IT news in your industry sector

The race to quantum computing

In this week’s Computer Weekly, researchers are racing to create the first commercially useful quantum computer – we look at one of the European candidates. Cyber security is one of the greatest risks facing the global economy, warns the World Economic Forum. And we examine the role of employee experience in hybrid working. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Nordic fintech to use Google-inspired core banking from Thought Machine

Nordic fintech Lunar is modernising its banking platform as it sets out to expand free of the limitations of its current systems Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Amazon puts UK Visa ban on hold

Online retail giant Amazon continues to allow UK Visa credit card payments as negotiations over fees with the card provider continue Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government widens subpostmaster miscarriage of justice compensation

Government changes its position in billion-pound Horizon scandal compensation Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Test police algorithms in court rather than legislate, Lords told

Police algorithms and their impacts should be tested and challenged in court, rather than controlled by new laws, says policing minister Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

‘Russian-backed’ hackers defaced Ukrainian websites as cover for dangerous malware attack

Kiev claims that a hacking group in Belarus – a close ally of Russia – was responsible for hacking Ukrainian government websites amid threats of military action Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Automation and interoperability key to UK’s digital energy plans

Energy Digitalisation Taskforce recommends that policy-makers and regulators drive open standards across the energy sector Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Connexin switches on full-fibre broadband network in Hull

So-called ‘disruptive’ communications company specialising in building and operating smart city infrastructure connects first customer to full-fibre network in East Yorkshire Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

Nato offers tech support after 'massive cyber attack' hits Ukraine

Speculation mounts that Russia is behind a cyber attack which defaced Ukrainian government websites amid growing international tension Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Socitm outlines public sector digital trends for 2022

Report identifies the key areas of focus for technology decision-makers in government in the months ahead, across areas from cyber and data to digital identity and 5G Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Microsoft veteran turns her attention to levelling up IT industry for women

Diversity goes beyond balancing the internal workforce and should include working with partners that also have diversity as a core objective, says Gavriella Schuster Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Post Office received £1bn taxpayer subsidy last year as part of IT scandal compensation

The Post Office has received over £1bn in taxpayer subsidies for its Horizon scandal compensation scheme Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Google forced to release documents about anti-union campaign

New court documents reveal that Google attempted to keep details of its anti-union campaign confidential by claiming attorney-client privilege Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Nordic companies targeted in wave of cyber attacks

After a slew of cyber attacks hit major companies in the Nordics at the end of last year, we look at how they were affected and how they have recovered Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Councillors refuse public release of IT audit of Hackney Psya ransomware attack

Hackney councillors claim an IT audit report is exempt for disclosure as it relates to action taken in relation to the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Ikano Bank’s team of robots exceeds 2021 targets

How the Swedish bank’s robotic automation project reached its time-saving target with time to spare, automating 168 processes, creating an in-house RPA team and embedding automation in every department’s thinking Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

NCSC sounds alarm over Russia-backed hacks

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre joins US calls to be wary of Russian state interference in critical national infrastructure IT systems Continue Reading

ICO investigates police use of app to covertly record calls from mobile phones

Surrey and Sussex police forces call in regulators after 1,000 police officers downloaded an app to covertly record phone calls on police-issued mobile phones Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

MEPs demand EU probe into Pegasus spyware abuse

A group of European Parliament Members has called for an EU-wide investigation into NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware after it emerged EU member states may have used it Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK government bodies challenged on secure identity

Public sector bodies in the UK recognise secure identity and access management as critical to the roll-out of digital services, but face challenges in addressing this Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government backs Turing Institute in bid to set global AI technical standards

The DCMS has announced an AI Standards Hub, comprising The Alan Turing Institute, the National Physical Laboratory and the British Standards Institution to set a global bar for AI technical standards Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Microsoft fixes six zero-days in January Patch Tuesday update

A larger than of late Patch Tuesday update from Microsoft comes as defenders continue to grapple with Log4Shell Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dutch cyber volunteers receive major funding boost

The Dutch Institute for Vulnerability Disclosure has received a $100,000 donation to expand the scope of its work Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Macquarie joins NSW government’s cloud supplier panel

New South Wales state agencies will be able to access Macquarie’s sovereign cyber expertise and secure cloud, network and datacentre services Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

How digital-twin technology could revolutionise the healthcare industry

Digital-twin technology is not new, but in many industries it is still regarded as novel and is often misunderstood Continue Reading

By

• Arash Ghazanfari

Almost half of Log4j downloads still dangerously exposed

Whether by error or design is unclear, but a great many IT teams are still exposing themselves by downloading outdated, insecure versions of Apache Log4j Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Post Office can’t access records of all money paid to it by victims of the Horizon scandal

A parliamentary select committee was told that the Post Office is unable to access information to accurately calculate compensation for some Horizon scandal victims Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Banks accused of neglecting customer security measures

Which? singles out Metro Bank, Virgin Money and TSB over insecure online banking processes Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NHS England urged to produce tech roadmap to cope with pandemic backlog

Tech can help to ease the pressure on the health and care system, but basic infrastructure is lacking, a House of Commons report has found Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Companies propose scanning content pre-encryption to fight CSAM

Firms working on the UK government’s Safety Tech Challenge have suggested that scanning content before encryption will help prevent the spread of child sexual abuse material – but privacy concerns remain Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Cyber security failure one of biggest risks facing countries and businesses, warns WEF

Cyber risks are among the top five risks facing organisations and governments over the next two to five years. Digital inequality and the over-crowding of space with communication satellites present further risks  Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

How Pepsi is taking digital to the max

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to PepsiCo’s digital director about delivering innovation in customer experience. Our first buyer’s guide of 2022 examines hybrid cloud storage. And we find out how Arkwright and Granville from the BBC sitcom Open All Hours are inspiring retailers 40 years on. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Arkwright’s till, Tesco GetGo and retail tech’s non-linear innovation journey

The checkout-free Tesco GetGo store shows that retail technology has come a long way since the faulty till draws in Open All Hours, but some of today’s innovation goes back to the future Continue Reading

Public sector IT and communications spend down 4% last year

Public sector spending on IT and communications was down in 2021, but some departments bucked the trend with major investments Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Ministry of Justice caught up in multiple cyber incidents

Besides multiple disclosed data breaches, department was also affected by two ransomware attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

MPs call for fair compensation for excluded victims of Post Office scandal

Almost 100 MPs have backed a call for the government to reverse its decision to exclude 555 subpostmasters from fair compensation for their suffering and losses as a result of the Post Office Horizon scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

New supercomputer opens doors for researchers in Sweden

More than twice as powerful as its predecessor, a new supercomputer ushers in new opportunities for researchers who rely on artificial intelligence and machine learning Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

Record amount invested in UK fintech last year, but female founders still overlooked

Last year the UK financial technology sector attracted the most investment ever following a slowdown in 2020 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Accessible retail: Personalising the UX for disabled consumers

An online marketplace built with an ‘accessibility-first’ mantra is set to go live in spring 2022 – and it comes amid several new inclusive retailing moves Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Which? raises concerns over buy now, pay later schemes

The ease of use and increased availability of buy now, pay later schemes masks the risks, says consumer protection champion Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

France fines Facebook and Google over alleged cookie malpractice

French data protection authorities clamp down on tech platforms for purposely making it more burdensome for users to decline tracking cookies Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

SMEs step up e-commerce ventures under shadow of Covid

A raft of smaller retailers have stepped up their e-commerce businesses during the pandemic, ranging from books to candles, rugs to togs Continue Reading

By

• Madeline Bennett, Mowser Media

How far has Saudi Arabia come with open data?

While clearly on the right path, Saudi Arabia still has a lot to do before it reaps the full benefits of open data Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

Government cans electronic monitoring overhaul

Nearly £100m of taxpayer money has been spent in tech that will not result in future benefits, according to the Ministry of Justice's annual accounts report Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Google buys Siemplify in first phase of cyber investment

Once integrated into Google Cloud, Siemplify’s platform will serve as the basis for deeper security development at Google Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fintech players get cosy in Luxembourg

Luxembourg aims to play a larger role in the rapidly growing global fintech market Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

NHS App exceeds 22 million user mark

Boosted by Covid-19 pass functionality, the NHS App is one of the most downloaded apps in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Melbourne’s InnerVision ups ante in smart parking

InnerVision Engineering’s smart parking solution uses machine vision and other technologies to deliver a frictionless parking experience for drivers in Australia Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Digital twin simulation helps baristas make a perfect espresso

A century-old Italian maker of high-end coffee machines used digital twins to virtually eliminate physical prototypes and set the stage for IoT-connected product as a service. Continue Reading

By

• David Essex, Industry Editor

Top 10 crime, national security and law stories of 2021

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 crime, national security and law stories of 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Top 10 startup stories of 2021

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 startup stories of 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Top 10 Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcasts of 2021

The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast team began the year discussing the online fallout from the storming of the White House and finished it discussing IT and climate change, touching on bees and datacentres along the way Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor
• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK
• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2021

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Top 10 Post Office Horizon stories of 2021

The past 12 months have seen some of the biggest landmarks in the unravelling of the Post Office Horizon scandal. Computer Weekly takes a look at a selection of key articles in 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Top 10 information management stories of 2021

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 information management stories of 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Top 10 retail technology stories of 2021

Computer Weekly looks at what 2021 had in store for the retail industry – did technology help retailers recover from the effects of the pandemic? Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Top 10 Nordic IT stories of 2021

Computer Weekly selects some of the biggest Nordic tech stories of 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Top 10 IR35 stories of 2021

The extension of the IR35 reforms to the private sector in April 2021 has provided Computer Weekly with lots to write about this year Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Vulnerabilities to fraud are increasing across the board

As the pandemic continues to affect how we work, socialise, shop and conduct business, so it has increased opportunities for digital fraud and cyber crime. Jason Lane-Sellers explores the latest LexisNexis Risk Solutions ‘Cybercrime report’ Continue Reading

By

• Jason Lane-Sellers, EMEA director of market planning, LexisNexis Risk Solutions

Is the IT sector beset by fear-mongering?

The arms race between hackers and security teams has led to a plethora of new technologies, but it can be hard to differentiate between sensible cyber purchases and those that are promoted by exaggerating risk Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Marks & Spencer upskills internal talent with data science education

Retailer is building up a data science capability that includes a Master’s degree-level apprenticeship as well as making data literacy a common currency up and down the organisation Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

A trial relying on computer evidence should start with a trial of the computer evidence

Learning from the Post Office Horizon scandal - the most widespread miscarriage of justice in recent British legal history Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Castell

Scale-up vs scale-out: Horizontal vs vertical scaling for storage

We look at the differences between scale-up and scale-out in storage – or horizontal vs vertical scaling – and the key ways it can be carried out on-prem and in the cloud Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

Top 10 government and public sector IT stories of 2021

Technology is an increasingly important part of government policy in the UK – while the digital transformation of the public sector continued during 2021, albeit slowly in some places Continue Reading

By

• Computer Weekly Staff

Top 10 financial services and fintech stories of 2021

Computer Weekly selects 10 key stories from the financial services IT sector over the past year Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Large organisations turning to digital currencies for stored value

Gartner predicts a major acceleration in the use of digital currencies over the next couple of years Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Oracle buys Cerner for nearly $30bn in major push into healthcare

Oracle has bought healthcare IT provider Cerner for $28.3bn, in a major push into healthcare. It is its largest acquisition since NetSuite for $9.3bn in 2016 Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

IT services spending recovery to get renewals boost in 2022

IT services and BPO deals worth $18.5bn globally up for renewal next year, adding fuel to already-expected high growth Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK tech startups raise almost £30bn in record year

The UK tech sector has achieved record growth in the past 12 months after the Covid pandemic paused investment Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

What is Log4Shell - and why the panic?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we assess the risks from Log4Shell, a new web software vulnerability described as “catastrophic”. We look at SASE – secure access service edge – which is set to be one of the networking priorities for 2022. And some victims of the Post Office IT scandal are still waiting for proper compensation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Top 10 NHS IT stories of 2021

Technology has been central to the National Health Service response to the Covid-19 pandemic – we look back at the stories that made the headlines on 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Computer Weekly Staff

Top 10 cloud storage, DR and datacentre storage stories of 2021

Key articles from 2021 that demonstrate the growing importance of cloud storage and disaster recovery, but also the snags that lead to cloud repatriation and difficulties restoring from the cloud Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Defra and MoJ hit with £120m IR35 tax bill despite using HMRC guidance

Government departments landed with tax bills totalling just over £120m over contractor IR35 status errors, despite receiving HMRC guidance and training Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Government must go further after agreeing to pay compensation for wrongly convicted subpostmasters

 Continue Reading

Top 10 ransomware and backup stories of 2021

Key articles from 2021 that highlight the link between ransomware and snapshots and backup and their role in repelling attacks, plus effects of the pandemic on backup and recovery Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Security Think Tank: Reframing CISO-boardroom relations

Security learning is a career-long process, so as 2021 draws to a close, participants in the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank sum up the most important cyber lessons they’ve taken away from the past 12 months Continue Reading

By

• Emma Bickerstaffe, Information Security Forum (ISF)

Tokopedia ups ante on observability capabilities

Indonesian e-commerce giant Tokopedia has consolidated its observability capabilities on a single cloud-based platform, enabling it to improve customer service and identify infrastructure issues Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

CDEI research pinpoints barriers to trustworthy AI exploitation

Survey of UK business by the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation has disclosed the patchiness of artificial intelligence and data-driven technology adoption across different economic sectors Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

HSBC fined £64m for automated transaction monitoring failures

Bank hit by multimillion-pound fine for failures related to its transaction monitoring, which failed to spot potential money-laundering activity Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Barclays selects HPE GreenLake to host 100,000 workloads

Bank sees a need to provide more personalised digital experiences, and GreenLake is providing the IT infrastructure to help it get there Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Nationwide Building Society moves website to Azure cloud

Building society’s tech teams work with consultancy Contino to implement new website using the chaos engineering method Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Pressure on government to pay fair compensation to subpostmasters left out of current schemes

MPs demand that the subpostmasters who defeated the Post Office in court should be properly compensated for their losses and suffering Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Gig economy algorithmic management tools ‘unfair and opaque’

Report published by Worker Info Exchange warns of algorithmically enabled rights abuses in the gig economy, noting the insufficient transparency of employers and the lacklustre nature of legal redress Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Asda follows EG Group sibling in selection of Rise with SAP

Retailer is looking to improve the agility of its operations in the cloud with a move to Rise with SAP on Microsoft Azure, and to streamline its procurement with SAP Ariba Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

After Log4j, December Patch Tuesday piles on the pressure

December’s Patch Tuesday update from Microsoft contains several critical CVEs, but this month all attention is focused on the fall-out from Log4Shell, and burn-out is becoming a real issue Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Digital Ethics Summit: Innovation needs regulation to be ethical

Experts attending the 2021 Digital Ethics Summit spoke out against the idea that regulation will stifle technological innovation, arguing that setting clear rules will produce more ethical innovation Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

AIB signs up to z15-powered transformation

Irish bank has continued its investment in IBM z-series hardware and the Red Hat software portfolio to help it achieve its digital transformation goals Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

UK government to take ‘whole-of-society’ approach to cyber

Second iteration of the UK’s National Cyber Strategy broadens its focus to build a ‘whole-of-society’ security posture Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Which? tells banks to stop rushing branch closures

Consumer rights protector says banks should pause branch closures until they can ensure people have access to cash and services Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK advances research of autonomous robots in lab environments

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory has been awarded new funding to develop the equipment alongside industry and academia Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Multibillion-dollar quantum opportunities if error rate recedes

Management consultant McKinsey discusses a potential $700bn opportunity in the pharma, finance, automotive and chemicals sectors Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Almost half of networks probed for Log4Shell weaknesses

Close to half of corporate networks have already been actively targeted by individuals seeking to exploit the critical Log4Shell Apache bug Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Joint committee publishes report on improving Online Safety Bill

MPs and peers release report on Online Safety Bill following five-month inquiry into the draft legislation and make a number of recommendations on how it can be improved to deal with harmful content and abuse on the internet Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Lords urge regulators to evolve as digital change accelerates

A cooperative approach with common objectives is needed to resolve potential conflicts between bodies in digital regulation as well as better oversight, according to a House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee report Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Government must go further after agreeing to pay compensation for wrongly convicted subpostmasters

The government has agreed to pay compensation to former subpostmasters wrongly convicted in the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, but continues to refuse to pay a significant group of victims Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

IT priorities 2022: Ransomware and cloud drive storage and backup

The pandemic and the move to the cloud has driven cloud storage as a key priority Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Oxford City Council services back online after weekend outage at SCC datacentre

Council has confirmed its services are back up and running after its datacentre hosting partner suffered a minor outage over the weekend Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Scottish government announces support for right to disconnect

The Scottish government is the first in the UK to publicly support a right to disconnect, which would give people the ability not engage in digitally enabled work-related activities outside of their contracted hours Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

What is Log4Shell, and why are we panicking about it?

It’s been described as a ‘design failure of catastrophic proportions’ that threatens the very fabric of the digital world. Find out what the Log4j2 Log4Shell panic is all about, and what you should do about it Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Having trouble overcoming the S/4HANA confidence gap?

As John Lennon and Yoko Ono didn't quite sing, "Give POC a chance!" If you’re one of the many SAP users who’s yet to migrate to S/4HANA, we understand your hesitation. It’s potentially a big ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Betts, Freeform Dynamics