IT security

A billion extra contactless payments in year since limit increase

Visa said there was an extra one billion contactless payments made by its customers last year Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Unpatched SAP applications are target-rich ground for hackers

Report from SAP and cyber threat research company Onapsis warns that hackers are attacking mission-critical SAP business applications that contain unpatched vulnerabilities Continue Reading

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• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Facebook data leak could be outside scope of GDPR

Regulators may be unable to do much about leaked data on 533 million Facebook users, as it seems to have been stolen before GDPR came into force Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

API Daze

Earlier this week, the US Supreme Court ruled that Google did not infringe Oracle copyright on the Java SE API (application programming edition). The fact the US Supreme Court has digested a load ... Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

What Agenda is the new GDS Director, Identity Assurance Programme expected to deliver?

Experience in "Significant agile programme management and/or major change delivery" will not be enough. The appointee will need the skills of Machiavelli  and the luck of the Devil.    Continue Reading

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• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

5 endpoint security best practices to keep company data safe

With an expanding company perimeter, it's time to implement these endpoint security best practices, from asset discovery to device profiling. Continue Reading

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• Ashwin Krishnan, StandOutin90Sec

EncroChat hearings delayed as lawyers seek disclosure on police hacking

Court hearings precipitated by police cracking the EncroChat secure mobile phone network have been delayed after defence lawyers request further disclosures on police decryption capabilities Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

How to build a honeypot to increase network security

Create a honeypot that will trap attackers and monitor their activities to enhance your organization's network security. This step-by-step guide takes you through the process. Continue Reading

By

• Ben Lutkevich, Site Editor

NHS is apparently closing security skills gap

By the end of 2020, there were more than twice as many in-house security professionals at NHS trusts as there were two years before Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Evolving threats, tech, leaves CNI exposed

In light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

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• Tim Parker

Cyber Security Council to champion UK security pros

A new cyber security professional body has launched with the aim of developing and promoting UK cyber security excellence globally and growing the skills base Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nordics run information sharing on digital vaccination passports

Nordic countries advance plans for digital Covid-19 vaccination passports in a bid to kick-start their economies Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Privacy campaigners hail legal victory over Hancock and Palantir

Civil liberties organisation OpenDemocracy says it has scored a legal victory over health secretary Matt Hancock regarding the involvement of Palantir in the NHS Covid-19 data store Continue Reading

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• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Ransomware attack on London schools highlights warnings

Ransomware attack on Harris Federation comes just days after a fresh NCSC alert for the education sector Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

New cyberthreats remind us of the need for hyper-vigilance

This is a guest post by Kerry Singleton, managing director for cyber security at Cisco Asia-Pacific, Japan and China In recent weeks, we’ve seen a number of significant cybersecurity threats ... Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

The Security Interviews: How to secure an F1 team in a pandemic

A multi-year digital transformation programme paid off for F1 team Williams Racing when the 2020 season was abruptly postponed thanks to Covid-19. Learn how the team’s CIO has been supporting remote working and protecting data Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK courts face evidence ‘black hole’ over police EncroChat mass hacking

French investigators have refused to disclose how they downloaded millions of messages from a supposedly secure cryptophone network used by organised criminals – leaving UK courts to grapple with a forensic ‘black hole’ of evidence Continue Reading

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

Cyber attack takes Channel Nine off-air

The Australian broadcaster was hit by an alleged ransomware attack that disrupted broadcasting operations in its Sydney studio Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Ecolabels and data sanitisation key to recycling and reusing IT assets

Ecolabels on hardware and data sanitisation of devices are key to recycling and reusing old IT equipment respectively, helping enterprises avoid unnecessary asset destruction and contributing to increasingly high levels of electronic waste globally Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

CW Innovation Awards: SIA taps blockchain for loyalty app

Singapore Airlines, winner of the transportation category in this year’s CW Innovation Awards APAC, expands its blockchain-based digital wallet into a broader digital lifestyle platform Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Surveillance expert ‘unfairly’ refused job at intelligence regulator after MI5 intervened

The Home Office unfairly refused Eric Kind, a specialist in criminal justice and UK surveillance law, clearance for a job at an intelligence watchdog after MI5 claimed he was “insufficiently deferential” Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Backup appliances the hot topic for Pas-de-Calais fire brigade

With requirements for strict, long-duration backup and archiving, French fire brigade set out to replace optical media with a StorageCraft appliance and disaster-proof storage Continue Reading

By

• Pierre Berlemont
• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Retailer FatFace pays $2m ransom to Conti cyber criminals

Retailer FatFace paid out a $2m ransom to restore its data following a January 2021 cyber attack by the Conti ransomware syndicate Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor
• Valéry Rieß-Marchive, Rédacteur en chef

Leading Israeli IoT firm lands in US as worldwide malware attacks surge

With US end-user internet of things devices expected to grow to $1.6tn by 2025 and with more than 5.4 billion IoT connected devices in North America alone, tech firms and the black hat community are weighing up the potential Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

Zombified Gov.uk Verify is officially dead - so what's next?

The UK government has finally admitted in public for the first time that its flagship digital identity programme, Gov.uk Verify, is dead. This will be no surprise to anyone following the project, ... Continue Reading

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• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Remote working burn-out a factor in security risk

After a year of working from the kitchen table, stress and burn-out are increasing, giving rise to more security risks – and Millennials seem to be particularly affected Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

‘Major’ security flaw detected in 5G core network slicing design

Mobile security specialist details potentially revenue-threatening vulnerabilities with key element of next-generation networks and reveals plans to work with industry to provide mitigation prior to widespread deployments Continue Reading

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• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

Cyber security complacency puts UK at risk, says NCSC head

National Cyber Security Centre CEO Lindy Cameron, in her maiden speech in the role, warns of challenges ahead for the UK and sets out the future agenda for cyber Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

TUC warns of gaps in British law over use of AI at work

The TUC has published a report warning of AI-powered discrimination against working people enabled by gaps in existing British employment law Continue Reading

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• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Warning: AWS IAM behaves differently to directory services

IT admins use group policies to manage user access via Active Directory, but AWS takes a subtly different approach, which can be exploited Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Four in five UK businesses seek new security suppliers

Decision-makers are ready to buy new security technology, but suppliers must pay close attention to how they present themselves Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Facebook disrupts Chinese espionage operation

Social media giant’s in-house security team has tracked down and disrupted a long-running Chinese campaign targeting the Uighur Muslim minority Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

More than £34.5m stolen in pandemic scams over past year

City of London Police and National Cyber Security Centre report large uptick in threats and crime related to Covid-19 over the past year, in some cases directed specifically at health organisations Continue Reading

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• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

Oil giant Shell hit through Accellion FTA breach

Energy firm discloses cyber attack through Accellion File Transfer Appliance Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Apparent drop in cyber incidents highlights underlying problems

UK organisations report fewer cyber security incidents, but the headline data masks more serious issues, according to a report Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK faces significant cyber talent shortfall

Cyber security sector is struggling to attract the talented workforce it needs Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber criminals forging Covid-19 vaccine certificates

Vaccine passports and certificates are gaining mainstream traction, which means cyber criminals are also on the bandwagon Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How to choose the right email security service for your organisation

With email security threats growing rapidly, businesses can quickly identify and block these by using a top email security service. Here’s how to select the right provider Continue Reading

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• Nicholas Fearn

Employees must be given the right to disconnect

As enterprises increasingly turn to workplace monitoring technologies and more of the workforce moves to remote or hybrid working, unions are campaigning for workers’ ‘right to disconnect’ and not engage in digitally enabled work after hours Continue Reading

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• Andrew Pakes, Prospect Union

Anti-money laundering technology must operate in a collaborative ecosystem

With new technologies making it easier for banks to spot money laundering activity, we look at why the problem persists at scale, finding that ecosystems and collaborative processes need to be built Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

NCSC beefs up support for education sector after spate of attacks

Refreshed guidance from the NCSC recommends a defence-in-depth strategy as schools and universities face a renewed wave of cyber attacks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Attacks on CNI – an evolving frontier in warfare

In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

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• Asaf Weisberg, ISACA board of directors

Cyber sector welcomes PM’s defence review

Security commentators approve of measures to improve the UK’s cyber resilience, strengthen its R&D and skills base, lead on the development of new technology and promote a free, open, peaceful and secure global internet Continue Reading

Would the UK really nuke a cyber attacker?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, did the UK’s defence and security review really suggest a nuclear response to a cyber attack? Data visualisation has been widely used to explain the Covid-19 pandemic, but not always that effectively. And jewellery retailer Pandora explains how it kept the personal touch as customers went online. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

$50m ransomware demand on Acer is highest ever

Record-breaking double-extortion cyber attack saw REvil gang exfiltrate financial data from Taiwan-based PC manufacturer Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Unionised drivers call on Microsoft to suspend Uber’s Face API licences

Unionised private hire drivers in the UK are calling for Microsoft to suspend Uber’s licences to use its Face API technology after claims the ride-hailing firm’s ID-checking system has led to drivers losing their jobs and having licences revoked Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Security Think Tank: Back to square one – ground-up CNI protection

In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

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• Matthias Reinwarth, KuppingerCole

Security Think Tank: Properly protecting CNI demands specificity

In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

Compare Azure Firewall vs. NSGs for network security

Traffic to and from resources needs proper security to protect data, but the wrong tool could leave you vulnerable. Explore these two services to find the right level of protection. Continue Reading

By

• Joydip Kanjilal

Vaccine passports cannot put basic rights at risk, warns BCS

BCS warns of challenges to come as the government presses on with its plans for Covid-19 vaccine passports Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Eastern Health reports ‘cyber incident’, takes systems offline

Australian healthcare provider Eastern Health takes IT systems offline as a precaution while it looks into a cyber incident Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Security Think Tank: Take a realistic perspective on CNI cyber attacks

In light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Morris, Turnkey Consulting

Average ransomware cost triples, says report

The average amount paid out by ransomware victims has grown almost threefold to more than $300,000 per incident, according to a report Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Digital Green Certificate proposed for travel in Europe

Digital Green Certificates will supposedly help re-establish freedom of movement within the European Union Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: CNI operators must focus on core issues

In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Cyber sector welcomes PM’s defence review

Security commentators approve of measures to improve the UK’s cyber resilience, strengthen its R&D and skills base, lead on the development of new technology and promote a free, open, peaceful and secure global internet Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Uber and Ola ordered to hand over more data to drivers

A Dutch court has rejected Uber and Ola’s claims that drivers collectively taking action to access their data amounts to an abuse of their individual data access rights, laying the ground for drivers to form their own union-controlled data trust Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

How attackers counter incident response after a data breach

It's not over until it's over. Explore how attackers use backdoors and evasion techniques to counter incident response measures even long after a data breach is disclosed. Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Kempster

MoD partners playing fast and loose with confidential data

Clear spike in data breach incidents at defence partners may reflect better reporting standards, claims MoD Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Unusual DearCry ransomware uses ‘rare’ approach to encryption

Hybrid approach to encryption used by DearCry bears similarities to WannaCry Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft releases one-click ProxyLogon mitigation tool

Microsoft’s mitigation tool is designed to help customers without dedicated security or IT teams navigate fixing their vulnerable Exchange servers Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government calls for input into Covid-19 vaccine passports

Evidence gathering exercise will inform the development of the UK’s proposed Covid-19 vaccine passport scheme Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

ST Engineering teams up with Google Cloud

Singapore’s ST Engineering and Google Cloud will explore offering secure cloud services for organisations in regulated industries Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Endpoint security vs. network security: Why both matter

As the security perimeter blurs, companies often debate the merits of endpoint security vs. network security. However, it shouldn't be an either-or decision. Continue Reading

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• Andrew Froehlich, West Gate Networks

UK plans ‘full spectrum’ approach to national cyber security

PM Boris Johnson expands on proposed National Cyber Force and plans to set up a north of England Cyber Corridor Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft Exchange ProxyLogon attacks spike 10 times in four days

Exploitations of the Microsoft Exchange ProxyLogon vulnerabilities have increased tenfold in just four days Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Judges refuse EncroChat defendants’ appeal to Supreme Court

Experts suggest Parliament and Investigatory Powers Tribunal need to consider the implications of a court decision on police use of data from the EncroChat phone network Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

EncroChat ruling has ‘far-reaching effects’ for legal role of interception in UK investigations

The computer forensic experts involved in the review of police use of data hacked from the ultra-secure EncroChat phone network assess the impact of the Appeal Court ruling on future legal use of intercept evidence   Continue Reading

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• Duncan Campbell, Ian Brown

Security Think Tank: CNI operators are in an unenviable position

In the light of increasing cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure, what are the immediate risks to industrial control systems and other operational technology, and what steps can be taken to address them? Continue Reading

By

• Mike Lloyd, RedSeal

India is becoming a hotspot for IoT

India is set to be a cradle for internet of things deployments thanks to its vibrant economy and its potential to play a bigger role in global manufacturing Continue Reading

By

• Pratima Harigunani

Arrest warrants issued for Canadians behind Sky ECC cryptophone network used by organised crime

The US has issued arrest warrants for the CEO of Sky Global and a former distributor for racketeering, aiding and abetting the distribution of illegal drugs by supplying encrypted phones to criminals Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

NCSC issues emergency alert on Microsoft Exchange patch

UK’s national cyber agency calls on organisations affected by the ProxyLogon vulnerabilities to patch their Microsoft Exchange Servers immediately Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Does email security need a human solution or a tech solution?

People spend a lot of time using email systems, but many do not realise that this makes them attractive targets for cyber criminals. With education and technology, businesses can tackle this problem head-on Continue Reading

By

• Nicholas Fearn

DearCry ransomware targets vulnerable Exchange servers

As predicted, ransomware gangs have started to target vulnerable instances of Microsoft Exchange Server, making patching an even greater priority Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Brewer Molson Coors targeted in cyber attack

Cyber criminals have disrupted beer production at Molson Coors, one of the world’s largest brewers Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Interview: Uber driver Yaseen Aslam on his Supreme Court battle and what’s next for gig workers

Private hire driver and union organiser Yaseen Aslam speaks to Computer Weekly about his legal battle with Uber and what the UK Supreme Court ruling means to workers in the gig economy Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

CW Innovation Awards: Fighting fake Covid-19 vaccines with blockchain

A blockchain-based system developed by Singapore-based Zuellig Pharma can help governments and healthcare providers weed out fake vaccines and manage vaccine distribution and administration Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Security Think Tank: US security efforts may centre on collaboration

As US president Joe Biden sets out his agenda for the next four years, we consider the opportunities for renewed international collaboration on cyber security, what aspects of cyber Biden should focus on, and ask how the industry can make its voice heard Continue Reading

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• Cath Goulding, Nominet

Why the London Data Charter could be a foundation stone in the city’s recovery

London First’s director of connectivity and competitiveness, David Lutton, explains why data is at the core of the capital’s recovery plan Continue Reading

By

• David Lutton

UK digital regulators set out plans to strengthen cooperation

Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum outlines plans for the coming year, marking a shift towards a more collaborative regulatory approach Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Attack on surveillance cameras a warning over security, ethics

The attack on a video surveillance startup by a hacktivist group raises questions not just over cyber security, but the use and extent of surveillance technology Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

After Emotet takedown, Trickbot roars up threat charts

Malicious actors are turning to new tricks as Emotet fades away Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Norwegian government falls victim to Microsoft attacks

Norway’s parliament, the Storting, suffers second major cyber incident in a year as threat groups capitalise on vulnerable Microsoft Exchange Servers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top five threats to compliance during the pandemic

We survey the top five pandemic compliance threats – remote working, Covid tracking, criminal exploits, compliance measures slipping, and heightened enforcement to come Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

CW Europe: Nordic tech startups create blueprint for post-Covid working environment

Business can learn lessons from Nordic tech startups to prepare employees to return to the office after Covid restrictions end. Also read why Netherlands police need a training ‘roadmap’ to get them up to speed to tackle cyber crime. Continue Reading

Grindr complaint results in €9.6m GDPR fine

 Continue Reading

The New Norm Still Means The Old Norm When It Comes To Exchange Vulnerabilities

Some things in IT never change and one is exposing vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s armoury, not least as has recently been reported, Microsoft Exchange. Oh, how the hackers love Exchange… So, at the ... Continue Reading

By

• Steve Broadhead, Broadband Testing

SASE in focus for enterprises in post-pandemic 2021

Recently in this ‘ere blog I took off tangentially a couple of times from a recently published customer survey carried out by Cato Networks, itself at the epicentre of an IT pandemic known as SASE. ... Continue Reading

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• Steve Broadhead, Broadband Testing

Patch Tuesday overshadowed by Microsoft Exchange attacks

Microsoft’s March Patch Tuesday update drops amid ongoing fall-out from widespread Exchange attacks Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Police crack world’s largest cryptophone network as criminals swap EncroChat for Sky ECC

Belgian and Dutch police have breached the encryption of users of Sky ECC, the world’s largest cryptophone network. There are significant parallels with the international police operation against the EncroChat cryptophone network which led to hundreds of arrests Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Explore 5 business email compromise examples to learn from

Gift cards are for gifts, never for payment. Explore real-world examples of business email compromise to learn common attack patterns and red flags. Continue Reading

By

• Katie Donegan, Social Media Manager

Belgian police raid 200 premises in drug operation linked to breach of encrypted phone network

More than 1,600 police and law enforcement officials conduct drug raids after the compromise of an encrypted mobile phone network that has parallels with EncroChat Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Why your business needs SOC as a service

Security in the digital era demands that businesses monitor their entire IT estate and resolve all alerts, but for many organisations the most effective way of doing that is SOCaaS Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Significant jump in number of hackers reporting vulnerabilities to companies

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of hackers reporting security vulnerabilities and bugs to enterprises has increased by nearly two-thirds Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Gartner: Three tips to avoid cloud service suspension

As recent events have shown, public cloud providers have the power to terminate cloud contracts, and seemingly legitimate businesses may be at risk Continue Reading

By

• Lydia Leong

EBA restores services after Microsoft Exchange attack

European Banking Authority was breached through vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server, but is now back online Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Private equity house buys McAfee enterprise business

Deal to sell off enterprise unit will see McAfee become a pure-play consumer organisation Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Is Clubhouse safe, and should CISOs stop its use?

With more concerns being raised over the privacy and security of social media app Clubhouse, we consider whether security teams should consider restricting or stopping employees from using it Continue Reading

Are you ready to return to the office?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, a year after lockdown began, we look at employers’ changing attitudes to returning to the workplace. We find out how the software developer community has coped during the Covid-19 pandemic. And we examine the cyber security concerns prompted by latest social media craze, Clubhouse. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

US teases retaliation over state-backed cyber attacks

Consequences for alleged perpetrators of the SolarWinds attack are expected within the next few weeks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor