IT news in your industry sector

PAC calls on MoD to fix inventory management IT

The Public Accounts Committee is concerned that the ageing and fragmented IT systems used in the MoD’s inventory management puts front-line forces at significant risk Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Fujitsu agrees to support former subpostmasters’ families beyond financial redress

Fujitsu will meet with victims of the Post Office scandal and their representatives to discuss what the IT giant can do for them beyond financial redress Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Chat control: Tech companies warn ministers over EU encryption plans

Tech companies have written to EU ministers to urge them to back the European Parliament, rather than the European Commission, over proposed regulations to police child abuse Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Urgent question asks which ministers knew of Post Office’s shocking plan to remove judge

Labour peer uses urgent question to uncover who, if anyone, in government was aware of the Post Office’s attempts to remove judge as it became clear it was losing Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Stellar Lifestyle opens high-tech retail space

The Hive 2.0 retail space in Esplanade Xchange uses AI and robots to enable self-checkout, prepare and serve beverages, and deliver items to offices in a nearby building Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

ICO prompts confusion over police cloud legality

The UK data regulator has suggested that, despite major data protection concerns, it is likely to greenlight police cloud deployments because of an information-sharing agreement with the US government Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Unilever provides recipe support to blind and partially sighted shoppers

Accessible QR codes and an app from Be My Eyes link shoppers direct to Unilever customer support Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

MPs flag similarities between HMRC's treatment of Loan Charge contractors and Post Office scandal

The fallout from HMRC's controversial disguised remuneration clampdown, the Loan Charge policy, has been likened to the Post Office Horizon scandal during a House of Commons debate Continue Reading

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• Caroline Donnelly, Datacentre Editor

Fujitsu boss admits to missed opportunities to prevent miscarriages of justice

Concerns of an expert witness in subpostmaster trials were ignored by Fujitsu Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Neighbouring Kent councils hit by simultaneous cyber attacks

Canterbury, Dover and Thanet Councils in Kent have all been struck by simultaneous cyber attacks knocking systems offline, with indications of a link between all three Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cabinet Office publishes 10-point generative AI guidance

Cabinet Office’s framework, which will evolve as the technology moves forward, sets out 10 principles for the government's use of generative AI systems Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Fujitsu boss describes Post Office behaviour as 'shameful and appalling'

The UK head of Fujitsu said he does not know why the Post Office did not reveal information about Horizon software errors to defendants during prosecutions Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Anger sparked by TV drama forces Fujitsu to put public sector contract bidding on hold

It is not just the UK government that has been forced to act quickly amid public anger, as a wounded Fujitsu stalls government contract bidding Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

PSTN switch-off threatens access to adult social care services

The Public Switched Telephone Network switch-off is threatening vulnerable Londoners access to adult social care and other vital services, as councils are left to manage the cost without financial support from the centre, says London chief digital officer Theo Blackwell Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

More than 900 subpostmaster convictions wouldn’t have happened without Post Office-backed law change

IT expert says it cannot be the case that computer evidence is treated as accurate in court, without investigation into surrounding circumstances Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

AI will create a thousand Post Office scandals

Critical computing expert Dan McQuillan weighs in on the proliferation of artificial intelligence throughout the public sector and the potential this opens up for a slew of new IT scandals Continue Reading

By

• Dan McQuillan

Tech firms: Investigatory Powers review will undermine privacy of UK citizens

Trade group TechUK argues in a briefing sent to the Home Office that proposed amendments to the Investigatory Powers Bill could have a far-reaching impact on privacy and security Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

NCSC invites security pros to join the big leagues

The NCSC is inviting security pros from across the UK to sign up to work with its experts on an intelligence-sharing initiative Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Biometric revolution in IAM: The future of authentication

The IAM landscape is experiencing profound change thanks to the advent of biometrics. Learn about the latest advantages and key benefits of biometrics in identity Continue Reading

By

• Isla Sibanda

Cloud-to-cloud backup: What it is and why you (probably) need it

Basic cloud data protection is just not enough. Several loopholes leave business data vulnerable and that means additional cloud-to-cloud backup should be seriously considered Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

The Security Interviews: Rebecca Taylor, SecureWorks Counter Threat Unit

In October 2023, Rebecca Taylor of the SecureWorks Counter Threat Unit was recognised at the annual Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards for her work. Computer Weekly caught up with her to talk mentoring, cyber career development and diversity Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Victims of 2023 Capita data breaches head to High Court

More than 5,000 people impacted by data breaches arising from two cyber incidents affecting outsourcer Capita have joined a group action lawsuit Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Michelle Donelan aims high on tech innovation growth

The science, innovation and technology secretary wants the UK to match US VC investment as a proportion of GDP Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

2024: The year Generative AI is let out of its cage  

Instead of worrying about AI taking over their jobs perhaps people should wonder if their work will be taken over by a new starter who knows how to use AI.   Continue Reading

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• By Peter van der Putten, Director AI Lab, Pegasystems

Paula Vennells fails to practice what she preaches in Post Office scandal

Reverend Richard Coles tells Computer Weekly how a recent ITV drama ‘moved and enraged’ a public that had missed the unfolding of the biggest miscarriage of justice in modern history, in front of their noses Continue Reading

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• Reverend Richard Coles

Fujitsu ‘morally obliged’ to contribute to subpostmaster financial redress amid ‘insane’ delays

Fujitsu has apologised for its role on the Post Office scandal and said it is ‘morally obliged’ to contribute to the financial redress of victims Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Republic of Ireland publishes progress update on digital strategy

Update reveals 2.3 million people in Ireland now have MyGovID accounts, and the Irish government plans to launch a new digital portal for businesses, as well as establishing an AI advisory council imminently Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

NAO head calls for clean data and modern government IT

Better IT procurement, better IT systems and better data are among the recommendations Gareth Davies is giving to Parliament Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

The human toll of ransomware: how IT pros suffer during incidents

Any ransomware attack causes significant challenges for a business or organisation going through such incident. But ransomware attacks also have tremendous impact on the staff – especially IT teams – working on mitigating the attack’s effect Continue Reading

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• Pia Hüsch, Jamie MacColl and Gareth Mott

Hundreds of subpostmasters to have their convictions quashed in blanket exoneration

Government will introduce legislation to exonerate hundreds of subpostmasters as a group. Continue Reading

All eyes are on the Post Office scandal – at last

In this week’s Computer Weekly, 15 years since we first revealed the plight of subpostmasters, and four years since their High Court victory, the UK public and government are getting behind the victims, thanks to a TV dramatisation of the scandal. We look at government plans to quash convictions, and analyse the role of Horizon IT supplier Fujitsu in how the Post Office scandal developed. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

British Library catalogues back online after ransomware attack

The British Library has restored online access to its main catalogue of nearly 40 million items on a limited basis as it continues the long and arduous process of recovering from a ransomware attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

AI likely to worsen economic inequality, says IMF

While artificial intelligence will replace some jobs and complement others, the International Monetary Fund says that, in most of the scenarios it envisages, the technology will likely deepen macro-economic inequalities Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Cosmetics retailer Lush dealing with mystery cyber incident

Cosmetics retailer Lush confirms it’s investigating a cyber attack of an undisclosed nature, but key public-facing systems appear to be unaffected Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

British Library cyber attack explained: What you need to know

In this essential guide, Computer Weekly investigates the cyber attack on the British Library that has rendered IT systems inoperable and caused service disruption to thousands of users Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Russia hacked ex-MI6 chief’s emails – what they reveal is more Dad’s Army than deep state

A Russian hacking group that published emails of ex-MI6 chief Richard Dearlove claimed to have uncovered a conspiracy, but it was more Dad’s Army than the ‘deep state’, Computer Weekly and Byline Times reveal Continue Reading

By

• Sophie Hill

How legal disclosure failures disrupted the Post Office Horizon inquiry

From overly narrow search terms, overzealous deduplication of documents and failed email migrations, poor management of legal discovery has delayed justice for postmasters in the Horizon inquiry   Continue Reading

By

• Martin Nikel, Thomas Murray

Santander bank added 4,500 tech staff last year

Santander added thousands of IT staff to its global operation last year, as part of its digital transformation Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

IT failure caused weekend chaos at Sussex hospitals

The critical incident at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, caused by IT issues on Sunday night, has now been resolved Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

NCA director sacked after WhatsApp and email security breaches

Nikki Holland, former director of investigations at the NCA, was sacked for “misconduct” after sending sensitive NCA information over personal email and WhatsApp Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

How the UK is supporting the Ukraine tech community

The launch of a TechBridge between UK and Ukraine allow IT experts from each country to collaborate and share experiences Continue Reading

By

• Nusrat Ghani, Department of Business and Trade

The Post Office Horizon buck stops where?

The cover up began to conceal the impossibility of delivering what was agreed with Number 10 in December 1998 ... but ... who was responsible and was the added encouragement of unethical conduct ... Continue Reading

By

• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

Post Office scandal inquiry hits mainstream after dramatic start to year

Long-running statutory public inquiry restarts with hugely increased interest following ITV’s dramatisation of the two decades-long scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK government seeks public views on impacts of AI-generated porn

The government’s Pornography Review will look in part at the use of AI throughout the industry to generate sexually explicit content without people’s consent Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

QLC made gains but storage innovation focus was on software in 2023

Storage hardware innovation has taken a back seat – QLC flash excepted – as the big storage suppliers build around software-based variants and optimisation on modular product sets Continue Reading

By

• Yann Serra, LeMagIT
• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

MHRA launches roadmap for medtech regulations

The roadmap covers plans for regulations on medical technologies, including implantable devices, artificial intelligence and healthcare software, with core elements of a new framework to be in place by 2025 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Cisco fixes high-impact flaw in unified comms platform

Cisco unified comms customers are urged to patch a critical vulnerability in Unity Connection, a messaging and voicemail product Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Redefining the cyber domain to tackle the challenges of tomorrow

Emerging technologies have brought about a new age of cyber – and we need a 360-degree collaborative approach more than ever to succeed Continue Reading

By

• Saj Huq, Plexal

Hundreds of subpostmasters to have convictions quashed in blanket exoneration

The government has chosen to introduce legislation that will enable it to exonerate hundreds of subpostmasters as a group Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Windows Kerberos, Hyper-V vulns among January Patch Tuesday bugs

Microsoft starts 2024 right with another slimline Patch Tuesday drop, but there are some critical vulns to be alert to, including a number of man-in-the-middle attack vectors Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CES 2024: Sony announces development of spatial content creation system

Sony is developing a device equipped with extended reality head-mounted display and controllers dedicated to interaction with 3D objects Continue Reading

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• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

SEC social media hack highlights value of MFA

The US SEC briefly appeared to approve new bitcoin trading rules after a social media account was targeted by troublemakers, proving the value of MFA once again Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Fujitsu became a central part of the Post Office scandal

As a TV drama brings the Post Office scandal to a wider audience, many are wondering how and why a Japanese IT company became embroiled in the story – we examine the troubled history behind Fujitsu’s role Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Scotland ‘sleepwalking’ to mass surveillance with DPDI Bill

The independent checks and balances over biometrics and biometric-enabled surveillance must be strengthened to prevent Scotland from sliding into a surveillance state along with the rest of the UK Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Babuk Tortilla ransomware decryptor made available

A joint effort between Cisco Talos, Avast and the Dutch police will bring relief to many victims of a variant of the Babuk ransomware known as Tortilla Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Wales makes headway with electronic prescriptions roll-out

Electronic prescribing will be deployed in both primary and secondary care, while a shared medicines record will be live by the end of March 2024 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Study reveals cyber risks to US elections

With the 2024 US presidential election cycle beginning, a study produced by Arctic Wolf has highlighted big gaps in preparedness and resourcing at government bodies across the US Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Former Post Office CEO hands back CBE amid public backlash

Former Post Office CEO hands back her CBE after public backlash following dramatisation of her role in Post Office Horizon scandal Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

‘Hero’ subpostmaster accuses government of diversion tactics through ‘weaselly’ statistics

Campaigning subpostmaster calls out government’s use of ‘weaselly’ statistics to hide its slow progress Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Fujitsu gets stay of execution as MPs support exoneration of wrongfully convicted subpostmasters

Fujitsu will have to wait until the end of the Post Office Horizon scandal public inquiry to hear how MPs will punish it Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Trauma and fear means victims of the Post Office scandal are suffering in silence

Just like victims of child abuse, it is likely that issues of trauma, fear, feelings of shame and a complete loss of trust in authority are some of the powerful inhibitors preventing victims of the Post Office scandal from coming forward Continue Reading

By

• David Enright

Government to push NHS roll-out of digital pathology

Department for Health and Social Care wants to increase use of digital pathology in cancer screening, following a recommendation by the UK National Screening Committee Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

British Library ransomware attack could cost up to £7m

The cost of recovering the British Library’s ransomware-stricken IT systems could be up to £7m, it has emerged Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Post Office scandal furore is moment to change digital evidence rules

The current rules around digital evidence are partly to blame for the widest miscarriage of justice in UK history Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Inside the Met Police’s investigation into EncroChat crime gangs

The Met’s senior investigating officer responsible for investigating criminals using the EncroChat encrypted phone network tells the inside story of the UK’s biggest organised crime bust in a BBC podcast series released this week Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Metropolitan Police launches second criminal investigation in Post Office scandal

New investigation will examine potential crimes by the Post Office in its recovery of money from subpostmasters accused of theft and false accounting Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Information Commissioner questions DWP plan to monitor bank accounts of benefit claimants

The Information Commissioner has warned that legislation to give new powers to the Department of Work and Pensions to check bank accounts of benefit claimants for indications of fraud lacks appropriate safeguards Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Celona and Palo Alto partner to enhance private 5G network security

Wireless services specialist Celona and security firm Palo Alto Networks are coming together to enhance device protection for organisations operating private mobile networks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Risks and opportunities for the UK chip sector

In May 2023, the UK government unveiled a national semiconductor strategy. We find out how it has been going Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Artificial intelligence to the front in Sweden’s National Technology Strategy

Sweden focuses in on artificial intelligence in its latest far-reaching national IT strategy Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Fighting money laundering with AI

Mike Foster, CEO of SymphonyAI Sensa-NetReveal, talks up how AI can be used to fight financial crime and how the company’s technology can augment existing AML investments Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

China’s UNC4841 pivots to new Barracuda ESG zero-day

The Chinese state threat actor behind a series of cyber attacks on Barracuda Networks customers embarked on a campaign targeting the supplier’s email security products in the run-up to Christmas Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Data: the golden thread of military defence

Information has been the lifeblood of warfare for centuries and modern data strategies are no different. From frontline fighters to logistics, manufacturing, R&D, and recruitment, data is crucial Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

Top 10 investigations and national security stories of 2023

From a secret campaign by right-wing Brexit supporters against science journal Nature to Investigatory Powers Act 2016 revisions that will make it easier for police and intelligence agencies to access databases on the population, here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 investigations and national security stories of 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Top 10 AI regulation stories of 2023

From the UK government’s publication of its long-awaited AI whitepaper to its convening of the world’s first AI Safety Summit, here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 AI regulation stories of 2023 Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Decoding zero trust in endpoint security: A practical guide for CISOs

The exponential increase in endpoints has vastly expanded the average organisation’s attack surface – address this by applying zero-trust best practice to endpoints Continue Reading

By

• Isla Sibanda

Top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2023

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Top 10 police technology stories of 2023

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 police technology stories of 2023 Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Top 10 government IT stories of 2023

In the year that gave life to four new government departments, Whitehall bosses have continued to fly the flag for technology, with mixed results and success. Here are the stories that made waves in 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Top 10 Middle East stories of 2023

Middle Eastern countries are on digital journeys, with many pinning their futures on expertise in advanced technologies Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Top 10 retail technology stories of 2023

Computer Weekly looks at what 2023 had in store for the retail industry – a year of financial uncertainty and increasing cost of living has made consumers ever more demanding, so how are retailers using tech to cope? Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Top 10 financial services and fintech stories of 2023

Generative AI is the buzzword on every financial services IT professional’s lips as the technology promises to accelerate the ongoing fintech revolution Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Immigration clampdown could worsen UK IT skills shortage

The UK government’s recent clampdown on immigration could exacerbate the IT skills shortage in the country, especially in web design and development Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Top 10 cyber crime stories of 2023

Ransomware gangs dominated the cyber criminal underworld in 2023, a year that will prove notable for significant evolutionary trends in their tactics Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top 10 storage stories of 2023

In this 2023 review, we consider if flash will thrash disk, what the Toyota outage shows about capacity planning, how to achieve green storage, the backup and compliance risks of AI, the lowdown on DPUs, and more Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Storage suppliers’ market share and strategy 2023

We look at the top suppliers in data storage by market share and run the rule over their storage offer, strategies for hybrid cloud, containerisation and as-you-go purchasing Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Post Office gets government handout as Horizon replacement costs increase ‘significantly’

The increasing costs associated with replacing the Post Office’s controversial IT system have forced the government to hand it over £100m extra Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Beyond the office walls: Safeguarding remote workers from attack

Remote working has enabled people to work from almost anywhere but has piled pressure on cyber pros. Three years after Covid, how are best practices evolving and what can we expect going forward? Continue Reading

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• Paul Lewis, Nominet

Zero-trust principles: Your gateway to securing remote workers

Remote working has enabled people to work from almost anywhere but has piled pressure on cyber pros. Three years after Covid, how are best practices evolving and what can we expect going forward? Continue Reading

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• Michael Healey, Turnkey Consulting

Evolving best practice: What next for securing remote work?

Remote working has enabled people to work from almost anywhere but has piled pressure on cyber pros. Three years after Covid, how are best practices evolving and what can we expect going forward? Continue Reading

By

• Scott Burman

'No hiding place' for those responsible for Post Office Horizon scandal

MPs want individuals to be held to account for their roles in causing the Post Office Horizon scandal, which destroyed thousands of lives Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

ALPHV/BlackCat operation down, but maybe not out

Multinational law enforcement has targeted the operations of the notorious ALPHV/BlackCat cyber extortion gang, but the group’s members appear to remain defiant Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Levelling the playing field: Could a UK cloud strategy weaken the hold of the hyperscalers?

Over time, global hyperscale has taken a majority share of the UK market. How best could the government respond to Ofcom’s review to sustain local industry while best serving customers? Continue Reading

By

• Fleur Doidge

Top 10 NHS IT stories of 2023

In the year we said goodbye to NHS Digital, the NHS has made some serious strides in digitising the health service, but many challenges remain. We look back at the stories that made the headlines in 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Top 10 Benelux stories of 2023

The Benelux region is researching some of the latest digital technologies of the future with efforts to ensure the region keeps pace in quantum computing and artificial intelligence Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Top 10 cloud stories of 2023

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 cloud stories of 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Government reveals its own slow progress in compensating Post Office scandal victims

Few of the subpostmasters who unearthed the widest miscarriage of justice in UK history have been compensated so far, four years after their court victory Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

On-prem vs cloud storage: Four decisions about data location

Hybrid cloud is now a reality. But how to decide what data goes where? We highlight four key decision points to evaluate whether data should be stored on-premise or in the cloud Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

Security Think Tank: Testing to improve remote worker security

Remote working has enabled people to work from almost anywhere but has piled pressure on cyber pros. Three years after Covid, how are best practices evolving and what can we expect going forward? Continue Reading

By

• Rowland Johnson

Top 10 information management stories of 2023

Generative AI was inescapable as the leading theme of the information management stories of 2023 gathered here. But also selected are pieces about data and healthcare, and the inexorable rise of the CDO Continue Reading

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• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor