IT news in your industry sector

Subpostmasters stealing from branches ‘didn’t make sense,’ former judge tells inquiry

The former judge who chaired a scheme set up by the Post Office to settle claims against its Horizon system said he told bosses their prosecutions of subpostmasters "didn't make sense" Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

The challenges of securing a UK semiconductor supply chain

The UK’s national semiconductor strategy aims to establish the country's credentials as a leader in the sector. We look at how it stacks up Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

IR35: HMRC rushing to restore CEST source code deleted from Github ‘in error’

HMRC has confirmed online repository containing code underpinning maligned IR35 status-checker tool has been taken down ‘in error’ by team working to decommission legacy platform that used to host platform Continue Reading

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• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Report highlights shortcomings in UK chip plans

The national semiconductor strategy needs to encourage greater collaboration with international parters such as South Korea Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Civil servants more to blame for Post Office cover-up than ministers, says Alan Bates

Campaigning former subpostmaster believes the civil service has more to answer for than ministers in the Post Office Horizon scandal Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

TeamViewer launches initiative to bring women into sports tech

TeamViewer’s flagship SheSportTech initiative aims to encourage more women into sports technology, offering ‘inspiration, training grants and access to unique experiences’ Continue Reading

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• Josh Osman, Computer Weekly

UK plc failing on multiple cyber measures

Government report shows 50% of businesses and 32% of charities reported a cyber attack or breach in the past 12 months and organisations across the UK are failing on multiple cyber measures Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Public worried by police and companies sharing biometric data

More than half of the British public do not feel comfortable with police forces sharing biometric data with the private sector, including facial recognition images, to tackle crimes such as shoplifting Continue Reading

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• Josh Osman, Computer Weekly

Is a cyber arms control treaty out of reach?

The world needs cyber arms control more than ever, but the challenges facing a multilateral agreement will be hard to surmount, according to researchers at Germany’s Digital Society Institute Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Labour promises digital red book and smartphones for children with diabetes

The Labour Party has announced plans for children’s health records to be put on parents’ NHS App, while also partnering with Virgin Media O2 to give children with type 1 diabetes smartphones to check their blood sugar Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Government struggles to upgrade legacy IT systems, says PAC chair

In her annual report, Public Accounts Committee chair Meg Hillier calls legacy IT one of government’s ‘big nasties’ and says money urgently needs to be spent to fix the situation Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Police forces check intelligence and criminal databases after errors discovered in O2 phone data

Criminal Bar Association calls for information about reliability of communications data used in criminal trials to be disclosed Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Greek government fined over AI surveillance in refugee camps

Greece’s Data Protection Authority has issued a €175,000 fine against the country’s migration ministry over its deployment of artificial intelligence-powered security systems in refugee camps after the watchdog’s investigation found ‘serious shortcomings’ with the roll-out Continue Reading

By

• Lydia Emmanouilidou

UK vet network CVS hit by cyber attack

Operations at UK-based veterinary network CVS have been disrupted by a cyber incident of an as-yet undisclosed nature Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UN adopts ‘landmark’ resolution on making AI safe and trustworthy

A UN draft resolution promoting the use of artificial intelligence in sustainable development and the protection of human rights was backed by over 120 member states Continue Reading

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• Josh Osman, Computer Weekly

Further extension to controversial Post Office contract with Fujitsu inevitable

Post Office is seeking software developers as it replaces the controversial Horizon system from Fujitsu with an in-house alternative Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Some former Post Office staff should be jailed over scandal, says government minister

Government minister outlines the real prospect that people will be jailed for their roles in the Post Office Horizon scandal Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

MPs will grill Cabinet Office over Fujitsu contract bidding pause

Parliamentary select committees have their eyes trained on Fujitsu’s response to the Post Office Horizon scandal, with its pause on bidding for contracts under scrutiny Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Seven ways to be sure you can restore from backup

Backups are no good if you can’t restore from them. We look at key elements of backup restoration, including backup audits, RPOs and RTOs, and how and when to test backups Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

Startups: how to navigate at high velocity

When up to 90% of startups fail, tech entrepreneurs must do something different to get a different result and to be part of the 10% Continue Reading

By

• Raihan Islam, defineXTEND

China ramps up use of AI misinformation

Microsoft researchers have identified a growing pattern of AI-laced misinformation and political interference coming from Chinese threat actors Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Future Councils pilot finds systemic blockers to digital innovation

Councils face a range of challenges, hindering digital transformation, including inconsistent approaches to making the case for change, complexities surrounding resource allocations, lack of data and time Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Europol offers law enforcement agencies data on Europe’s most threatening crime networks

Europol has collected and analysed data from over 40 countries to identify 800 most threatening criminal networks operating in Europe in what it describes as a unique dataset for law enforcemnt Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

UKtech50 2024 – help us find the most influential people in UK IT

Computer Weekly’s annual search for the 50 most influential people in UK IT is on – let us know who you would like to nominate for this year's list Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Environment Agency dumps Fujitsu as Post Office scandal takes its toll

Troubled supplier loses flood warnings contract with government department after almost a decade Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

IR35 reforms: Incoming legislative tweak could reignite contracting market, experts claim

A long-awaited tweak to the IR35 rules that will put a stop to HMRC over-collecting tax from non-compliant entities is great news for IT contractors, experts claim Continue Reading

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• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Fujitsu should stop bending rules, stop bidding and pay up, says MP

MP Liam Byrne calls on Fujitsu to put actions behind the promises it made to MPs, victims of the Post Office scandal and UK taxpayers Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Obituary: Professor Ross Anderson, pioneer in security engineering and campaigner

Ross Anderson, a titan in the field of security engineering and campaigner for privacy and security, has passed away Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Security Think Tank: Banning ransomware payments is not so straightforward

In the wake of renewed calls for lawmakers to consider enacting legal bans on ransomware payments, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank weighs in to share their thoughts on how to tackle the scourge for good. Continue Reading

By

• John Scott

RDP abused in over 90% of cyber attacks, Sophos finds

Threat actors continue to see great success using simple, tried and tested methods, and many defenders are failing to do the basics Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ransomware kill switch may save 99% of files from encryption

MDR specialist Adlumin says its new features will help customers stop in-progress ransomware attacks before they can cause significant damage Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Women in Data: MoD’s first chief data officer on overcoming imposter syndrome

At the recent Women In Data event, Caroline Bellamy outlined why the defence sector needs diversity of thinking when tackling threats Continue Reading

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• Madeline Bennett, Mowser Media

Fujitsu staff instructed how to bid for government contracts during self-imposed ban

Leak reveals how Fujitsu advises staff to approach UK government customers during its self-imposed bidding pause, as well as details of a multimillion-pound project to protect its reputation Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Case study: Network Rail on the data-driven decisions keeping our railways safe

Network Rail discusses how it is using data to reduce the need for speed restrictions and lower the risk of delays for the nation's rail users Continue Reading

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• Stephen Pritchard

Security Think Tank: How to tackle the scourge of ransomware?

In the wake of renewed calls for lawmakers to consider enacting legal bans on ransomware payments, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank weighs in to share their thoughts on how to tackle the scourge for good. Continue Reading

By

• Toby Sibley and Louise Barber

Flash storage prices rise by 25% as manufacturers chase profitability

Analysis of 30,000-plus drive prices shows cost of flash drives per gigabyte rose sharply since October 2023, as memory manufacturers limit supplies and increase prices Continue Reading

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• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

US and UK agree AI safety collaboration

The UK and US governments have signed an agreement to forge close ties between their respective AI Safety Institutes Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Security Think Tank: Ransomware lessons from the armed forces

In the wake of renewed calls for lawmakers to consider enacting legal bans on ransomware payments, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank weighs in to share their thoughts on how to tackle the scourge for good. Continue Reading

By

• Rob Dartnall, SecAlliance

Organisations getting better at spotting identity fraud

As the barriers to committing identity fraud continue to drop, organisations should consider more sophisticated technical measures to successfully up their game, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government lifts chip strategy with a bit more cash

Unlike the EU and US, the UK government appears to be taking its time on providing a large cash injection to build out the UK semiconductor sector Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Sellafield to be prosecuted over alleged cyber compliance failure

Sellafield Ltd, the organisation responsible for cleaning up and decommissioning the UK's largest nuclear waste site, is to be prosecuted over alleged cyber security failings dating back to 2019 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Counter-eavesdropping agency unlawfully used surveillance powers to identify journalist’s source

More than 750 journalists had their communications data accessed by law enforcement and government agencies between 2018 and 2022 Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Facial recognition endangers us all without a clear legal basis

Technology researcher Stephanie Hare outlines the growing danger of the UK’s failure to legalise and regulate facial recognition technology Continue Reading

By

• Stephanie Hare

Remote access is the Post Office’s known unknown

Calls for criminal investigation after covert recordings are latest evidence to reveal extent of Post Office knowledge of remote access to subpostmaster accounts Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

A local government GDS might work - but only on top of standard technology

The old debate about an equivalent of the Government Digital Service for local authorities has swung round again - but it will only ever work if it's founded on common standards and technologies Continue Reading

By

• Mark Thompson, Exeter Business School and DIGITLab

Podcast: What is distributed cloud storage and what are its benefits?

We talk to Enrico Signoretti of Cubbit about how distributed cloud allows customers to control their data in hybrid and multicloud storage and the workloads the company targets Continue Reading

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• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Balancing regulation and innovation to ensure the UK remains a global leader in AI

The EU has taken a lead in regulating artificial intelligence through its AI Act - the UK government needs to respond or it risks losing the UK's status as an AI innovation frontrunner Continue Reading

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• Gavin Poole, Here East

Ransomware gang leaks data stolen from Scottish NHS board

Data stolen from an earlier attack on NHS Dumfries and Galloway has been leaked by a ransomware gang that claims to be in possession of much more content Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

HMRC’s online IR35 status checker tool CEST not updated in five years, FOI confirms

Despite a previous pledge that HMRC’s IR35 online status checker tool will be continually updated as employment cases and tribunals occur, a freedom of information request confirms CEST has not been updated since October 2019 Continue Reading

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• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Cyber spies, not cyber criminals, behind most zero-day exploitation

Analysis from Google has found that zero-day vulnerabilities are much more heavily exploited for espionage purposes than for financially motivated cyber crime Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ofgem begins consultation on dynamic price caps

Smart meters make it possible to manage the electricity grid in a more flexible way, but millions are facing connectivity issues Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Lord Holmes: UK cannot 'wait and see' to regulate AI

Legislation is needed to seize the benefits of artificial intelligence while minimising its risks, says Lord Holmes - but the government’s ‘wait and see’ approach to regulation will fail on both fronts Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Leaked comms reveal Fujitsu eyeing huge UK government bounty, despite Post Office scandal promise

While subpostmasters fight tooth and nail for justice and financial redress, Fujitsu continues to target millions of UK taxpayer pounds Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK regional science and tech startups grew in 2023

Globally there is still a post-pandemic funding slump, but UK startups in regions such as Wales and Yorkshire grew private sector investment in 2023 Continue Reading

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• Lis Evenstad

Qilin ransomware gang claims cyber attack on the Big Issue

A ransomware attack on the systems of publisher and social enterprise Big Issue Group has been claimed by the Qilin gang Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange given temporary reprieve over extradition

Court seeks assurances from the US that Assange will be given First Amendment Rights, will not prejudiced at trial because of his nationality, and will not be subject to the death penalty Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly
• Sander Priston

Alletra MP hardware changes see HPE orient arrays towards AI

HPE doubles controller nodes, boosts capacity with denser drives, cuts caches and builds in 100Gbps links to bring denser, faster storage aimed at all parts of the AI/ML pipeline Continue Reading

By

• Yann Serra, LeMagIT
• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Shareholders win when businesses do better at cyber

The more advanced a company’s cyber security performance, and the more engaged its board is with security issues, the greater the return for shareholders, a report has found Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NHS SBS launches digital advisory framework

The Digital Health Advisory Services framework agreement aims to provide a way for health and care organisations to get help with digital transformation and skills Continue Reading

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• Lis Evenstad

GTC 2024: Storage suppliers queue up to ride the Nvidia AI wave

Storage supplier announcements at Nvdia conference centre on infrastructure integration, tackling the GPU I/O bottleneck and AI hallucinations by running Nvidia NeMo and NIM microservices Continue Reading

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• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Sums of money Post Office ‘stole’ from subpostmasters may never be known

MP asks government minister for figure on how much money the Post Office took from subpostmasters who were wrongly blamed for accounting shortfalls Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

What are IT buyers spending their money on?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we reveal the findings of our annual survey into the technologies that IT buyers are spending their money on this year. The European CIO at PepsiCo explains how to make digital transformation go with a pop. And we look at the growing importance of cloud-to-cloud backup for data protection and resilience. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Which? calls for government action on fake banking sites

Amid high volumes of spoofed, fraudulent banking websites, Which? is calling for the government to implement new legal obligations for domain registrars Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Chinese hackers responsible for two ‘malicious’ cyber campaigns against UK

Government sanctions two Chinese nationals and a Chinese company identified as responsible for cyber campaigns against government officials and members of parliament Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Making Tax Digital explained: Everything you need to know

Making Tax Digital is meant to overhaul the UK tax system, make it easier for businesses to file tax returns, and reduce error and fraud. How successful has the programme been? Computer Weekly looks at the details of tax digitisation Continue Reading

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• Lis Evenstad

Britain’s democracy under threat from Chinese cyber attackers, government warns

The deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, is due to tell Parliament that Beijing is behind a hacking attack that obtained details of 40 million UK voters and has targeted parliamentarians who have criticised the regime Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Court finds EncroChat hacked messages admissible as former footballer is jailed

A judge in ‘lead’ EncroChat case found that messages obtained by police from the encrypted phone network can be lawfully used in evidence Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Nationwide building society falls victim to IT outage

Nationwide joins McDonald’s, Greggs, Sainsbury’s and Tesco as the fifth major high street name to experience an IT service outage in the space of a week Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fujitsu won’t sign any new business in Ireland

Fujitsu is closing down its Irish business after a review of the operation’s current performance and market outlook Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Open Data Institute launches digital policy manifesto

The Open Data Institute has launched a policy manifesto ahead of the UK general election that outlines policies and issues it believes must be part of the political discussion around digital and data Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Post Office Capture users’ campaign for justice gathers pace

The government is taking Post Office Capture allegations seriously as former subpostmasters seek answers Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

NCSC guidance to help CEOs work through cyber incidents

The NCSC has published in-depth guidance on how business leaders should respond to a cyber attack or data breach. Learn about some of the key steps you will need to follow Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Three UK sees top-line revenue growth but first EBIT loss since 2010

UK mobile network operator reports earnings loss for the first time since 2010 but growth in certain customer segments driven by business-to-business, 5G, home broadband and Smarty service Continue Reading

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• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

Post Office scandal fallout for Fujitsu could open UK public sector to Indian giants

Post Office scandal has damaged public trust in Japanese IT supplier Fujitsu, which could open door to primed rivals Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

HMRC legacy UK customs system to be switched off for good

The 30-year-old Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (Chief) system will cease to exist on 4 June 2024, six years after HMRC originally planned to shut it down Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

IR35 reforms: IT contractors urged to reclaim tax they may have overpaid in off-payroll settlements

With the government set to fix the settlements offset issue from 6 April, contractor insurance firm Qdos is urging individuals who worked for non-compliant IR35 organisations to see if they can reclaim any money they have overpaid Continue Reading

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• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Ukrainians crack network that stole 100m email, social accounts

Three members of an organised cyber criminal group who hacked and appropriated personal email and social media accounts face up to 15 years in prison Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK’s cyber resilience stagnates as more fall victim to attacks

The government is calling on businesses to ramp up their cyber protections as study shows improvements to resilience are stagnating amid an ever-growing volume of attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Inclusive approaches to AI governance needed to engage public

Technology practitioners and experts gathered at an annual Alan Turing Institute-run conference discussed the need for more inclusive approaches to AI governance that actually engage citizens and workers Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Greggs forced to close branches amid IT issue

Greggs is the latest in a string of retailers hit by IT problems that have caused major disruption Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

SAP S/4HANA data migration beset by poor and fragmented strategy

Survey finds customers transitioning to S/4HANA lack strategic thinking and skills, can’t access data, face challenges in data duplication, can’t use AI, and worry about compliance Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Vast targets AI checkpointing write performance with distributed RAID

AI checkpointing operations targeted by Vast Data as it touts QLC-based storage for AI workloads Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

What went wrong with Birmingham’s Oracle project?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, after Birmingham City Council’s disastrous Oracle project cost over £100m, we analyse where it all went wrong. Our new buyer’s guide examines building a sustainable IT strategy. And we find out how Thomson Reuters is using AI to enhance its product offerings. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

How to stop data from driving government mad

The Institute for Government has recommended reforms to the way Number 10 operates - and a new way of managing and using data in the AI age is central to its proposals Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Juniper

Spring Budget risks funding legally questionable police tech

Open legal questions around how UK police are using facial recognition and cloud technology could undermine the £230m investment committed in the Spring Budget to “time and money-saving technology” for police Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

The Security Interviews: Alex Yampolskiy, SecurityScorecard

Alex Yampolskiy conceived the idea for risk management specialist SecurityScorecard after getting stung by a SaaS supplier that was being cavalier with its customer data. He tells his story to Computer Weekly Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cohesity: We won’t abandon NetBackup customers or force migration

CEO promises no forced migration to Cohesity and not to abandon any NetBackup product while building new leadership in artificial intelligence and security around Cohesity Gaia Continue Reading

By

• Yann Serra, LeMagIT
• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

CCS slammed over errors in G-Cloud 14 data protection documents

The government’s procurement arm is under fire again, after prospective suppliers to the G-Cloud 14 framework raised complaints about CCS’s quality control procedures Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Deep fake AI services on Telegram pose risk for elections

Deep fake services advertised on Telegram and other platforms pose a risk to upcoming elections in Europe, Asia and the US Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Liverpool to get AI hub for health and social care

Artificial intelligence platform set to use NHS Integrated Care System Data to make better and decisions for patients in Liverpool, with a focus on mental health services Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

G7 nations sign deal to harness AI potential

G7 nations will produce a joint report on how to increase artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, boost growth of the quantum sector and create an AI toolkit to inform policy-making Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Government needs ‘realistic plan’ for adopting AI, says NAO

Benefits of artificial intelligence in public sector will only be realised if government ensures overall programme for adoption is supported by realistic plan to tackle range of longstanding barriers Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Digital government: problems on the horizon

Are government’s digital programmes becoming the next Post Office Horizon scandal? Continue Reading

By

• Jerry Fishenden

UK’s AI ambitions pointless while cyber security is still neglected

The UK’s AI ambitions may be at considerable risk without stronger cyber defences across the private and public sectors Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Global McDonalds IT outage result of third-party error

An IT outage that forced McDonald's to temporarily shutter thousands of restaurants has been blamed on a configuration error by a third-party supplier, but there is no suspicion of foul play Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Creative workers say livelihoods threatened by generative AI

Computer Weekly speaks with various creative workers about the impact generative artificial intelligence systems are having on their work and livelihoods Continue Reading

By

• Adele Zeynep Walton

UK government calls on comms firms to limit installation of telegraph poles

After public demonstrations, minister urges communications industry to ‘do whatever it takes’ to share existing infrastructure to avoid ‘inappropriately or unnecessarily throwing up’ new telegraph poles Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

London Mayor’s Office reprimanded over data breach

The London Mayor’s Office has been reprimanded by the ICO after an internal error exposed the data of people who had made complaints against the Metropolitan Police Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NHS to extend use of AI to cut waiting times and missed appointments

Following a pilot of AI software predicting likely missed appointments at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, 10 further trusts will deploy the system Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Government pumps £1.1bn into tech skills training

Government funding will be used to allow more than 4,000 students to pursue PhDs in technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and 6G Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad