IT news in your industry sector

NRF 2018: Rent the Runway – focus on data proves use case for clothing rental

Clothing retailers are not traditionally known to rent products to anyone other than celebrities, but retail service Rent the Runway is using data to prove customer demand Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

NRF 2018: Companies should take “lab approach” to innovation, says former GE exec

Organisations should use a lab-type approach to test ideas and drive innovation, according to the former vice-chair of GE, Beth Comstock, speaking at At NRF 2018 Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Next-gen Mirai botnet targets cryptocurrency mining operations

A variant of the Satori botnet, a successor of the IoT device hijacking Mirai botnet, is designed to hijack cryptocurrency mining operations, syphoning off newly created digital coins Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cash in hand? This cryptocurrency body implant will secure your cyber-cash stash

Is the future of secure cryptocurrency storage and payment simply "cash in hand"? Inspect a Gadget looks at how one firm's human microchip implant could help. We’ve all looked on with interest as ... Continue Reading

By

• David McClelland

Australia’s Citic Pacific Mining uses IoT to track vehicles

Perth-based iron-ore mining giant has implemented an analytics and internet of things system from SAP to track its assets and shore up operational efficiency Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Business needs to reduce cyber threat to payment card data

Cardholder data is a prime target for cyber criminals, and that is only likely to increase in the coming year, according to a cloud-based secure payments firm Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Ofcom pushes ahead with spectrum auction despite legal hold-up

Regulator starts preparation work for the long-delayed auction of radio spectrum to support enhanced 4G and future 5G mobile network roll-out Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Tech vital to helping solve crime, says policing minister

Policing minister Nick Hurd calls on police forces across the UK to seize the opportunities brought by digital technologies Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

North Korean hackers tied to cryptocurrency attacks in South Korea

North Korea's Lazarus Group targeted South Korean cryptocurrency exchanges and users in late 2017, but may soon go after exchanges and users in other countries, warns report Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CIO interview: Tom Read, CDIO, Ministry of Justice

The MoJ’s chief digital and information officer, Tom Read, is keen on doing his bit to tear down the Whitehall silos, creating collaborative, simple and effective digital services for staff and the public Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Dream machines: how IT is changing the world of neuroscience

We talk to computer scientist and entrepreneur Jamil El Imad about the cutting-edge intersection of neuroscience and IT Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Davos: Disintegration of the internet could create economic turmoil

Politicians and business leaders will discuss the risks posed by fake news, cyber attacks, and artificial intelligence to jobs, political stability and global security, at the World Economic Forum in Davos Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

UBS uses predictive analytics to manage its travel spend

Swiss bank is getting a better insight into its business travel costs through an automated software platform Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Vulnerability exploit report shows importance of patching

Latest vulnerability exploit report by security firm AlienVault shows the most popular vulnerabilities remain exploited for several years Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Google to open five more datacentre regions across the globe in 2018

Cloud giant Google is on a mission to boost the capacity and performance of its services, through investments in new datacentres and subsea cables Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Financial savings just the beginning for CIOs who understand code quality

Businesses need to understand the quality of the code in their applications if they are to avoid unnecessary costs and glitches Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Sweden pilots surveillance technology to combat terrorism and crime

The Swedish police and security agencies are trialling surveillance equipment to help them respond to terrorism and crime more quickly Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Consumers demand better treatment from mobile operators

Mobile operators need to work to win back consumer trust ahead of widespread 5G deployment, according to a report from Ericsson Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Abu Dhabi continues fintech agenda in 2018

Abu Dhabi is open to developing its fintech ecosystem, with the next 12 months expected to see more focus on the sector Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

Skygofree Android spyware active since 2014, say researchers

Powerful, highly advanced spyware has been targeting Android mobiles for the past four years, security researchers have discovered Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cisco collaborates with startup for AI health and safety trial

Cisco is to work with artificial intelligence startup Cortexica in an Innovate UK-funded project to improve physical safety in the workplace Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Beware fake Meltdown and Spectre patches

Security experts have warned that cyber attackers will be quick to use the Meltdown and Spectre exploits, but the first attempt to capitalise on them has come in the form of fake updates Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How to fix the Meltdown and Spectre chip flaws

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as CIOs come to terms with the Meltdown and Spectre processor flaws that make every computer a security risk, we examine how to protect your IT estate. We find out how Alexa-style voice recognition smart speakers can help with CRM strategies and open up new sources of customer data. And we look at how the public sector is implementing DevOps and the benefits being delivered. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Most UK enterprise mobiles not patched for Meltdown and Spectre

Very few UK enterprise mobile devices have been patched against the recently discovered Meltdown and Spectre exploits and almost a quarter cannot be patched, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Oliver Dowden takes on ministerial responsibility for digital government

Cabinet Office junior minister Oliver Dowden has been given the responsibility for digital government, shared services and cyber and resilience in his role as minister for implementation Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Advanced Asian countries well positioned for Industry 4.0

The industrialised economies of Asia are well-poised to benefit from advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies, but true industrial transformation remains nascent Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Call for statutory regulation of police number plate cameras amid concerns over accuracy

The UK’s automatic number plate recognition database – one the largest non-military data-gathering systems – records up to 1.2 million false readings of number plates every day. It should be subject to statutory regulation, says an independent watchdog Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

HMRC’s transformation programme beset by extra Brexit workload

The Public Accounts Committee has found HMRC to be dangerously overstretched, partly as a consequence of Brexit, and puts the department’s 2020 transformation programme into question Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Check Point finds AdultSwine malware in Google Play apps

Security researchers have discovered new malware code hidden in game apps, mainly aimed at youngsters Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Intel makes security-first pledge

As it scrambles to deal with the Meltdown and Spectre processor exploits, Intel has made a series of security commitments Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

F-Secure highlights another critical Intel security issue

As Intel scrambles to issue security updates to address the Meltdown and Spectre exploits, researchers have highlighted another, unrelated, critical security issue that could affect millions of corporate laptops Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Computer science is fastest-growing subject for undergraduates

Computer science is the fastest-growing subject for undergraduate intake in UK universities, according to 2017 statistics Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

How is inventory management for e-commerce challenging?

The inventory challenges of adding e-commerce to your supply chain are considerable. Here's a look at what they entail and how you might overcome them. Continue Reading

By

• Dave Turbide

How secure are smart energy grids?

The improved efficiency of smart grids need to be weighed against the cost of security - presenting a unique opportunity for the tech sector and a new market for security companies Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Hard Brexit risks 92,000 UK science and technology jobs

Economic analysis commissioned by London mayor Sadiq Khan warns that thousands of jobs in science and technology sectors be at risk if UK crashes out of EU with no deal Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sample datasets key to successful AI at NHS

IT providers will need access to datasets from NHS Digital to create artificial intelligence algorithms, but they should be held accountable for the systems they develop, says report Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Mobile app flaws are a risk to industrial IT systems, says report

Cyber security vulnerabilities in mobile applications could be exploited to compromise industrial network infrastructure, a report warns Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CES 2018: Hyundai and Cisco bring SDN to the automobile

Hyundai will debut a new generation of hyperconnected software-defined car in 2019, incorporating a Cisco-designed network platform Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Health sector digitisation vital to combat mental health crisis

Collaboration and digitisation within the health industry is critical to deal with the growing mental health crisis, but more support is needed from policymakers Continue Reading

By

• Gamil Jassin

Cabinet Office unveils renewed shared IT services programme for government

The Cabinet Office reveals details of its latest push to make the shared services model take off in government Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Spyware targets North Korean dissidents via social links, says McAfee

Researchers at security firm McAfee have confirmed that social networks are being used to target North Korean dissidents with spyware Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CW Middle East: Technology transforms healthcare delivery in Gulf region

The Gulf’s healthcare sector has witnessed exponential growth in the past two decades, driven by a rapidly growing population and a rise in lifestyle-related diseases. Read how technology is helping the region’s healthcare sector cope with demand. Also in this issue, find out how an initiative at Avaya hopes to use blockchain networks to help make the citizens of Dubai happy, and how the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s smart transformation is progressing. Continue Reading

Nuclear weapons’ cyber attack risk relatively high, says report

With the potential for catastrophic consequences from a nuclear weapons detonation attack, it is crucial to have the most robust nuclear policies in place, says an international affairs think-tank Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How technology is transforming healthcare delivery in Gulf region

 Continue Reading

Ministry of Defence announces new CIO

Former Prudential and BP CIO Charles Forte takes over as IT chief for the UK's armed forces Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

EC underlines need for data transfer agreement post-Brexit

The European Commission has emphasised the importance of having a data transfer agreement in place after the UK leaves the European Union Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber criminals exploit Oracle WebLogic flaw

Researchers are urging companies to apply a security update to patch a flaw in Oracle’s WebLogic Server component that is being exploited to mine cryptocurrency Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Citizens want more from public sector digital transformation

Survey shows digital skills and lack of integration are among major barriers to good online government services Continue Reading

By

• Gamil Jassin

As open banking hits UK is it time to dispel the Google Bank theory?

As the UK embarks oon a journey to open retail banking up to more competition it is time to stop talking about Google Bank? Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Margot James takes over as digital minister after government reshuffle

Former minister for business succeeds Matt Hancock after his promotion to secretary of state Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

UAE tech growth prompts firms to review internal IT security

As IT becomes more prominent in the UAE economy, more and more internal connections between people and systems are created, all of which need to be secured Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

Inside DBS Bank’s digital journey

The Singapore-based bank laid the foundation for its digital strategy a decade ago, starting with an overhaul of its IT systems before going big on cloud computing in later years Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

ICO fines Carphone Warehouse £400,000

Mobile retailer hit with one of the highest fines for putting personal data at risk as UK privacy watchdog warns that more stringent data protection laws will apply from 25 May 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Germany’s Lemoncat disrupts business catering through cloud computing

Startup is shaking up Germany’s business catering sector with a platform that harnesses Amazon and Salesforce clouds Continue Reading

By

• Alex Cruickshank

Marks and Spencer eyes £30m annual cost savings from digital-first retail push

High-street retailer has fleshed out plans to put digital at the heart of its business to boost operational efficiency in response to changing consumer demands Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Max Schrems champions NGO to fight for GDPR rights

Privacy activist whose legal challenge of Facebook led to the scrapping of the Safe Harbour Agreement says crowdfunding a new type of non-government organisation is essential to deliver privacy rights Continue Reading

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• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cloud firm scales Cloudian object storage to 2.5PB for GDPR

Calligo expands Cloudian Hyperstore from three nodes to 30 at worldwide datacentres, with object storage deployed for file-level and metadata capabilities suited to GDPR Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Meltdown and Spectre a big deal for enterprises

Although consumers are relatively unaffected by the recently disclosed security vulnerabilities in most modern processors, enterprises need to take the threat seriously. Computer Weekly looks at how enterprise IT and security professionals should be approaching these threats Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Dutch bank tests wearable technology payments

ABN Amro is testing out wearable payment devices with 500 customers as part of a four-month pilot Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Changes for digital government in Theresa May's reshuffle

Matt Hancock takes over as DCMS secretary of state, while Caroline Nokes says goodbye to her role as the minister responsible for digital at Cabinet Office Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Spanish authorities ready roads for autonomous vehicles

Spain’s Directorate General of Traffic has selected Mobileye technology to develop vision and data analysis for driver assistance and autonomous vehicles Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CES 2018: Pizza Hut to test autonomous delivery vehicle

At CES 2018, underway in Las Vegas, Pizza Hut and Toyota announce a partnership to develop an autonomous pizza delivery service Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CES 2018: Jaguar Land Rover picks Qualcomm to power in-car connectivity

British carmaker Jaguar Land Rover will incorporate Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820Am automotive platform to power in-vehicle connectivity Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Countdown to GDPR

In this week’s Computer Weekly, with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming in to force this year, we look at the challenges for businesses to comply by the 25 May deadline. We examine the future for HPE as CEO Meg Whitman steps down. And we find out how the move to hyper-converged systems affects your backup strategy. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Cyber attacks in 2017 drive Nordic security efforts

The volume of cyber attacks last year has increased boardroom focus on security in the Nordic region Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Google puts its payment services under one roof

Internet giant is bringing all its payment services under the Google Pay brand, making them “simpler, safer and more consistent” Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Intel to set up new group to focus on hardware security

Chip maker is reportedly planning to form a new group to focus on hardware security as it scrambles to limit the impact of recently discovered security flaws in chip designs Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

HMRC IT systems crash as customers attempt to file tax returns

Several HMRC IT systems crashed on Saturday, leaving customers attempting to file their tax returns frustrated as the deadline approaches Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Florida warns 30,000 medical records may have been exposed

The health agency in the US state of Florida has warned that the records of up to 30,000 Medicaid patients may have been exposed when the agency’s IT systems were breached Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Insurance broker Simply Business ditches legacy MPLS for SD-WAN

Insurance business finds networking a breeze after ditching its unresponsive managed services provider and implementing VeloCloud’s latest software-defined wide area network technology Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Patch systems against Meltdown and Spectre, urges ICO

UK’s data protection watchdog is calling for organisations to apply security updates to mitigate against exploits of microprocessor flaws as soon as possible to safeguard personal data Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

2018 could be year of critical infrastructure attacks, says report

The coming year is likely to see an increase in the number of cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure (CNI), according to a report based on experts’ forecasts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Case study: Doing digital the Stockport way

Stockport Council’s digital programme is working to transform services for both citizens and staff, saving chunks of money and driving efficiency at the same time Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Blockchain’s promise goes beyond fintech

By reducing the cost of peer-to-peer data and resource transfer, blockchain can remove the need for third parties and middlemen across industries Continue Reading

By

• Kenny Yeo, Frost & Sullivan Asia-Pacific

University of Northampton launches app-based prospectus

University is using software to create an app-based prospectus and improve internal communications Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

London attracted record tech investment in 2017

London-based tech firms received record levels of venture capital funding last year Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Apple confirms all devices affected by Meltdown and Spectre

Apple has confirmed that all iPhones, iPads and Mac computers are affected by the recently discovered microprocessor exploits as the financial services industry assesses the risk Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Zero in on your zero-day vulnerabilities

A zero-day attack comes, by definition, out of the blue. You cannot predict its nature or assess how much damage it might cause, but you can take some basic steps to protect yourself from a potentially crippling cyber strike Continue Reading

By

• Graeme Park

Scottish Ambulance Service tests satellite to improve critical care process

The Scottish Ambulance Service is testing satellite broadband to help paramedics gather vital information on their patients’ conditions whilst in transit Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NHS Coventry connects GPs to CityFibre broadband

NHS Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group is upgrading to full-fibre broadband infrastructure for GP practices and community health centres Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nordic banks face digitisation decisions over PSD2

With the latest version of the EU payment services directive coming into force, traditional Nordic banks can’t afford to slow their digital transformations Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Critical Intel security patch will slow PCs, servers and Macs

AMD shares rise on news that the performance of millions of Windows PCs, Linux servers and Apple Macs is to be impacted by critical updates for a recently discovered security flaw in Intel chips manufactured in the past 10 years Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Nuffield Health hits peak performance after switching to SDN

The non-profit healthcare and fitness organisation has improved both its network and wider IT performance after switching over to SDN technology Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government yet to ‘fully embrace’ digital, says IoD report

Institute of Directors report says the government’s digital drive has lost momentum and calls on public sector to harness private sector technologies and innovation Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Smartphone production to plateau in 2018, says report

After a bumper year, driven chiefly by growth in the Chinese market, smartphone production will begin to slow in 2018, according to analysts at TrendForce Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

IoT botnet DDoS attacks predicted after exploit code published

Security researchers are urging businesses to ensure they are prepared for large-scale DDoS attacks following the online publication of code to exploit a vulnerability in Huawei HG532 routers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Top IT priorities for Nordic CIOs in 2018

Nordic CIOs tell Computer Weekly about their intentions for the year ahead Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Building on the UK tech sector’s momentum in 2018

The UK’s digital and tech industry made great progress in 2017, and the government aims to further its support in 2018, says digital minister Continue Reading

By

• Matt Hancock, HM Government

Top UK and US firms still overestimating GDPR readiness

Less than five months before the compliance deadline for the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), most top UK and US firms are still overestimating their state of readiness, a study suggests Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Trackside network to bring 5G to UK rail travellers by 2025

The government has launched a consultation on improving mobile connectivity for rail passengers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Controversial council broadband service sold to Gigaclear

Ultrafast broadband services supplier Gigaclear has acquired the assets of troubled district-council-backed altnet Aylesbury Vale Broadband Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ransomware to hit cloud computing in 2018, predicts MIT

Ransomware targeting cloud services is one of the six biggest cyber threats likely to face organisations in 2018, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Top 10 CIO interviews of 2017

IT leaders from across the UK and Europe shared their plans, strategies and best practice advice with Computer Weekly Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Air New Zealand to trial digital translation technology

Airline becomes one of the first companies to try out a business case for Google's real-time translation technology Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Canada’s CGI takes top spot in UK government IT contracts for 2017

Analysis of government procurement data shows CGI topped the table for new IT deals, earning more than four times the amount of its nearest rival Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Top 10 IT security stories of 2017

Here are Computer Weekly's top 10 IT security stories of 2017 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Yoox Net-A-Porter Group appoints first chief data and analytics officer

Online fashion retailer Yoox Net-A-Porter Group has confirmed the appointment of its chief data and analytics officer, a new role for the firm Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Fourth industrial revolution AI scepticism rife at Lords committee

In the final session of its enquiry into artificial intelligence and the UK economy, a House of Lords select committee played host to scepticism about the so-called fourth industrial revolution Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Sweden’s Stena Line sets sail for digital transformation

Ferry operator’s CTO tells Computer Weekly how the company can differentiate itself by using digital tools to make its processes more efficient Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

UK government blames North Korea for WannaCry cyber attack

The UK and US governments say a North Korean group was responsible for the ransomware attacks that hit the NHS and other organisations globally this year Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA