IT security

Security industry welcomes cyber crime’s inclusion in official stats

The security industry welcomes the inclusion of cyber crime statistic in official crime reports to highlight the size and nature of the threat Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Mobile payments get Isaca’s security approval

Mobile contactless payments enable three key security controls that make them more secure than physical and e-commerce payments, according to a report by Isaca Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Carbon Black bets on next-generation antivirus

Carbon Black is betting on next-generation antivirus technology by acquiring Confer to extend the capability and appeal of its endpoint protection offerings Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Case study: Rémy Cointreau boosts security and productivity

Drinks firm Rémy Cointreau uses Centrify’s identity and mobile management to simplify security, improve business agility and reduce IT costs Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

French public sector’s never-ending struggle with the cloud

The French government has more hurdles to overcome than many of its European neighbours when it comes to adopting cloud computing services Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

Cyber attacks cost UK business more than £34bn a year, study shows

Nearly half of UK firms lack advanced cyber defences, despite the high level of concern about cyber attacks and associated costs Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CIO Interview: Elly Resende, CIO, Rio 2016 Olympics

As Rio de Janeiro gets ready to host the Olympics, Computer Weekly speaks to the man in charge of its IT Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Cost-effective managed IPS for small businesses

Small businesses typically struggle to afford cyber intrusion prevention systems, but the introduction of a service tailored for this market could change that Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

IBM sets up security centre in Canberra

IBM leads the charge as large private businesses invest heavily in security resources across Australia in an attempt to close the security gap Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

Datadog calls for password reset after cyber breach

Monitoring and analytics firm detected unauthorised activity associated with production servers and database of user credentials Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cisco UK and Ireland CEO Phil Smith steps down after 22 years

Phil Smith announces he is stepping down from the day-to-day running of Cisco’s UK and Ireland business to take up the role of chairman Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW ASEAN: July 2016

Lessons from the Philippine government hack: In this issue we ask why a hack on the Philippine Commission on the Elections (Comelec) was allowed to happen and what organisations in Southeast Asia can learn from this breach of security. Retailers in the region are concerned – read how the theft of customer data is their biggest worry. Continue Reading

CW ANZ: July 2016

Australia knows it has a cyber security problem, but not the scale. In this month’s CW ANZ we describe how Australia's $230m security strategy serves as a wake-up call to enterprises. We also reveal the techniques and technologies being used to protect one Australian school, as well as a more general look at the main cyber threats to orgainsations in Australia. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

The problem of passwords and how to deal with it

Security experts have long recognised passwords as inadequate, but finally technology is offering some viable alternative authentication methods that businesses can explore to keep their data safe Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Business has critical role in fighting cyber crime, says report

The National Crime Agency is calling for a stronger collaboration between business and law enforcement to fight cyber crime in the light of a report produced with private sector partners Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK's Darktrace aims to lead the way to automatic cyber security

Darktrace hopes to be a leader in the move to automated cyber security to free up security professionals to focus on business risk and innovation Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How will UK IT adapt after Brexit?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as the aftershocks continue from the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, we look at the implications and challenges for the UK technology community. Our latest buyer’s guide examines expense management software. And IT leaders discuss ethics in IT and debate the question – can you trust your technology? Read the issue now. Continue Reading

LizardStresser IoT botnet launches 400Gbps DDoS attack

Attack groups using the LizardStresser botnet are exploiting IoT devices to mount massive DDoS attacks without using amplification techniques, say researchers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Lauri Love using illness as a shield against extradition, claims prosecution

Prosecution lawyer questions whether activist Lauri Love is not fit enough to stand trial in the US over hacking charges,as expert witnesses warn that US prisons are ill-equipped for people with mental health problems. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin and Fiona O'Cleirigh

Most cyber security strategies ignore the way attackers really work

Cyber attackers use more legitimate software than malware, which means most organisations are incapable of detecting much of the malicious activity in their networks, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Lauri Love may be faking mental illness claims lawyer for US

Prosecution lawyer Peter Caldwell questions whether activist Lauri Love is exaggerating mental health problems to avoid extradition to face hacking charges in the US Continue Reading

By

• Fiona O’Cleirigh and Bill Goodwin

Lauri Love suicide risk if extradited to US over hacking allegations

Westminster Magistrates’ Court hears evidence from medical experts that alleged hacker Lauri Love is at risk of suicide if extradited to the US Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin and Fiona O'Cleirigh

Enterprises urged not to view security as a barrier to internet of things adoption

The Lower Colorado River Authority’s chief administrative officer urges enterprises to balance the risks of using the internet of things with the benefits connected devices can bring Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Cyber security industry mostly welcomes report on TalkTalk breach

Most of the recommendations of a government committee inquiry into the TalkTalk breach have been welcomed, but pundits have expressed reservations about some, particularly proposed new fines Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Lower average cost of Australian data breaches is not a sign of comfort

The average cost of a data breach to Australian organisations dropped in 2015, according to research Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

How MI5 and MI6 gather your personal data for surveillance

Publicly released documents shed light on the many databases and sources used by the intelligence services to gather bulk personal data about UK citizens Continue Reading

By

• SA Mathieson

Shadow data and the risks posed by cloud storage and apps

Cloud storage and apps can open up an organisation to risks of data leakage. Computer Weekly looks at key areas of vulnerability and what you can do to prevent your data going viral Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Betts, Freeform Dynamics

The password’s the problem – lessons from the LinkedIn breach

In this week’s Computer Weekly, after millions of LinkedIn users had their data compromised, we look at the lessons to be learned from this latest data breach incident. Our buyer’s guide looks at NoSQL technologies and compares the offerings from database leaders Microsoft and Oracle. And we examine the benefits of cloud-based data analytics and how to make it work for your organisation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Singapore banks adopt voice biometrics for user authentication

Banks in Singapore are rolling out biometric technology to improve customer services by speeding up the authentication process Continue Reading

By

• Ai Lei Tao

EU firms slow in detecting cyber attacks, study shows

European firms take an average of 469 days to discover a compromise, compared with an average of 146 days globally, according to Mandiant Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Philippines government data breach is a warning to Asean region

Security is a rising concern in the Asean region, with fears fuelled by incidents such as the recent hacking incident in Manila Continue Reading

By

• Zafar Anjum

IoT security: Lack of expertise will hurt, says Bruce Schneier

Government action at national and international levels is essential for addressing IoT security issues, but the relevant expertise is lacking, according to security expert Bruce Schneier Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Small businesses bearing the brunt of cyber crime, says FSB

The Federation of Small Businesses is calling for more government support for its members in defending against cyber threats Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Internet traffic to triple by 2020, says Cisco

The latest edition of Cisco’s Visual Networking Index predicts a near tripling of internet traffic during the coming years as more than a billion people come online Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Millions of sensitive IT services exposed to the internet, study finds

Encryption should become the default as study reveals millions of sensitive services are exposed to the internet, says Rapid7 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How emails sent to and from Parliament are monitored

Government officials deny that emails sent by MPs are open to surveillance by GCHQ and NSA - we examine the evidence Continue Reading

By

• Duncan Campbell and Bill Goodwin

Human error causes more data loss than malicious attacks

Stupid humans, you are the weakest link, at least according to the ICO Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

MPs’ private emails are routinely accessed by GCHQ

Computer Weekly investigation reveals the extent of interception of MPs’ and peers’ email communications and data Continue Reading

By

• Duncan Campbell and Bill Goodwin

My first IoT project: A guide for businesses

We’ve all had a good giggle about having our fridges hacked – but now it’s time to get real. What are the first steps enterprises should take when implementing their first internet of things project? Continue Reading

By

• Rene Millman

BSA warns of malware risk from unlicensed software

While piracy rates are declining, unauthorised software poses a big security risk, says the Business Software Alliance Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

UK government details plans for National Cyber Security Centre

The objectives of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre are to address systemic vulnerabilities, reduce risks, respond to serious incidents and nurture national cyber security capability Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

A new wave of cyber attacks targets the Middle East’s banks

Hot on the heels of the Qatar National Bank breach comes a campaign employing advanced social engineering techniques Continue Reading

By

• Tom Paye

Network Collapse: Why the internet is flirting with disaster

It’s surprising the internet works at all, given the age of its core software. The question is, can we catch it before it falls over? Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

UK government announces CyberFirst bursary scheme

GCHQ will partner with other government departments and private industry to offer students a comprehensive package of financial assistance and cyber skills Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

NHS data security standards to be designed around technology, people and processes

The Care Quality Commission’s delayed review of NHS data security standards will encourage NHS organisations to have senior information risk owners and Caldicott Guardians at board level Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

CW Benelux: May-July 2016

Welcome to the Computer Weekly ezine focused on the Benelux region. This quarterly publication will look at the issues facing CIOs in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg. Continue Reading

Lawmaker Vaizey hails UK role in resolving datacentre sovereignty issues

Digital economy minister talks up government’s work in supporting the growth of the UK’s technology sector Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Gov.uk Verify to go live 24 May 2016

On 24 May 2016, the government’s identity assurance platform will move from beta to “fully live”, after missing its original April go-live target Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Lessons from LinkedIn data breach revelations

There are several important lessons to be learned from revelations about LinkedIn's 2012 data breach, say security experts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber espionage campaign targets Ukraine separatists

Security researchers discover a surveillance operation against separatists in Eastern Ukraine using spear phishing attacks to spread previously unknown malware Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Police set for better engagement with UK tech firms

The policing lead for digital investigation and intelligence says new structures will improve engagement and collaboration between the UK tech industry and police forces Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Countdown begins to new EU data protection rules

In this week’s Computer Weekly, with the new EU data protection rules ready to become law, firms now have just two years to prepare for the stringent regulations – we assess the challenges. Manufacturing giant Rolls-Royce talks about why it moved its HR systems to the cloud and the lessons it learned. And we look back at 50 years of technology innovation in storage. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Public cloud uptake rises, but Europe still lags behind the US

Okta research finds the most popular cloud applications in all regions are mail, sales and marketing, social media and document storage Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Time to shift information security focus away from prevention, says Swiss bank CISO

Organisations need a new approach which recognises security is “breakable”, according to Michael Meli Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

10 key facts businesses need to note about the GDPR

With less than two years before the new EU data protection rules come into force, there are key areas businesses need to focus on to ensure they will be compliant Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Swift reports another Bangladesh central bank-style cyber attack

Global financial messaging organisation Swift warns of a highly adaptive cyber criminal campaign targeting banks with user credentials to submit transfer requests Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IAM central to Deutsche Bank’s digital transformation

Deutsche Bank is using a centralised identity and access management (IAM) system and an application program interface (API) architecture for digital transformation Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK court rejects demands for Lauri Love to hand over encryption keys

Court rules against an attempt by the National Crime Agency to force activist Lauri Love to disclose encryption keys by bypassing the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act Continue Reading

By

• Julia Gregory and Bill Goodwin

Australian health sector an easy target for cyber criminals, says IBM

A push to encourage greater adoption of electronic health records has raised the spectre of online record theft Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

Ransomware emerges as a top cyber threat to business

Security researchers at Kasperky Lab and FireEye confirm that the upward trend of ransomware is continuing and has emerged as a top threat to business Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

D-Day for GDPR is 25 May 2018

The European Parliament’s official publication of the General Data Protection Regulation means it will become enforceable on 25 May 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Gov.uk Verify misses April go-live target

The Government Digital Service didn’t meet its target of taking identity assurance service Verify out of beta by the end of April, but is “nearly there”, according to programme director Janet Hughes Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Cyber security in Belgium will gain prominence after terror attacks

Belgium’s physical security has been branded inadequate, so how does the country’s cyber security measure up? Continue Reading

By

• Stef Gyssels

Payment card industry issues data security standard update

PCI DSS version 3.2 introduces six new requirements for compliance, some additional guidance and a raft of clarifications Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Technology moving too fast for governments to keep up, says former Darpa chief

Former US defence technology chief supports encryption and privacy, despite intelligence services’ fears Continue Reading

By

• Jennifer Baker

IPv6 alone will not secure IoT, warns GE CISO

It is important for all users of the internet of things to understand what they are getting into with IPv6, and to be aware of the risks and myths, says GE CISO Hanns Proenen Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Business failing to learn lessons of past cyber attacks, report shows

Organisations are still failing to address basic security issues and well-known attack methods, Verizon’s latest Data Breach Investigations Report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

GCHQ told analysts to assume surveillance 'bulk data' is legal

Documents obtained by charity Privacy International reveal insights into GCHQ’s collection of sensitive bulk data, as lawyers question the impact of surveillance on legal privilege, fair trials and protection of whistleblowers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton and Bill Goodwin

The hunters who prey on cyber criminals

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the hunters – a new breed of security expert that proactively hunts down cyber attackers before they can strike. We visit Silicon Valley to meet some of the up-and-coming startups in data analytics and business intelligence. And we hear from IT leaders about the people, process and cultural aspects of managing digital transformation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Employees’ use of personal devices puts firms at risk of malware infection, says report

Downloaders care about their own security while grabbing pirated content, not that of their employers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Israeli volunteers ready their cyber defences as Anonymous affiliates attack

Every April, Israel braces itself for an onslaught from pro-Palestinian hackers, but the occupants of a small conference room in Tel Aviv stand in their way Continue Reading

By

• Niv Lilien

BBC turns micro:bit computers into IoT devices

The BBC and Nominet demonstrate a new use case for the micro:bit computer and hope to turn Britain’s schoolchildren into internet of things pioneers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCA attempts 'back door' access to obtain activist Lauri Love’s passwords

Court told that use of civil proceedings to force disclosure of alleged hacker Lauri Love's passwords is disproportionate and would breach human rights law Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Investigations Editor

How IT in a portacabin supports £1bn London Bridge station overhaul

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how a temporary IT set-up based in a portacabin is supporting the UK’s largest critical infrastructure project – the £1bn redevelopment of London Bridge train station. Our latest buyer’s guide looks at converged infrastructure products. And we analyse research showing data protection topping the list of UK security priorities. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

QA launches cyber attack defence training facility in London

Training firm QA launches a cyber attack simulation facility in London to enable organisations to test and learn cyber defence skills Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Activist Lauri Love faces order to disclose encryption keys

The UK’s National Crime Agency takes an unusual legal step to force a former university student accused of hacking to disclose encryption keys Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Investigations Editor

IT specialist sentenced for stealing NHS computer equipment

A former NHS IT worker is convicted of stealing hospital computer equipment from Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation trust and selling them on eBay Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Panama Papers revealed by graph database visualisation software

The 11.5 million files leaked from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca are being interrogated by journalists using a combination of Neo4j’s graph database and data visualisation software Linkurious Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

'Citizens will be stripped naked' by Turkey’s data law

Turkey's data protection law, introduced in March 2016, will make Turkey a near total surveillance state, yet the EU, apparently more concerned about securing Turkey's help in controlling immigration, is turning a blind eye Continue Reading

By

• Craig Shaw & Zeynep Sentek

UK campaign launched against location data security risks

UK consumers are unwittingly signing up to be location tracked and this data is being used and sold on for commercial benefit, warns privacy campaign Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

DDoS attacks on universities normally performed by “disgruntled” students or employees

The majority of distributed denial of service attacks on universities are made by students or employees, says the head of infrastructure services at the University of London Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Adwind at centre of cyber attack on Singapore bank

Kaspersky Lab has revealed that the Adwind malware-as-a-service platform was at the centre of an attack on a Singapore bank Continue Reading

By

• Zafar Anjum

CW@50: Fertile British breeding grounds for information security innovation

Computer Weekly is marking its 50th anniversary this year with a series of articles celebrating 50 years of British technology innovation. In this article, we look at the evolution of information security threats and some of the British innovation to counter those threats Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security should be driven by business, says Corvid’s Andrew Nanson

Information security should be business-driven and investments assessed for their effectiveness and business value, according to Corvid CTO Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Cyber criminals use Microsoft PowerShell in ransomware attacks

A newly discovered family of ransomware, dubbed PowerWare, uses Microsoft PowerShell to target organisations through macro-enabled documents Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Hunters: a rare but essential breed of enterprise cyber defenders

They wait, they watch, they search the outer reaches of networks and the darkest corners of the web, setting traps, crafting tools, collecting evidence and going in pursuit: they are the hunters Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Apple vows to raise security as FBI breaks into iPhone

Apple says it will help law enforcement with investigations, but will increase the security of its products after the FBI broke into an iPhone Continue Reading

Government warned of smart meter security threat back in 2012

The government was warned four years ago that its plans for a nationwide smart meter roll-out represented a “potentially significant” security and privacy threat, Computer Weekly has learned Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Businesses urged to update Apple software to dodge zero-day attacks

Security experts are urging Apple Mac, iPhone and iPad users to update their operating systems to avoid data-stealing attacks that exploit a new zero-day vulnerability Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Canadian Elizabeth Denham set for the UK's next information commissioner

Canadian privacy commissioner Elizabeth Denham is to become the UK's next information commissioner as government pushes ahead with the snoopers' charter Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

US hospital claims to have fought off a ransomware attack

A hospital in Kentucky claims to have regained control of its IT systems five days after cyber criminals hit it with a ransomware attack Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How to manage IT access for external users

Identity and access management has extended from being solely an internal IT management process to focus on external business engagement too Continue Reading

By

• Bob Tarzey

Gov.uk Verify not secure enough for NHS, says HSCIC

The government’s Verify identity verification platform isn’t secure enough for the NHS, so Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group and HSCIC are working to add extra levels of security Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Britain to pay billions for monster internet surveillance network

New questions raised about Britain’s snoopers’ charter after Denmark abandons its own UK-style surveillance programme for a second time Continue Reading

By

• Duncan Campbell , 2QQ Ltd, Sussex University

National Cyber Security Centre to be UK authority on information security

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is to be the UK's one-stop authority on infosec, based in London and led by GCHQ's Ciaran Martin Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Australian girls believe online harassment is endemic

There are clear signals that online threats against women and attempts to invade their privacy are becoming societal norms in Australia Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

Most students say cyber security is a growing threat

Some 70% of higher education students say they are aware that cyber crime and attacks are a threat, but less than half think security is their responsibility Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Robots at your service

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how financial services firms are investing in artificial intelligence to create robo-advisors to help customers with financial advice online. We ask if virtual reality is ready for mainstream business adoption or is still just an over-hyped technology. And we examine the key steps needed to successfully build smart cities using internet of things and networking technologies. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

IAM is the future for managing data security

Why identity and access management is taking centre stage in companies’ access policies Continue Reading

By

• Andras Cser and Merritt Maxim

Royal Mail becomes eighth accredited Gov.uk Verify provider

The Royal Mail is the latest provider to be accredited to support the government’s Gov.uk Verify identity assurance service Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad