IT security
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News
11 Dec 2023
Nordic governments join forces to protect data transfers
Nordic countries deepen their cooperation over cyber security amid heightened threat from neighbouring Russia Continue Reading
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E-Zine
07 Dec 2023
CW EMEA: Prepare for cyber war
When the war between Hamas and Israel began in October, cyber security professionals and major government and private organisations braced for an inevitable accompanying online war. In this issue of CW EMEA, we outline cyber war, patterns of threat activity, and find out what security teams can do to protect their organisations. We also look at Finland’s advances in quantum computing, how Belgian researchers have developed technology to help datacentres process data faster, and the secrets of KPN’s successful business transformation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Nov 2022
How to prepare for ransomware
What are the best practices you should use to protect against ransomware attacks and manage such attacks when they do happen? Continue Reading
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News
13 Nov 2022
Online scam victims lose an average of £1,000 each
New data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau shows victims of online fraud lose an average of £1,000 per person Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Nov 2022
Cyber insurance: The good, the bad and the ugly
Most cyber insurance contracts are innately flawed because they exclude losses arising from state-backed cyber attacks, and this will make proper attribution even more important in the future, says Cisco Talos’ Martin Lee Continue Reading
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News
11 Nov 2022
Volume of self-reported breaches to ICO jumps 30%
The number of self-reported breaches to the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office soared by nearly 30% in the 12 months to 30 June 2022 Continue Reading
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News
11 Nov 2022
MoD recruits Immersive Labs to bolster cyber resilience
UK’s Ministry of Defence will run cyber drills and address its security talent gap with Immersive Labs’ CyberPro, Cyber Crisis Simulator and Application Security products Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Nov 2022
Security Think Tank: To stop ransomware, preparation is the best medicine
You can’t ‘stop’ ransomware, but you can do a lot to keep yourself from becoming ensnared when it strikes Continue Reading
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News
10 Nov 2022
Cyber criminals have World Cup Qatar 2022 in their sights
Volumes of malicious cyber activity around the upcoming FIFA World Cup are already starting to tick upwards and are likely to continue to do so Continue Reading
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Opinion
10 Nov 2022
All means all when it comes to encryption
Nigel Thorpe, technical director at SecureAge, makes the case for encrypting everything all of the time when it comes to protecting data Continue Reading
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E-Zine
10 Nov 2022
CW Benelux: Heineken finds the right brew for digital
Heineken’s data management director has revealed some of the ways the company is using information technology to transform digitally. Also read how a PhD student in the Netherlands is detecting hidden messages on the internet by exploring the practice of steganography. Continue Reading
- 10 Nov 2022
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News
09 Nov 2022
Optus earmarks A$140m to cover cost of data breach
Optus sets aside A$140m as an exceptional expense for a customer remediation programme following a massive data breach that affected 10 million customers Continue Reading
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Definition
09 Nov 2022
piggybacking
Piggybacking, in the context of Wi-Fi, is the use of a wireless connection to gain access to the internet without proper authority. Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2022
UK’s National Cyber Advisory Board convenes for first time
Government convenes National Cyber Advisory Board to further its goals of making the UK one of the safest places to live and work online Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2022
Microsoft serves smorgasbord of six zero-days
November’s Patch Tuesday fixes significantly fewer vulnerabilities of late, but includes six actively-exploited zero-days, three of them of critical severity Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2022
Why Sophos is bullish on managed security services
Sophos has grown its managed detection and response business to more than $100m over the last three years as more organisations grapple with the increasingly complex cyber security landscape Continue Reading
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Opinion
09 Nov 2022
Security Think Tank: Anti-ransomware strategies should be as easy as ABC
When developing and implementing ransomware protection strategies, the importance of paying thorough attention to security measures you might consider elementary cannot be understated Continue Reading
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News
08 Nov 2022
NortonLifeLock, Avast debut new ‘Gen’ identity
The combined NortonLifeLock and Avast consumer cyber business, Gen, says it will serve over 500 million customers worldwide Continue Reading
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E-Zine
08 Nov 2022
How the US-China chip war will affect IT leaders
In this week’s Computer Weekly, as the US ramps up semiconductor sanctions on China, we examine the ramifications across the tech sector. Cyber criminals are turning to new forms of encryption – we talk to the Dutch researchers trying to catch them. And we look at what cloud providers need to do to improve customer experience. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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07 Nov 2022
Probing the secrets of the internet
Research in the Netherlands is focused on detecting hidden messages on the internet. Continue Reading
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News
07 Nov 2022
Public sector IT projects need ethical data practices from start
Data ethics needs to be integrated into public sector IT projects from the very start, and considered throughout every stage of the process, to be effective Continue Reading
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News
07 Nov 2022
Department for Education escapes £10m fine over data misuse
Department entrusted data on 28 million children to a company called Trustopia, which turned out to be anything but trustworthy, but has escaped a £10m fine under new rules Continue Reading
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News
07 Nov 2022
Keeping personally identifiable data personal
As it celebrates its 100th birthday, the BBC has begun a pilot looking into its role in enabling the general public to store their personal data Continue Reading
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Opinion
07 Nov 2022
To fight ransomware, we must treat digital infrastructure as critical
Ransomware defence is failing because we don’t view our digital infrastructure in the same way as our physical infrastructure, argues Elastic’s Mandy Andress Continue Reading
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News
04 Nov 2022
Elon Musk begins mass Twitter layoffs via email
New Twitter owner Elon Musk has begun the process of cutting the company’s workforce in half, but is already facing a legal backlash for allegedly violating US labour laws Continue Reading
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News
04 Nov 2022
Microsoft: Nation-state cyber attacks became increasingly destructive in 2022
The willingness of nation-state actors to conduct destructive cyber attacks is a source of grave concern, as Microsoft’s latest annual Digital Defence Report lays bare Continue Reading
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Opinion
04 Nov 2022
Security Think Tank: Ransomware and CISOs’ balancing act
Ransomware has the potential to cause irreversible business damage, so CISOs should consider not only protection but also response and recovery Continue Reading
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News
03 Nov 2022
Microsoft pledges $100m in new IT support for Ukraine
Microsoft will continue to offer free-of-charge technology support to Ukraine for the foreseeable future Continue Reading
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News
03 Nov 2022
The Security Interviews: Building trust online
Consumer reviews website Trustpilot has built and scaled its IT security team and is now turning to agile methods and DevSecOps to further enhance its cyber capabilities Continue Reading
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Definition
03 Nov 2022
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash is a software platform used to create rich digital content containing animation, graphic effects, streaming video and other interactive elements to deliver engaging user experiences over many platforms, including desktops and mobile devices. Continue Reading
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News
03 Nov 2022
Automated threats biggest source of cyber risk for retailers
Threat actors targeting retailers during the coming holiday season are increasingly turning to automated forms of cyber attack, according to a report Continue Reading
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News
03 Nov 2022
Global coalition reaffirms commitment to fight ransomware
Representatives of 36 countries, as well as the EU, attended the second International Counter Ransomware Initiative Summit in Washington DC Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2022
Dropbox code compromised in phishing attack
Cloud storage service says malicious actors successfully accessed some of its code within GitHub, but insists customer data is secure Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2022
UK spent £6.4m on secret cyber package for Ukraine
Westminster has revealed for the first time the existence of a previously top-secret security programme that has been helping Ukraine fend off Russian cyber attacks Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2022
OpenSSL vulnerabilities ‘not as bad as feared’
As previously trailed, OpenSSL patched two buffer overflow vulnerabilities, neither of them as impactful as had been feared Continue Reading
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Opinion
02 Nov 2022
Security Think Tank: Know your networks, know your suppliers
To combat the ransomware scourge, we must work harder to monitor and learn from the increasingly complex threat environment, keep a closer eye on supply chains, and share our insights Continue Reading
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Definition
01 Nov 2022
Basel II
Basel II is an international business standard that requires financial institutions to maintain enough cash reserves to cover risks incurred by their operations. Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2022
A third of UK cyber leaders want to quit, report says
Nearly a third of UK security leaders are considering leaving their current role, and more than half are struggling to keep on top of their workload Continue Reading
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Blog Post
01 Nov 2022
Why Supply Chain Security Attacks Are So Damaging
Commonly in cyber security-related conversations, strategic references to the edge, boundary, endpoint, cloud etc are commonplace as potential areas of vulnerability. However, in several recent ... Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2022
NCSC looks back on year of ‘profound change’ for cyber
The NCSC ramped up its support for UK plc in the past 12 months, but it was events beyond the UK’s borders that proved the most impactful Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2022
How Elastic is going beyond enterprise search
Elastic has been doubling down on the security and observability capabilities of its open-source platform, going beyond its roots in enterprise search Continue Reading
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Blog Post
01 Nov 2022
Digital identity and opening up the smartwallet
When an 80 year-old relative asks you how she can use her phone to both pay for shopping and get her supermarket loyalty points, like her friends do, you know that digital wallets are a success. ... Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Oct 2022
How to build consumer trust with a privacy-by-design approach
Undertaken with the right mindset and technology, privacy by design delivers value to consumers and builds trust for the long term Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Oct 2022
The risk of losing our EU data adequacy agreement is real
While some may welcome the government’s ambition to shake up the UK’s data protection regime, Westminster should be wary of drifting too far from the path charted by our US and European partners Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2022
Prepare today for potentially high-impact OpenSSL bug
OpenSSL trailed a critical vulnerability patch last week, which will be only the second such flaw ever found in the open source encryption project. Unfortunately, the first was Heartbleed Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2022
Cyber crime officer says French legal challenges to EncroChat are ‘hype’
Matthieu Audibert, officer of the French Gendarmerie’s cyber space command, gets into a spat with defence lawyers on Twitter over the lawfulness of evidence from the hacked phone network EncroChat Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Oct 2022
Security Think Tank: Container security: why so different?
Done well, container security can be a model for securing the enterprise, and businesses that focus their teams on solving it can help accelerate positive change in other areas Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Oct 2022
8 cybersecurity books to read in 2023
Brush up on your cybersecurity skills by picking up one of these titles. Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Oct 2022
How has container security changed since 2020, and have we taken it too far?
While containers are now one of the most popular ways to deploy applications, it is fair to say that the adoption and implementation of security best practice to govern their use has not kept up Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2022
Government ups cyber support for elderly, vulnerable web users
DCMS announces a funding boost to help the elderly, disabled and other vulnerable groups stay safe online and avoid being misled by disinformation Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2022
NCSC’s Levy steps down after 20-year intelligence career
NCSC technical director Ian Levy bids farewell, telling his successor: ‘Don’t panic’ Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Oct 2022
Will the OCSF create an open and collaborative cyber industry?
The Open Cybersecurity Schema Framework promises to transform security data analysis and collection, but there are challenges around adoption Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2022
NHS to get new national CISO
The Department for Health and Social Care is seeking a new national CISO, who will be tasked with providing strategic cyber leadership, direction and expertise across DHSC and the wider NHS Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2022
LinkedIn adds new features to safeguard user privacy, security
Social media platform is adding a number of features and systems designed to protect legitimate users from inauthentic profiles and activity Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2022
Medibank breach casts spotlight on data security
Health insurer Medibank Private recently suffered a major data breach involving the personal and health information of millions of customers, once again casting the spotlight on data security in Australia Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2022
Santander calls for cooperation to tackle APP fraud
New report puts forward key recommendations that the banking sector, government and other industries could take to tackle authorised push payment fraud Continue Reading
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News
26 Oct 2022
ICO warns against using biometrics for ‘emotional analysis’
ICO warning highlights risk of ‘systemic bias’ and discrimination associated with organisations using biometric data and technologies for emotion analysis Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Oct 2022
The Conservatives are laughing at cyber security pros
If causing a security breach is a resigning matter, then you shouldn’t expect to get your old job back a week later. Unless you’re a Conservative home secretary, apparently Continue Reading
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News
26 Oct 2022
Cuba ransomware cartel spoofs Ukraine armed forces
Ukrainian cyber experts issue a warning over the activities of the Cuba ransomware cartel Continue Reading
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News
26 Oct 2022
Australia budget closes in on digital divide, cyber resilience
Australia’s latest budget is geared towards providing better broadband connectivity in regional and rural areas, shoring up the cyber security posture of its businesses and plugging tech talent shortages, among other areas Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
Apple patches new iPhone zero-day
Apple’s latest patch fixes yet another zero-day, as security issues keep surfacing in its mobile products Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
Dutch lawyers raise human rights concerns over hacked cryptophone data
Dutch defence lawyers say in an open letter that there is a risk of unfair trials unless they are allowed to test the reliability and legitimacy of hacked cryptophone evidence Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
US authorities charge two Chinese spies over telco security probe
Two Chinese nationals have been charged with attempting to obstruct the criminal prosecution of a prominent Chinese telecoms firm Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
Germany: European Court of Justice asked to rule on legality of hacked EncroChat phone evidence
Berlin’s Regional Court has asked the European Court of Justice to answer questions about whether the use of hacked EncroChat phone evidence complies with European law Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
Global digital trust market to double by 2027
The global market for digital trust technology is expected to double to $537bn by 2027, up from $270bn today as demand for cyber security and other capabilities continues to grow Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
Digital-first businesses more willing to accept some fraud
Companies founded in the past 20 years appear more willing to accept higher levels of fraudulent activity during the customer onboarding process, according to a report Continue Reading
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News
24 Oct 2022
Complacency biggest cyber risk to UK plc, says ICO
Information commissioner John Edwards warns against complacency as his office issues a multimillion-pound fine to a building company that failed to prevent a ransomware attack Continue Reading
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News
24 Oct 2022
Half of staff might quit after a cyber attack, report says
Findings from a survey of CISOs, IT leaders and staffers reveal how experiencing a cyber incident may take a larger-than-thought toll on employee retention Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Oct 2022
command-and-control server (C&C server)
A command-and-control server (C&C server) is a computer that issues directives to digital devices that have been infected with rootkits or other types of malware, such as ransomware. Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2022
Microsoft slams external researchers over its own data leak
Microsoft inadvertently leaked customer data after misconfiguring an Azure Blob, but has hit out at the organisation that discovered its error, claiming it is exaggerating the scope of the issue Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Oct 2022
What do the US’s new software security rules mean for UK organisations?
The White House announced recently that all software supplied to the US government and its agencies needs to be secure, so what does this mean for the UK and EU security sectors? Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2022
The Security Interviews: Why now for ZTNA 2.0?
With organisations facing escalating online threats, security teams need to improve their defences using zero-trust network access to preserve the integrity of their systems. Palo Alto Networks’ Simon Crocker shares his views on zero-trust network access Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Oct 2022
RAT (remote access Trojan)
A RAT (remote access Trojan) is malware an attacker uses to gain full administrative privileges and remote control of a target computer. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Oct 2022
VPN vs. zero trust vs. SDP: What's the difference?
For strong network security, many vendors say VPNs don't cut it anymore. Enter the zero-trust security model and SDPs. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Oct 2022
compensating control (alternative control)
A compensating control, also called an alternative control, is a mechanism that is put in place to satisfy the requirement for a security measure that is deemed too difficult or impractical to implement at the present time. Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2022
Cyber professional shortfall hits 3.4 million
Shortage of cyber security professionals continues to grow and shows no signs of abating, says report Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2022
NatWest data breach whistleblower demands bank pay data controller fee to ICO
Whistleblower calls for NatWest to pay the Information Commissioner’s Office annual data controller fee, as the personal details of 1,600 current and former NatWest customers remain under her bed Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2022
Singapore extends cyber security labelling scheme to medical devices
The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore is extending its cyber security labelling scheme to medical devices to encourage medical device manufacturers to adopt a security-by-design approach to product development Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Oct 2022
6 reasons a business impact analysis is important
BIA predicts the many consequences of business disruptions. It can minimize business risks and ensure business continuity in the face of critical emergencies and disruptions. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Oct 2022
The future of VPNs in the enterprise
VPNs have been the workhorse of online connectivity. Enhancements to software and processing power in end devices will transform how companies use the technology going forward. Continue Reading
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News
19 Oct 2022
Ransomware crews regrouping as LockBit rise continues
Overall ransomware activity dropped off in the third quarter of 2022, but increasing attack volumes in September may herald a difficult few months ahead Continue Reading
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News
19 Oct 2022
Treat cyber crime as a ‘strategic threat’, UK businesses told
The government’s new National Cyber Advisory Board aims to help elevate cyber discussion and spur action in the business community Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Oct 2022
full-disk encryption (FDE)
Full-disk encryption (FDE) is a security method for protecting sensitive data at the hardware level by encrypting all data on a disk drive. Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2022
Apache vulnerability a risk, but not as widespread as Log4Shell
A newly disclosed Apache Commons Text vulnerability may put many at risk, but does not appear to be as impactful or widespread as Log4Shell Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2022
Virtually all vulnerable open source downloads are avoidable
Some 96% of known vulnerable open source downloads could have been avoided altogether, according to a report Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Oct 2022
Diffie-Hellman key exchange (exponential key exchange)
Diffie-Hellman key exchange is a method of digital encryption that securely exchanges cryptographic keys between two parties over a public channel without their conversation being transmitted over the internet. Continue Reading
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E-Zine
18 Oct 2022
How Russia hacked a former MI6 spy chief
In this week’s Computer Weekly, Russian hackers leaked emails and documents from British government, military, and intelligence officials – we examine the implications. New EU laws will govern online safety and the use of AI, but what do they mean for organisations? And we look at the growth in checkout-free shopping. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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17 Oct 2022
How Russian intelligence hacked the encrypted emails of former MI6 boss
Hack by Russian-linked ColdRiver group exposed former MI6 chief Richard Dearlove’s contacts and email communications with government, military, intelligence and political officials. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Oct 2022
API management: Assessing reliability and security
Once an API is published, its developer then has responsibility to ensure it is kept up to date and is secure Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2022
Malicious WhatsApp add-on highlights risks of third-party mods
Kaspersky researchers discovered a malicious version of a widely used WhatsApp messenger mod, highlighting the risks of using so-called mods Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2022
Annual costs of Hackney ransomware attack exceed £12m
Hackney Council reveals new insight into the ongoing cost of a ransomware attack that devastated its systems two years ago Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2022
Office 365 email encryption flaw could pose risk to user privacy
A vulnerability in Microsoft Office 365 Message Encryption could leave the contents of emails dangerously exposed, but with no fix coming it’s up to users to decide how at risk they are Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2022
Advanced: Healthcare data was stolen in LockBit 3.0 attack
Advanced has revealed a total of 16 of its health and social care sector customers had their data exfiltrated in a recent ransomware attack Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2022
Protecting children by scanning encrypted messages is ‘magical thinking’, says Cambridge professor
Ross Anderson argues in a rebuttal to GCHQ experts that using artificial intelligence to scan encrypted messaging services is the wrong approach to protecting children and preventing terrorism Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2022
Australia becoming hotbed for cyber attacks
Research by Imperva shows an 81% increase in cyber security incidents in Australia between July 2021 and June 2022, including automated attacks that doubled in frequency Continue Reading
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News
13 Oct 2022
Cyber training firm KnowBe4 bought by private equity firm
Acquisition of KnowBe4 supposedly reflects the success the company has seen since its spring 2021 IPO Continue Reading
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News
13 Oct 2022
Unsung Heroes Awards celebrate diversity in cyber community
The seventh annual Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards recognise those trying to improve diversity and mental health in cyber for the first time Continue Reading
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News
13 Oct 2022
Dutch influence standards for post-quantum cryptography
Cryptology group at Dutch research institute is involved in the two primary algorithms of the next NIST portfolio comprising four new standards Continue Reading
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Definition
13 Oct 2022
clean desk policy (CDP)
A clean desk policy (CDP) is a corporate directive that specifies how employees should leave their working space when they leave the office. Continue Reading
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News
13 Oct 2022
Gartner: Remote work, zero trust, cloud still driving cyber spend
Security leaders are eager to spend on categories including remote and hybrid cyber offerings, zero-trust network access, and cloud Continue Reading
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E-Zine
13 Oct 2022
CW Middle East: Qatar strengthens cyber defences ahead of FIFA World Cup
Being the first Arab country to host the World Cup is pressure enough on Qatar, but there is also a massive cyber security challenge associated with any event of this magnitude. Read about its preparations. Also in this issue, find out about the unique challenges of hiring IT professionals in Saudi Arabia. Continue Reading