IT news in your industry sector

GDPR driving data protection maturity

The EU data protection laws are helping to drive data protection maturity internationally, but five months after enforcement many companies are still playing catch-up, says consultant Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Digital services tax weakens the case for tech startups to choose the UK

The UK government’s plan for a tax specifically targeting big digital firms risks undermining international efforts to reform corporate taxation for the digital age Continue Reading

By

• Julian David, TechUK

Ofcom releases BT from 2005 Openreach undertakings

Following the legal split of the two organisations, telecoms regulator Ofcom has formally ‘released’ BT from the 2005 undertakings set up to manage the Openreach infrastructure business Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The fintech interview: Part 8 InvestCloud

InvestCloud is a fintech with a few miles on the clock. It was even around when businesses didn't understand cloud services. Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK Post Office looks to enable reusable digital ID

The UK Post Office is investigating the possibility of enabling UK citizens to re-use their passport data for other applications where digital identity is a key component Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Inside Schneider Electric’s Batam smart factory

The French energy management and automation firm has nearly halved material wastage by applying smart manufacturing technologies at its Indonesia plant Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Budget 2018: A mixed bag

Computer Weekly looks at some of the detail in the tech-laden 2018 Budget and can’t get away from the big elephant in the room: the impact of a potential No Deal Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Budget 2018: No great leap forward for broadband, but no need to panic

The chancellor set aside £1.6bn for digital technology in the Budget, but broadband services did not draw much attention. Is this a surprise, or a reflection of growing commercial investment in full-fibre, and what should the role of government be? Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

IR35 reforms: Private sector extension confirmed for April 2020 in Autumn Budget

As the government confirms the IR35 reforms will be extended to large and medium-sized businesses in the private sector from April 2020, campaigners claim the move risks destabilising the UK's flexible workforce Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

UK government taskforce commits to distributed ledger technologies

Report says distributed ledger technology “has the potential to deliver significant benefits in financial services and other sectors in the future” Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Interview: Matt Hancock, secretary of state for health and social care, on his NHS ‘tech vision’

Matt Hancock brings rare digital experience to running the NHS and social care systems, but can he overcome the legacy of past health service technology failures? Continue Reading

Aim for long-term customer identity relationship

Consumer identity management can deliver competitive advantage, but only if businesses follow some golden rules, says KuppingerCole Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Power struggle: A row is brewing over EU plans to curb datacentre energy use

In this week’s Computer Weekly, a row is brewing over an EU plan to curb datacentre energy use, and the leading server suppliers are not happy - we analyse the details. Secretary of state for health and social care Matt Hancock talks exclusively to us about his new technology vision for the NHS. And we examine the growing popularity of short-term “gig” employment for IT professionals. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Traditional financial services firms face extinction within 12 years

A large number of large banks could disappear within 12 years unless they change business models and economics Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Hammond’s digital services tax is a big risk, say experts

The tech industry is not impressed with the chancellor’s plan to tax web giants, saying it can stifle innovation, while tax lawyers warn that it is a very risky move that could lead to US retaliation Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Government consults on full-fibre for tenants, new-build homes

Proposed legislation would compel landlords and property developers to offer full-fibre broadband to tenants and customers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Defend application layer with good security hygiene

What should organisations be doing to address application layer attacks and reduce the likelihood of a breach through this type of attack? Continue Reading

By

• Mike Gillespie

Manchester’s evolution from rag trade to e-commerce riches

As Amazon and Moonpig plan to open Manchester hubs, the focus once again turns to the city’s in-demand digital and e-commerce scene Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Retail tech spending will grow 3.6% globally in 2019, predicts Gartner

Global spending on technology in the retail sector is set to grow by 3.6% in 2019, according to predictions by Gartner analysts Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

What's most important in creating a supply chain management strategy?

Begin with the end in mind: great customer service. That's one secret to establishing your supply chain priorities -- one that can help as you decide on its tradeoffs. Continue Reading

By

• Dave Turbide

Why subpostmasters and Post Office are battling it out in the High Court

After over a decade of controversy, next week marks the beginning of a court battle between subpostmasters and the Post Office over allegations of faults in an accounting system leading to unfair prosecutions Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Finnish city Espoo trials artificial intelligence for community support

The authorities for Finnish city Espoo are testing out AI technology to help them target services at the residents who need them most Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Police tech is ‘a complete and utter mess’, says Home Affairs Committee

Committee has “serious concerns” about police forces’ digital capabilities, interoperability and tech adoption, and urges ministers to take responsibility Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

O2 extends rural 4G network to 339 communities

O2 has extended its rural network roll-out, targeting over 300 small communities all over the UK Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Philips looks to artificial intelligence to train its workforce

Healthcare company is looking to AI, chatbots and learning playlists to help staff learn new skills more quickly as it adapts changing business priorities Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Security Think Tank: Counter application layer attacks with automation

What should organisations be doing to address application layer attacks and reduce the likelihood of a breach through this type of attack? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

NGA secures £22m for Bristol-Newport fibre link

Ultrafast wholesale network builder Nextgenaccess has been awarded funding from the National Digital Infrastructure Fund to improve connectivity in South Wales Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

British Airways data breach worse than thought

British Airways has admitted that up to 185,000 more people than first thought may have had personal details compromised in August’s data breach Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

DNS attacks cost finance firms millions of pounds a year

Average cost of recovering from a single DNS attack is $924,390 for a large financial services company, survey shows Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Openreach slashes cost of full-fibre to new-build homes

Property developers will receive a 75% discount on the cost of full-fibre installation Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Focus on security before app deployment

What should organisations be doing to address application layer attacks and reduce the likelihood of a breach through this type of attack? Continue Reading

By

• Richard Absalom, Information Security Forum

IoT ecosystem needs to be investigated, say experts

A conference of IoT experts convened by Enisa and Europol has made key recommendations to ensure security vulnerabilities do not overshadow benefits Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Trusted nodes: The next generation in quantum key distribution

QKD is a form of protection against interception by quantum computers, but cost and technical limitations have made the technology impractical. Could trusted nodes make all the difference? Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

MEPs call for action in wake of Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal

European members of parliament demand action to protect citizens’ privacy from abuses such as those uncovered in the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data sharing scandal Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Consumer rights champion Which? begins digital journey

Consumer rights organisation has always had a subscription business, but is now transforming into a digital one through cloud computing Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Vodafone claims UK 5G first

Mobile network operator Vodafone claims the activation of a trial site in Manchester marks the first time mobile data traffic has been streamed to and from the internet exclusively over 5G technology Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

GandCrab decryption tool released by No More Ransom

Another decryption tool has been made available free of charge in the battle against ransomware to help victims avoid paying to release their data Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

BT picks fintech leader to succeed Gavin Patterson

BT has named Philip Jansen, current co-chief executive of global payments services group Worldpay, as the successor to outgoing chief executive Gavin Patterson Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Firms will use AI to automate HR processes within two years

Companies are gearing up to automate HR processes with artificial intelligence and machine learning, while at the same time battling with outdated IT systems Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

ICO issues maximum £500,000 fine to Facebook

The UK privacy watchdog has confirmed that Facebook has escaped a fine of more than $1bn under the GDPR, but will face the maximum under the DPA for failing to protect users’ personal information Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cathay Pacific under fire over breach affecting 9.4 million passengers

Hong Kong-based airline reveals massive data breach of the most sensitive personal data of passengers five months after loss was confirmed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Nordic banks target SME customers with fintech services

Traditional Nordic banks are slimming down workforces as they turn increasingly to technology-based service delivery, and some are linking up with small fintech companies to deliver online products. Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Becrypt security platform helps ease cloud adoption

Becrypt’s secure operating system is driving a new service aimed at helping organisations reduce cost and increase agility in using cloud-based services and online applications Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Choose security tools wisely to gain upper hand

The cyber threat landscape is continually changing, but staying abreast of attacker and defender innovation can help business leaders gain the upper hand, says KuppingerCole Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Autonomous taxi trials underway in Dubai

Dubai’s transport authority has started road testing the region’s first autonomous taxi, designed in partnership with Dubai Silicon Oasis and DG World Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

CityFibre backers pump £2.5bn into full-fibre broadband

Network expansion will add 27 towns and cities to CityFibre’s current roll-out to 10 locations in support of a consumer full-fibre service delivered by Vodafone Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

11 of 12 border IT systems at risk of not being ready by Brexit, says NAO report

All but one of the critical IT systems needed at the UK border are at risk of not being ready by 29 March 2019, which will have implications if there is a no-deal Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

The fintech interview: Part 7 ClauseMatch

ClauseMatch is a London based startup that offers to automate the process that banks go through to prove they comply with industry regulations Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK unicorn creation goes unrivalled in Europe

The UK's regional cities are creating more billion-dollar tech startups than many European capitals, with the UK as a whole creating more unicorns since 2016 than France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

SMEs use fintech in fight against online giants, but fears remain

Online SMEs are turning to financial technology to help them make payment processes easy for customers as they try to compete with online giants Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government can’t guarantee no-deal Brexit data-sharing agreement

Digital minister Margot James says there is no clear timetable on when the UK will secure a data adequacy decision from the EU, and cannot guarantee an agreement will be in place in the event of a no-deal Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Yahoo to pay at least $85m for data breach settlement

Yahoo has agreed to a settlement in a class action lawsuit on behalf of 200 million consumers affected by a data breach in 2013 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

HP ties up with Singapore university on Industry 4.0

The personal computing and printer giant has opened a research facility at Nanyang Technological University to advance digital manufacturing technologies Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Interview: Steve Grobman, McAfee CTO shares his views on some burning security questions

Cyber security technology innovator and veteran Steve Grobman shares his views on adversarial artificial intelligence, post-quantum cryptography and security for next-gen tech Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CIO interview: Julie Dodd, director of digital transformation and communication, Parkinson’s UK

In her combined role as director of digital transformation and communication, Julie Dodd oversees both IT and marketing at Parkinson’s UK, making it easier to ensure collaboration Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

Blockchain not the best technology for every use considered, says Australian government report

Australian government report finds that there is a better technology than blockchain for every use considered in its report Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government to invest £8m in Brexit customs training and automation

The Treasury and HMRC are putting measures in place to support the customs sector should the UK leave the EU with no deal, including funding to increase automation and training Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

The troublesome saga of Gov.uk Verify

As the government plans to hand over its flagship identity assurance programme to the private sector, Computer Weekly looks at the history of the troubled project and how Gov.uk Verify ended up on the chopping board. Continue Reading

Where next for digital identity?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as the UK government hands its digital identity service, Gov.uk Verify, to the private sector, we examine the history and prospects for the troubled system. Our latest buyer’s guide looks at cloud-native architecture. And we compare the flash storage capabilities of the leading cloud providers, AWS, Azure and Google. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Government pumps more funding into NHS ‘test beds’ programme

Seven new “test beds” will receive £7m to trial a range of technologies to improve patient care in the second wave of the NHS Test Beds Programme Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Morrisons loses appeal against data breach liability ruling

Supermarket chain has lost its appeal against a High Court ruling that found it liable for a data leak by a former employee, underlining the importance of managing insider threats Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government to invest an extra £215m in UK innovation centres

The extra funding will be given to the Catapult network of innovation centres, focusing on digital, medicines discovery, future cities and transport systems Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Centralised identity risky and not web 3.0 friendly, says entrepreneur

User controlled identity is less risky than centralised identity and essential for the next evolution of the web, according to an entrepreneur and evangelist of self-sovereign identity and blockchain technologies Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cab firm to map 250,000 miles of London roads for CAVs

Cab operator Addison Lee has teamed up with CAV software specialist Oxbotica to start preparing the streets of London for self-driving cars Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

McAfee CTO raises concerns about election cyber security

The security industry needs to look at the security of election processes around the world as well as the security of voting and counting machines, says McAfee CTO Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Retail focus is key to Alibaba’s new London datacentre

China’s e-commerce giant has been slowly expanding into Europe and is now heading for a clash of the titans against AWS and Azure Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Can Matt Hancock be the minister that finally gets NHS technology right?

A large and toxic cloud has hung over NHS IT since the failure of the £12bn National Programme that saw billions wasted on systems that barely worked. Since then, we’ve seen the collapse of ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

A new era of collaboration for the NHS

Great Ormond Street Hospital's new research and innovation unit, Drive, marks a significant shift towards greater collaboration between NHS organisations and third-party industry partners Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

CIO interview: Tamara Lohan, founder and CTO of Mr & Mrs Smith

Head of technology and co-founder of luxury travel firm Mr & Mrs Smith explains how the firm is revamping its technology to provide customers with a seamless experience Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Zeppelin uses Splunk for pre-emptive maintenance

German construction equipment rental firm Zeppelin has been using Splunk to predict when its machinery will need maintenance before it breaks down Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Addicted to clicks? Would you try online retail rehab?

In early October 2018, fintech firm iZettle ran a rehab centre for online shopping addicts to show the impact e-commerce has on the highstreet. But will this change customer habits? Spoiler alert, ... Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

The fintech interview: Part 6 Rebuilding Society

Rebuilding Society is a Leeds based fintech trying to offer SMEs access to better loans as well as selling its technology to organisations setting up crowdfuning initiatives Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Russians using less cash after accelerated use of electronic payments

Russians are increasingly using electronic payments rather than cash, a recent study by Sberbank has found Continue Reading

By

• Vladimir Kozlov

Competition, not consumer demand, is driving full-fibre roll-out

Market competition among telecoms operators, not consumer demand, appears to be driving the trend towards ultrafast full-fibre broadband roll-out in Europe Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Interview: Matt Hancock, secretary of state for health and social care, on his NHS ‘tech vision’

Matt Hancock brings rare digital experience to running the NHS and social care systems, but can he overcome the legacy of past health service technology failures? Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

McAfee combining threat intel with AI

Simulations show that threat intelligence and artificial intelligence is a powerful combination, according to McAfee’s technology head Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Postal delivery robots trialled in Norway

The Norwegian postal service is testing out the value and viability of robots delivering mail to homes and businesses Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Chinese insurance giant extends cloud service to other sectors

Ping An is opening up its cloud service to more sectors, including real estate and automotive, in its efforts to become a technology company Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Learn lessons from attacks, says McAfee investigations chief

Organisations should use every cyber attack as an opportunity to learn, identify weaknesses and improve security posture, according to McAfee’s head of cyber investigations Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Amazon to open Manchester R&D centre and create 1,000 skilled jobs

Online retail giant will open a new office in Manchester and expand others to house 1,000 new skilled research and development employees in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Drivers have dangerous misconceptions about self-driving cars

People seem to be confused about the difference between autonomous and assisted driving technology, with worrying implications for road safety, says Thatcham Research Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dubai Health Authority unveils virtual health app for GP consultations

Health authority adopts new technology as part of the Dubai Future Accelerators initiative Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

Industry and government must collaborate to drive the digital economy, says techUK CEO

Industry and government must work together to grow use of technology across the UK economy, according to techUK CEO Julian David Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

McAfee researchers uncover ‘significant’ espionage campaign

Researchers discover campaign targeting South Korea, the US and Canada with links to eight-year-old source code from a threat group that has been dormant for five years Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Middle East gears up for 5G

The race for 5G is well and truly under way, and the UAE and Saudi Arabia are well positioned to be among the first countries in the world to deliver the benefits of this new telecoms protocol Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

CW ANZ: Taming the data beast

Software-defined storage (SDS), which promises greater transparency and control over data, is an increasingly important tool in the enterprise technology armoury. In this issue of CW ANZ, we look at how Australian enterprises are turning to SDS to improve data management and direct data to different tiers of storage or to applications. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Case study: Mercedes F1 team makes gains with Pure Storage all-flash

Two years ago, the Mercedes AMG Formula 1 team deployed Pure Storage all-flash arrays in its datacentre and in mobile racks out on the circuit. It’s a bet that has paid off for the racing team. Continue Reading

Analysts question Australia government’s IBM deal

Industry analysts and experts have called the wisdom of the A$1bn IBM IT deal into question, with one claiming that the federal government should have used a range of suppliers instead. Continue Reading

MoJ to go all-in on public cloud as infrastructure modernisation push gathers pace

The Ministry of Justice claims modernising, retiring and migrating its legacy IT systems to the public cloud will help it accrue long-term savings of around 60% on hosting costs Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Home Office ‘seriously’ considered ESN shutdown

New disclosures from those responsible for the troubled Emergency Services Network project have revealed that, contrary to previous denials, the Home Office came close to pulling the plug earlier this year Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW ASEAN: Unlock flash opportunities

Traditional disks can no longer keep up with the needs of modern enterprises, which now rely more on business-critical software to digest heaps of corporate and customer data to make quick business decisions. In this issue of CW ASEAN, we take a look at how enterprises are taking to all-flash array storage, the factors to consider when laying out a flash storage strategy, and what enterprises need to do to lay the foundation necessary for getting the most out of the technology. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

No new funding for Hancock’s NHS tech vision

Getting the technology plan right is more about standards than money, says health and social care secretary Matt Hancock, as he explains why NHS organisations won’t be given additional funding to deliver on his vision Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

NHS standards framework aims to set the bar for quality and efficiency

NHS Digital’s standards framework sets out renewed commitment to implement and use open standards across the NHS Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Best of VMworld Europe 2018 Awards nominations now open until 26 October

Read the criteria for the Best of VMworld Europe User Awards and find out how to submit your nomination Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Time to implement new cyber security protections, says McAfee CEO Chris Young

Convergence of threats and technologies and an increasingly complex regulatory environment are driving the need to implement new cyber security protections, says McAfee chief Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Hancock sets out NHS tech vision

Government will mandate national open standards for the NHS and tech suppliers, build a health and caretech ecosystem and give local NHS organisations more flexibility in how and what tech they buy Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Software requirements for international aid go beyond cloud and apps

Aid workers in extreme situations don’t always have stable access to the software they need over the cloud. Find out how they work around this Continue Reading

By

• SA Mathieson

Contactless payments surpass Chip and PIN in UK shops

Contactless card payments now account for more spending in UK stores than Chip and PIN Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UCaaS supports British Medical Journal’s cloud-first ambitions

With a growing global business and a CIO intent on doing everything in the cloud, the British Medical Journal turned to unified communications-as-a-service provider RingCentral to make its comms infrastructure fit for the cloud era Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nordic CTO interview: Anders Johanson, Husqvarna

Husqvarna is on a journey to transform itself into a product and services company by using the latest digital technology and Anders Johnson is a driving force behind it Continue Reading

By

• Jane Hamrin