Network security management

Manchester United praised for swift response to cyber attack

Manchester United’s systems were attacked last week, and the club has been praised for a swift and decisive response Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW APAC: Expert advice on zero-trust security

Zero trust is a security model that eliminates the traditional perimeter and assumes that no user or device can be trusted until proven otherwise. In this handbook, Computer Weekly looks at how enterprises can take a zero-trust approach to securing their network, devices and workforce. Continue Reading

2021 the year of commodity ransomware, says Sophos

Sophos researchers anticipate a trickle-down effect in the cyber criminal underground Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Kaspersky shuts down data-processing activities in Russia

Cyber security provider’s data storage and processing activities for customers in Europe, the US and Canada, have now been fully relocated to Switzerland Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Financial services data volumes heighten risk of insider breach

Financial services organisations hold so much data that it is becoming virtually impossible to safeguard properly against data breaches caused by malicious or careless employees Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How to build an effective vulnerability management programme

As cyber criminals increasingly look to exploit vulnerabilities in software and hardware, businesses must build and implement an effective vulnerability management programme to counter this growing threat Continue Reading

By

• Nicholas Fearn

How Standard Chartered approaches cyber security

Bank uses security-by-design principles and conducts red-teaming exercises among other measures to fend off cyber breaches Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Hackney systems could be unavailable for months, says council

A month after a highly disruptive cyber attack on its systems, Hackney Council is still struggling to get back up and running Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

DDoS mitigation strategies needed to maintain availability during pandemic

The growing prevalence of DDoS attacks combined with the increased reliance on internet connectivity during the pandemic means enterprises can no longer afford to ignore the threat of DDoS attacks. Computer Weekly explores organisations’ perceptions of the risks and best practice for mitigation Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Online kids’ game Animal Jam confirms large breach

Cyber criminals have stolen data on 46 million Animal Jam player accounts via a third-party attack Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How do VPN vs. cloud services compare for remote work?

As remote work becomes increasingly normal, IT teams must decide which remote access technologies will benefit employees more. VPN and cloud services are two top choices. Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Froehlich, West Gate Networks

Security pros coped admirably with remote working transition

Despite facing tight timescales at the onset of the pandemic, security professionals have come through the transition to remote working remarkably well, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

EU aid funds used to train ‘unaccountable intelligence agencies’ in high-tech surveillance

Hundreds of documents obtained by campaign group Privacy International show how the EU is supporting surveillance programmes in the Balkans, the Middle East and Africa Continue Reading

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• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

IT Priorities 2020: After Covid-19, security goes back to basics

This year’s transition to remote working highlighted big gaps in the fundamentals of security, as updated TechTarget/Computer Weekly data reveals Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Why securing the DNS layer is crucial to fight cyber crime

Domain name system security is often overlooked by organisations, but focusing on this layer could actually improve the effectiveness of cyber security strategies. We explore the latest DNS trends and best practice Continue Reading

Credential stuffing: When DDoS isn’t DDoS

Ten years ago, credential stuffing attacks posed a comparatively minor threat, but with an escalating number of data breaches, the threat posed has now increased. What are the solutions to this very human problem? Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

NHS warned over Ryuk spreading through Trickbot replacements

NHS Digital tells healthcare organisations to be mindful of a marked rise in usage of the Bazar and Buer loaders Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft to support next generation of security startups

Tech giant lends its support to the NCSC Cyber Accelerator scheme, which is seeking its seventh cohort of startups Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

India and Japan report stronger concern over cyber threats

Security operations teams in the two Asian giants see the increased volume of cyber threats as their biggest challenge amid the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

NHS weathers cyber crime storm during pandemic, says NCSC

The NCSC dealt with over 700 incidents in the 12 months to August 2020, with over 200 specifically related to Covid-19, and the NHS a critical area of focus Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

ICO slashes Marriott breach fine to £18.4m

Reduced fine reflects both improvements made to hotel group’s cyber security and impact of coronavirus on the travel and hospitality sector Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Zero-trust investment seen accelerating through pandemic

New analyst report details some of the main indicators for success in zero-trust implementation Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Trump supporters targeted by cryptocurrency scammers

The successful breach of Donald Trump’s official website shows up lax security on his campaign team and is yet another timely warning that nobody is immune to cyber crime Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Barracuda eyes Indochina markets

Barracuda is looking to expand its local presence and headcount in fast-growing emerging markets of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Zero-trust network policies should reflect varied threats

Role-based access systems create enormous pools of responsibility for administrators. Explore how to eliminate these insecure pools of trust with zero-trust network policies. Continue Reading

By

• Katie Donegan, Social Media Manager
• O'Reilly Media

Zero-trust methodology's popularity a double-edged sword

The authors of 'Zero Trust Networks' discuss how the zero-trust methodology's popularity produces both vendor hype and renewed attention to critical areas of security weakness. Continue Reading

By

• Katie Donegan, Social Media Manager

APAC CISOs warm up to zero trust

Security leaders in Asia-Pacific are adopting zero-trust security, but challenges stand in their way of reaping the full potential of the security model Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

SonicWall patches 11 firewall vulnerabilities

SonicWall users are advised to download updates that fix 11 CVEs in the SonicOS operating system, uncovered by Positive Technologies Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Protecting remote workers an opportunity to do security better

Securing the fully remote workforce has been a challenge for IT teams, but it presents an opportunity to commit to a higher standard of cyber security, according to a Cisco report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Financial services staff want work-from-home policies to continue after Covid

About half of workers in the finance sector want their employers to retain remote working policies brought in during the pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Why securing the DNS layer is crucial to fight cyber crime

Domain name system security is often overlooked by organisations, but focusing on this layer could actually improve the effectiveness of cyber security strategies. We explore the latest DNS trends and best practice Continue Reading

By

• Nicholas Fearn

Security Think Tank: Essential tools to mitigate double extortion attacks

The threat of identity theft via a data breach is heightened with the rise of attacks where ransomware threat actors both encrypt and ransom, and exfiltrate and leak their victims’ data. How does this evolution in cyber crime heighten risk for the enterprise, and what steps can we take to safeguard the personal data we hold? Continue Reading

By

• Jim Metcalfe

Podcast: Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Covid-19 and storage

We look at how organisations can use Cybersecurity Awareness Month as an opportunity to revisit their handling of data and compliance, especially with changes brought by Covid-19 and home working Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Security Think Tank: Safeguarding PII in the current threat landscape

The threat of identity theft via a data breach is heightened with the rise of attacks where ransomware threat actors both encrypt and ransom, and exfiltrate and leak their victims’ data. How does this evolution in cybercrime heighten risk for the enterprise, and what steps can we take to safeguard the personal data we hold? Continue Reading

By

• Sarah Nadwick, Turnkey Consulting

US Elections: Malicious internet domains spike as campaigns heat up

Internet domains related to the US presidential election are 56% more likely to be malicious than regular ones Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft fixes 87 bugs in October 2020 Patch Tuesday

Smaller October Patch Tuesday update includes fixes for critical bugs in Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Suppliers neglecting virtual appliance security, putting users at risk

Software suppliers are often distributing their products on virtual appliances that contain known vulnerabilities or are running outdated or unsupported operating systems, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Trickbot forced offline in major cyber security victory

Coalition led by Microsoft obtained a court order enabling them to take down the infamous Trickbot botnet’s back-end server infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber security skills ad branded ‘crass’ by minister

Security skills campaign advert depicting a ballet dancer comes in for criticism as the arts sector struggles in the pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Making sense of zero-trust security

Implementing zero-trust security is not an easy feat, but enterprises can still get it right if they approach it from a process perspective and get a handle on their infrastructure footprint Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

NCSC relaunches SME security guide with home working focus

The NCSC is issuing an updated version of its guide to security for SMEs, reflecting the long-lasting changes to the world of work seen in 2020 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

5G regulation failures are a threat to UK’s national security

Defence Committee report on the security of 5G brands existing regulations outdated and unsatisfactory Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CISOs struggle to keep up with MITRE ATT&CK framework

Despite its proven benefits for security, the MITRE ATT&CK framework is proving difficult for many, according to a joint study from McAfee and UC Berkeley Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

WikiLeaks led the way for newsrooms to use encryption to protect sources, says Italian journalist

Stefania Maurizi says in written evidence that Julian Assange pioneered the use of encryption by journalists to protect sources. Her work shows that the US put pressure on Italy to stop the extradition and prosecution of CIA officers responsible for the extrajudicial kidnapping and torture of an Egyptian cleric Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Threat actors becoming vastly more sophisticated

Malicious actors have been busily honing their craft and cyber security incidents are up across the board as a result, according to a Microsoft report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ryuk attack downs private health provider in major incident

Private healthcare provider UHS has been been hit by a major big game hunting cyber attack that infected its systems with the Ryuk ransomware Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sustrans opens door to NCSC cyber certification via the cloud

Sustainable transport charity turned to Qualys to help it attain needed certifications to bid for government work Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

TikTok ban stayed after last-minute court case

TikTok’s lawyers have staved off an imminent ban for the time being, after successfully arguing that it infringed rights guaranteed under the Constitution of the United States Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security now main driving force behind digital transformation

Organisations are urgently remodelling their core technology stack in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and this is pushing security to the top of the agenda Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Covid-19 has changed how we think about cyber security forever

Six months into the global pandemic, the true impact on the future of cyber security is beginning to look clearer, says Microsoft’s Ann Johnson Continue Reading

By

• Ann Johnson, Microsoft

Top five ways backup can protect against ransomware

Ransomware threatens to put your data beyond reach, so the best way to prepare is to have good-quality data you can restore from backup. We look at the key things to consider Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

Race to patch as Microsoft confirms Zerologon attacks in the wild

Don’t be the organisation that made the headlines because it failed to patch. Microsoft says it is seeing cyber attacks ramping up around the Zerologon CVE-2020-1472 bug Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

What's involved in VPN maintenance and management?

Before an organization's VPN is up and running, IT teams must address four important aspects of VPN maintenance and management to keep abreast of transforming security concerns. Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Froehlich and Robbie Harrell

Video gamers barraged with cyber attacks

From credential stuffing to SQL injection and DDoS, video game producers and players are seeing massive volumes of cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

US agencies warn of election disinformation and cyber attacks

Federal agencies are warning of heightened disinformation as the crucial 2020 presidential election nears Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Saudi Arabia sees cyber security boom as coronavirus bites

Saudi Arabian CIOs have been forced to increase their security posture as the Covid-19 pandemic transforms working methods Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

Seven charged in connection with Chinese state-backed cyber attacks

Attacks by APT41, or Wicked Panda, targeted hundreds of organisations, including the UK government Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Edge security in the world of Covid-19

That datacentre security is a complex subject is not in doubt and, given the trend to move beyond centralised datacentre to distributed environments, this is not going to change. How can security professionals ensure such setups are just as secure as the traditional centralised model? Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

NCSC steps up ransomware support for schools and universities

New alert and updated guidance comes after several academic institutions were targeted in ransomware attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Edge datacentre security depends on specific needs

That datacentre security is a complex subject is not in doubt and, given the trend to move beyond centralised datacentres to distributed environments, this is not going to change. How can security professionals ensure such setups are just as secure as the traditional centralised model? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

Lorca security scaleups to get Splunk data expertise

Lorca inducts Splunk onto its co-marketing programme, giving security scaleups access to new data expertise Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How data has helped in the fight against coronavirus

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the Office for National Statistics about the important role data plays in the battle against Covid-19. We also look at the speedy deployment of the Scottish contact-tracing app and report on a discussion about the UK government’s delayed response to its digital identity consultation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

3 ways to prevent DDoS attacks on networks

DDoS attacks on networks can result in devastating and expensive damage for organizations. Learn three ways to prevent and respond to DDoS attacks to keep company networks secure. Continue Reading

By

• John Cavanaugh, BlueAlly

Travel industry websites are laughably insecure, claims Which?

The travel industry is failing to take the data security of its customers seriously, according to a Which? investigation Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Russian interference in US elections ramps up on schedule

With the critical US 2020 presidential election looming, Russian-state backed hackers are once again after organisations directly involved in political elections, launching thousands of targeted attacks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber security is next frontier for open source

Open security will facilitate the interoperability and capabilities of cyber security tools while alleviating vendor lock-in for enterprises, says IBM Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Government launches £500k healthcare security plan

A £500,000 funding pot from the government aims to help support small and mid-sized healthcare firms during the pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Beware security blind spots at the edge

That datacentre security is a complex subject is not in doubt and, given the trend to move beyond centralised datacentres to distributed environments, this is not going to change. How can security professionals ensure such setups are just as secure as the traditional centralised model? Continue Reading

By

• Jordon Kelly, ISF

New normal of remote working compounds enterprise security challenges

Sudden changes in priorities, poor network visibility and lack of time cited by Juniper Networks as key issues for security professionals struggling to cope with new norms Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

Northumbria University suffers major disruption after cyber attack

Some exams cancelled as university appoints external specialists to investigate incident Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Mobile workers to form 60% of total US workforce by 2024

IDC offers more evidence of how Covid-19 has changed the face of work in the US, with CIO investment in mobile-based management and security systems to take precedence in 2020 and beyond Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

Sharing responsibility: Why we need to work together to keep the cloud secure

The education sector has been fundamentally altered by months of lockdown, with cloud services topping must-have lists for academic staff, but now it’s time to consider security Continue Reading

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• Andy Powell, JISC

Security Think Tank: Seven steps to edge security

That datacentre security is a complex subject is not in doubt and, given the trend to move beyond centralised datacentres to distributed environments, this is not going to change. How can security professionals ensure such setups are just as secure as the traditional centralised model? Continue Reading

By

• SIlvano Sogus and Alan Taberham

Norway’s corporates want government to support ‘herd immunity’ to cyber attack

Leading business organisations in Norway call on government to play a more active role in improving and coordinating the country’s cyber defences Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Security Think Tank: Security at the distributed edge

That datacentre security is a complex subject is not in doubt, and given the trend to move beyond centralised datacentres to distributed environments, this is not going to change. How can security professionals ensure such setups are just as secure as the traditional centralised model? Continue Reading

By

• Anup Deb, Palo Alto Networks

New Zealand activates security services as DDoS outage enters fourth day

New Zealand government calls in its national cyber security agencies to help investigate a continuing cyber attack on the country’s financial systems Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Machine learning wards off threats at TV studio Bunim Murray

TV studio behind reality hits including The Real World and Keeping Up With The Kardashians turned to Darktrace’s Antigena email protection service to keep its people safe from Covid-19 threats Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

DDoS downs New Zealand stock exchange for third day

Distributed denial of service attack from overseas has left stock exchange offline for days Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Tour de France 2020 fans to get virtual experience delivered by NTT

This year’s Tour de France was delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. IT services company NTT has teamed up with event organiser ASO to offer a virtual experience to fans who cannot be at the roadside Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

North Korea’s Lazarus targets cryptocurrency vertical

APT group behind the infamous WannaCry incident is targeting cryptocurrency operators, according to new research Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Getting physical with datacentre security

Whether it is natural disasters, terrorism or break-ins, datacentres will be vulnerable to a range of risks unless they are physically secured. Here’s how you can improve the physical security of your datacentre Continue Reading

By

• Nicholas Fearn

Australian regulator sues RI Advice for cyber security lapses

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is suing RI Advice for cyber security breaches at the financial firm’s authorised representatives Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Marriott slapped with class action lawsuit over 2018 breach

Group action brings together millions of victims who stayed at the Starwood hotel chain over a four-year period Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Reports Oracle to enter TikTok bidding war

Oracle may be about to make a bid to acquire the US operations of TikTok from its Chinese parent ByteDance, according to the FT Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Comms startup Element helps support secure communications during pandemic

With the huge increase in remote working, Element is using an open, decentralised network to give organisations more control over their communications Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Russia’s Fancy Bear targets Linux environments with Drovorub malware

The Russian intelligence-linked Fancy Bear group is deploying a new malware called Drovorub against Linux environments as part of a cyber espionage operation, according to US warnings Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft patches two zero-days with active exploits

Microsoft drops another major Patch Tuesday update, including fixes for two zero-day exploits that are already being exploited by cyber criminals Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Citrix users urged to patch five XenMobile CVEs

Patches are available for CVEs 2020-8208 through 8212 and should be installed as soon as possible Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Coronavirus: Phishing lures pivot to exploit vaccine hopes

Phishing emails are increasingly luring in victims with subject lines relating to the development of a vaccine for Covid-19 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

3 DDoS mitigation strategies for enterprise networks

Enterprises can choose from three major approaches to mitigate DDoS attacks on their networks: Buy from an ISP, do it themselves or use a CDN service. Continue Reading

By

• John Cavanaugh, BlueAlly

Retailer Monsoon allegedly exposing data via Pulse Connect server

A researcher has found a critically insecure Pulse Connect Secure VPN version belonging to UK retailer Monsoon Accessorize, but claims the firm is ignoring his disclosures Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security teams struggle to keep pace with cloud threats

Security professionals face challenges in keeping pace with cloud deployments and migrations, and the additional security threats they open up Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Don’t believe the hype: AI is no silver bullet

We want to believe AI will revolutionise cyber security, and we’re not necessarily wrong, but it’s time for a reality check Continue Reading

By

• Mike Lloyd, RedSeal

Canon said to be latest Maze ransomware victim

Canon may have had up to 10TB of its data exfiltrated by the Maze ransomware gang Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Second wave of Covid-19 cyber attacks locked in

More cyber attacks exploiting the pandemic seem likely, says Interpol Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Five signs you’re about to get hit with ransomware

A series of Sophos reports on the ransomware threat landscape shows how security professionals can sniff out a potential ransomware attack before it happens Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

More data breaches from ransomware attacks in Australia

The number of data breaches caused by ransomware rose to 33 in the first half of 2020 from 13 in the previous six-month period, according to the latest report from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Labour Party is latest victim of Blackbaud ransomware attack

Widening Blackbaud data breach ensnares the Labour Party as the cloud software firm continues to duck questions about its behaviour Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Twitter confirms it was hit by targeted spearphishing attack

Investigation into 15 July 2020 hack of a number of high-profile accounts by cryptocurrency scammers has found evidence of a targeted spearphishing incident Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Network security in 2020 highlights zero trust, SD-branch

In this roundup of networking blogs, experts explore various aspects of network security -- from old and evergreen to new and innovative -- and the roles they play in 2020. Continue Reading

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• Michaela Goss, Senior Site Editor