IT news in your industry sector

Capita’s NHS contract under review after patient records blunder

Outsourcer’s health service deal in doubt following the latest in a “litany of failings”, with 160,000 patient records being wrongly archived Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

University of Bradford deploys HPC to aid research into preserving world’s heritage sites

University teams up with OCF to deploy high-performance computing environment to support efforts to create 3D representations of world heritage sites Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

UC Expo 2019: Experts talk up future tech in unified communications

Automation and AI are increasingly prevalent in unified comms, but do enterprises really need it? Continue Reading

By

• Rene Millman

Fintech’s role in reducing world poverty

Kosta Peric swapped a life innovating for banks to work on increasing financial inclusion in the developing world Continue Reading

Using fintech to fight poverty

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to find out how technology is fighting poverty by increasing financial inclusion. We examine how best to manage the challenges of Microsoft’s new plan for ongoing Windows 10 updates. And we find out how data innovation at Lloyd’s of London is supporting a wider digital modernisation at the 330-year-old insurance market. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

L’Oréal and Alibaba create AI-based app to offer self-care support for acne sufferers

Artificial intelligence-based app will help acne sufferers access dermatology treatment with greater ease Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Middle East Interview: Dubai-based Fetchr

Delivery app Fetchr is spreading across the Middle East with its mobile-to-mobile delivery service. We talk to its founder Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

Planned UK age verification checks risky for internet users

Proposed controversial online age verification checks could increase the risk of identity theft and other cyber crimes, warn security experts, who advise parents to set technological boundaries and ensure their families are aware of risks Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: In-app segregation more intelligent and permissive

What are the security benefits and challenges of segregating IT environments, and how best are these challenges overcome? Continue Reading

By

• Simon Persin, Turnkey Consulting

Cyber security scholarships on offer in Belfast

Queen’s University Belfast is backing the cyber security sector with funding for master of science scholarships Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 16

In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload, Clare McDonald and Brian McKenna are joined by prolific Downtime author Ryan Priest to discuss retail sustainability, internet influencers and the tech battle between China and the US Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Software-defined storage vs NAS/SAN: What are the options?

We look at the pros and cons of software-defined storage and weigh up when it’s a better option than buying NAS and SAN pre-built hardware shared storage arrays Continue Reading

By

• Rene Millman

UK leads in government AI readiness

The UK is one of the best placed in the world to take advantage of related technologies for public service delivery, according to a study Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Reduxio’s Magellan charts course to storage in containers

Reduxio makes its storage product functionality available via microservices in containers aimed at container-native deployments, in an initial closed customer beta Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

London council trials Verify-based digital ID scheme for vulnerable citizens

Programme under way at Tower Hamlets will allow residents to build a digital footprint and get better access to council services Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

DCMS shakes up BDUK with new rural full-fibre scheme

The Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme will run for two years, trialling a new model for full-fibre broadband delivery – meanwhile, BDUK is getting a new name Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: IT asset separation is a risk-based decision

What are the security benefits and challenges of segregating IT environments, and how best are these challenges overcome? Continue Reading

By

• Deshini Newman, (ISC)²

Lloyds Bank creates 500 IT roles in Scotland

New recruits will support banking group’s digital transformation as it aims to give customers “Google-like experiences” Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Danske Bank launches initiative to help SME customers with cyber security

Danske Bank launches initiative to support the cyber security efforts of its SME customers Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

GDPR an opportunity to improve data systems and processes

A year after the official implementation of the GDPR, it is important to highlight the positive opportunities that compliance provides and the insights breach reports are providing, say Deloitte consultants Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

ICO to support GDPR certification schemes

The UK data protection watchdog is accepting enquiries from organisations considering developing GDPR certification schemes, which the ICO says could help recipients achieve competitive advantage Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Post Office applies to appeal damning judgment in first Horizon trial

The Post Office has applied for permission to appeal judgments from the first trial in its IT-related legal battle with subpostmasters Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Are you proud or ashamed to work in IT?

I like the Tech UK response to the Doteveryone report but we also need the 80% of optimists to also join the political party of their choice and work to produce policies that will: Address the ... Continue Reading

By

• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

NHS 111 online hits new milestone

The urgent healthcare service has reached its one millionth triage mark since its launch Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

École Hôtelière de Lausanne puts Amelia the robot at its core

When Switzerland-based hospitality school EHL began to automate processes, it was met with staff inertia, but that all changed after its benefits became clear Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Security Think Tank: Challenges of segregation

What are the security benefits and challenges of segregating IT environments, and how best are these challenges overcome? Continue Reading

By

• Mike Gillespie

Government digital leaders to receive salary boost

The Cabinet Office revealed plans to increase the pay of some senior roles in an effort to compete with the industry Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Identity custodians needed in digital era

Digital identity systems will fail if they do not take humans into account, warns identity innovator, suggesting that a ‘digital guardian’ could help overcome most of these challenges Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

GozNym bust underlines cyber crime threat

A criminal network using GozNym malware has been shut down in an international law enforcement operation, but others are still operating, underlining the need for vigilance, warns a security expert Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cloud’s low-hanging fruit: Backup, tiering and data sharing

Native cloud operations can have a steep on-ramp in terms of enterprise IT readiness, but some things are relatively easy to port to a tier of storage in the cloud Continue Reading

By

• Paul Stringfellow, Gardner Systems

Vulnerability assessment done. Now what?

Vulnerability assessment establishes the current state of an organisation’s cyber security, but to meet industry best practices, companies should go beyond that to achieve continuous improvement Continue Reading

By

• Sam Bocetta

ISPs get nine months prep time for Ofcom shake-up of broadband contract renewal rules

Regulator Ofcom is giving broadband, phone and pay-TV service providers nine months to ready their systems and processes for the emergence of new rules, designed to make it easier for consumers to switch providers Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Norwegian industry and state must combine to counter cyber threats

Norway has been targeted by two large ransomware attacks in recent months – and public and private organisations must react in a coordinated way Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Self-sovereign ID key to data privacy

Coupling self-sovereign identity with insights from research on consumer identity management may be the key to personalising products and services without putting people at risk, says industry analyst Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Datrium rebrands hybrid cloud data platform as Automatrix

NVMe pioneer Datrium announces ControlShift disaster recovery automation as a service, while bundling its data platform offerings as Automatrix, and lauds the benefits compared to siloed IT Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Fujitsu sets out to restore trust in technology

Trust in technology, how to recapture it, and how to ensure AI doesn’t overstep its bounds were the big messages on the opening day of Fujitsu Forum in Tokyo Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK government boosts AI Council with new appointments

New recruits come from online-only retailer Ocado, the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information, and the Alan Turing Institute Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Facebook engaged in ‘calculated’ campaign to eliminate competition, claims businessman

A US businessman is seeking damages from Facebook after accusing the social media company of unfairly blocking “humorous” Facebook pages which generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising revenue Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin and Sebastian Klovig Skelton

CW500 Club: Rising to the IT ethics and sustainability challenge

As technologists are asked to take a position of continuing leadership in the digital revolution brought about by tools such as artificial intelligence, the Computer Weekly CW500 Club looked at how to innovate in an ethical and sustainable way Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Stella McCartney and Google Cloud start machine learning and fashion-focused sustainability push

Stella McCartney and Google Cloud are embarking on a joint pilot project that will draw on the tech giant's machine learning and cloud-based data processing portfolio to help clean up the fashion industry's supply chains Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Microsoft working to support decentralised identity

Microsoft is among the big tech players aiming to help enable personalisation of products and services without putting privacy at risk Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Implement multifactor authentication, urges expert panel

Multifactor authentication should be a top priority for organisations to defend users from cyber attacks, coupled with zero-trust architecture and artificial intelligence-based technologies, says expert panel Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Nationwide invests in behavioural AI startup

Nationwide invests in a startup developing AI that can work out how it should change the way it communicates with different people. Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Security Think Tank: Understanding tech is key to effective data segregation

What are the security benefits and challenges of segregating IT environments, and how best are these challenges overcome? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

UK pensions trust launches £1.5bn tender for digital services delivery

The National Employment Savings Trust wants its new supplier to build innovations such as data analytics to services provided via digital channels Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Gorilla bets on Object Matrix for £1m-plus-per-episode TV shows

Customers such as Netflix, Amazon and the BBC need to be sure their content is stored safely. Gorilla Post Production chose object storage from Wales-based Object Matrix Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Footasylum steps up artificial intelligence to drive customer centricity

Retailer Footasylum is placing its bets on cloud-based emergent technologies to accelerate automation and personalisation across the business Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Public sector outsourcing spend plummets

Private sector outsourcing dominated spending in the UK during the first quarter of 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Network Rail appoints Aidan Hancock as IT chief

Former BP technology chief Aidan Hancock joins the rail company to lead its digital transformation efforts Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 15

In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload, business editor Clare McDonald takes over presenting duties, and leads Brian McKenna and Caroline Donnelly through a wide-ranging discussion that covers cloud skills, Lady Gaga's take on SAP, government IT procurement and the importance of engaging in-store retail experiences Continue Reading

By

• Computer Weekly Staff

Call for NHS IT jobs to be promoted differently to attract more tech talent

More ambition and a mindset change is required to attract more technology talent to the national health service Continue Reading

Electronic ID in the Nordics – a model for other countries?

Use of electronic identity schemes in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark is far ahead of other countries – but why? Continue Reading

By

• Alex Cruickshank

Email firm runs millions of mailboxes with Scality object storage

Open Xchange switches from OpenStack Swift to Scality to run 13PB of storage for millions of mailboxes across two continents for telco, mobile and TV providers Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Councils urged to support 5G readiness

Local authorities must do more to facilitate the roll-out of next-generation mobile connectivity, study finds Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Security Think Tank: How to realise the benefits of security zoning

What are the security benefits and challenges of segregating IT environments, and how best are these challenges overcome? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

National Crime Agency calls for additional funding to tackle 21st century crime

Organised criminal gangs represent the biggest cyber threat to the UK, and law enforcement has identified rogue servers hosted in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

HSBC hires Ian Bromwich as UK CIO

New incumbent Ian Bromwich joins HSBC from Lloyds Banking Group Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Security standard for surveillance cameras set for launch

A long-overdue cyber security standard for the manufacturer of surveillance cameras is on track for an official launch in June Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Health screening IT unfit for purpose since 2011

National health bodies do not have full visibility of all the patients who need screenings, and a replacement system faces further delay, a new PAC report has found Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

More power for NHSX chief as top health service IT executive steps down

Operations director at NHS England Matthew Swindells has handed over his IT duties to the chief executive at the new digital unit, Matthew Gould Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

CIO interview: Sanjeev Katwa, head of technology, Tottenham Hotspur FC

The Premier League club’s state-of-the-art new stadium is claimed to be the most technologically advanced in the world – its IT leader takes us behind the scenes Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

Security Think Tank: Benefits and challenges of security segmentation

What are the security benefits and challenges of segregating IT environments, and how best are these challenges overcome? Continue Reading

By

• Maxine Holt, Omdia

Court of Appeal judge rejects Post Office request in Horizon IT case

The Court of Appeal has refused the Post Office’s application to appeal a major decision in the Horizon IT trial Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Debugging bug bounty programmes

Bug bounty programmes have recently become a popular method of vulnerability management, but poor programme management can lead to development teams becoming overwhelmed and bugs being missed Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

O2 boosts indoor network capacity to prep for 5G

O2 has been working with the Wireless Infrastructure Group to enhance mobile connectivity indoors and in public spaces Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Surviving the existential cyber punch, part 3

How should businesses plan to survive a potential cyber attack extinction event? Continue Reading

By

• Gregory Touhill, ISACA

Regional differences in the UK’s computing curriculum

Teaching young people about the importance of digital skills is a focus of the education system across the UK, but the delivery of these skills is different across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – who has it right? Continue Reading

By

• Cath Everett

Striving to be a good bank at Tandem Bank: Fintech Interview 21

Tandem Bank is using the latest technology to help people manage their finances and half a million have already taken up its offer Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government hints at biometric regulations

Immigration minister says options are being considered around governance and oversight of biometric technologies use Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Key lessons from an ethical hacker

Understanding hacker techniques and processes is the best way to defend against cyber attacks, and focusing on business risks is the best way to get security budget, according to an ethical hacker Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Reducing poverty through fintech at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Kosta Peric swapped a life innovating for banks to work on increasing financial inclusion in the developing world Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Dutch businesses not yet implementing NIS Directive

Little urgency to comply with the Network and Information Systems Security Act, which seeks to protect the Netherlands’ vital infrastructure and digital services from cyber attack Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Home Office seeks immigration technology head

The Home Office is looking for a suitable candidate to fill its newly created high-profile IT role, which will cover Brexit-related requirements around immigration technology Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Home Office failing on Emergency Services Network, says NAO

The delayed Emergency Services Network is slipping further behind schedule and is getting more expensive all the time – and the Home Office’s management of the project is to blame, says the National Audit Office Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Facebook co-founder: ‘It is time to break up Facebook’

Co-founder of Facebook, Chris Hughes, has published an op-ed in The New York Times calling for Facebook to be broken up, as it faces investigations from the US Federal Trade Commission Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor
• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Interview: Data takes centre stage at Lloyd’s of London

The 330-year-old insurance market is evolving its data efforts as part of a far-reaching modernisation strategy, focusing on artificial intelligence and driving employee data literacy Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Deutsche Börse harnesses Microsoft cloud

German stock exchange signs deal with Microsoft that will not only benefit the exchange, but other organisations in the sector that are considering cloud migration Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Physical stores – the place to meet your tribe

In a digital world, stores still have a place as community hubs, representatives from Lego, Vans and M&Ms told Retail Expo Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Confident BT Group calls on Openreach to build full-fibre faster

Openreach will ramp up the pace of its full-fibre network build over the next six years, with ambitious targets to bring ultrafast broadband within reach of 15 million homes by the middle of the 2020s Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fintech Tink gets UK expansion rolling with NatWest deal

Swedish fintech Tink gets its UK expansion going with NatWest deal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

NHS Digital starts on multi-cloud push with VMware Cloud on AWS deployment

NHS Digital has adopted a cloud-first strategy to ensure it has the correct infrastructure in place to support the online delivery needs of its service users Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Northern Ireland generating cyber security knowledge and jobs

Northern Ireland is establishing itself as an international hub of cyber security research and innovation, providing growing employment opportunities Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government 'cloud-first' policy under review by CCS and GDS

Longstanding cloud-first policy set to be replaced by more "appropriate" guidance to reflect public sector's changing technology deployment habits, CCS confirms Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

MP sets out concerns over GP at Hand software

Concerns raised over the robustness and breadth of the software underpinning Babylon Health’s app amid calls for an inquiry into the tool Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Gov.uk Verify is the Theresa May of digital government

Gov.uk Verify is the Theresa May of digital government. The embattled Prime Minister faces calls to quit from all around – her own Conservative MPs, grassroots Tory activists, the right-wing press ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Average UK broadband speeds up a fifth in 12 months

Research from telecoms regulator Ofcom suggests efforts to encourage consumers to switch to faster broadband services are paying off Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Gov.uk Verify has 'failed users' and its leaders lack accountability, say MPs

Public Accounts Committee slams government's flagship digital identity service after a ‘catalogue of problems’ Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Open banking take-up in the Netherlands less than expected because government promoted GDPR so well

The Dutch government promoted GDPR so much to the public that take up of open banking has been low Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Is BT’s boss about to make his mark with new full-fibre targets?

BT’s new chief executive, Philip Jansen, is to revise Openreach’s targets for its full-fibre broadband network roll-out upwards when he reveals BT’s full-year financial results on Thursday 9 May, ... Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nasuni aims at analytics and fast migration to the cloud

Cloud NAS and object storage specialist says customers want “Lego blocks” that allow them to build for cloud workloads, and plans cloud migration tools for massive datasets Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Time to start thinking about AI regulation, says KuppingerCole

Organisations and individuals should think about regulating artificial intelligence to avoid sleepwalking into a future regulated by these technologies, says analyst Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber criminals targeting C-suite, DBIR shows

Executives and cloud-based services are gaining popularity as targets for cyber criminals, according to the latest data breach investigations report Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Highways England trials self-driving trucks for roadworks

A pilot is aimed at reducing project timescales and increasing worker safety, though vehicles are expected to take another two to three years to be fully operating Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Technical error on Capita system puts Barnet council staff out of pocket

A system error that led to Barnet council staff being incorrectly paid is the latest complaint about a back-office outsourcing contract with Capita Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 14

In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload, editor-in-chief Bryan Glick joins Brian McKenna and Caroline Donnelly to discuss the technology used in BBC drama Line of Duty, the latest twists and turns in the Huawei saga, and open source cloud trends Continue Reading

By

• Computer Weekly Staff

Early adopters expect to pay 32% premium for 5G

Potential early adopters of 5G say they expect, on average, to pay more for their devices and services, but they expect measurable improvements on 4G from the get-go Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Greater Manchester invites bidders for public sector broadband

£32m tender request will enable ultrafast full-fibre connectivity to more than 1,300 public sector sites in Greater Manchester Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Azimo safeguards its EU passporting rights with Dutch licence

Azimo makes Dutch office operational with licence and gaurantees itself the right to operate across EU after Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Nurturing innovation at DWP

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out about the Department for Work and Pensions’ Innovation Dojo and how it’s helping to try out new digital ideas. We look at Anthos, Google’s new multicloud platform which the supplier claims will redefine enterprise IT. And we report from the NCSC cyber security conference, where experts discussed the lessons learned from recent high-profile attacks. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Tech manifesto calls on health secretary to ‘get basics right’

Royal College of GPs says joining up IT systems is essential to enable innovation Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari