IT security

Privacy Shield: Companies face new hurdles to legally transfer data to the US

Businesses will have to conduct legal assessments to ensure they can transfer data from the EU to the US and other countries, following a European Court of Justice ruling Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Coronavirus: Government drags its feet on online misinformation

Online misinformation about Covid-19 continues to spread unchecked, according to a DCMS committee report which has accused the government of dragging its feet over online harms Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Russia Report reveals long-running cyber warfare campaign against UK

Russia has been hacking the UK for years and the British government has also known about it for years, according to the Intelligence and Security Committee’s report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Avon calling: what happens when lockdown eliminates your business model?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to global beauty brand Avon, to find out how it coped with a huge lockdown dilemma – how to adapt its door-to-door sales model when its reps couldn’t leave home. Our latest buyer’s guide examines the use of artificial intelligence in IT security. And we analyse the government’s decision to strip Huawei from the UK’s 5G network. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Australian industry panel calls for ‘clear consequences’ of cyber attacks

A government-appointed panel recommends strong deterrence and other measures to be implemented in Australia’s next cyber security strategy Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

ICO hails transformative year as average fine trebles

Information Commissioner’s Office annual report reflects on a busy period, during which it levied two of the largest fines so far seen under the GDPR Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Businesses underestimate negative impact of bot traffic

Research from Netacea finds that although awareness of malicious bot activity is high, many are underestimating its true impact Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Test and Trace programme unlawful, admits government

The Department of Health and Social Care failed in its legal obligation to complete a mandatory Data Protection Impact Assessment Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Automating IT security

IT security’s battle with the hacking community has always been a game of cat and mouse, but it’s becoming increasingly automated Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Enterprises need to rethink how end-of-life equipment is dealt with

Electronic waste is a massive and growing problem, but many companies are not recycling or reusing IT equipment, instead opting for physical destruction of the assets Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Twitter hack fallout: Investigators on trail of cyber criminals

Investigators are hunting the cyber criminals who broke into Twitter’s systems to hijack prominent accounts, amid concerns that more attacks may come Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Developed APAC states most exposed to cyber risks

Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand have the highest exposure to cyber risks, but they are also the most prepared to deal with cyber attacks, study finds. Continue Reading

CW APAC: Trend Watch – security

It wasn’t that long ago when DevSecOps was little more than a mispronunciation of DevOps. Fast forward to today, the notion of embedding security into the development process is not only accepted, but increasingly championed. In this handbook, Computer Weekly looks at what organisations in the Asia-Pacific region are doing to secure their systems, from adopting a DevSecOps approach, to preparing for cyber attacks and ensuring the privacy of Covid-19 contact-tracing app users. Continue Reading

Australian government pulls plug on cloud certification programme

The Australian Signals Directorate is closing its cloud services certification programme to allow for more home-grown suppliers. Continue Reading

Australian workers are weakest link in fight against cyber attacks

About four in 10 employees are sharing inappropriate data across mobile devices and half of all security incidents in 2019 occurred through inappropriate IT use, new study finds. Continue Reading

How Australian firms can defend against supply chain attacks

Supply chain security risks can wreak havoc if measures are not taken to deter cyber attackers from exploiting a supplier’s security gaps to target another firm. Continue Reading

CW ANZ: Expert advice on security

Supply chain risks are invisible to many organisations, which means they are often not prioritised from an IT security perspective, partly because supply chain risk management is often seen as a procurement issue. In this handbook, Computer Weekly looks at how organisations in Australia and New Zealand can better protect themselves against supply chain attacks and other evolving cyber threats. Continue Reading

Russian state hackers attacking Covid-19 researchers

Kremlin-linked APT29 group, also known as Cozy Bear, is conducting a campaign against Covid-19 researchers around the world Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Schrems v Facebook: European court strikes down EU-US Privacy Shield agreement

The European Court of Justice has struck down Privacy Shield, the EU-US data-sharing agreement, creating uncertainty for European countries that share data with the US and pressuring the US to reform surveillance laws Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Bazar malware may be new tool in Trickbot arsenal

Cybereason’s Nocturnus research team uncovers new Bazar malware, which shares some similarities with other varieties Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cryptocurrency scammers attack Twitter in insider breach

Apparent insider breach at Twitter saw so-called “blue tick” accounts of business people, politicians and celebrities hijacked to promote a Bitcoin scam Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus shines spotlight on cyber security

Programme committee chair of this year's RSA Conference Asia-Pacific and Japan talks up the challenges that IT security professionals in APAC are facing to mitigate security risks amid the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Government proposes IoT security enforcement body

The government is today publishing new proposals concerning planned legislation that will protect users of smart IoT devices from cyber criminals Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Warning over security holes in fake Cisco kit

Two counterfeit Cisco Catalyst 2960-X switches were only found after a software update caused them to stop working Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Patch Tuesday: Microsoft fixes 123 bugs in July 2020 update

The bugs start coming and they don’t stop coming; Microsoft has issued yet another bumper Patch Tuesday update Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Video providers slammed by credential stuffing attacks

Attacks on the media sector are spiking as cyber criminals try to gain access to valuable consumer accounts Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

11 obscure questions, Facebook, Max Schrems and the European Court of Justice

Eleven obscure questions will be the first step towards explaining why we in the UK and Europe have experienced 13 years of what has been described as ‘mass and indiscriminate surveillance’ by the US Continue Reading

By

• Kevin Cahill

Singapore’s Project Ubin hits commercialisation milestone

A blockchain payments network prototype spearheaded by Singapore’s central bank and its partners could speed up and lower the cost of cross-border payments Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Check Point unearths critical SigRed bug in Windows DNS

SigRed vulnerability is highly dangerous, but is being fixed as part of the July 2020 Patch Tuesday update Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

European court to decide legality of EU-US data sharing in dispute between Schrems and Facebook

A ruling by the European Court of Justice will have ramifications for hundreds of thousands of companies that share data with the US. The case aims to balance US surveillance laws with the rights of EU citizens to keep their data private Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Standard Chartered latest bank to explore quantum computing

Standard Chartered is working with researchers to establish use cases for quantum computing in the banking sector Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CISOs undervalued, overworked, burning out, warns CIISec

The vast majority of security professionals say they are under immense pressure, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Recon vulnerability puts thousands of SAP customers at risk

Users of multiple SAP products including S4/HANA should apply the security update as soon as possible to protect their systems Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: AI in cyber needs complex cost/benefit analysis

AI and machine learning techniques are said to hold great promise in security, enabling organisations to operate a IT predictive security stance and automate reactive measures when needed. Is this perception accurate, or is the importance of automation being gravely overestimated? Continue Reading

By

• Anne Bailey

‘Name-and-shame’ ransomware attacks increasing in prevalence

Since emerging at the tail-end of 2019, double extortion, or exfiltration and encryption, ransomware attacks have become highly popular, and now account for a significant number of incidents, according to Emsisoft research Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Australian enterprises facing more cyber attacks

The volume of cyber attacks in Australia jumped from 90% in October 2019 and 81% in February 2019, underscoring the worsening threat landscape in the country Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Security Think Tank: Ignore AI overheads at your peril

Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques are said to hold great promise in security, enabling organisations to operate an IT predictive security stance and automate reactive measures when needed. Is this perception accurate, or is the importance of automation being gravely overestimated? Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Morris, Turnkey Consulting

NCSC launches pen testing service for remote workers

An expansion to the successful Exercise in a Box toolkit will enable SMEs to probe the cyber security defences of remote workers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Zoom zero-day a reminder to stop using Windows 7

Researchers have disclosed a newly discovered zero-day vulnerability to videoconferencing service Zoom, which only affects users of Windows 7 systems Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Drive to improve flash reliability

Due to its limited write cycles, flash-based storage can corrupt data. Computer Weekly looks at how flash reliability is being addressed Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

How cyber warfare laws limit risk on a digital battleground

Retired Navy cryptologist implores enterprises to build key cyber warfare laws into their infosec strategy to improve survivability on the digital battleground in his new book. Continue Reading

By

• Katie Donegan, Social Media Manager
• Packt Publishing

The future of cyber warfare requires infosec's attention

The future of cyber warfare places enterprise security and survivability in the crosshairs. Learn more about cyber warfare threats and capabilities and how infosec can prepare. Continue Reading

By

• Katie Donegan, Social Media Manager

HSBC customers targeted in new smishing scam

SMS phishing scam is targeting HSBC customers in the UK to trick them into handing over their bank account details Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Majority of security pros fed up with alert fatigue

A vast majority of security professionals say they experience alert fatigue, and 88% are facing challenges with their current SIEM setup, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NHS trust uses case management software to deliver time savings

To deal with inefficient and unreliable processes, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Trust has implemented a case management system specifically designed for HR practitioners Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Dutch banking’s transaction monitoring utility gets green light

Plans for a shared utility to monitor financial transactions in the Netherlands have been given the go-ahead after six months of proving the concept Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Clearview AI faces ICO investigation over facial recognition

Controversial company that scraped data from the public internet to build its facial recognition algorithm faces a joint UK-Australian investigation into its practices Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The pandemic has made UK government rethink its relationship with data

Data has been essential to fighting the coronavirus outbreak, and the forthcoming National Data Strategy promises to place data at the heart of the UK's economic recovery Continue Reading

By

• Oliver Dowden, HM Government

Most finance firms are multicloud, but many are unprepared for public cloud cyber attacks

Financial services firms are moving to the cloud at pace, but many are uncertain whether they could cope with an attack on an application based in the public cloud Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

More Joker malware apps chucked off Google Play Store

Infamous Joker billing fraud malware continues to sneak past Google’s security controls Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW Middle East: Facing up to coronavirus

The UAE, like the rest of the world, continues to be heavily impacted by the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic – and technology is helping to lead the fight. Also read why the the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company sees its flagship digital project in high demand, and how the coronavirus has spurred the use of financial technology in Bahrain. Continue Reading

Pubs and restaurants failing on cyber fraud protection

Virtually all of the UK’s most popular restaurant and pub brands are failing to proactively block fraudulent emails from reaching their targets Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Tencent Cloud teams up with ADBC on banking services

Singapore’s Asia Digital Bank Corporation could leverage Tencent Cloud’s financial cloud platform to provide banking services to small businesses Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Oracle ups ante in cloud wars with dedicated customer regions

Oracle’s Dedicated Region Cloud at Customer will let enterprises run an entire cloud region in their own datacentres in a potentially game-changing move Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Political awareness needed to ethically handle migration data, panel claims

Understanding the political, social and economic relationships between different groups in society is needed to ensure location data is not used in ways that further endanger already vulnerable people on the move Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Use of spyware apps linked to domestic abuse soars in lockdown

The rise in domestic violence during the pandemic has been linked to increase use of stalkerware apps by abusers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cosmic Lynx cyber crime group takes BEC to new heights

Newly identified Russian threat group targets large organisations with increasingly dangerous business email compromise attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Over 15 billion credentials for sale on dark web

Research by Digital Shadows reveals the scale of the security threat facing consumers as it uncovers 15 billion usernames and passwords stolen in more than 100,000 different data breaches Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: The past and future of security automation

Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques are said to hold great promise in security, enabling organisations to operate an IT predictive security stance and automate reactive measures when needed. Is this perception accurate, or is the importance of automation being gravely overestimated? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

Security funding soars despite Covid-19 slump, but problems lie ahead

The overall cyber security funding ecosystem in the UK is healthier than ever despite Covid-19, but the figures mask stark and concerning disparities in where the money is going Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CCPA enforcement has begun: Here’s what to expect

The US’s California Consumer Privacy Act came into force in January this year, but enforcement against technology companies did not begin until this month Continue Reading

By

• Omer Tene, IAPP

Cyber4Summer scheme to divert young people from cyber crime

Cyber4Summer platform will offer 100 different tracks covering a range of security skills to divert them from falling into a life of cyber crime Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Balancing human oversight with AI autonomy

Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques are said to hold great promise in security, enabling organisations to operate an IT predictive security stance and automate reactive measures when needed. Is this perception accurate, or is the importance of automation gravely overestimated? Continue Reading

By

• Richard Absalom, Information Security Forum

MSP Xchanging attacked in ransomware incident

Specialist managed services provider is restoring customer access to systems after an unspecified ransomware incident Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Australian government foreshadows ‘sovereign data’ classification

The Australian government will examine if certain government datasets should be declared sovereign and only be hosted in the country Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Withers

GDPR at two: How far we’ve come, how far we still have to go

Marking two years of the General Data Protection Regulation, industry voices weigh in on the state of data protection and privacy, consider what has changed, and what still needs to change. Continue Reading

Pub ‘check-in’ apps provoke fresh privacy concerns

With pubs and restaurants required to collect customer data for contact tracing when they reopen, data privacy risks will be heightened. Continue Reading

The privacy challenges of easing lockdown

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as pubs in the UK re-open after lockdown, we examine the privacy issues around collecting customer data for contact tracing. We look at how interconnected devices are revolutionising the manufacturing and engineering sectors. And we assess GDPR progress two years after its introduction. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Lorca scale-ups bring diverse security to the fore

London Office for Rapid Cybersecurity Advancement announces the cyber security scale-ups that will make up its fifth cohort Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Need to secure industrial IoT more acute than ever

A report from the Lloyd’s Register Foundation is calling for urgent action to secure industrial infrastructure, as the IoT leaves it increasingly exposed Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

It’s time to party! Yet another government digital identity scheme is on the way

On 14 March 2021, we will mark the tenth anniversary of the official approval for the development of a single government-wide digital identity system. Save the date in your diaries. Intended to ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

North Korea behind spate of Magecart attacks

The Magecart credit card skimmer found on the website of retailer Claire’s Accessories was likely put there by the Lazarus or Hidden Cobra North Korean APT group, reports Sansec Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: SIEM and AI – a match made in heaven?

Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques are said to hold great promise in security, enabling organisations to operate an IT predictive security stance and automate reactive measures when needed. Is this perception accurate, or is the importance of automation gravely overestimated? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

CIO interview: David Allison, global head of IT, First Quantum Minerals

For his first global CIO role, the IT chief had to tackle unusual challenges such as reliable networking and IT use in inhospitable mining environments in developing countries Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

Chinese law may require companies to disclose cyber-security preparations outside China

Companies with Chinese operations may have to disclose information about the security of their networks in other countries under China’s draft data security law Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Security Think Tank: Artificial intelligence will be no silver bullet for security

AI and machine learning techniques are said to hold great promise in security, enabling organisations to operate an IT predictive security stance and automate reactive measures when needed. Is this perception accurate, or is the importance of automation gravely overestimated? Continue Reading

By

• Ivana Bartoletti

Cops take out encrypted comms to disrupt organised crime

The UK’s National Crime Agency, alongside other law enforcement agencies in France and the Netherlands, have busted illicit arms and drugs rings after disabling an encrypted comms platform Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Locked-down teens flock to NCSC CyberFirst training scheme

A record number of 14 to 17-year-olds have signed up to the National Cyber Security Centre’s CyberFirst summer school Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Police secrecy over ‘IMSI-catcher’ mass surveillance of mobile phones

Following a tribunal ruling, constabularies in England and Wales can refuse to confirm or deny whether they use mass surveillance devices, known as IMSI-catchers to monitor people’s location, phone calls and text messages Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Sodinokibi gang begins dark web celebrity data auctions

Group claims to be auctioning confidential legal data on pop stars Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and basketball player LeBron James Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: AI cyber attacks will be a step-change for criminals

AI and machine learning techniques are said to hold great promise in security, enabling organisations to operate an IT predictive security stance and automate reactive measures when needed. Is this perception accurate, or is the importance of automation gravely overestimated? Continue Reading

By

• Lee Howells and Yannis Kalfoglou

UK’s unsung cyber security heroes sought

Nominations have opened for the fifth annual Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Zoom making progress on cyber security and privacy, says CEO

Three months after being hit by a spate of security incidents, Zoom’s CEO, Eric Yuan, has been discussing progress towards a more secure product Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Remote workers more aware of security, but still flout the rules

Almost three-quarters of remote workers reckon they have gained in cyber security awareness during lockdown, but don’t seem to be especially bothered about keeping themselves safe Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Mysterious EvilQuest macOS ransomware spreads through torrents

A new strain of ransomware, dubbed EvilQuest, is threatening Apple Mac environments, and seems to behave quite oddly Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Black Lives Matter, but do bots know that?

The volume of content generated each day necessitates automated moderation to curate everything as it is published, ensuring offensive and objectionable material is blocked. But this only works if systems are adequately configured and reviewed Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Security Think Tank: Get your house in order before deploying AI

AI and machine learning techniques are said to hold great promise in security, enabling organisations to operate a IT predictive security stance and automate reactive measures when needed. Is this perception accurate, or is the importance of automation being gravely overestimated? Continue Reading

By

• Mike Gillespie

FCA estimates about 2.6 million Brits have bought cryptocurrency

UK financial services regulator says there has been a significant increase in ownership of cryptocurrencies in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Time to rethink business continuity and cyber security

Business continuity and cyber security remain largely in separate silos, but changes in the IT and cyber threat landscapes mean there is an urgent need for organisations to alter their approach Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

FakeSpy Android malware targets Royal Mail app users

The FakeSpy malware was first identified in October 2017 but is now significantly more powerful and dangerous Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Australia to invest a record A$1.35bn in cyber security

The Australian government is making its largest ever investment in cyber security over the next decade to identify cyber threats, disrupt foreign cyber criminals and build new capabilities Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

ReversingLabs makes over 100 Yara rules publicly available

Threat intelligence specialist is making its IP available on GitHub to support malware hunters in their work Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: ‘Shift left’ to secure containers

Adopting containers promises great organisational efficiency advantages, but the fast-evolving technology can be problematic for security teams. What do CISOs need to know to safeguard containers? Continue Reading

By

• Paul Holland, Information Security Forum

BNP Paribas uses biometrics to increase contactless payment limit

French bank BNP Paribas is enabling customers to make higher value contactless payments through fingerprint-recognition technology Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

The Security Interviews: What CISOs can learn from Covid-19

Mike Lloyd, CTO at Redseal, holds 21 cyber security patents and a PhD in stochastic epidemic modelling from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, so is probably the man to talk to when it comes to cyber security in the world of Covid-19 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Complex security estates hinder incident response

The more disparate security tools in use in an organisation, the harder it becomes to mount an effective incident response Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Unlocking value in the railway network’s data

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how the rail industry is working to improve its use of data to deliver better services to passengers. Is flash the saviour of the storage universe? Our buyer’s guide assesses the choices for IT managers. And we examine the failure of the government’s Covid-19 contact-tracing app. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Lawyers learn of fresh US allegations against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from press reports

The US has filed an updated indictment against Julian Assange alleging that he conspired with hacking groups to obtain information for WikiLeaks. Defence and prosecution lawyers learned about it from press reports Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Phishing back in vogue as ransomware vector

Researchers have observed an increase in phishing as a means to deliver ransomware payloads – and organisations don’t appear to be prepared Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Evil Corp’s latest ransomware project spreading fast

A new ransomware strain dubbed WastedLocker is spreading rapidly and targeting major corporations Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor