IT security

Security Think Tank: Approaches to ransomware need a course correction

In the wake of renewed calls for lawmakers to consider enacting legal bans on ransomware payments, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank weighs in to share their thoughts on how to tackle the scourge for good. Continue Reading

By

• Mike Gillespie

TUC publishes legislative proposal to protect workers from AI

Proposed bill for regulating artificial intelligence in the UK seeks to translate well-meaning principles and values into concrete rights and obligations that protect workers from systems that make ‘high-risk’ decisions about them Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Gov.uk One Login accounts on the rise

Since August 2023, more than 1.8 million people verified their identity using the Gov.uk One Login app, while face-to-face verifications have also increased Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Mandiant formally pins Sandworm cyber attacks on APT44 group

Mandiant has formally attributed a long-running campaign of cyber attacks by a Russian state actor known as Sandworm to a newly designated advanced persistent threat group to be called APT44 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

US provides assurances over extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

Extradition of the WikiLeaks founder moves a step closer after the US government gives diplomatic assurances over his treatment in the US. Assange supporters accuse the US of ‘weasel words’ Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

CISOs not yet convinced to invest in AI

CISOs say their eyes are fixed firmly on threats like ransomware and supply chain attacks, and while AI is becoming a threat that needs to be dealt with, it’s not yet an immediate spending priority Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW Innovation Awards: Balancing security and user experience

The National University of Singapore’s Safe initiative has strengthened the security of IT systems and end-user devices while prioritising user experience through passwordless access Continue Reading

By

• Edwin Yapp

2024 election security: Confronting disinformation and deepfakes

Although disinformation and deepfakes are a threat to electoral integrity, we already have ways to counter emerging threats and there is an opportunity is to adapt and scale these approaches to counter the challenge to democracy, writes Saj Huq. Continue Reading

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• Saj Huq, Plexal

Recognising APAC’s trailblazers in digital transformation

DBS Bank and NUS were among the top industry innovators that were lauded for various transformational initiatives at the Computer Weekly Innovation Awards APAC 2024 Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

More social engineering attacks on open source projects observed

In the wake of the recent XZ Utils scare, maintainers of another open source project have come forward to say they may have experienced similar social engineering attacks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Threat actors look to stolen credentials

In 2023, threat actors wrought havoc on corporate networks by logging in through valid accounts, and as bad actors begin investing in AI to help them identify priority targets, this problem is only expected to worsen in the future Continue Reading

By

• Martin Borrett

EU’s AI Act fails to protect the rule of law and civic space

Analysis reveals that the AI Act is ‘riddled with far-reaching exceptions’ and its measures to protect fundamental rights are insufficient Continue Reading

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• Josh Osman, Computer Weekly

AI tapped for citizen outreach as India goes to the polls

Political parties in this year’s high-stakes elections are leveraging AI for the first time, but measures to curtail misuse must continue to evolve with the rapid developments of the technology Continue Reading

By

• Kavitha Srinivasa

OAuth (Open Authorization)

OAuth (Open Authorization) is an open standard authorization framework for token-based authorization on the internet. Continue Reading

By

• Gavin Wright
• Michael Cobb
• Stephanie Mann

Apple iPhone security alert renews spyware concerns

An Apple security alert received by users in 92 countries raises fresh fears over ongoing campaigns by users of mercenary spyware products Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

5G networks and biometric breakthroughs: Navigating opportunities and risks

Businesses are quickly adopting 5G to introduce advanced security features such as facial recognition, but while these technologies improve safety and ease of use, they also raise concerns about how sensitive biometric information is gathered and may be misused Continue Reading

By

• Isla Sibanda

UK in critical need of regulation to fight misinformation online

Misinformation, where it is generated by AI, poses a serious threat due to the ease with which plausible false content can be created and spread Continue Reading

By

• Josh Osman, Computer Weekly

Executive interview: Balancing AI with human creativity

We speak to the chief product officer at Getty Images and iStock about the role generative AI can play in the image-making process. Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

European Digital Identity Wallet: One ID for EU citizens

The European Digital Identity Wallet is a personal digital wallet with which you will be able to identify yourself digitally in the future. Is this the solution for a centralised ID? Continue Reading

By

• Oliver Schonschek

Facial recognition to play key role in UK shoplifting crackdown

UK government will fund roll-out of police facial recognition across the country as part of its crackdown on shoplifting and violence against retail staff, but civil society groups say the government is attempting to police its way out of the cost-of-living crisis Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Government dismisses Lords’ concerns over facial recognition

UK government is claiming police forces’ use of live facial recognition is comprehensively covered by existing laws, in response to a Lords investigation that found police lacked a clear legal basis to deploy it Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Breakthrough may herald secure home quantum computing

An emerging approach to quantum security dubbed blind quantum computing may one day help spur mass adoption of quantum computing safely and securely, using technology that is already available today Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber crooks poison GitHub search to fool developers

Researchers share data on new technique whereby malicious actors are manipulating GitHub’s search function and using cleverly crafted repositories to distribute malware Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Biden considering whether to end prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

US president Joe Biden says he is considering requests by Australia to end the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange under espionage and computer fraud charges Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Salesforce helps customers establish bug bounty programmes

Salesforce has added new learning content to its Trailhead platform designed to help customers develop their own bug bounty programmes Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Patch Tuesday: Windows Server 2008 receives emergency security patch

Support for the OS ended in 2020, but four years on and there's a live exploit of a security flaw that impacts all Windows users Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

UK plc failing on multiple cyber measures

Government report shows 50% of businesses and 32% of charities reported a cyber attack or breach in the past 12 months and organisations across the UK are failing on multiple cyber measures Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Public worried by police and companies sharing biometric data

More than half of the British public do not feel comfortable with police forces sharing biometric data with the private sector, including facial recognition images, to tackle crimes such as shoplifting Continue Reading

By

• Josh Osman, Computer Weekly

How do companies protect customer data?

Companies can protect customer data through various technical tools and strategies, like authentication and encryption. But some types of data need more protection than others. Continue Reading

By

• Sandra Mathis, Microsoft

Is a cyber arms control treaty out of reach?

The world needs cyber arms control more than ever, but the challenges facing a multilateral agreement will be hard to surmount, according to researchers at Germany’s Digital Society Institute Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Police forces check intelligence and criminal databases after errors discovered in O2 phone data

Criminal Bar Association calls for information about reliability of communications data used in criminal trials to be disclosed Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Greek government fined over AI surveillance in refugee camps

Greece’s Data Protection Authority has issued a €175,000 fine against the country’s migration ministry over its deployment of artificial intelligence-powered security systems in refugee camps after the watchdog’s investigation found ‘serious shortcomings’ with the roll-out Continue Reading

By

• Lydia Emmanouilidou

What Cisco’s Splunk acquisition means for APAC customers

APAC organisations can expect better visibility and insights into their networks and applications along with automation and response capabilities to improve their digital resilience Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

UK vet network CVS hit by cyber attack

Operations at UK-based veterinary network CVS have been disrupted by a cyber incident of an as-yet undisclosed nature Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Prospect Theory helps us understand software disasters

By understanding the human psychology behind IT system failures that directly impact people, we can better protect ourselves Continue Reading

By

• Junade Ali

Seven ways to be sure you can restore from backup

Backups are no good if you can’t restore from them. We look at key elements of backup restoration, including backup audits, RPOs and RTOs, and how and when to test backups Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

China ramps up use of AI misinformation

Microsoft researchers have identified a growing pattern of AI-laced misinformation and political interference coming from Chinese threat actors Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Europol offers law enforcement agencies data on Europe’s most threatening crime networks

Europol has collected and analysed data from over 40 countries to identify 800 most threatening criminal networks operating in Europe in what it describes as a unique dataset for law enforcemnt Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

UKtech50 2024 – help us find the most influential people in UK IT

Computer Weekly’s annual search for the 50 most influential people in UK IT is on – let us know who you would like to nominate for this year's list Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

How Oracle Red Bull Racing guards against cyber threats

The F1 team is tapping managed security services, conducting penetration tests and improving security awareness among employees to fend off cyber threats such as phishing and ransomware Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Withers

Changes needed for SOCs and CSIRTs, claims Dutch research institute

Cyber security specialists need a game-changer to keep up with their adversaries, who increasingly use automation and AI for their attacks Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Obituary: Professor Ross Anderson, pioneer in security engineering and campaigner

Ross Anderson, a titan in the field of security engineering and campaigner for privacy and security, has passed away Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Security Think Tank: Banning ransomware payments is not so straightforward

In the wake of renewed calls for lawmakers to consider enacting legal bans on ransomware payments, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank weighs in to share their thoughts on how to tackle the scourge for good. Continue Reading

By

• John Scott

RDP abused in over 90% of cyber attacks, Sophos finds

Threat actors continue to see great success using simple, tried and tested methods, and many defenders are failing to do the basics Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ransomware kill switch may save 99% of files from encryption

MDR specialist Adlumin says its new features will help customers stop in-progress ransomware attacks before they can cause significant damage Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cato claims SASE speed record

Fast cars meet even faster networks as leading SASE provider doubles throughput to double-digit gigabits per second without any hardware upgrades, attributing the landmark as underscoring value of fully cloud-native platform Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

Security Think Tank: How to tackle the scourge of ransomware?

In the wake of renewed calls for lawmakers to consider enacting legal bans on ransomware payments, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank weighs in to share their thoughts on how to tackle the scourge for good. Continue Reading

By

• Toby Sibley and Louise Barber

Open source alert over intentionally placed backdoor

A backdoor in the open source XZ Utils data compression library could have led to widespread compromise across the Linux ecosystem - and the community is on the trail of a developer who seems to be behind it Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Ransomware lessons from the armed forces

In the wake of renewed calls for lawmakers to consider enacting legal bans on ransomware payments, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank weighs in to share their thoughts on how to tackle the scourge for good. Continue Reading

By

• Rob Dartnall, SecAlliance

Organisations getting better at spotting identity fraud

As the barriers to committing identity fraud continue to drop, organisations should consider more sophisticated technical measures to successfully up their game, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

retina scan

Retina scanning is a biometric authentication technology that uses an image of an individual's retinal blood vessel pattern as a unique identifying trait for access to secure installations. Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Zola

sensitive information

Sensitive information is data that must be protected from unauthorized access to safeguard the privacy or security of an individual or organization. Continue Reading

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• Nick Barney, Technology Writer

Hybrid work drives demand for SASE, zero-trust networking

Aryaka report finds five key trends with 70% of CISOs seeking secure access service edge and software-defined WAN convergence for simplified infrastructure management Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

UK plc going backwards on cyber maturity, Cisco report claims

Fewer UK organisations believe their cyber security postures have reached a mature level than did so 12 months ago, as they struggle to keep up with new challenges and a fast-evolving threat landscape Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sellafield to be prosecuted over alleged cyber compliance failure

Sellafield Ltd, the organisation responsible for cleaning up and decommissioning the UK's largest nuclear waste site, is to be prosecuted over alleged cyber security failings dating back to 2019 Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Counter-eavesdropping agency unlawfully used surveillance powers to identify journalist’s source

More than 750 journalists had their communications data accessed by law enforcement and government agencies between 2018 and 2022 Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Facial recognition endangers us all without a clear legal basis

Technology researcher Stephanie Hare outlines the growing danger of the UK’s failure to legalise and regulate facial recognition technology Continue Reading

By

• Stephanie Hare

Private vs. public cloud security: Benefits and drawbacks

Uncover the differences between private vs. public cloud security -- as well as hybrid cloud security and multi-cloud security -- before deciding on an enterprise deployment model Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Froehlich, West Gate Networks
• Sharon Shea, Executive Editor

18 real-world use cases of the metaverse, plus examples

Use cases for the still-developing metaverse are growing as the technologies that enable this next iteration of the internet mature. Here are 18 enterprise and consumer examples. Continue Reading

By

• Mary K. Pratt

Ransomware gang leaks data stolen from Scottish NHS board

Data stolen from an earlier attack on NHS Dumfries and Galloway has been leaked by a ransomware gang that claims to be in possession of much more content Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber spies, not cyber criminals, behind most zero-day exploitation

Analysis from Google has found that zero-day vulnerabilities are much more heavily exploited for espionage purposes than for financially motivated cyber crime Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Qilin ransomware gang claims cyber attack on the Big Issue

A ransomware attack on the systems of publisher and social enterprise Big Issue Group has been claimed by the Qilin gang Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange given temporary reprieve over extradition

Court seeks assurances from the US that Assange will be given First Amendment Rights, will not prejudiced at trial because of his nationality, and will not be subject to the death penalty Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly
• Sander Priston

Shareholders win when businesses do better at cyber

The more advanced a company’s cyber security performance, and the more engaged its board is with security issues, the greater the return for shareholders, a report has found Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Apple, Meta and Alphabet under EU scrutiny

Under the new Digital Markets Act, European commissioners are looking at potential issues with the way Apple, Alphabet and Meta operate their platforms Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

NCSC reaffirms guidance for those at risk of Chinese state hacking

As the UK and US governments announce sanctions and indictments of a Chinese state threat actor, the NCSC has reiterated its security advice for individuals at risk of being targeted for espionage purposes Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

US authorities charge seven over Chinese hacking

The US Department of Justice has charged seven Chinese nationals linked to the APT31 threat actor that targeted politicians in the UK and US Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Which? calls for government action on fake banking sites

Amid high volumes of spoofed, fraudulent banking websites, Which? is calling for the government to implement new legal obligations for domain registrars Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Chinese hackers responsible for two ‘malicious’ cyber campaigns against UK

Government sanctions two Chinese nationals and a Chinese company identified as responsible for cyber campaigns against government officials and members of parliament Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Britain’s democracy under threat from Chinese cyber attackers, government warns

The deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, is due to tell Parliament that Beijing is behind a hacking attack that obtained details of 40 million UK voters and has targeted parliamentarians who have criticised the regime Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Data protection impact assessment template and tips

Conducting a data protection impact assessment is key to evaluating potential risk factors that could pose a serious threat to individuals and their personal information. Continue Reading

By

• Paul Kirvan

Court finds EncroChat hacked messages admissible as former footballer is jailed

A judge in ‘lead’ EncroChat case found that messages obtained by police from the encrypted phone network can be lawfully used in evidence Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Open Data Institute launches digital policy manifesto

The Open Data Institute has launched a policy manifesto ahead of the UK general election that outlines policies and issues it believes must be part of the political discussion around digital and data Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

US sues Apple, alleging smartphone monopoly

A major legal action against Apple over its dominance of the smartphone market has kicked off in the US, alleging anticompetitive practices on Apple’s part that have damaged the sector and restricted consumer choice Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Challenging the traditional boundaries between IAM and UEM

It's always refreshing to engage with vendors who aren't bound by the rigid category definitions that large analyst firms often impose on the market. At Freeform Dynamics, our view is that it's ... Continue Reading

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• Dale Vile, Freeform Dynamics

NCSC guidance to help CEOs work through cyber incidents

The NCSC has published in-depth guidance on how business leaders should respond to a cyber attack or data breach. Learn about some of the key steps you will need to follow Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ukrainians crack network that stole 100m email, social accounts

Three members of an organised cyber criminal group who hacked and appropriated personal email and social media accounts face up to 15 years in prison Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK’s cyber resilience stagnates as more fall victim to attacks

The government is calling on businesses to ramp up their cyber protections as study shows improvements to resilience are stagnating amid an ever-growing volume of attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

EMEA security spend will have another boom year in 2024

Cyber security services and technology will once again be the focus of major investment across EMEA during 2024, according to the latest Technology Spending Intentions study from TechTarget and ESG Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cato claims first for AI-driven networking, security incident detection and response

Artificial intelligence option from Cato enhanced to detect and identify the root cause of networking incidents and to reduce outages from hours to minutes Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

IT Governance for Today and Tomorrow: Minimum Viable Principles

Introduction The traditional one-size-fits-all approach to IT governance, particularly in relation to data, is becoming increasingly unsustainable in the flexible, Agile/DevOps/AI-driven IT ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Lock, Freeform Dynamics

Board-level buy-in: preparing cyber defences the right way

The cyber security function isn’t a back office team that is never seen and never heard. To truly protect the company, cyber security touches every corner of the business, and it starts from the top Continue Reading

By

• Bruno Soares

Australia’s cyber security spending to grow 11.5% this year

Highly publicised cyber attacks and growing regulatory obligations are keeping security and risk top of mind for Australian organisations this year, says Gartner Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Spring Budget risks funding legally questionable police tech

Open legal questions around how UK police are using facial recognition and cloud technology could undermine the £230m investment committed in the Spring Budget to “time and money-saving technology” for police Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

The Security Interviews: Alex Yampolskiy, SecurityScorecard

Alex Yampolskiy conceived the idea for risk management specialist SecurityScorecard after getting stung by a SaaS supplier that was being cavalier with its customer data. He tells his story to Computer Weekly Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cohesity: We won’t abandon NetBackup customers or force migration

CEO promises no forced migration to Cohesity and not to abandon any NetBackup product while building new leadership in artificial intelligence and security around Cohesity Gaia Continue Reading

By

• Yann Serra, LeMagIT
• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Budgets rise as IT decision-makers ramp up cyber security spending

Few IT leaders surveyed in the TechTarget/Enterprise Strategy Group 2024 Technology Spending Intentions study say they are spending less this year Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

UK’s AI ambitions pointless while cyber security is still neglected

The UK’s AI ambitions may be at considerable risk without stronger cyber defences across the private and public sectors Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

London Mayor’s Office reprimanded over data breach

The London Mayor’s Office has been reprimanded by the ICO after an internal error exposed the data of people who had made complaints against the Metropolitan Police Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

virus (computer virus)

A computer virus is a type of malware that attaches itself to a program or file. A virus can replicate and spread across an infected system and it often propagates to other systems, much like a biological virus spreads from host to host. Continue Reading

By

• Robert Sheldon
• Mike Chapple, University of Notre Dame
• Crystal Bedell

virus signature (virus definition)

A virus signature, also known as a 'virus definition,' is a piece of code with a unique binary pattern that identifies a computer virus or family of viruses. Continue Reading

By

• Robert Sheldon

Questions raised over NHS deletion of thousands of emails during whistleblower tribunal

NHS doctor Chris Day has won the right to challenge a tribunal ruling that found no procedural unfairness when an NHS trust deleted thousands of emails. The case that raises wider questions about the use of electronic evidence Continue Reading

By

• Tommy Greene

US authorities move a step closer to banning TikTok

Lawmakers in Washington DC have moved a step closer to enacting a broad national ban on controversial video app TikTok in the US, with global ramifications Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft AI-powered cyber service to go live in April

After a year being previewed by beta customers, Microsoft’s much vaunted Copilot for Security service is about to go on general release, promising time savings and improved accuracy for hard-pressed security pros Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

British Library opens up over ransomware attack to help others

The British Library has opted for full transparency after experiencing a devastating ransomware attack, publishing details of the intrusion, its response and the lessons it has learned Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

17 potential costs of shadow IT

Companies should be vigilant and consider the significant costs associated with shadow IT. Learn about these overlooked issues and how they affect the organization. Continue Reading

By

• Paul Kirvan

March Patch Tuesday throws up two critical Hyper-V flaws

Two critical vulnerabilities in Windows Hyper-V stand out on an otherwise unremarkable Patch Tuesday Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

A new security partnership to build a silicon valley in South Wales

The £140m acquisition of Newport Wafer Fab by American firm Vishay is to be welcomed but the UK needs needs security, stability and strategic investment to grow our domestic semiconductor capability, writes Alun Cairns MP Continue Reading

By

• Alun Cairns

More DDoS attacks launched against APAC financial firms

The financial sector in Asia-Pacific saw more DDoS attacks in 2023, but no notable impact was reported, according to a report by Akamai and FS-ISAC Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Aryaka advances network, security convergence with SASE as a service

Cloud-based software-defined networking and security services provider claims to transform global secure networking with unified secure access service edge solution Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly