IT news in your industry sector

Capita restructures to simplify its business

Business services supplier creates two core units that focus on public sector and commercial enterprise customers and will sell off non-core assets Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Security Think Tank: CNI operators must focus on core issues

In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Cyber sector welcomes PM’s defence review

Security commentators approve of measures to improve the UK’s cyber resilience, strengthen its R&D and skills base, lead on the development of new technology and promote a free, open, peaceful and secure global internet Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nordic healthcare digitisation drives medtech growth

Nordic medtech is growing rapidly as the healthcare sector adopts technologies such as artificial intelligence and the internet of things Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Children’s learning held back by digital schooling, NAO report finds

Children’s socio-economic status has affected their experiences with digital learning, and most teachers consider their pupils to be, on average, three months behind where they would be expected to be Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

One-fifth of all UK tech investment went to just 10 scaleup firms in 2020

Annual Tech Nation report shows UK technology firms saw record levels of investment in 2020, but a significant proportion of it was concentrated in a small number of scaleup enterprises Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Insurers unable to fill a quarter of tech roles

Insurance companies need to fill tech skills gaps if they are going to prosper in the age of insurtech Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Uber and Ola ordered to hand over more data to drivers

A Dutch court has rejected Uber and Ola’s claims that drivers collectively taking action to access their data amounts to an abuse of their individual data access rights, laying the ground for drivers to form their own union-controlled data trust Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

MoD partners playing fast and loose with confidential data

Clear spike in data breach incidents at defence partners may reflect better reporting standards, claims MoD Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Banks still lack tech skills at the top

Banks have made progress in adding IT knowledge in their boardrooms, but they need more as digital transformation accelerates Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government calls for input into Covid-19 vaccine passports

Evidence gathering exercise will inform the development of the UK’s proposed Covid-19 vaccine passport scheme Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK plans ‘full spectrum’ approach to national cyber security

PM Boris Johnson expands on proposed National Cyber Force and plans to set up a north of England Cyber Corridor Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

5 COVID-19 vaccine rollout lessons for supply chain leaders

The effort and coordination required to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to people across the globe provides powerful lessons. Here are five. Continue Reading

By

• George Lawton

Judges refuse EncroChat defendants’ appeal to Supreme Court

Experts suggest Parliament and Investigatory Powers Tribunal need to consider the implications of a court decision on police use of data from the EncroChat phone network Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Parliamentary PACA Committee slams Gove over Covid-19 data failures

Parliamentary Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee publishes report critical of government accountability regarding data behind the decisions taken during the coronavirus pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

IR35 private sector reforms: IPSE warns of UK contracting talent exodus unless start date delayed

Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed research into what contractors plan to do once the IR35 reforms come into play highlights growing risk of talent shortages Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Government plans for fresh AI strategy

The government wants to “unleash the power of AI” and be “the most pro-tech government ever”, according to digital secretary Oliver Dowden Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Mace Group uses RealWear to support Covid-safe site inspections

Construction consulting business is using augmented reality headsets to enable people on Microsoft Teams to inspect building sites remotely Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Security Think Tank: CNI operators are in an unenviable position

In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

By

• Mike Lloyd, RedSeal

India is becoming a hotspot for IoT

India is set to be a cradle for internet of things deployments thanks to its vibrant economy and its potential to play a bigger role in global manufacturing Continue Reading

By

• Pratima Harigunani

Arrest warrants issued for Canadians behind Sky ECC cryptophone network used by organised crime

The US has issued arrest warrants for the CEO of Sky Global and a former distributor for racketeering, aiding and abetting the distribution of illegal drugs by supplying encrypted phones to criminals Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Ski firm dumps ‘motley’ storage for DataCore software-defined

Eurogroup cuts power usage by 70% and rackspace from 84U to 7U as it consolidates multiple physical servers and storage protocols onto SANsymphony software-defined storage Continue Reading

By

• Yann Serra, LeMagIT
• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

PAC slams Home Office digital border programme

The Home Office has failed to acknowledge and be transparent about Digital Services at the Border programme problems, according to the Public Accounts Committee Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Amazon Go – is now the right time?

In the beginning of 2021, Amazon launched a physical store in London, but is it the right time to be investing in offline? Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Baldwin, Freelance editor and journalist

Brewer Molson Coors targeted in cyber attack

Cyber criminals have disrupted beer production at Molson Coors, one of the world’s largest brewers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Interview: Uber driver Yaseen Aslam on his Supreme Court battle and what’s next for gig workers

Private hire driver and union organiser Yaseen Aslam speaks to Computer Weekly about his legal battle with Uber and what the UK Supreme Court ruling means to workers in the gig economy Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

UK technology business created every 30 minutes in 2020

New figures on UK business creation show surge in entrepreneurs setting up technology businesses during 2020, while the sector’s hiring efforts climb back to pre-pandemic levels Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

CW Innovation Awards: Fighting fake Covid-19 vaccines with blockchain

A blockchain-based system developed by Singapore-based Zuellig Pharma can help governments and healthcare providers weed out fake vaccines and manage vaccine distribution and administration Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Why the London Data Charter could be a foundation stone in the city’s recovery

London First’s director of connectivity and competitiveness, David Lutton, explains why data is at the core of the capital’s recovery plan Continue Reading

By

• David Lutton

Potential miscarriages of justice of Scottish subpostmasters move to full review

The Post Office Horizon scandal gets bigger as subpostmaster prosecutions in Scotland are reviewed Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK digital regulators set out plans to strengthen cooperation

Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum outlines plans for the coming year, marking a shift towards a more collaborative regulatory approach Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Scotland launches digital strategy

Updated strategy aims to equip Scotland for technological transformation post-coronavirus and focuses on building an ethical digital nation Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Data-driven innovation needs trustworthy governance

The pandemic has given us a glimpse of what data-driven technology can do for society – and we cannot go back to the status quo Continue Reading

By

• Edwina Dunn, Computer Weekly

CW Europe: Nordic tech startups create blueprint for post-Covid working environment

Business can learn lessons from Nordic tech startups to prepare employees to return to the office after Covid restrictions end. Also read why Netherlands police need a training ‘roadmap’ to get them up to speed to tackle cyber crime. Continue Reading

Scottish farm subsidy body slashes dev time with Pure all-flash

Rural directorate ditched hybrid flash EMC SAN for Pure all-flash storage and cut developer time in half, while beta testing Cloud Block Store and planning container project Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Digital knowledge must be integral part of Dutch police training

 Continue Reading

UK launches fellowship to attract tech talent to government

Programme jointly run by Number 10 and Government Digital Service will see 10 leaders enlisted to address key challenges in the public sector Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Met Police chooses Capgemini as strategic IT infrastructure services provider

Capgemini has a history of providing the force with day-to-day technology services, and will now deliver its infrastructure services under the Pegasus programme Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Welsh FA boss linked to recruitment of controversial former Post Office executive to step down

Football Association Wales CEO Jonathan Ford is stepping down after losing a vote of no confidence triggered by the controversial appointment of Angela van den Bogerd, who was involved in the Post Office IT scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government’s refusal of freedom of information request about Post Office scandal ‘deeply concerning’

MP condemns department’s ‘bizarre’ rejection of freedom of information request linked to Post Office IT scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Police crack world’s largest cryptophone network as criminals swap EncroChat for Sky ECC

Belgian and Dutch police have breached the encryption of users of Sky ECC, the world’s largest cryptophone network. There are significant parallels with the international police operation against the EncroChat cryptophone network which led to hundreds of arrests Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

How biotech firm Luminex manages field service

Technicians at Luminex work remotely, but their schedules, spare parts for repairs and customer site visits need to link to tech support and the CRM Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Hybrid working, diversity progress – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

In this episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Caroline Donnelly, Clare McDonald and Brian McKenna discuss hybrid working, progress in diversity and data in healthcare Continue Reading

By

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

Belgian police raid 200 premises in drug operation linked to breach of encrypted phone network

More than 1,600 police and law enforcement officials conduct drug raids after the compromise of an encrypted mobile phone network that has parallels with EncroChat Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

NHS datacentre transformation projects continue apace during pandemic

NHS trusts have continued to invest in their datacentre estates throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, but the nature of their upgrade projects continues to evolve Continue Reading

By

• Fleur Doidge

UK's Starling Bank reaches unicorn status

UK app-based bank Starling reaches unicorn status following its latest round of funding Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

EBA restores services after Microsoft Exchange attack

European Banking Authority was breached through vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server, but is now back online Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Prime minister yet to respond to serious subpostmaster concerns over Horizon IT scandal inquiry

Subpostmaster victims who have spent millions bringing the Post Office IT scandal to light have received no reply to their concerns from Boris Johnson Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Private equity house buys McAfee enterprise business

Deal to sell off enterprise unit will see McAfee become a pure-play consumer organisation Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Goldman Sachs CEO comments highlight need for home working balance

The remote working revolution has been prominent in the banking sector and organisations have a balancing act to perform once the pandemic passes. Continue Reading

Are you ready to return to the office?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, a year after lockdown began, we look at employers’ changing attitudes to returning to the workplace. We find out how the software developer community has coped during the Covid-19 pandemic. And we examine the cyber security concerns prompted by latest social media craze, Clubhouse. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Wipro makes its biggest acquisition ever with $1.45bn takeover

Indian IT services supplier Wipro makes biggest acquisition in its history as it bolsters consultancy offering Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

US teases retaliation over state-backed cyber attacks

Consequences for alleged perpetrators of the SolarWinds attack are expected within the next few weeks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Foreign Affairs Committee launches inquiry into tech and the future of UK foreign policy

Committee looks for evidence on how the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office can respond to opportunities and challenges brought by new and emerging technologies Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Cumbria and Nottinghamshire care homes pilot diagnostic telemedicine

Two care homes trial telemedicine system that allows GPs to carry out detailed patient assessments without leaving the surgery Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Government to change unfair private prosecution rules used to prosecute innocent subpostmasters

Government agrees to change private prosecution rules that were abused by the Post Office in its pursuit of subpostmasters wrongly accused of financial crimes Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Nordic innovators change emphasis on gender equality in society

Female technology innovators in the Nordics take a different approach to trying to improve opportunities for women Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Williams F1 car launch disrupted by data leak

Williams Formula One team forced to pull augmented reality app it had planned to use to launch its 2021 car at the last minute after an apparent cyber attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nottinghamshire schools suspend online learning following cyber attack

Cyber attack on central trust that manages secondary schools in Nottinghamshire leaves them unable to access IT systems and deliver remote lessons Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Sarah Wilkinson, most influential person in UK tech 2021 – winner’s speech

In this video from Computer Weekly’s annual UKtech50 event, in partnership with Spinks, Sarah Wilkinson, CEO of NHS Digital, gives her acceptance speech as the 2021 most influential person in UK tech Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Innovation underpinned by trustworthy governance, says CDEI

Public support for greater use of digital technologies such as AI depends on how much trust people have in its governance, says report Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Bank of Ireland to reduce branch network by almost half

Bank of Ireland is latest bank to pin its future on digital channels as customers change their banking habits Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK contactless payment limit more than doubled

UK increases the amount that can be spent in one go using a contactless payments card to £100 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Parliament bill to create the UK's Advanced Research and Invention Agency

The ‘high-risk, high-reward’ UK equivalent of ARPA will be provided with powers to fund and develop projects, including exemption from freedom of information requests and 10 years to prove its own success Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Budget 2021: Tax relief for data and cloud, digital skills for SMEs, more IT firepower for HMRC

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a slew of tech-related measures in this year's Budget, which also included a visa review for highly-skilled IT professionals and a £375m fund for innovative businesses Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Glitch signs collective bargaining agreement with unionised workers

US software startup’s ‘milestone’ agreement with employees focuses on job security and labour rights rather than salaries and benefits Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Pandemic brings good online sales growth for smaller retailers

IMRG data shows smaller retailers did ‘astronomically well’ in online sales growth after Covid-19 took hold last year Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

UK’s Arkivum up for €4.8m EU science data archive project

CERN-led multi-petabyte scale research data archive bid will use Google cloud and compete with AWS-based and open source designs from other providers Libnova and Onedata Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

IR35 private sector reforms: Hays calls on Treasury to delay April 2021 start date by a year

UK and Ireland managing director of recruitment giant Hays writes to HM Treasury to demand a delay and review of the government’s plans to roll out the IR35 reforms to the private sector from April 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

CIO interview: Laura Dawson, CIO, London School of Economics

LSE’s CIO talks about focusing on team development, her vision of creating a connected network of technologists, and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

SME backup: Card maker ditches tape-only for Nakivo 3-2-1 setup

IG Design Group gains a modern backup regime with data held on disk, in the cloud and long-term on tape in a move that has helped it to slash backup and restore times Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

PGA Tour teams up with AWS to improve fan engagement during tournaments

PGA Tour selects Amazon Web Services as its official cloud service partner as it sets about revamping tournament viewing experience for golf fans Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

How Aberdeenshire Council is using Cherwell’s ITSM platform

Tech leaders are seeing opportunities to expand the remit of IT service management beyond IT Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

EU seeking pan-European Covid-19 passport solution

The European Union’s proposal could see the creation of a Covid-19 vaccine passport to enable travel across the EU Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Goldman Sachs CEO comments highlight need for home working balance

The remote working revolution has been prominent in the banking sector and organisations have a balancing act to perform once the pandemic passes Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

HSBC offers to help customers transitioning to digital banking as branch closures continue

HSBC is offering its customers training in how to bank digitally in a safe and effective way as it, like many banks, moves customers out of branches and towards using online services Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

HMCTS rolls out digital case management system

The Common Platform digital system aims to make it easier to share and manage case information across the criminal justice system Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Reading Borough Council to overhaul IT infrastructure

Council and its children’s services partner award contracts worth £13.2m for shared IT infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Taking back control in the face of Covid-19 and Brexit

GUEST BLOG: In this contributed blog post, Anastasia Laska, vice president partner alliances and business development, Revionics, an Aptos company, explains how employing tech that helps them roll ... Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

The most influential people in UK technology

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we reveal our annual list of the 50 most influential people in UK IT, and talk to this year’s winner, NHS Digital CEO Sarah Wilkinson, about an unprecedented year of challenges. Also, we examine the best software patching strategies and see how the pandemic has affected women in tech. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Digital secretary Dowden outlines UK post-Brexit data approach

The UK government is searching for a new information commissioner with an updated remit to use data to support growth and innovation, and plans on reaching new international data partnerships Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Budget 2021: Putting tech at the core of the plan for growth

This week’s UK government Budget represents a great opportunity to place tech and digital as the cornerstone of UK economic growth after Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Julian David, TechUK

On digital identity, the government gets it wrong again

The latest government proposals to regulate the digital identity sector continue to misunderstand how such a market works – a more API-based approach is needed to deliver the clear benefits of online ID Continue Reading

By

• Jon Nash, Demos

Cyber extortionist threatened to bomb NHS targets

A German court has convicted a 33-year-old Italian man for making extortion and bomb threats against NHS hospitals at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic’s first wave last year Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

DCMS gives tablet devices to people with learning disabilities

The government is providing thousands of free tablet devices to those with learning disabilities to help them stay connected Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

It’s now or never for UK fintech, government told

The UK government faces a ‘now or never’ moment if it wants financial technology to play a central role in the economy for years to come Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Nordic startups strive to fuel international e-commerce transformation

Nordic startups are developing technology for retailers that want to improve the customer experience when buying online Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Palantir once more in sights of civil libertarians over NHS Covid data store

The award of a new government contract to data analytics supplier Palantir on the back of its participation in the NHS Covid-19 data store has provoked Open Democracy into legal action, backed up by an exposure of lobbying activity that pre-dates the pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

NCSC Cyber Action Plan emphasises SME security

NCSC self-assessment tool launched to help sole traders and micro-businesses tackle their cyber security challenges Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UKtech50 2021: The most influential people in UK technology

Computer Weekly has announced the 11th annual UKtech50 – our definitive list of the movers and shakers in the UK tech sector Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

UKtech50 interview: Sarah Wilkinson, CEO, NHS Digital

The UKtech50’s most influential person in UK IT in 2021, NHS Digital CEO Sarah Wilkinson, talks about how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the speed of projects, staff pressures and key leadership lessons Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

IR35 private sector reforms: Contractors call for further delays to April 2021 start date

Research by the online tax consultancy arm of Ernst & Young reveals lack of preparedness among contractors for the onset of the IR35 tax avoidance reforms in the private sector Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Npower shuts off app after credential stuffing attack

Npower customers will have to log in to their accounts on its website after its app was withdrawn following a security breach Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Tech-enabled hybrid working enables HSBC to cut 40% of its global office space

Bank is making huge reductions in the amount of office space it uses through a global hybrid-working policy Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CW Nordics: Nordic startups aim to take the lead in pet tech advances

Nordic technology startups are looking to take pet tech mainstream following the acceleration of the industry during the coronavirus pandemic. Also in this issue, read how businesses can learn lessons from Nordic technology startups to prepare employees to return to the office after Covid-19 restrictions lift. Continue Reading

IR35 private sector reforms: What IT contractors need to know

Computer Weekly asks contracting experts to answer questions about PSC bans, compliant umbrella companies and challenging status determinations, with the latest IR35 reforms coming into place Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Facebook’s AI doctoral research programme makes inroads into UK

Facebook collaborates with University College London to bring artificial intelligence doctoral research programme to the UK, with aim to open-sourcing the findings Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Vaccine passports prove an ethical minefield

Privacy campaigners warn that vaccine passports may turn out to be discriminatory and invasive, while technologists agree careful consideration must be given to their design Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Is Clubhouse safe, and should CISOs stop its use?

With more concerns being raised over the privacy and security of social media app Clubhouse, we consider whether security teams should consider restricting or stopping employees from using it Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Internet companies should provide real-time data on disinformation, Lords told

Fact-checking experts tell House of Lords inquiry that upcoming Online Safety Bill should force internet companies to provide real-time information on suspected disinformation, and warn against over-reliance on AI-powered algorithms to moderate content Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor