IT management

Elon Musk begins mass Twitter layoffs via email

New Twitter owner Elon Musk has begun the process of cutting the company’s workforce in half, but is already facing a legal backlash for allegedly violating US labour laws Continue Reading

Microsoft: Nation-state cyber attacks became increasingly destructive in 2022

The willingness of nation-state actors to conduct destructive cyber attacks is a source of grave concern, as Microsoft’s latest annual Digital Defence Report lays bare Continue Reading

UK government approach to space industry lacks coherence and investment

As satellite broadband industry rockets, report from Commons Science and Technology Committee criticises government’s failures in key technical areas and continues to question value to taxpayer of OneWeb joint venture Continue Reading

Three million empty seats: What can we do about the cyber skills shortage?

Companies should look for candidates with the right skills potential, rather than insist they tick a hundred different security skills boxes Continue Reading

Data Lab bolsters business execs data course in time with Data Summit

Course focuses on the leadership skills needed to design, resource and implement a data strategy that will enable organisational change Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Ransomware and CISOs’ balancing act

Ransomware has the potential to cause irreversible business damage, so CISOs should consider not only protection but also response and recovery Continue Reading

Justice transparency: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

We speak to The National Archives about how it is using semantic data to make court and tribunal judgments searchable Continue Reading

Why companies should be sustainable and how IT can help

Pressure is mounting for the business sector to address its environmental footprint and become more sustainable. Here's a look the key drivers and how technology can help. Continue Reading

Microsoft pledges $100m in new IT support for Ukraine

Microsoft will continue to offer free-of-charge technology support to Ukraine for the foreseeable future Continue Reading

Confirmation bias led Post Office to prosecute subpostmasters without investigation, inquiry told

Former Post Office tech leader tells public inquiry that confirmation bias led to hundreds of subpostmasters being prosecuted for financial crimes without proper investigation Continue Reading

The Security Interviews: Building trust online

Consumer reviews website Trustpilot has built and scaled its IT security team and is now turning to agile methods and DevSecOps to further enhance its cyber capabilities Continue Reading

Automated threats biggest source of cyber risk for retailers

Threat actors targeting retailers during the coming holiday season are increasingly turning to automated forms of cyber attack, according to a report Continue Reading

More women in tech will bridge the skills gap and bolster growth

Large global technology firms will reach nearly 33% overall female representation in their workforces in 2022. Growth is slow, but heading in the right direction Continue Reading

Russia risks shortage of PCs and software

Russian consumers and businesses could face a shortage of IT equipment including PCs and software Continue Reading

Global coalition reaffirms commitment to fight ransomware

Representatives of 36 countries, as well as the EU, attended the second International Counter Ransomware Initiative Summit in Washington DC Continue Reading

UK and Japan join forces on digital government

Countries sign memorandum of cooperation to share ideas and strategies on digital government initiatives Continue Reading

Business workflows: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

How ServiceNow is being used to drive business processes across IT and other business areas Continue Reading

Why technology change is slow at larger firms

Firms that commit to a single cloud provider and a lack of investment in improving developer productivity can drive up costs and slow down the pace of change, technology leaders say Continue Reading

Fewer CIOs have a seat on the board but we still need technology leaders

This democratisation of technology still needs a leader, but it’s a healthy sign that discussion of tech has become part of business as usual at board level Continue Reading

Shadow digital secretary outlines Labour’s tech priorities

Labour’s digital and technology plans focus on reining in the power of the tech giants, boosting connectivity across the UK, and improving online safety Continue Reading

Dropbox code compromised in phishing attack

Cloud storage service says malicious actors successfully accessed some of its code within GitHub, but insists customer data is secure Continue Reading

UK spent £6.4m on secret cyber package for Ukraine

Westminster has revealed for the first time the existence of a previously top-secret security programme that has been helping Ukraine fend off Russian cyber attacks Continue Reading

Can crypto recover from the crash of 2022?

What does the crypto wipeout of 2022 mean for an increasingly turbulent economy and can crypto bounce back in the months and years ahead? Crucially, how will regulators react? Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Know your networks, know your suppliers

To combat the ransomware scourge, we must work harder to monitor and learn from the increasingly complex threat environment, keep a closer eye on supply chains, and share our insights Continue Reading

Game of ‘hardball’ in Horizon negotiations left subpostmasters exposed to tragedy

‘Hardball’ negotiations between the government, the Post Office and ICL meant subpostmasters were ignored and thrown into a tragedy that could have been averted Continue Reading

How Prostate Cancer UK built its own message bus

The cancer charity received funding ring-fenced for modernising its data management – the funds were spent on a solutions architect and an ETL process Continue Reading

Report reveals ‘clear gaps’ in UK’s broadband safety net

Latest update on progress of broadband roll-out guarantees from April to September 2022 shows worrying signs that as the cost-of-living crisis rolls on, swathes of the UK population could be priced out of gaining acceptable broadband Continue Reading

A third of UK cyber leaders want to quit, report says

Nearly a third of UK security leaders are considering leaving their current role, and more than half are struggling to keep on top of their workload Continue Reading

NCSC looks back on year of ‘profound change’ for cyber

The NCSC ramped up its support for UK plc in the past 12 months, but it was events beyond the UK’s borders that proved the most impactful Continue Reading

How Elastic is going beyond enterprise search

Elastic has been doubling down on the security and observability capabilities of its open-source platform, going beyond its roots in enterprise search Continue Reading

UK hybrid workers feel the strain

Survey reveals that UK homeworkers suffer most in Europe from a poor working experience, in turn leading to knock-on negative effect in customer experience due to lack of space Continue Reading

The rise and risks of sovereign data strategies

Data and analytics leaders need to understand what is happening now to mitigate risk and exploit data-driven opportunities Continue Reading

How the pandemic accelerated tech adoption in hospitality

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at how the hospitality sector is turning to technology to rebuild after it was devastated by the pandemic. Google’s cloud business is growing but remains well behind the market leaders – what does its future look like? And we look at the benefits of AIOps for storage. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

How to build consumer trust with a privacy-by-design approach

Undertaken with the right mindset and technology, privacy by design delivers value to consumers and builds trust for the long term Continue Reading

The risk of losing our EU data adequacy agreement is real

While some may welcome the government’s ambition to shake up the UK’s data protection regime, Westminster should be wary of drifting too far from the path charted by our US and European partners Continue Reading

AI experts question tech industry’s ethical commitments

The massive proliferation of ethical frameworks for artificial intelligence has done little to change how the technology is developed and deployed, with experts questioning the tech industry’s commitment to making it a positive social force Continue Reading

EE takes AIR for greater energy efficiency in revamped 5G radio net

BT Group mobile division deploys Swedish comms tech provider’s Massive MIMO radio equipment across key UK sites, accelerating 5G deployment Continue Reading

Prepare today for potentially high-impact OpenSSL bug

OpenSSL trailed a critical vulnerability patch last week, which will be only the second such flaw ever found in the open source encryption project. Unfortunately, the first was Heartbleed Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Container security: why so different?

Done well, container security can be a model for securing the enterprise, and businesses that focus their teams on solving it can help accelerate positive change in other areas Continue Reading

Coding at bet365: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

In this podcast, Alan Reed, head of sports development at bet365, discusses the technical and business challenges of scalability Continue Reading

The tech helping organisations manage their finances

With a worsening economic climate, software has an important role in helping finance departments control budgets and spending Continue Reading

Post Office warned of Horizon software-induced ‘tragedy’ in 1999

Problems experienced during live trials of the Post Office Horizon system predicted the ‘tragedy’ that unfolded Continue Reading

Top 50 women in UK tech, IR35 Truss fiasco – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

The team reflects on the announcement of the Most Influential Women in UK Technology 2022, the IR35 reforms being scrapped, then not, and Dreamforce & Oracle Cloud World in the US Continue Reading

How has container security changed since 2020, and have we taken it too far?

While containers are now one of the most popular ways to deploy applications, it is fair to say that the adoption and implementation of security best practice to govern their use has not kept up Continue Reading

Singapore’s met service to get new supercomputer

The Meteorological Service Singapore is getting a new Cray supercomputer to improve weather forecasting and tropical climate research Continue Reading

Government ups cyber support for elderly, vulnerable web users

DCMS announces a funding boost to help the elderly, disabled and other vulnerable groups stay safe online and avoid being misled by disinformation Continue Reading

NCSC’s Levy steps down after 20-year intelligence career

NCSC technical director Ian Levy bids farewell, telling his successor: ‘Don’t panic’ Continue Reading

Will the OCSF create an open and collaborative cyber industry?

The Open Cybersecurity Schema Framework promises to transform security data analysis and collection, but there are challenges around adoption Continue Reading

NHS to get new national CISO

The Department for Health and Social Care is seeking a new national CISO, who will be tasked with providing strategic cyber leadership, direction and expertise across DHSC and the wider NHS Continue Reading

Horizon system EPOSS code writers lacked basic programming skills, public inquiry hears

Horizon system code writers lacked basic programming skills, according to the task force set up to investigate reported problems with the controversial software Continue Reading

LinkedIn adds new features to safeguard user privacy, security

Social media platform is adding a number of features and systems designed to protect legitimate users from inauthentic profiles and activity Continue Reading

Santander calls for cooperation to tackle APP fraud

New report puts forward key recommendations that the banking sector, government and other industries could take to tackle authorised push payment fraud Continue Reading

Meta tightens purse strings as it spends on Reality Labs

Facebook’s parent company is betting the business on a long-term strategy to move social media into the metaverse Continue Reading

ICO warns against using biometrics for ‘emotional analysis’

ICO warning highlights risk of ‘systemic bias’ and discrimination associated with organisations using biometric data and technologies for emotion analysis Continue Reading

Google commits to cloud and AI

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has been negatively impacted by the currency market, but its CEO remains focused on artificial intelligence Continue Reading

Reported Horizon errors should have been ‘show-stopper’, public inquiry told

Subpostmasters should have been given the benefit of the doubt over unexplained losses, but were hounded to pay money back, with lives ruined and innocent people prosecuted Continue Reading

The Conservatives are laughing at cyber security pros

If causing a security breach is a resigning matter, then you shouldn’t expect to get your old job back a week later. Unless you’re a Conservative home secretary, apparently Continue Reading

Cuba ransomware cartel spoofs Ukraine armed forces

Ukrainian cyber experts issue a warning over the activities of the Cuba ransomware cartel Continue Reading

New minister asked to pause Fujitsu government contracts

Parliamentarians keep focus on Fujitsu’s role in the Post Office Horizon scandal with demand for pause on government contracts to the supplier Continue Reading

Australia budget closes in on digital divide, cyber resilience

Australia’s latest budget is geared towards providing better broadband connectivity in regional and rural areas, shoring up the cyber security posture of its businesses and plugging tech talent shortages, among other areas Continue Reading

Microsoft Cloud grows, but less than expected

CEO Satya Nadella claims the public cloud is the best way to optimise business IT and address rising energy bills Continue Reading

When technology lets you sleep easy

Indian mattress supplier Duroflex has taken a leaf out of mattress design in its technology implementation to double its growth in an industry dominated by unorganised players Continue Reading

One in five tech workers subject to workplace surveillance

Digital surveillance is now a common feature of the UK’s post-pandemic economy, says Prospect Union, adding to growing calls for workers to be given a greater say over how technologies are deployed in the workplace Continue Reading

US authorities charge two Chinese spies over telco security probe

Two Chinese nationals have been charged with attempting to obstruct the criminal prosecution of a prominent Chinese telecoms firm Continue Reading

UK needs stronger regional innovation clusters outside South East

Venture capital fund managers speak to Computer Weekly about the importance of innovation clusters to the UK tech ecosystem, and the need to develop further investment opportunities outside the South East Continue Reading

UK finance regulator investigates big tech finance threats and benefits

The UK financial services regulator is gathering information about the benefits and targets of big tech firms offering financial services Continue Reading

Germany: European Court of Justice asked to rule on legality of hacked EncroChat phone evidence

Berlin’s Regional Court has asked the European Court of Justice to answer questions about whether the use of hacked EncroChat phone evidence complies with European law Continue Reading

Digital-first businesses more willing to accept some fraud

Companies founded in the past 20 years appear more willing to accept higher levels of fraudulent activity during the customer onboarding process, according to a report Continue Reading

The Most Influential Women in UK Technology 2022

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we reveal our annual list of the 50 Most Influential Women in UK Technology. We talk to the No.1 on the list, Flavilla Fongang, about how to improve diversity and inclusion in the sector. And we introduce our seven rising stars – the future female leaders of UK IT. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Government speeds up NHS Digital and NHS England merger

NHS bodies will now merge in early January 2023, aiming to create a single statutory body for NHS data and technology Continue Reading

Complacency biggest cyber risk to UK plc, says ICO

Information commissioner John Edwards warns against complacency as his office issues a multimillion-pound fine to a building company that failed to prevent a ransomware attack Continue Reading

Half of staff might quit after a cyber attack, report says

Findings from a survey of CISOs, IT leaders and staffers reveal how experiencing a cyber incident may take a larger-than-thought toll on employee retention Continue Reading

Digital Transformation Week Amsterdam: The growing divide between the haves and have-nots

The most successful companies carefully manage how data is taken in and processed – and they use tools to ensure they squeeze the most they can out of every bit of information Continue Reading

Berlingske Media to go all-digital in 2023

Danish publisher moves national daily newspaper fully online as it cuts costs and reacts to changing customer habits Continue Reading

Improving finance and accounting software with AI

Artificial intelligence algorithms and datasets have potential value across many areas in finance and accounting, but usage isn’t yet widespread Continue Reading

The 50 Most Influential Women in UK IT 2022

Computer Weekly recognises 50 inspirational women who are role models for diversity and success in technology. Continue Reading

Execs feel leadership strain in the new normal of work

Research finds flexible work policies as the leading factor that has improved company culture over the last two years, but burnout is on the rise globally and executive experience scores for overall satisfaction at work have dropped markedly Continue Reading

Ukrainian and UK IT sectors to deepen collaboration, partnerships

BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, and the IT Ukraine Association have signed an MoU to deepen collaboration between the UK and Ukrainian IT sectors, and champion new partnerships and growth opportunities Continue Reading

Did Truss authorise ‘war risk’ provocation over Black Sea?

A UK Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint spy plane was ordered to approach Russian territory in a Cold-War-style provocation just days after Liz Truss’s mini-budget collapsed Continue Reading

Microsoft slams external researchers over its own data leak

Microsoft inadvertently leaked customer data after misconfiguring an Azure Blob, but has hit out at the organisation that discovered its error, claiming it is exaggerating the scope of the issue Continue Reading

Broadband majors, altnets respond to cost-of-living crisis

With latest UK inflation figures set to see comms contracts rise, industry reacts to mitigate against worst effects of price rises for customers and staff Continue Reading

What do the US’s new software security rules mean for UK organisations?

The White House announced recently that all software supplied to the US government and its agencies needs to be secure, so what does this mean for the UK and EU security sectors? Continue Reading

The Security Interviews: Why now for ZTNA 2.0?

With organisations facing escalating online threats, security teams need to improve their defences using zero-trust network access to preserve the integrity of their systems. Palo Alto Networks’ Simon Crocker shares his views on zero-trust network access Continue Reading

Manchester to launch digital strategy

Four-year strategy to focus on smarter use of technology and data to make Manchester a sustainable and resilient city Continue Reading

CW APAC: Trend Watch: Database technology

Innovative data management offerings are improving the efficiency of enterprise operations. In this handbook, focused on database technology in the Asia-Pacific region, Computer Weekly looks at the impact of graph databases, Neo4j’s partnership with Deloitte, TigerGraph’s added security features and the different types of database management systems currently on the market. Continue Reading

Parliamentary committee launches inquiry into AI governance

MPs will examine the impacts of artificial intelligence throughout the UK economy and how governance of the technology can be improved ahead of the government publishing its formal regulatory proposals Continue Reading

Cyber professional shortfall hits 3.4 million

Shortage of cyber security professionals continues to grow and shows no signs of abating, says report Continue Reading

NatWest data breach whistleblower demands bank pay data controller fee to ICO

Whistleblower calls for NatWest to pay the Information Commissioner’s Office annual data controller fee, as the personal details of 1,600 current and former NatWest customers remain under her bed Continue Reading

Computer Weekly announces the Most Influential Women in UK Tech 2022

Computer Weekly has revealed who is on the 2022 list of the 50 Most Influential Women in UK Tech, including this year’s winner, Flavilla Fongang Continue Reading

Why the Most Influential Woman in UK Tech 2022 created a book of role models

Disruptors, game-changers and scalable impact – just some of the reasons Flavilla Fongang, this year’s Most Influential Woman in UK Tech, chose to dive into the sector Continue Reading

Computer Weekly’s Women in UK Tech Rising Stars 2022

Each year, Computer Weekly selects a number of Rising Stars in the women in tech sector, women who are making waves in the women, diversity and inclusion in tech space and may find themselves on the top 50 list in the future Continue Reading

Ransomware crews regrouping as LockBit rise continues

Overall ransomware activity dropped off in the third quarter of 2022, but increasing attack volumes in September may herald a difficult few months ahead Continue Reading

Lloyds Bank launches innovation sandbox

Banking group establishes a sandbox where fintechs can build and test applications for Lloyds Continue Reading

Greenland investigates potential blockchain-based election system

Researchers have been funded to investigate blockchain-based online voting in Greenland Continue Reading

Work in the metaverse: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

In this special edition of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, we speak to Wipro CTO Subha Tatavarti about the business metaverse Continue Reading

Gartner: Hero CIOs are needed again to save businesses

During the pandemic, IT enabled businesses to remain operational. As the economic crisis worsens, business executives are once again reaching out to CIOs Continue Reading

Treat cyber crime as a ‘strategic threat’, UK businesses told

The government’s new National Cyber Advisory Board aims to help elevate cyber discussion and spur action in the business community Continue Reading

IT Sustainability Think Tank: Helping IT leaders avoid falling victim to greenwashing

How can IT leaders separate fact from fiction when weighing up a tech supplier’s sustainability claims? And, crucially, what are the dangers or risks enterprises face if they do not do their due diligence on the green claims of their providers? Continue Reading

MoD must have clear delivery plan for digital strategy, says NAO

While the Digital Strategy for Defence seems to be going well, the National Audit Office is concerned there is no overarching plan to implement it, or a clear way of measuring whether it is on track Continue Reading

Skype’s legacy and the rise of the ‘new Nordics’

Estonia and other Baltic states could be part of a ‘new Nordics’ of technology innovation Continue Reading