charlie McMurdie, former head of the Metro Police central e-crime unit, is joining business consultancy firm PwC as its senior crime adviser Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
Opinion
14 Aug 2013
How to appoint a new outsourcing supplier
Outsourcing can come with its own security risks if not managed appropriately, making due diligence and clear contractual arrangements key Continue Reading
By- Sheila Pancholi
-
E-Zine
12 Aug 2013
Is the UK smart meter project doomed to fail?
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at one of the biggest IT roll-outs in the UK - the £12bn plan to install smart meters in every home – and ask: is it doomed to fail? Our latest buyer’s guide examines software asset management. We analyse the big IT suppliers’ plans to compete with pure-play cloud providers. And we discuss the future of the chief information security officer role. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
-
Opinion
30 Jul 2013
The ideology of hacking
Business leaders need to be educated on the true threats their firms face and IT security professionals have to arm their executives with that information Continue Reading
By- Mark Brown
-
News
30 Jul 2013
ICO to investigate sale of online dating profiles
The UK’s data protection watchdog is to investigate the sale of 10,000 online dating profiles to the BBC’s Panorama programme Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
Feature
29 Jul 2013
An introduction to cyber liability insurance cover
Cyber liability insurance cover has been around for 10 years, but most security professionals seem to have not heard of it or know that it exists Continue Reading
By -
News
29 Jul 2013
Continual vigilance key to security, says Damballa
UK businesses must update their approach to cyber security to look for signs of compromise continually Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
26 Jul 2013
FireEye partners with Phishme for multi-layered security
Security technology developer FireEye has partnered with phishing awareness training firm PhishMe to offer a multi-layered approach to securing information networks Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
25 Jul 2013
MI5 and GCHQ call for FTSE 350 cyber health check
Intelligence agencies MI5 and GCHQ call on UK’s top listed companies to take part in a cyber governance health check Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
23 Jul 2013
Cisco buys cyber security company Sourcefire for $2.7bn
Networking giant Cisco has reached an agreement to buy cyber security business Sourcefire in a $2.7bn deal Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
22 Jul 2013
Insider threat: Balancing security with privacy
How can organisations increase security without affecting productivity or encroaching on employees’ right to privacy? Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
22 Jul 2013
UK to block online porn by default
The UK is to block online pornography by default to all new internet users, David Cameron is to announce Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
Opinion
19 Jul 2013
How to assess the security of a cloud service provider
As businesses continue to put more information online, understanding cloud suppliers and agreements has never been more important Continue Reading
By- Andrew Fitzmaurice
-
News
17 Jul 2013
Tech firms target piracy profiting websites
Tech firms including Google, Yahoo and Microsoft join an initiative targeting websites that profit from piracy by cutting off advert revenue Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
16 Jul 2013
More than one-fifth of UK firms hit by DDoS attacks in 2012
More than a fifth of UK firms experienced a disruptive distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack in 2012 Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
15 Jul 2013
Black market for software security flaws reaches new highs
The black market in previously undiscovered vulnerabilities in commercial software is so established that the average flaw sells for up to $160,000 Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
11 Jul 2013
Yahoo wants Fisa objections revealed
Yahoo is the latest company implicated in the Prism internet surveillance programme to call for more transparency around its involvement Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
11 Jul 2013
Protecting against modern password cracking
This article in our Royal Holloway Security Thesis series explains just how insecure passwords are and offers advice on alternative methods of security. Continue Reading
-
News
11 Jul 2013
Smart cards: security risks
This article in our Royal Holloway Information Security Thesis series assess the new features introduced in Java Card 3 Connected Edition smart card specification and their associated security risks. Continue Reading
-
News
11 Jul 2013
Security visualisation
This article in our Royal Holloway Information Security Thesis series shows how to generate a visual representation of a dataset and use visualisation in the evaluation of known security vulnerabilities. Continue Reading
-
News
10 Jul 2013
Microsoft notches up over 3,000 copyright cases
In its battle against piracy, Microsoft says it has settled 3,265 copyright cases in the past year and warns of links to malware distribution Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
09 Jul 2013
Will cloud services follow the evolution of the banking industry?
Cloud service providers say security will become the very reason companies choose cloud services in future Continue Reading
-
News
08 Jul 2013
UK takes cyber threats to infrastructure seriously
The UK is taking seriously potential cyber threats to critical national infrastructure, according to GCHQ head Iain Lobban Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
05 Jul 2013
Tougher EU penalties for cyber crime not enough, say security experts
The European Parliament has adopted a draft directive to toughen up EU penalties for cyber crime, but security experts say this is not enough on its own Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
05 Jul 2013
Security Think Tank: Prism unlikely to change much
Does the data collected by Prism put the US Government at risk from other state or non-state sponsored activists? Continue Reading
By -
News
05 Jul 2013
UK joins EU demands for Google to rewrite privacy policy
The UK’s privacy watchdog has joined data protection authorities in France, Spain, Germany and Italy in demanding changes to Google’s privacy policy Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
05 Jul 2013
NSA Prism scandal could hit US cloud providers, says EC vice-president
EC vice-president Neelie Kroes says US cloud services providers could lose business because of fears over US Prism surveillance programme Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
04 Jul 2013
FBI warns of increased spear phishing attacks
The FBI has issued a warning about an increase in spear-phishing attacks targeting multiple industry sectors Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
02 Jul 2013
Security Think Tank: Prism – Sitting duck or elaborate honeypot?
Does the data collected by Prism put the US Government at risk from other state or non-state sponsored activists? Continue Reading
By- Robert Newby
-
News
02 Jul 2013
Senior MPs flout EU cookie law
Two years after the EU cookie regulation and UK law came into force, not all UK websites are compliant, including the sites of 13 senior MPs Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
01 Jul 2013
Stuxnet leak investigation leads to project originator
The US government investigation into Stuxnet leak of classified information leads to retired general in the Marines, James Cartwright Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
27 Jun 2013
How BP made its IT future-ready with a hybrid cloud infrastructure
BP bridged its cloud gap with a cautious and calculated approach using a mix of private cloud, public cloud and in-house IT infrastructure Continue Reading
By- Archana Venkatraman, Datacentre Editor
-
News
26 Jun 2013
Data quality more important than fixating over big data, says Shell VP
Johan Krebbers, vice-president of architecture at Shell, says it is more important to get data quality right than to find a ‘big data silver bullet’ Continue Reading
By- Kathleen Hall, TechTarget
-
News
26 Jun 2013
Encrypting enterprises miss out on cloud benefits
Enterprises sending encrypted data to the cloud are missing out on some of the greatest benefits of cloud computing, says Thales e-Security Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
24 Jun 2013
Identity management key to browser-based IT strategy
A cloud-based identity management system is key to enabling a browser-based IT strategy at online recruitment firm Reed.co.uk Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
21 Jun 2013
Most firms underestimate volume of malware, study shows
Most companies greatly underestimate the number of malicious programs appearing daily, a global survey of more than 2,000 IT professionals has revealed Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
21 Jun 2013
UK businesses failing to secure virtual environments, study finds
Most UK businesses are failing to secure data in virtual environments, a survey of IT decision makers has revealed Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
21 Jun 2013
Government launches cyber awareness campaign
UK government debuts the first stage of a £4m cyber awareness campaign as part of the National Cyber Security Programme Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
11 Jun 2013
UK links to US internet surveillance remain unclear
The government insists that UK spy agencies operate within the law, but questions remain Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
07 Jun 2013
PM urged to criminalise internet rape porn
Campaigners are calling for the criminalisation of possessing internet pornography depicting rape Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
05 Jun 2013
Human error causes most data breaches, Ponemon study finds
Human errors and system problems caused two-thirds of data breaches in 2012, according to a study from Symantec and the Ponemon Institute Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
29 May 2013
Stratfor hacker pleads guilty
US hacktivist Jeremy Hammond pleads guilty to accessing computers of law enforcement agencies and government contractors illegally Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
29 May 2013
Syrian hackers deface Sky Android apps
Syrian hackers have defaced several of Sky’s Android apps, forcing the broadcaster to remove them temporarily from the Google Play store Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
21 May 2013
Privileged accounts key to most APT attacks, says Cyber-Ark
The theft, misuse and exploitation of privileged accounts is becoming an increasingly key tactic in advanced persistent threat attacks Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
16 May 2013
Most IT environments immature, Microsoft reveals
Most business IT environments are immature, analysis of data from Microsoft’s Cloud Security Readiness Tool has revealed Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
15 May 2013
Microsoft declares conformance with ISO 27034-1
Microsoft has declared conformance with ISO 27034-1, the first part of an international standard for secure software development Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
08 May 2013
Adobe moves to cloud-based subscription model
Adobe has announced that it is to introduce a cloud-based subscription model for popular applications, including Photoshop Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
07 May 2013
Symantec helps NHS trust cut security costs by a quarter
The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust cut security costs by 25% in its partnership with security supplier Symantec Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
07 May 2013
Windows 8 passes 100 million in sales
Microsoft says Windows 8 OS has sold more than 100 million copies, roughly matching Windows 7 in the six months after launch Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
03 May 2013
Netherlands considers hacking powers for police
The Netherlands government considers legislation to give police powers to hack into computers, install spyware and read emails Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
01 May 2013
What’s to be done about data breach discovery?
The time from first contact by cyber attackers to the victim learning of it is still measured in months and years, not hours and days Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
25 Apr 2013
Infosec 2013: Cyber crime challenges law enforcement
Cyber crime is forcing police and law enforcement agencies to re-think basic skills needed, according to experts at Infosecurity Europe 2013 Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
25 Apr 2013
Lib Dems will block Snoopers’ Charter, says Nick Clegg
The draft Communications Data Bill will not go ahead while the Lib Dems are in government, says deputy prime minister Nick Clegg Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
22 Apr 2013
Infosec 2013: University research challenges reliability of IPS
Research shows intrusion prevention systems (IPS) are not as effective at detecting malicious activity as some might think Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
22 Apr 2013
Security spend misaligned with threats, says security veteran
Security budget allocations have remained the same for the past 15 years, but threats have changed, says Shlomo Kramer, chief executive at security firm Imperva Continue Reading
-
News
22 Apr 2013
US jails LulzSec hacker Cody Kretsinger
The US has jailed a member of hacktivist group LulzSec for a year for his role in breaching computer systems at Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2011 Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
19 Apr 2013
Conficker makes way for web-based attacks, says Microsoft
Web attacks emerge as top threat as businesses finally begin to win the battle against Conficker and other worms, says Microsoft Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
19 Apr 2013
Microsoft reports strong quarterly results for all divisions
Microsoft reported profit of $6bn for the past quarter, up 17% from a year ago, despite a mixed response to Windows 8 and a decline in PC sales Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
Feature
16 Apr 2013
How to create a good information security policy
Information security policies provide vital support to security professionals, yet few organisations take the time to create decent policies Continue Reading
By- Andi Scott
-
News
15 Apr 2013
Anonymous hacks North Korean websites for a second time
Members of the Anonymous hacktivist collective claim to have again hacked several prominent North Korean websites Continue Reading
-
News
15 Apr 2013
Google reaches deal with EU competition authorities
Google has reportedly reached a deal with European Union (EU) competition authorities over concerns about its business practices Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
12 Apr 2013
Google has another go at allaying EU competition concerns
Google has submitted a fresh set of proposals to address European concerns about its business practices and avoid punitive action Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
11 Apr 2013
Bots and web apps among top threats to data security, says Check Point
Bots, viruses, breaches and attacks are a constant and real threat to the information security of organisations Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
11 Apr 2013
Porn websites pose malware risk, says researcher
Browsing popular pornography internet sites pose a growing risk of malware infection, according to a security researcher Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
11 Apr 2013
South Korea accuses North Korea of launching cyber attacks
South Korea blames North Korea for the cyber attacks that shut down thousands of computers at broadcasters and banks two weeks ago Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
03 Apr 2013
Case Study: 192business switches to tokenisation to speed up business processes
Online payment card verification firm 192business uses tokenisation to speed up its processes and protect credit card details from fraud Continue Reading
-
News
03 Apr 2013
US Army practises poor data security on mobile devices
Pentagon inspector general finds smartphones and tablets the US Army buys are not configured to protect sensitive data and allow remote wipe Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
03 Apr 2013
Anonymous threatens to declare cyber war on North Korea
Anonymous hacktivist collective has threatened North Korea with cyber war if leader Kim Jong-un does not resign and install free democracy Continue Reading
-
News
02 Apr 2013
Google closer to action from European privacy regulators
Google is another step closer to action by privacy regulators across Europe for failing to change the way it manages user data Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
27 Mar 2013
UK government sets up cyber security fusion cell
A cyber security “fusion cell” for cross-sector threat data sharing aims to put government, industry and information security analysts side-by-side Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
26 Mar 2013
Southern Water contracts TCS for transformation
Southern Water is transforming customer service and revenue management through IT services from Tata Consultancy Services Continue Reading
-
News
26 Mar 2013
Employees ignore security rules, say infosec pros
Most information security professionals believe corporate employees wilfully ignore security rules, survey at RSA Conference 2013 reveals Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
25 Mar 2013
Malware in counterfeit software to cost business $114bn in 2013
Dealing with malware in counterfeit software will cost global enterprises an estimated $114bn in 2013, says research firm IDC Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
22 Mar 2013
Six security issues to tackle before encrypting cloud data
Concern about security and privacy is likely to drive adoption of cloud encryption, but there are six security issues businesses should tackle Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
13 Mar 2013
US authorities investigate hack of Michelle Obama and other high-profile people
US authorities are investigating hackers who allegedly stole financial information belonging to US first lady Michelle Obama Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
11 Mar 2013
Phishing emails sent in pairs to lend authenticity, says training company
Phishing emails are now being deployed in pairs to create the illusion of authenticity, says security awareness training company PhishMe Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
11 Mar 2013
Microsoft releases four critical security updates
Microsoft is to release four “critical” patches in its monthly Patch Tuesday security update, according to the advance notice. Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
06 Mar 2013
What is RSA's build, buy, partner strategy?
Computer Weekly takes a closer look at RSA's build, buy, partner strategy Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
Feature
04 Mar 2013
How to tackle big data from a security point of view
Before leaping into big data, companies must be clear what they are trying to achieve, otherwise their investment will be wasted Continue Reading
By- Peter Wood, First Base Technologies LLP
-
News
28 Feb 2013
RSA 2013: Suppliers need to prepare for new security vulnerability handling standards
Software makers and online service providers need to prepare for two ISO standards on vulnerability handling processes due by the end of 2013 Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
26 Feb 2013
RSA 2013: Obama cyber order will have significant effect, says DoHS
President Barack Obama’s executive order on cybersecurity is a “very big deal” says Mark Weatherford, deputy under-secretary for cybersecurity at the US Department of Homeland Security (DoHS). Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
22 Feb 2013
Music companies critical of Google’s anti-piracy efforts
Music companies have accused Google of failing to fulfil a pledge not to give prominent rankings in search results to websites offering illegal music downloads. Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
15 Feb 2013
Bad outsourcing decisions cause 63% of data breaches
Bad outsourcing decisions nearly two-thirds of data breaches investigated by security firm Trustwave in the past year Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
Feature
11 Feb 2013
How to find the most vulnerable systems on your internal network
Most corporate networks share common vulnerabilities, but many could be mitigated with education in “hacker thinking” for technical staff Continue Reading
By- Peter Wood, First Base Technologies LLP
-
Feature
07 Feb 2013
Social media: A security challenge and opportunity
Generation Y workers are posing increasing security challenges to their employers as they share data unreservedly Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
06 Feb 2013
EU cyber strategy aimed at boosting preparedness and cooperation
The European cyber security strategy addresses insufficient national preparedness and boosting co-operation in the region, says the EC Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
06 Feb 2013
Business avoids cloud over fear of government snooping
Almost half of IT professionals are deterred from keeping sensitive data in the cloud because of fear of government intervention and possible legal action, a survey has revealed Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
06 Feb 2013
Twitter strengthens login security after hacker attack
Days after a hacking attack, it has emerged that Twitter plans to strengthen its login security with two-factor authentication Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
28 Jan 2013
Why has NAC, like DLP, failed to take off?
Why are organisations not investing in systems that are designed to keep malicious actors out of their networks? Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
25 Jan 2013
Encryption is safe bet, says SafeNet
Encryption is the only thing that can give peace of mind to CIOs and CISOs, says Dave Hansen, president and CEO of security firm SafeNet Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
24 Jan 2013
ICO hits Sony with £250,000 data breach penalty
The Information Commissioner’s office (ICO) has fined Sony Computer Entertainment Europe £250,000 for breaching the Data Protection Act Continue Reading
-
News
22 Jan 2013
Why has DLP never taken off?
Why is data loss prevention (DLP) technology not being adopted if it provides the very protection most businesses need? Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
Feature
18 Jan 2013
GE uses big data to power machine services business
GE, one of the UK's largest manufacturers, is using big data analytics with data generated from machine sensors to predict maintenance needs Continue Reading
By- Cliff Saran, Managing Editor
-
News
14 Jan 2013
Oracle rushes out patches for Java zero days
Oracle has released two out-of-band security updates for the latest zero day vulnerabilities in Java Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
11 Jan 2013
Disable Java to protect from latest zero-day
Security researchers are warning of a zero-day vulnerability in all versions of Java, including the latest Java 7 update 10 Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
News
10 Jan 2013
Software piracy international in scope, says Fast
The scale of software piracy is both international in scope and military in its execution, says the Federation Against Software Theft (Fast) Continue Reading
By- Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst
-
E-Zine
07 Jan 2013
IT spending to rise in 2013
Find out what analysts are predicting for technology in Europe this year, including changes in budgets and how companies can reduce costs and improve sustainability. Continue Reading