IT legislation and regulation
Understanding the law as it applies to IT management can be one of the hardest task for IT leaders, but the growing burden of regulatory compliance makes it essential. Legislation and regulation affects enterprise IT in many ways, not just in long-standing tasks such as contracts and software licensing. We examine the latest legal development and how they affect IT managers, and talk to the experts in IT legislation and regulation to explain what it means to your organisation.
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News
04 Dec 2024
NCA takes out network that laundered ransomware payments
NCA-led Operation Destabilise disrupts Russian crime networks that funded the drugs and firearms trade in the UK, helped Russian oligarchs duck sanctions, and laundered money stolen from the NHS and others by ransomware gangs Continue Reading
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Opinion
04 Dec 2024
The most pressing challenges for CISOs and cyber security teams
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
10 Jan 2020
Scottish government misses national superfast broadband target
SNP government admits failing to meet ambitious target to roll out broadband of at least 30Mbps to all Scottish homes and businesses by 2021 Continue Reading
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News
09 Jan 2020
Travelex hackers threaten to sell credit card data on dark web
Sodinokibi cyber gangsters have threatened to sell Travelex customers’ private data on a Russian underground cyber crime forum if it fails to pay a $6m ransom Continue Reading
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News
09 Jan 2020
Retail group Dixons Carphone fined £500,000 over data breach
Dixons Carphone receives maximum possible pre-GDPR fine from the ICO following a 2018 data breach Continue Reading
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News
09 Jan 2020
Don’t become the next Travelex: Get ready for ransomware
With Travelex’s IT still in disarray and banks and travellers left without access to funds more than a week after it was hit by a ransomware attack, we ask what others can learn from the foreign exchange services company’s response to the incident Continue Reading
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News
09 Jan 2020
UK government begins legal process to bring about full-fibre roll-out
First steps on the legislative journey for UK government to make good on election commitments to bring full fibre across the UK Continue Reading
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News
09 Jan 2020
ITS to fast-track full-fibre roll-out gains with £45m investment
Gigabit network operator ITS plans to use latest funding to move into several new areas across the UK to build full-fibre networks which will pass at least 200,000 premises Continue Reading
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News
09 Jan 2020
New GDPR service aims to ease compliance challenges
Security consultants claim their software platform will address a pressing need for an effective and efficient means of complying with data protection rules Continue Reading
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News
08 Jan 2020
Half of UK citizens want tighter data regulations
Over 50% of UK citizens believe the gathering and use of personal data should be subject to more stringent government oversight, according to Fujitsu Continue Reading
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News
08 Jan 2020
Ofcom announces plans to ‘supercharge’ investment in fibre broadband
Regulator says proposals to upgrade UK broadband infrastructure will transform the business case for national full-fibre investment in towns, cities and villages Continue Reading
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News
07 Jan 2020
Government confirms IR35 private sector reforms under review ahead of April 2020 start date
Government honours pledge to embark on a review of its plans to extend the IR35 off-payroll rules to the private sector that will focus on ensuring the changes are introduced in a “smooth” way in April 2020 Continue Reading
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News
06 Jan 2020
UK cyber security boss Ciaran Martin to step down
NCSC chief Ciaran Martin will leave his post in the summer of 2020 Continue Reading
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News
02 Jan 2020
California’s CCPA an opportunity for security industry to do better
California’s consumer protection and data privacy laws came into effect on 1 January 2020, and present a golden opportunity for the cyber security practitioners Continue Reading
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News
31 Dec 2019
Top 10 investigative stories of 2019
Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 investigative stories of 2019 Continue Reading
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News
20 Dec 2019
Loan charge review results: Government agrees to policy amendments to cut tax bills of 30,000 people
The government has announced a package of amendments to the loan charge policy that will remove 11,000 people from its scope, and cut the tax bills of 30,000 others Continue Reading
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Opinion
20 Dec 2019
How can we tell if regulating Google and Facebook is the right thing to do?
There are different economic approaches to dealing with monopolies and market dominance, but the nature of Google and Facebook defies easy answers Continue Reading
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News
19 Dec 2019
EU court opinion finds EU-US data transfers lawful but raises questions over Privacy Shield
The Advocate General of the European Court says standard contractual clauses are lawful, but raises questions over the impact of US surveillance on the legality of Privacy Shield Continue Reading
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News
19 Dec 2019
New UK government pledges to accelerate gigabit broadband delivery
New Conservative government’s Queen’s Speech reaffirms commitment to providing gigabit broadband access across the UK, but provides no specific timetable to meet commitments and targets Continue Reading
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News
18 Dec 2019
HM Treasury mulls loan charge review findings, but will not confirm public release date
Contractor community frustrated by lack of concrete release date for review as loan charge settlement date of 31 January 2020 looms Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Dec 2019
Amazon, AWS and antitrust: How tough could US lawmakers be on the tech titan?
How Amazon conducts its business is coming under close scrutiny from US lawmakers, both from an online retail and cloud perspective, and this is why Continue Reading
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News
18 Dec 2019
Major US tech companies named in lawsuit over mining deaths of Congolese children
Multinational technology companies have been accused of knowingly benefiting from human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo Continue Reading
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News
16 Dec 2019
Release of loan charge review must be prioritised by new government, urge IT contractors
With prime minister Boris Johnson expected to announce a reshuffle of his new-look government today, IT contracting stakeholders are calling for the publication of the loan charge review to be prioritised and for the 31 January 2020 settlement date to be postponed Continue Reading
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News
13 Dec 2019
Alarm bells ring, the IoT is listening
With Christmas bearing down on us, a series of vulnerability disclosures has drawn attention to the parlous state of IoT security, and serves as a timely warning to people planning to buy smart devices as gifts Continue Reading
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News
13 Dec 2019
New government faces calls to urgently deliver on pre-election pledge to review IR35 reforms
Contracting groups and trade associations say prime minister Boris Johnson must deliver on his party’s pledge to review the IR35 reforms and allay fears that it was an empty promise made to secure votes Continue Reading
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Opinion
13 Dec 2019
Top tips for avoiding and dealing with data breaches
Been hacked, lost a laptop or sent an email to the wrong address? Do you need to notify anyone and what should you do? Find out in this simple guide Continue Reading
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E-Zine
12 Dec 2019
CW Europe: Deutsche Bank creates innovation division
German banking giant Deutsche Bank is opening a division focused on innovation which will be led by former SAP executive Bernd Leukert. It will create agile teams with business and infrastructure divisions leading teams of technologists, using agile principles. Also read why China’s Huawei has offered governments an anti-industrial espionage commitment, and how software robots are helping social workers in Sweden. Continue Reading
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News
11 Dec 2019
Post Office settles legal dispute with subpostmasters, ending 20-year battle for lead claimant
The Post Office has settled its long-running legal dispute with subpostmasters, and will pay £57.75m in damages Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2019
Scottish Justice Committee wants extra powers for biometrics commissioner
Members of Scottish Parliament in the Justice Committee have welcomed the creation of a biometrics commissioner for Scotland, but want ensure that they have the ‘necessary teeth’ for the job Continue Reading
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News
09 Dec 2019
US Department of Justice orders Ericsson to pay $1bn fine to settle bribery case
Swedish comms tech giant admitted what US attorney described as “years-long campaign of corruption in five countries to solidify its grip on telecommunications business” Continue Reading
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News
09 Dec 2019
Jailed hacker ordered to pay back £270k
An Essex man jailed in April over malware offences dating back years has been ordered to pay back the profits of his crime spree, and sell valuable assets Continue Reading
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News
09 Dec 2019
China bans foreign computing kit from government contracts
All government offices and public institutions must eliminate foreign hardware and software within three years, according to a leaked directive dubbed 3-5-2 Continue Reading
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Opinion
09 Dec 2019
Conservative Party: Fostering an environment for IT and digital to flourish
Matt Warman, Conservative MP and minister for digital and broadband, outlines the Tory policies for technology and digital ahead of the General Election Continue Reading
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News
06 Dec 2019
Dutch government must sort IT mess as priority
Dutch government lacks the knowledge and skills for its own IT strategy, according to scathing report Continue Reading
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News
05 Dec 2019
Two Russians indicted over Dridex and Zeus malware
The US Department of Justice has indicted two Russian citizens over their alleged role in the distribution of the virulent Bugat, or Dridex, and Zeus banking trojans Continue Reading
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News
05 Dec 2019
UK financial services regulators tell banks to own their IT disasters
Financial services regulators propose tighter rules for firms to reduce the adverse effects of operational problems, such as IT outages Continue Reading
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News
05 Dec 2019
Black Hat Europe: Mental health websites are leaking user data
At Black Hat Europe in London, researchers reveal the extent to which confidential data is being leaked to third parties by online mental health websites Continue Reading
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News
05 Dec 2019
Huawei mounts legal challenge to US subsidy programme ban
Chinese tech giant fights back against FCC ban on carriers in the rural US from using the Universal Service Fund to buy its equipment and designation as threat to US national security Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 Dec 2019
Liberal Democrats: We want to lead the world in ethical, inclusive technology
Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat MP and party spokesperson for digital, culture, media and sport, writes about the party's technology policies ahead of the upcoming General Election Continue Reading
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News
03 Dec 2019
Chinese web users take more risks than Brits or Americans
A research paper published by the University of Birmingham seems to show that differences in cultural values have an impact both on risky behaviour online and legal regulation Continue Reading
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News
02 Dec 2019
Goldman Sachs reins in cloud-based retail challenger in UK
Bank does not want rapidly expanding Marcus to breach deposits threshold at which UK banks have to ring-fence their retail operations Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Nov 2019
Get ready for CCPA: Implications for UK businesses
The California Consumer Privacy Act, a wide-ranging data privacy and consumer protection law, comes into effect on 1 January 2020. How does CCPA differ from the EU GDPR regulations and what are the responsibilities for UK businesses operating in the US? Continue Reading
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News
28 Nov 2019
Conservatives urged to join Labour, Lib Dems and SNP in committing to post-election IR35 review
With several major political parties making pre-election pledges to conduct a review of the IR35 tax avoidance reforms, pressure is growing on the Tories to follow suit Continue Reading
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News
28 Nov 2019
General Election 2019: the Scottish National Party’s technology policies and digital plans
With the UK gearing up for its third General Election in four years, Computer Weekly outlines the Scottish National Party’s main technology policies and digital plans, as laid out in its manifesto Continue Reading
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News
28 Nov 2019
The Security Interviews: Do cyber weapons need a Geneva Convention?
On a cold afternoon in Finland, F-Secure’s Mikko Hypponen discusses cyber weapons and nation state threats, and explains why arms limitations treaties might one day expand to include malware and other threats Continue Reading
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News
26 Nov 2019
Facebook undermined rivals in bid to dominate global messaging
Facebook used buyouts and bullying tactics towards competitors to grow its business empire, documents leaked to Computer Weekly reveal Continue Reading
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E-Zine
26 Nov 2019
Why thousands of IT contractors face ‘life-changing’ tax bills
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we investigate HMRC’s loan charge policy, a retrospective tax grab that has left thousands of IT contractors facing financial ruin. We compare the cloud storage offerings from AWS, Microsoft and Google. And we find out how retailers are turning to tech to deal with a new generation of shoppers. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
25 Nov 2019
General Election 2019: The Conservatives’ technology policies and digital plans
With the UK gearing up for its third general election in four years, Computer Weekly outlines the Conservative and Unionist Party’s main technology policies and digital plans, as laid out in its manifesto Continue Reading
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News
25 Nov 2019
Uber app exploit posed safety risk to passengers
A flaw in Uber’s system meant thousands of trips in London were taken with unauthorised drivers at the wheel Continue Reading
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News
25 Nov 2019
General Election 2019: The Lib Dems’ technology policies and digital plans
With the UK gearing up for its third General Election in four years, Computer Weekly outlines the Liberal Democrat Party’s main technology policies and digital plans, as laid out in its manifesto Continue Reading
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News
25 Nov 2019
Conservatives propose national cyber crime force
Manifesto also says Tories would “empower the police to safely use new technologies like biometrics and artificial intelligence, along with the use of DNA, within a strict legal framework” Continue Reading
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News
22 Nov 2019
Some 29,000 UK web domains suspended for criminal activity
Domain suspensions for criminal activity over the past year has dropped for the first time since 2014 Continue Reading
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News
21 Nov 2019
Lib Dem election manifesto: Party vows to scrap loan charge and review IR35 private sector reforms
The Liberal Democrats’ General Election manifesto sees the party pledge to scrap the controversial loan charge policy, and undertake a review of the IR35 private sector reforms Continue Reading
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News
20 Nov 2019
Finland’s ministry of transport floats tech-enabled four-day week
Government department says four-day working week is made possible by technologies such as artificial intelligence Continue Reading
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News
20 Nov 2019
FCC opts for public C-band auction
US telecoms regulator disappoints satellite consortium with decision to go to public, not private, auction of spectrum in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band to develop 5G Continue Reading
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News
20 Nov 2019
Conservatives slammed over social media trickery
The Conservative Party has been caught spreading online disinformation during the General Election campaign for a second time Continue Reading
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News
20 Nov 2019
Holy grail of digital banking is, at first glance, a new channel, not a new concept
Details of Google’s plans in the financial services sector have emerged with nothing groundbreaking so far, but the sector is guessing what comes next Continue Reading
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News
19 Nov 2019
Public sector risks downplayed by senior IT leaders
Sophos reveals a significant cyber security perception gap between senior IT and security leaders in the public sector and their front-line teams Continue Reading
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News
19 Nov 2019
Macy’s Magecart breach presages Christmas fraud spike
US retailer Macy’s admits some customer data was accessed by unknown actors during a week-long Magecart attack Continue Reading
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Podcast
19 Nov 2019
Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 37
In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, the team talks about the Labour Party’s “free fibre broadband for all” pre-election pledge, HMRC’s controversial loan charge policy, big data and catches up on what went on at the most recent CW500 Club event Continue Reading
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News
19 Nov 2019
IR35 reforms put IT contractors at risk of 'second wave' of loan charge-like tax bills, experts warn
Concerns raised over re-emergence of umbrella firms targeting IT contractors with loan-based remuneration schemes ahead of the private sector IR35 reforms coming into play Continue Reading
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News
19 Nov 2019
Trade associations dial down anger on Labour’s broadband plans
Anger at the Labour Party’s proposals on full-fibre broadband have persisted, but more nuanced views have emerged from fibre associations Continue Reading
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News
18 Nov 2019
Microsoft increases data protection for enterprises following Dutch MoJ audit
Last year’s audit by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security got the attention of the European Data Protection Supervisor. Now Microsoft has reacted Continue Reading
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News
15 Nov 2019
Industry questions viability of Labour plan to offer free full-fibre broadband to all UK homes
Uproar in tech sector as Labour proposes to part-nationalise BT and offer free full-fibre broadband to all individuals and businesses by 2030 if successful in General Election Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Nov 2019
What the EU’s decision on Facebook means for social media
Recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union will have global implications for social media companies and any organisations that host online content Continue Reading
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News
13 Nov 2019
Finnish biometric identity plans for seamless air travel
Finnair and Finavia explore options for automatic digital identification and authentication of air travellers Continue Reading
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News
13 Nov 2019
Singapore sets national AI strategy with focus on skills and ethics
Singapore is kicking off its national AI strategy with five key projects spanning logistics, healthcare, smart estates, education and border security Continue Reading
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News
12 Nov 2019
PCI DSS payment security compliance drops again
Worldwide, barely one-third of companies are maintaining full compliance with the PCI DSS security standard – and the numbers are falling Continue Reading
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News
08 Nov 2019
Morrisons in new appeal over data breach fine
The Supreme Court has heard an appeal from retailer Morrisons as it attempts to overturn prior judgments holding it liable for a 2014 leak of employee data Continue Reading
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E-Zine
07 Nov 2019
CW Benelux: Dutch banks fight money laundering
Dutch banks are sharing expertise and resources to help reduce money laundering through their accounts. Also read in this issue how companies could lose loyal IT staff because salary rises do not match those at rival employers, and why a Dutch province is pioneering a no-code software development platform. Continue Reading
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News
06 Nov 2019
How Facebook’s ‘Switcheroo’ plan concealed scheme to kill popular apps
Leaked documents reveal how Facebook used and abused app developers, cut off data to competitors, gave privileged access to its friends and used privacy as a cover story Continue Reading
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News
06 Nov 2019
Lawmakers study leaked Facebook documents made public today
Computer Weekly publishes cache of leaked documents disclosed to Congress Continue Reading
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News
06 Nov 2019
Jonathan Oxley appointed interim Ofcom chief executive
Ofcom group director for competition and board member fills in as regulator expects to make permanent appointment after General Election Continue Reading
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News
06 Nov 2019
EU digital sovereignty at risk if global tech giants can’t respect IP rights
MEP warns that digital sovereignty will remain a mirage if European digital champions do not have the same rights to enter foreign markets as those attempting to enter the EU Continue Reading
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News
05 Nov 2019
ICO launches data security campaign for UK General Election
Information commissioner Elizabeth Denham launches campaign to remind the public of their rights when personal data is used for political purposes Continue Reading
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News
04 Nov 2019
NHS Digital hit with £4.3m IR35-related tax bill after using HMRC CEST tool to assess contractors
The digital arm of the NHS used HMRC's much-maligned online tool to assess contractors, only for the tax agency to call into question its IR35 determinations and hit it with a tax bill totalling £4.3m Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2019
Banks let customers down with mixed approaches to security
Treasury Committee report recommends new measures to tackle financial fraud Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2019
Facebook agrees to pay £500,000 fine over Cambridge Analytica data law breaches
Social media giant also promises to change the way its platform is used to protect people’s data Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2019
Alibaba Cloud earns security credentials in automotive and healthcare sectors
Alibaba Cloud’s compliance with Tisax and GxP follows earlier efforts by major public cloud suppliers to win over enterprises with strict data protection and security rules Continue Reading
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Opinion
29 Oct 2019
Who has legal jurisdiction over the internet?
The internet is testing the scope of national laws – and even the European Court of Justice is finding it hard to find a consistent line on its decisions Continue Reading
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News
28 Oct 2019
Stronger regulations needed to fix banking IT problems, say MPs
Regulators need to use more potent tools to get banks to sort out problems with their IT systems, as customers become more reliant on digital channels Continue Reading
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News
28 Oct 2019
P27 pan-Nordic payments system moves a step closer
Six regional banks sign shareholders’ agreements, agree business plan and make financial commitments to payments platform Continue Reading
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News
23 Oct 2019
Interview: Abdul Nasser Al Mughairbi, head of digital, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
Abdul Nasser Al Mughairbi is leading digital developments at Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil giant Continue Reading
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News
22 Oct 2019
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company uses blockchain for inter-group network
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company is using blockchain internally, with plans to expand it beyond the group boundaries Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2019
Two-thirds of UK financial services firms are using machine learning
The use of machine learning in the finance sector is set to increase as obstacles to its take up are not seen as being insurmountable Continue Reading
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News
16 Oct 2019
Brussels accuses Broadcom of breaching antitrust practices
Competition commissioner says US tech giant’s behaviour is “likely, in the absence of intervention, to create serious and irreversible harm to competition” Continue Reading
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News
16 Oct 2019
Sweden’s first GDPR fine sets regulatory tone
Secondary school fined for breaching General Data Protection Regulation, signalling the attitude of Sweden’s Data Protection Authority Continue Reading
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News
15 Oct 2019
Braintree boasts broadband benchmark
Braintree in Essex claims to have access to some of the fastest broadband speeds in the world Continue Reading
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E-Zine
15 Oct 2019
Securing the internet of things
In this week’s Computer Weekly, as security concerns prevent many organisations from adopting the internet of things, we examine mitigation strategies. Many firms are still struggling with GDPR policies – we assess if full compliance is ever possible. And we look at the technologies for delivering on-premise object storage. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2019
UK government confirms gigabit broadband roll-out, rows back on 2025 delivery commitment
UK government confirms plans to roll out gigabit-capable broadband across the UK, yet quietly shelves previous pledge to do so by 2025 Continue Reading
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News
10 Oct 2019
GoCardless gives 95% of its staff business intelligence at their fingertips
Fintech payments company GoCardless is enabling staff to carry out business intelligence queries themselves Continue Reading
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News
10 Oct 2019
New law will help roll-out of faster broadband
Measures will make it easier to install faster internet connections in blocks of flats where landlords repeatedly ignore requests for access from broadband firms Continue Reading
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Opinion
09 Oct 2019
Security Think Tank: The operational approach to integrated risk management
How can security professionals help their organisations move from traditional governance, risk and compliance to integrated risk management that integrates risk activities from across an organisation to enable better strategic decision-making? Continue Reading
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News
07 Oct 2019
Public cloud computing is early on its journey to core of the bank
Banks are no longer reluctant to use the cloud as the technology pierces the outer layer of the banking sector and begins its journey to the core Continue Reading
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News
04 Oct 2019
UK and US call on Facebook to walk back encryption plans
The US, Australian and UK governments have asked Facebook to ditch plans to deploy end-to-end encryption across Facebook Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp Continue Reading
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News
03 Oct 2019
IR35 reforms: Lloyds Bank contractors to get deadline on future employment status
Lloyds Banking Group is the latest large firm set to end engagement of IT contractors through personal service companies due to impending IR35 tax reforms Continue Reading
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News
03 Oct 2019
Cyber war as big a threat as nuclear war, says ex-RSA head Coviello
Former RSA chairman Art Coviello has been speaking about the devastating potential of cyber weapons, and warned that humanity must learn from history in order to control them Continue Reading
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News
01 Oct 2019
IR35 reforms will prompt Barclays to re-engage contractors on PAYE terms, 'leaked email' suggests
Barclays is understood to have notified line managers via email on 30 September 2019 of its plans to phase out use of limited company contractors, ahead of the IR35 private sector reforms coming into force in April 2020 Continue Reading
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News
30 Sep 2019
Australia gets ready for open banking
Traditional banks and fintech firms alike will need to bite the bullet in the crucial startup period if Australia’s open banking regime is to succeed Continue Reading
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News
30 Sep 2019
Chancellor Sajid Javid set to make £5bn investment commitment to improve UK broadband coverage
The Chancellor Sajid Javid is expected to take to the stage at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester later today, to set out the group’s “infrastructure revolution” plans, which include ramping up broadband coverage across the UK Continue Reading
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News
29 Sep 2019
Private sector warned of ‘brain drain’ risk by putting off prep for April 2020 start of IR35 reforms
Legal firm warns private sector companies about the risks of putting off preparations for the IR35 reforms that take effect next year Continue Reading
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News
27 Sep 2019
ABN Amro investigation lends weight to anti-money laundering collaboration by Dutch banks
Dutch authorities are investigating ABN Amro for possible failures to monitor and report potential money laundering activity Continue Reading