IT security

Government tightens law around IoT cyber security

New legislation developed by DCMS and the NCSC may help guarantee the security and privacy of users of consumer IoT devices Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Bug bounties are changing the image of hackers

The traditional picture of a hacker is of a script kiddie in a hoodie hunched over a computer keyboard, but this stereotype is stale and outdated. Is it time to move away from a fear-based approach to security? Continue Reading

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• Paul Holland, Information Security Forum

Met Police to launch facial recognition operationally

Despite the continuing controversy around its use, the Metropolitan Police will be deploying live facial recognition across the capital Continue Reading

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• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

SANS Institute calls on Manchester security pros

Manchester will play host to a week-long cyber security training event during February Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber gangsters publish staff passwords following ‘Sodinokibi’ attack on car parts group Gedia

Sodinokibi hacking group steps up pressure on German automotive manufacturer by publishing information, including the CEO’s computer password and sensitive details of its IT systems, on the internet Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

NHS alerted to severe vulnerabilities in GE health equipment

A series of vulnerabilities in patient monitoring equipment manufactured by General Electric could have left patient data exposed in hospitals around the world, including the UK Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Milan hosts Cisco’s first European security innovation unit

Cisco has cut the ribbon on its first Cyber Security Co-Innovation Centre in Europe, at Milan’s Leonardo da Vinci Science and Technology Museum Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Travelex hackers shut down German car parts company Gedia in massive ‘cyber attack’

Car parts manufacturer says cyber attack will have far-reaching consequences for its business, and it has put emergency plans in place to continue deliveries Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

CISOs fear becoming the next Travelex

Poll of security professionals by the organisers of the Infosecurity Europe trade fair highlights huge gaps in incident response capabilities Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Seven projects funded to explore CAV security

The winners of the Cyber Securities Feasibility Studies contest, exploring cyber security for self-driving cars, have been revealed Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

End-user security ignorance laid bare in new report

Proofpoint’s 2020 State of the Phish report highlights an urgent need for better user training and reporting Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Six disaster recovery pitfalls and how to avoid them

We look at some key pitfalls in disaster recovery, such as failing to plan, not testing the plan, not protecting backups, poor communication and neglecting the human element Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

Startup uses machine learning to support GDPR’s right to be forgotten

Non-intrusive algorithms enable users to track which companies hold their data, so they can take it back Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Citrix releases IoC scanner for ADC and Gateway vulnerabilities

As patches for its compromised NetScaler ADC and Gateway products begin to roll out, Citrix enlists FireEye Mandiant to develop an indicator of compromise scanner for end-users Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Internal error left Microsoft customer service data exposed

Customer service and support records of nearly 250 million Microsoft customers left exposed after database misconfiguration Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Computer Misuse Act ‘crying out for reform’

Group of campaigners says the Computer Misuse Act of 1990 risks criminalising cyber security professionals and needs reforming Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

ICO code sets out digital privacy standards for children

The Information Commissioner’s Office has published its Age Appropriate Design Code, a set of 15 standards that online platforms must meet to protect the privacy of younger users Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Singapore updates model AI governance framework

Second edition of Singapore’s artificial intelligence governance framework includes new guidance, use cases and a self-assessment guide Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

5G builders test vulnerabilities in Finnish hackathon

University hackathon puts 5G security to the test as new wireless technology’s roll-out nears Continue Reading

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• Gerard O'Dwyer

High-street banks face disruption three weeks after Travelex hack

Foreign exchange services still disrupted, three weeks after Travelex received a $6m ransom demand from cyber gangsters Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Don’t become the next Travelex: Get ready for ransomware

With Travelex’s IT still in disarray and banks and travellers left without access to funds more than a week after it was hit by a ransomware attack, we ask what others can learn from the foreign exchange services company’s response to the incident. Continue Reading

How to avoid becoming the next Travelex

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at the lessons learned from the ransomware attack on Travelex and how other firms can avoid the same fate. As Microsoft ends support for Windows 7, we examine the issues for the many remaining users of the operating system. And healthcare CIOs explain the tech challenges facing the NHS. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Consent and GDPR: at least get the basics right!

Why do companies find it so hard to get their heads around even the basics of GDPR compliance? I’m not even thinking here of techie stuff like not getting hacked, and not losing a laptop full of ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Betts, Freeform Dynamics

Exposed AWS buckets again implicated in multiple data leaks

A series of data leaks in the past week have once again implicated poorly secured Amazon S3 buckets, which are supposed to be private by default Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

GDPR nets more than €100m in fines, with more to come

Fines totalling €114m have already been collected under GDPR, and this figure will spike in 2020 if the UK regulator succeeds in imposing record fines on BA and Marriott Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Teens in basements don’t represent a positive security culture

The traditional picture of a hacker is of a script kiddie in a hoodie hunched over a computer keyboard, but this stereotype is stale and outdated. Is it time to move away from a fear-based approach to security? Continue Reading

By

• Maxine Holt, Omdia

Industrial edge requires a focus on machines

After the office edge and the mobile edge comes the industrial edge. We look at a shift in computing paradigms Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Edge computing shifts IT's gravity

In this guest blog post, Satyam Vaghani VP/GM, IoT & AI, Nutanix discusses the way IT will need to change to support edge computing. The rise of the edge will require a redistribution of the ... Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

App developers sue Facebook over ‘anti-competitive conduct’

Lawsuit is based on leaked internal Facebook documents obtained and published by Computer Weekly and NBC last year Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

NCSC makes final call for entries to CyberFirst Girls contest

Entry to the National Cyber Security Centre’s CyberFirst Girls 2020 competition is about to close Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Emotet reinvigorated after Christmas break

The high-volume Emotet campaign is back in action after the Christmas holidays, and is just as dangerous as ever Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CAA debuts aviation cyber security assurance scheme

Civil Aviation Authority and Crest announce the first companies to be accredited under the CAA’s new cyber security oversight scheme, Assure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cops take down data wholesale operation

The Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Dutch cyber crime unit have made two arrests in an operation targeting a website that provided criminals with access to billions of personal credentials Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Australian wildfires take toll on telco networks

Major telco networks in Australia were disrupted by power cuts resulting from devastating bushfires, raising questions about the resilience of the country’s communications infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Withers

UK’s phone and internet bulk data surveillance unlawful, says EU court opinion

The Advocate General of the European Court of Justice issues legal opinions finding that the UK, French and Belgian bulk surveillance regimes are unlawful Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

A quarter of users will fall for basic phishing attacks

Phishing emails that appear to be security alerts are the most effective method of compromise, says KnowBe4 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think-Tank: Tackle insider threats to achieve data-centric security

The belief that effective perimeter security is the best way to protect data is a fallacy that is being repeatedly exposed. We must recognise the need for a data-centric security model to protect data from both internal and external threats, but what does this mean for security professionals? Continue Reading

By

• Mike Yeomans, Information Security Forum

Thailand gets ready for data protection law

Thailand’s personal data protection law comes into effect in May 2020, subjecting organisations to new rules that safeguard the personal data of individuals Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Lorca announces new cohort of 20 security scaleups

20 scaleups will focus their attention on automation, zero trust and supply chain security Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Travelex warns customers to be alert to phone scams

Under-fire forex provider warns that criminals may try to take advantage of its predicament to scam customers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Last Windows 7 patch updates critical remote desktop flaw

It is no longer being supported with free updates, but Microsoft's final Patch Tuesday for Windows 7 fixes a major flaw in the 10-year-old operating system Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

LGBTQ+ social app Grindr accused of breaching GDPR

Norwegian Consumer Council files complaints about LGBTQ+ social networking app, alleging it is in breach of the General Data Protection Regulation Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NSA Windows 10 security disclosure raises questions

In an unprecedented move, the NSA has got out in front of a critical cryptographic flaw in Windows 10, but in doing so has raised multiple questions Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Threat landscape grew in complexity in 2019, no respite in sight

Check Point’s annual state of security report shares some 2019 trends and looks ahead to 2020 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Two-thirds of UK healthcare organisations breached last year

The majority of healthcare organisations in the UK experienced a cyber security incident during 2019, with almost half the result of viruses and malware introduced on third party devices Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Researchers find cryptojacker hiding in Wav audio file

Victim network was compromised by obfuscated malware hiding a Monero cryptominer, lurking inside a Wav audio file Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 42

In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Caroline Donnelly, Clare McDonald and Brian McKenna greet the new decade with reflections on the Travelex ransomware attack and Dominic Cummings’ call for data science to rejuvenate Whitehall. And they take stock of the retail sector’s grim 2019, while remembering to mention the big story of the moment: Harry and Meghan Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK
• Clare McDonald, Business Editor
• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Cyber criminals spend three months lurking in target networks

Cyber criminals are spending longer hiding in target networks before launching their attacks, as more organised groups turn to business disruption to achieve their objectives Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Turn the end of Windows 7 support into a security advantage

CISOs can take advantage of the end of support for Microsoft Windows 7 by making the case for more investment in cyber security Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Citrix NetScaler vulnerabilities won’t be patched until end of January

Some vulnerabilities identified in Citrix products will not be fully patched until the end of January 2020 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sextortion campaign hits Nest home security cameras

Owners of Google’s Nest home security cameras are being targeted in a sextortion scam by criminals playing on fears over IoT security Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Travelex to begin restoring foreign exchange services two weeks after ‘Sodinokibi’ attack

Travelex says it is making “good progress” in its recovery and is to begin restoring electronic foreign exchange services, but is silent about whether it has agreed to pay hackers a $6m ransom to decrypt computer files Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

National Lottery hacker jailed for nine months

Small-time cyber criminal jailed for his role in a cyber attack on lottery operator Camelot that netted him just £5 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Learning from the Travelex cyber attack: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail

The key lesson to take from the Travelex breach is that an effective response to a breach is a critical business function and no longer the sole province of the IT department Continue Reading

By

• Brian Honan, BH Consulting

The rise of 5G, entertainment in cars and increased focus on privacy

This is a guest post by Srinivasan CR, chief digital officer, Tata Communications No matter how much technology keeps evolving, making predictions about the future is always a risky business. But ... Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Security Think Tank: Hooded hackers? More like ruthless competitors

The traditional picture of a hacker is of a script kiddie in a hoodie hunched over a computer keyboard, but this stereotype is stale and outdated. Is it time to move away from a fear-based approach to security? Continue Reading

By

• Vladimir Jirasek, Foresight Cyber

Customer experience world catches up on CCPA regulations

GDPR compliance has put many marketing, sales, e-commerce and customer service teams somewhat in line with the California Consumer Privacy Act. There are some differences, however. Continue Reading

By

• Don Fluckinger, Senior News Writer

Travelex hackers threaten to sell credit card data on dark web

Sodinokibi cyber gangsters have threatened to sell Travelex customers’ private data on a Russian underground cyber crime forum if it fails to pay a $6m ransom Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Retail group Dixons Carphone fined £500,000 over data breach

Dixons Carphone receives maximum possible pre-GDPR fine from the ICO following a 2018 data breach Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Don’t become the next Travelex: Get ready for ransomware

With Travelex’s IT still in disarray and banks and travellers left without access to funds more than a week after it was hit by a ransomware attack, we ask what others can learn from the foreign exchange services company’s response to the incident Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

DRaaS decisions: Key choices in disaster recovery as a service

We examine the key decisions when considering DRaaS. Whether to go full self-service, assisted or managed will depend on what you need to protect and your in-house resources Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

PowerTrick backdoor used to target high-value businesses

Threat actors are exploiting a PowerShell-based backdoor called PowerTrick to go after high-value targets, warns SentinelLabs Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Whisper it… but could a cyber attack be good for your career?

All too often it’s the CISO who carries the can for an enterprise security failure, but this might not be a bad thing. There’s lots of evidence to suggest that falling victim to a cyber attack may actually enhance your CV Continue Reading

By

• Sooraj Shah

New GDPR service aims to ease compliance challenges

Security consultants claim their software platform will address a pressing need for an effective and efficient means of complying with data protection rules Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Changing attitudes to cyber is a team sport

The traditional picture of a hacker is of a script kiddie in a hoodie hunched over a computer keyboard, but this stereotype is stale and outdated. Is it time to move away from a fear-based approach to security? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Why the banking industry needs an IT makeover

UK banks face huge challenges keeping their service availability levels at 99.99% Continue Reading

By

• Sascha Giese

Half of UK citizens want tighter data regulations

Over 50% of UK citizens believe the gathering and use of personal data should be subject to more stringent government oversight, according to Fujitsu Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Five ways that backup has changed since the days of tape

Back in the day, all this was tape, but times have changed, with cloud-to-cloud backup, cloud storage, virtual and physical backup appliances and myriad endpoint hardware Continue Reading

By

• Rene Millman

TikTok video-sharing app left user data exposed

Check Point uncovered serious vulnerabilities in the TikTok video-sharing app that left users exposed Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Hero or villain? Creating a no-blame culture

The traditional picture of a hacker is of a script kiddie in a hoodie hunched over a computer keyboard, but this stereotype is stale and outdated. Is it time to move away from a fear-based approach to security? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

Implementing a 21st century approach to digital identity

The government’s attempts at digital identity have failed – it is time for a new, modern approach Continue Reading

By

• Jerry Fishenden

Facebook to ban deepfake videos

New policy closes some loopholes around misinformation, but seems to leave others wide open Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Broadcom flogs Symantec enterprise security unit to Accenture

Acquisition is set to make Accenture a global leader in managed cyber security services Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Get your users to take pride in security

The traditional picture of a hacker is of a script kiddie in a hoodie hunched over a computer keyboard, but this stereotype is stale and outdated. Is it time to move away from a fear-based approach to security? Continue Reading

By

• Cate Pye, PA Consulting

Cyber gangsters demand payment from Travelex after ‘Sodinokibi’ attack

Cyber criminals are demanding payment to decrypt Travelex’s computer files after a devastating malware attack. New questions have been raised about the security of Travelex’s computer network after it emerged the company waited eight months to patch vulnerable VPN servers Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Iran likely to hit back with cyber attacks, security experts warn

The possibility of cyber attack by threat groups acting on behalf of the Iranian government has dramatically increased following US actions in Iraq Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK cyber security boss Ciaran Martin to step down

NCSC chief Ciaran Martin will leave his post in the summer of 2020 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Let’s call time on inciting fear among users

The traditional picture of a hacker is of a script kiddie in a hoodie hunched over a computer keyboard, but this stereotype is stale and outdated. Is it time to move away from a fear-based approach to security? Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Morris, Turnkey Consulting

Government injects £40m into single sign-on NHS programme

The government has put aside funding to speed up login times. Additional funding has been announced to support adult digital health services Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Y2.02K

So here we are in 2020, and almost everything is still working as normal. The apocalyptic Y2K bug that caused such a thrill 20 years ago found its sequel in Y2.02K, but rather than nuclear reactor ... Continue Reading

By

• Ryan Priest

Survey about Swedish people’s attitude to the internet reveals growing distrust of social media

Swedish citizens are becoming more concerned about the activities of social media companies and are reducing their online interaction with them as a result Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Supply chain vulnerabilities rear their ugly head – again

In yet another example of the risks of supply chain vulnerabilities, Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (Mindef) recently disclosed that the confidentiality of its personnel's personal data could have ... Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Suspected ransomware attack causes worldwide disruption for Travelex

Travelex switches off computer systems and resorts to cash-only currency sales after malware attack. Insiders claim the currency exchange chain has been hit by ransomware which has left critical files containing customer data encrypted Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Security Think Tank: Put information at the heart of security

The belief that effective perimeter security is the best way to protect data is a fallacy that is being repeatedly exposed. We must recognise the need for a data-centric security model to protect data from both internal and external threats, but what does this mean for security professionals? Continue Reading

By

• Maxine Holt, Omdia

How Darktrace is riding the AI boom

Cyber security firm known for its artificial intelligence smarts doubled its headcount across Asia-Pacific last year in key markets including Australia and South Korea Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Google Health pioneers breast cancer AI scanning

An algorithm developed by Google Health promises to reduce the likelihood of patients being wrongly diagnosed, and improve abnormal mammogram scan identification Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

California’s CCPA an opportunity for security industry to do better

California’s consumer protection and data privacy laws came into effect on 1 January 2020, and present a golden opportunity for the cyber security practitioners Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Interview: Why we need a GDPR for dead people

Back in 2000, there was no Facebook or Twitter and the smartphone revolution had not begun. Today, digital identities outlive the people they represent Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Top 10 investigative stories of 2019

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 investigative stories of 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Top 10 ASEAN IT stories of 2019

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 ASEAN IT stories of 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Can the UK government’s efforts solve the cyber skills gap?

There has been an active effort by the UK government to tackle the lack of skills in the cyber security space – but is it enough? Continue Reading

By

• Cath Everett

Top 10 enterprise IT in the Benelux region stories of 2019

Here are Computer Weekly’s top enterprise IT stories from the Benelux region over the past year Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Top 10 enterprise IT in the Middle East stories of 2019

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 enterprise IT in the Middle East stories of 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Top 10 cyber crime stories of 2019

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 cyber crime stories of 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top 10 cyber security stories of 2019

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 cyber security stories of 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Using data for good, not evil

This is a guest blog post by Cindi Howson, Chief Data Strategy Officer, ThoughtSpot. Nothing illustrates the double-edged nature of data use more vividly than the recent general election in the UK. ... Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Finnish government supports local authorities in cyber security initiative

The Finnish government has committed resources to a cyber security project aimed at local authorities Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

20,000 new police will not make UK law enforcement fit for the Internet Age

Over a decade ago the EURIM-IPPR study into “Partnership Policing for the Information Society” identified that the police would never have more than a fraction of the resources necessary to address ... Continue Reading

By

• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

EU court opinion finds EU-US data transfers lawful but raises questions over Privacy Shield

The Advocate General of the European Court says standard contractual clauses are lawful, but raises questions over the impact of US surveillance on the legality of Privacy Shield Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Top 10 artificial intelligence stories of 2019

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 artificial intelligence stories of 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor