IT security

The dangers of breaking encryption

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we detail the concerns of the BCS and other IT experts about the UK’s Online Safety Bill’s proposals to weaken end-to-end message encryption. Our buyer’s guide continues to look at the issues around integrating software-as-a-service applications, with a particular eye to the proliferation of SaaS during the Covid pandemic. Red Hat’s CEO Matt Hicks retails the company’s efforts to support generative AI. And we discover how immersive technologies can shape a brave new world of training and design. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Consciousness to address AI safety and security

The co-founder of KikenAI discuses why he has decided to make the technology for protecting LLMs open source Continue Reading

By

• Junade Ali

IT spending in Australia to grow 7.8% in 2024

The growth will be led by investments in cyber security, cloud, analytics and application modernisation as Australian CIOs look to improve cost and operational efficiencies Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Brits happy to break cyber law if the price is right

A study conducted ahead of an upcoming security trade fair reveals a slim majority of Brits would come out in favour of offensive government security ops and even engage in cyber criminality themselves in the right circumstances Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Professional ransomware gangs clearly a threat, but attacks can be easily stopped

NCSC and NCA report reveals insight into business models and underpinnings of ransomware gangs and their affiliates, but also urges defenders to take heart, as stopping a ransomware attack is not that hard to do Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK boardrooms and CISOs increasingly aligned on cyber risks

Board members and CISOs in UK organisations seem to be working together much better, but while this is an encouraging sign, there remain some areas of concern over how the two relate to each other Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Polish election questioned after Pegasus spyware used to smear opposition, investigation finds

Senate committee alerts prosecutors over potential crimes by public officials involved in purchasing Pegasus spyware used to monitor and smear political opponents Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Investigations Editor

Salesforce and Zoom embrace ethical hackers. You should, too

Software companies Salesforce and Zoom discuss their successful bug bounty programmes, what they learned at a recent in-person hackathon in which they participated, and why others shouldn’t be scared of hackers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Culture Amp is tapping generative AI

Australia’s Culture Amp is building a generative AI capability that summarises employee survey responses, automating a process that typically takes HR admins up to hundreds of hours to complete Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

AI-powered cloud SIEM: Real-time threat intel boosts defences

Thanks to their advanced data analysis and predictive capabilities, AI and ML will be valuable protective tools going forward. Learn about the potential of AI-backed cloud SIEM technology Continue Reading

By

• Isla Sibanda

Apple patches Blastpass exploit abused by spyware makers

Apple has patched two vulnerabilities that formed an exploit chain which has been allegedly abused by spyware company NSO Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Deputy PM urges UK plc not to lose focus on cyber

In a speech at TechUK, deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden urges the cyber security community not to lose focus, and to do more to further collaboration across sectors Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

North Koreans using new zero-day to target security researchers

A threat actor linked to the North Korean government is continuing a long-running campaign targeting legitimate security researchers, using an as-yet undisclosed zero-day vulnerability to gain access to their victims Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sensitive NatWest customer files set to be returned after High Court agreement

Sensitive NatWest customer files set to be secured by bank after years in the home of a data breach whistleblower Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How Netskope is driving growth in APAC

Netskope is growing at over 50% year on year in the Asia-Pacific region, but the single-vendor SASE supplier is not limiting its customers to its own offerings Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

HGS to provide contact centre support for One Login

The partnership between the Government Digital Service and Hinduja Global Solutions will see the supplier provide contact centre services for the digital identity platform Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

SME disaster recovery: Five key points to consider

We look at key DR considerations for SMEs, including RPOs, RTOs, infrastructure needed for effective continuity and the right combination of cloud and in-house provision Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

UK minister fails to reassure tech companies over encryption risk

Technology companies say reassurances by government ministers that they have no intention of weakening end-to-end encrypted communication services do not go far enough Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Investigations Editor

Honeywell goes quantum to protect utilities from future threats

Honeywell and quantum computing specialist Quantinuum will integrate quantum-hardened encryption keys into future smart meters Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK and US slap fresh sanctions on Conti ransomware crew

London and Washington DC have imposed sanctions on 11 more members of the cyber criminal gang behind the Conti ransomware attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW EMEA: The value of valuing people

In this month’s CW EMEA ezine, we look at HR software and strategies that can help combat staff attrition, find out how Finland’s and Sweden’s plans to join NATO have initiated activity in the Nordic cyber security sector already, consider the data privacy challenges associated with generative AI, and find out why it is important for companies to implement new cryptography standards now in preparation for quantum-safe communication. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Duplicate waypoints root cause of Nats subsystem failover

Processing of waypoints that determine when a flight enters and leaves UK airspace caused the air traffic system to report a critical error Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Microsoft finds Storm-0558 exploited crash dump to steal signing key

Microsoft has published new information on how the Chinese state threat actor Storm-0558 was able to exploit a rare race condition following a crash dump in order to acquire a consumer signing key Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Finnish government to bolster spending on cyber-AI defences

Finland’s government will increase spending on cyber security amid heightened threats from artificial intelligence-based attacks Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

French supreme court dismisses legal challenge to EncroChat cryptophone evidence

Defence lawyers plan to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights after the French supreme court disallowed an appeal over the legality of EncroChat evidence Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Investigations Editor

German court unclear whether intercepted EncroChat cryptophone messages are legally admissible

Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court is waiting to hear five complaints that could decide whether data from the hacked EncroChat phone network can be lawfully used in German courts, but situation remains unclear for now Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Investigations Editor

Meet the professional BEC op that targeted Microsoft 365 users for years

The so-called W3LL cyber crime operation ran a phishing empire that has played a large role in compromising Microsoft 365 accounts for years. Its activities are now coming to light thanks to Group-IB researchers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Okta customers targeted in new wave of social engineering attacks

Authentication specialist Okta has warned customers to be on alert for a campaign of social engineering attacks exploiting highly privileged users Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Executive interview: ManageEngine president Rajesh Ganesan on the ‘three Ws’ of digital change

Today's IT management model must assume that the workforce can operate from any workplace and use any workload with ease and security, as the security and service management software supplier explains Continue Reading

By

• Melisa Osores, Managing Editor para América Latina

Researchers find flaw in Mend.io security platform

WithSecure’s research team uncovered an authentication flaw in an application security platform developed by Mend.io, which has now been fixed Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Law firm Fieldfisher launches data breach management tool

UK and European data breach law specialist Fieldfisher has enlisted legal tech specialist Lawcadia to supply a 24-hour data breach notification assessment platform Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Hacked Electoral Commission failed Cyber Essentials audit

The Electoral Commission failed an NCSC Cyber Essentials audit on multiple counts at about the same time as cyber criminals breached its systems in 2021, it has emerged Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

email security

Email security is the process of ensuring the availability, integrity and authenticity of email communications by protecting against unauthorized access and email threats. Continue Reading

By

• Kinza Yasar, Technical Writer
• Sean Michael Kerner

NCSC names ex-NCC man as new CTO

New NCSC CTO Ollie Whitehouse joins from NCC Group, having also worked at BlackBerry and Symantec Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Plymouth Uni spearheads research into wind farm cyber resilience

Project hosted at the University of Plymouth in Devon aims to develop cyber security measures to protect the UK’s increasingly important offshore wind farm assets Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

LockBit ransomware gang allegedly leaks MoD data after hit on supplier

The UK government appears to have become entangled in a LockBit ransomware attack after data was leaked from a third-party supplier online Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How startup Once.net and Cloudflare secured the 2023 Eurovision vote

When the Eurovision Song Contest introduced paid-for public voting from outside Europe in 2023, it faced new cyber challenges. Learn how Dutch startup Once.net and Cloudflare teamed up to secure and support the big night Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Police Scotland five-year digital strategy approved

Police Scotland’s new strategy outlines how the force will approach and invest in its digital transformation over the next five years, but notes its ability to achieve its ambitions is subject to the availability of funding Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

IT experts issue new warnings over Online Safety Bill plans to weaken end-to-end encryption

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, argues the government is seeking a technical fix to terrorism and child abuse without understanding the risks and implications Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Investigations Editor

Threat actors exploiting unpatched Juniper Networks devices

A series of vulnerabilities in Juniper Networks firewalls and switches appear to be being exploited in the wild to enable remote code execution, with thousands of devices thought to be exposed Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

It might be too soon to claim victory against Qakbot

The multinational operation to take down the Qakbot (aka Qbot) malware has been hailed as a great victory, but Lumu Technologies’ Ricardo Villadiego argues that the celebrations may be a little premature Continue Reading

By

• Ricardo Villadiego, Lumu Technologies

The quantum threat: Implications for the Internet of Things

The Security Think Tank assesses the state of encryption technology, exploring topics such as cryptographic techniques, data-masking, the legal ramifications of end-to-end encryption, and the impact of quantum Continue Reading

By

• Jonathan Lane, PA Consulting

Sandworm attacks Ukraine with Infamous Chisel malware

The UK and its allies have attributed a novel malware campaign against Ukrainian state targets to the Russian intelligence-backed Sandworm APT Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ducktail social media marketing malware rears its head again

Use of the Ducktail infostealer, which first popped up in 2022 targeting Meta Business accounts, seems to be increasing Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Home Office and MoD seeking new facial-recognition tech

The UK’s Defence and Security Accelerator is running a ‘market exploration’ exercise on behalf of the Home Office to identify new facial-recognition capabilities for security and policing bodies in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Post Office to provide in-person identity checks for One Login

Partnership between the Government Digital Service and the Post Office will see postmasters and staff provide face-to-face identity checks for those unable to use the One Login app or website Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Cyber world hails downfall of Qakbot trojan

A multinational law enforcement hacking operation disrupted the botnet infrastructure used to distribute the Qakbot trojan at the weekend, in a major setback for the cyber criminal underworld Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCSC warns over possible AI prompt injection attacks

The UK’s NCSC says it sees alarming potential for so-called prompt injection attacks driven by the large language models that power AI chatbots Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Zero-day that forced Barracuda users to bin kit was exploited by China

Mandiant has published details of how a Chinese threat actor targeted high-profile users of Barracuda Networks' Email Security Gateway appliances, including government agencies of interest to Beijing's intelligence goals Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nats resorts to fail-safe manual process after technical hitch

Just a few hours of manual processing has resulted in a massive backlog in flights Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Top-performing CISOs reserve time for professional development

Survey of chief information security officers conducted by Gartner sheds light on habits shared by the top-performing members of the profession Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The CIO's role in strengthening cybersecurity

To effectively tackle security risks, organizations should proactively address the complexities of information security. Learn how CIOs can play a key role in cybersecurity. Continue Reading

By

• Kevin Beaver, Principle Logic, LLC

AI and supply chain visibility key to mitigating OT security threats

Leveraging AI and maintain visibility into the security of your software supply chain are key to mitigating cyber attacks against operational technology systems Continue Reading

By

• Eric Byres

How do digital signatures work?

Digital signatures add a level of security to online agreements, which can prevent bad actors from impersonating other individuals or tampering with sensitive contracts. Continue Reading

By

• David Weldon

Google bets on AI-backed cyber controls for Workspace users

Zero-trust and digital sovereignty controls are the focus of a series of enhancements being made for Google Workspace users Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Teenage Lapsus$ ringleader was responsible for crime spree, UK court rules

A court has ruled that Arion Kurtaj, allegedly a key player in the Lapsus$ cyber extortion syndicate, was responsible for the group’s year-long campaign of cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

network vulnerability scanning

Network vulnerability scanning is the process of inspecting and reporting potential vulnerabilities and security loopholes on a computer, network, web application or other device, including firewalls, switches, routers and wireless access points. Continue Reading

By

• Kinza Yasar, Technical Writer

BYOI (bring your own identity)

BYOI (bring your own identity) is an approach to digital authentication in which an end user's username and password are managed by a third party. BYOI is increasingly being used for website authentication. Continue Reading

By

• Robert Sheldon
• Sharon Shea, Executive Editor

St Helens Council in Merseyside hit by ransomware attack

St Helens Borough Council is investigating a suspected ransomware incident targeting its systems, and is advising residents to be on the alert for follow-on phishing attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber attacks in 2023 develop quicker as average dwell times plummet

The median attacker dwell time shrunk from 10 to eight days in the first seven months of 2023, and in the case of ransomware attacks it is down to just five days Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Singapore to bolster OT security capabilities

Cyber Security Agency of Singapore teams up with Dragos and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to bolster the country’s OT security capabilities Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Clop’s MOVEit attacks drive ransomware volumes to record high

Such has been the scope of Clop’s activity since May that ransomware attack volumes have more than doubled year on year, according to the latest data Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Police worker could have put investigation into EncroChat encrypted phone network at risk

A police intelligence analyst admitted tipping-off a criminal contact that police had infiltrated the EncroChat encrypted phone network Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Investigations Editor

Cyber attack on Aussie energy services firm may hit UK CNI

Energy One, an Australia-based supplier of tech services to the energy sector, is investigating the possibility that some UK customers may have been caught up in an ongoing cyber attack on its systems Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber Explorers programme reaches 50,000 11-14 year olds in 18 months

The government-backed Cyber Explorers programme has reached 50,000 students in its first 18 months, and more schools are being invited to sign up for the Autumn Term Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NatWest customer calls bank’s handling of breach of his data ‘disgusting’

A second NatWest customer has contacted Computer Weekly after finding out from a whistleblower that his sensitive personal data has been in her home for 14 years Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

MongoDB secures IRAP certification

MongoDB’s certification from Australia’s Information Security Registered Assessor Program will pave the way for federal government agencies to use its Atlas database service for protected workloads Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Researchers demo fake airplane mode exploit that tricks iPhone users

Exploit chain that tricks a victim into believing their iOS device is offline in airplane mode when it is not could open the door to grave privacy concerns Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top marks for graduates of CIISec vocational cyber course

132 young people who sat the UK’s first Extended Project Qualification in Cyber Security have received their results today Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CyberArk eyes growth beyond PAM

CyberArk is seeing exponential growth in the broader identity security market as the company expands its capabilities beyond privileged access management Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

AI is the most hyped technology of 2023

Gartner's 2023 hype cycle puts generative AI at the peak of inflated expectations in its latest analysis of emerging tech trends Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

BT flies into NATS network, cyber security project

Organisation tasked with managing air travel in the UK implements ‘transformational’ technology programme to keep skies safe and support customers worldwide Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

NCSC expands Cyber Incident Response service more widely

The NCSC has added a level to its CIR programme to enable more cyber attack victims to take advantage of the service, which offers access to assured incident response specialists Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

6 open source GRC tools compliance professionals should know

Organizations must meet a variety of regulatory compliance requirements today. Here's a look at six open source GRC tools and related resources that might help. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Moyle, SecurityCurve

Top 12 risk management skills and why you need them

Effective risk management is necessary in all parts of a business. Here are a dozen skills that risk managers need to be successful in their jobs. Continue Reading

By

• Andy Patrizio

ITAM influence on cyber risk becoming a factor in credit ratings

Credit agency S&P Global Ratings warns that organisations that pay inadequate attention to IT asset management as a factor in their cyber risk management processes may find their creditworthiness takes a dive Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Norfolk and Suffolk police hit by FoI-linked data breach

Latest UK police data breach relates to crime suspects, victims and witnesses across East Anglia, and comes just days after a similar incident at the Northern Irish service Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top 4 information security strategy essentials CIOs need

Right now, hackers are targeting your organization. Fight back by learning how CIOs can create a resilient and strong information security foundation. Continue Reading

By

• Kevin Beaver, Principle Logic, LLC

Online safety message failing to get through to women

The security community could be doing a lot more to make its advice and guidance more accessible to women, according to a study Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Unconventional career: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

Cyber security expert Junade Ali, talks about his non-academic route to a PhD. He was recently elected as a fellow of the IET Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Healthcare cybersecurity risks and management

Healthcare institutions are rich in what cybercriminals want: sensitive data like PII and financial information. Learn the danger and what an effective strategy must include. Continue Reading

By

• Brenda L. Horrigan, Executive Managing Editor

NatWest offers compensation to customer affected by data breach exposed by whistleblower

NatWest bank has offered compensation to a former customer affected by a data breach alongside around 1,600 other former and current customers Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

US Cyber Board to probe cloud security after latest Exchange hack

CSRB review of cloud security comes in the wake of a major Chinese cyber attack on US government bodies orchestrated through Microsoft’s cloud services Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM)

Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) is a Safe Mode boot option for Windows Server domain controllers. Continue Reading

By

• Rahul Awati

Datacentre management vulnerabilities leave public clouds at risk

At the annual DEF CON hacking convention, researchers from Trellix have disclosed multiple vulnerabilities in key datacentre products underpinning the world’s public cloud infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Whose needs are UK Cyber Skills policies intended to meet?

Among those businesses that do not outsource incident management, 4 in 10 (41%) are not very or not at all confidence that they would be able to deal with a cyber security breach or attack compared ... Continue Reading

By

• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

Google speeds up security update frequency for Chrome

Changes to Google’s security update policy are supposed to help close the gap in which cyber criminals can exploit n-day vulnerabilities Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

A non-conventional career journey into IT security

GCSEs and A-levels are not the only route to higher education. We speak to an IT security expert who left school with no formal qualifications Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

PSNI investigating second breach after laptop stolen

Just hours after accidentally disclosing the personal details of 10,000 personnel, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has notified a second data breach after a police issue laptop and documents were stolen from a parked car Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Three UK expands business offering with device management proposition

Cloud-based offering to enable UK operator to offer businesses ability to manage over-the-air configuration of devices, simplifying complex IT admin while securely increasing employee productivity Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

Microsoft addresses Office vulnerability attacked by Russian spooks in latest update

Microsoft has issued fixes for over 70 vulnerabilities in its August Patch Tuesday drop, including remedies for CVE-2023-36884, which was disclosed without a fix in July and has been the subject of Kremlin-backed cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

crisis management

Crisis management is the application of strategies designed to help an organization deal with a sudden and significant negative event, while maintaining business continuity. Continue Reading

By

• Nick Barney, Technology Writer
• Brien Posey

Northern Irish police expose staff data in botched FoI response

Human error is being blamed for the leak of personally identifiable information on all serving officers and civilian staff at the Police Service of Northern Ireland Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

MPs warn about growing prevalence of tech-enabled domestic abuse

The UK government must take action to prevent perpetrators from being able to use connected or smart technologies to conduct their domestic abuse, a select committee has warned Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

UK voter data hacked in cyber attack on election watchdog

An unknown threat actor who attacked the UK’s Electoral Commission had access to data on millions of UK voters for over a year, the watchdog has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Black Basta, Hive and Royal ransomware gangs may share real-world connection

At Black Hat USA, Sophos X-Ops researchers share data revealing potential connections between three active ransomware crews Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Workplace monitoring needs worker consent, says select committee

Employers looking to monitor their employees through connected devices should only to so with the consent of those affected due to negative impacts such surveillance can have on work intensification and mental health Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Many UK organisations considering ChatGPT bans on employee devices

More than 60% of organisations in the UK have either banned, or are considering banning, the use of generative AI tools on employee- or business-owned devices Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NHS trust suspends two governors as whistleblower email dispute continues

Governors at an NHS trust have been suspended after asking questions about emails used to bring a General Medical Council investigation against a whistleblower Continue Reading

By

• Tommy Greene

Microsoft fixes Azure flaw that was subject of researcher criticism

Microsoft has confirmed a potentially-dangerous flaw in the Azure platform has now been fully fixed, and moved to reassure customers that despite criticism it is committed to responsible disclosure and timely fixes Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor