Network security management

GTT teams with Palo Alto to power SASE platform

Secure access service edge platform will offer advanced security techniques, fortifying network access from any location Continue Reading

A ‘whole of society’ approach to cyber may be on the horizon

Nominet Cyber managing director David Carroll reflects on the NCSC’s latest annual review amid 2021’s fast-evolving threat landscape Continue Reading

The way we talk and think about tech is crucial to helping solve the skills shortage crisis

Companies are looking to short-term fixes to find IT specialists, but there is still a need for long-term solutions Continue Reading

HP patches bugs in over 150 printer models

More than 150 HP multifunction printers are at risk of compromise through a series of newly disclosed vulnerabilities, one of them wormable Continue Reading

Recovering from ransomware: One organisation’s inside story

In February 2021, French office equipment supplier Manutan fell victim to a DoppelPaymer ransomware hit. IT ops director Jérôme Marchandiau tells the inside story of the incident Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Dissecting the true value of SASE is a challenge

As a relatively nascent technology that is getting a lot of publicity, dissecting the true value of SASE is still a difficult proposition, for now Continue Reading

Computing at the edge: Let’s get on board

With the increasing complexity of networks today, whether it’s hybrid cloud infrastructure or time-sliced 5G, somehow we’ve got to manage it Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: SASE will become operational reality

While still considered very much a buzzword, the pace of change in corporate networks and operational technology means secure access service edge (SASE) is becoming reality for many Continue Reading

Apple sues under-fire malware firm NSO

Lawsuit alleges spyware firm NSO Group targeted Apple’s users, adding to the pressure on the under-fire company Continue Reading

Upcoming holidays prompt ransomware warning from authorities

Ransomware gangs know how calendars work, and may target their attacks around major holidays to take advantage of more people being off work, according to a new alert Continue Reading

Black Friday cyber warning for 4,000 card-skimming victims

NCSC warns thousands of small retailers that their websites are being exploited to steal customer data Continue Reading

Why is Emotet back, and should we be worried about it?

The sudden reappearance of Emotet this week has security teams on high alert, but do we need to be worried about its return, and what should we be doing about it? Continue Reading

Memento ransomware gang quick to retool for ‘optimum’ outcome

The operators of a new ransomware called Memento are quick to retool for ‘success’ if they run up against a competent defender, says Sophos Continue Reading

Alert over spate of Iran-linked BitLocker attacks

A joint advisory from western cyber agencies warns of a campaign of ‘ongoing malicious activity’ by an Iran-linked APT group exploiting BitLocker to extort its targets Continue Reading

Sky ECC provided free cryptophones to a Canadian police force

Internal emails disclosed in a US court show how Sky Global supplied sample encrypted phones to a Canadian police force before its phone users became subject to an international police investigation Continue Reading

Security startups line up on Cyber Runway

Some 108 cyber security startups representing the UK’s most cutting-edge innovators are to join Plexal’s Cyber Runway accelerator Continue Reading

One-fifth of NCSC-supported cyber incidents linked to Covid-19

National Cyber Security Centre has helped to thwart multiple cyber incidents that could have seriously disrupted the UK’s response to the pandemic Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: SASE – more than the sum of its parts?

Airbus Cybersecurity’s Paddy Francis asks what makes an integration of the various components of SASE more the sum of their parts, and what are the benefits and pitfalls? Continue Reading

UK government proposes new rules for digital supply chain security

Proposals could see IT service providers legally required to adhere to the NCSC’s Cyber Assessment Framework, among other things Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: What to find out before investing in SASE

Petra Wenham of the BCS shares her thoughts on what organisations need to consider as they investigate whether or not to invest in secure access service edge technology Continue Reading

BT applies Covid-19 R number modelling to threat response

A prototype cyber security tool developed at BT uses epidemiological principles to detect and respond to cyber threats Continue Reading

AT&T launches a managed SASE offering with Cisco

AT&T aims its latest managed SASE service at enterprises using Cisco hardware. The offering's features range from firewall and secure web gateway functionality to DNS layer security. Continue Reading

HPE’s Aruba networking unit hit by cyber attack

Undisclosed threat actor compromised data buckets used to run the Aruba Central cloud environment using a stolen access key Continue Reading

Zero trust: Now is the time

The cyber security industry has been talking about a zero-trust approach to security for just over a decade, but now it’s time to move towards full implementation because it is more appropriate than ever, and it is rapidly gaining support from suppliers Continue Reading

November Patch Tuesday drop fixes bugs in Excel, Exchange Server

Another relatively light Patch Tuesday drop from Microsoft addresses 55 vulnerabilities, two of them already being exploited Continue Reading

Digital surveillance of remote workers may increase enterprise risk

From productivity tools to security threats, we explore how digital surveillance is forcing remote workers towards shadow IT Continue Reading

Immutable snapshots aim to neutralise ransomware

Snapshots – usually immutable anyway – get functionality to stop ransomware intruders moving or deleting snapshots, so customers know they have clean copies of data to restore from Continue Reading

The Netherlands works on resilience with large-scale national cyber exercise

For the Netherlands, the biggest challenge in a large-scale cyber crisis is to maintain speed while exercising due care Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: SASE – marketing buzz or the future of security?

SASE architectures promise to prevent multiple types of cyber attacks, but deciding whether SASE is right for your organisation will require understanding whether SASE is a fit for your use cases in IT Continue Reading

BlackMatter ransomware crew shuts down, leaves victims in a bind

The BlackMatter ransomware gang appears to be winding down its activities, possibly due to pressure from law enforcement Continue Reading

Is SASE mere vendor hype? It’s more nuanced than that

There’s no doubt that SASE is being overhyped, but nevertheless the concept holds value that security teams should not discount, according to PA Consulting analysts Continue Reading

Changing the rules against cyber attacks

UKRI’s John Goodacre reveals how projects supported by the Digital Security by Design Challenge aim to improve cyber security resilience, beginning with the very fundamentals of computing Continue Reading

Government commits millions to security investment

Spending Review adds more than £750m of funding to improve cyber security resilience across government Continue Reading

Cyber experts on how to nobble a Nobelium attack

A recent spate of attempted Nobelium cyber attacks were mostly unsuccessful, but serve as a reminder to pay attention to some more fundamental aspects of security Continue Reading

Airport operator MAG boosts threat visibility with hybrid SOC

With budget concerns weighing heavy during the pandemic, Manchester Airports Group ditched an impending capex-heavy cyber investment in favour of a hybrid managed/in-house approach. Learn more about its experience Continue Reading

APAC organisations warm to zero trust

Two-thirds of APAC organisations have a zero-trust strategy even as they grapple with the lack of skills and other organisational challenges, study finds Continue Reading

US intelligence agencies issue advisory on BlackMatter gang

Joint advisory on ransomware gang warns about potential of further attacks on critical infrastructure providers Continue Reading

LightBasin hackers breach 13 telcos in two years

Hackers have obtained an undisclosed volume of subscriber information and call metadata in a sustained campaign against telecommunications firms Continue Reading

Back on the office network: What are the risks for mobile users?

Many people are returning to offices and bringing their mobile devices with them. What are the cyber security implications of this? Continue Reading

How Samlesbury, Lancashire became the home of the National Cyber Force

The National Cyber Force, a new branch of the military, is gearing up to fight battles in cyber space from the fields of Lancashire. Its presence is expected to bring a high-tech renaissance to the region Continue Reading

DCMS appoints Plexal to drive telecoms diversity strategy

Government chooses UK innovation company to understand and develop the role of SMEs in the telecoms market with particular reference to how to create a diverse market that supports the creation of home-grown, sovereign technology Continue Reading

CW APAC, October 2021: Tech Career Guide

Despite marked improvements, tech still faces a diversity problem. In this handbook, focused on cyber security’s gender gap in the Asia-Pacific region, Computer Weekly looks at the mentoring programmes aiming to combat the issue, the career path of IAG’s Elaine Muir, how hacking won Claudean Zheng a job and what else needs to be done to tackle the ongoing gender imbalance Continue Reading

NHS Digital enhances in-house cyber awareness drive

Keep IT Confidential campaign aims to help NHS staff understand more about security threats and learn how to reduce risk Continue Reading

Google Cybersecurity Action Team springs into life

Google has announced a new Cybersecurity Action Team, with a mission to support security and digital transformation in governments, critical infrastructure, enterprises and small businesses Continue Reading

FCA warns over future hybrid working security risks

Earlier this week, the Financial Conduct Authority issued fresh guidance to regulated organisations on keeping hybrid workers safe and secure Continue Reading

Microsoft thwarts mega-DDoS attack on Azure platform

2.4Tbps DDoS attack on an undisclosed Microsoft Azure customer may have been the largest ever attempted against a single target Continue Reading

Singapore refreshes cyber security strategy

The city-state updates its national cyber security strategy to shore up the security of critical infrastructure and enterprises while growing its cyber security industry, among other goals Continue Reading

Fast-moving Ryuk campaign targets healthcare organisations

Newly designated FIN12 gang leverages the work of the cyber criminal ecosystem to conduct lightning-fast ransomware attacks Continue Reading

Addressing the backup dilemma to ransomware recovery

Everyone knows good backups are essential if one is to recover from a ransomware attack, but using them effectively poses challenges that IT teams need to know about Continue Reading

Twitch data breach investigations continue

Investigations are ongoing into a 125GB data breach that hit livestreaming platform Twitch, apparently the work of hacktivists Continue Reading

Israeli Orca to invest in UK cyber scene

Tel Aviv-headquartered Orca Security wants to set up a new R&D centre in the UK Continue Reading

Facebook unplugged for six hours due to configuration error

A configuration change effectively disconnected Facebook from the internet, with billions affected by loss of services Continue Reading

NUS and Thales to develop quantum technologies

The National University of Singapore and Thales have joined hands to test quantum technologies for commercial applications in security and sensing Continue Reading

How one red team exercise averted a new SolarWinds-style attack

Palo Alto Networks shares details of how its red teamers found and sealed a customer vulnerability that could have led to another SolarWinds-style supply chain attack Continue Reading

Threat actors target VMware vCenter Server users

Users of VMware vCenter Server are advised to patch a series of vulnerabilities post haste Continue Reading

Dutch education administrators underestimate threat of cyber crime

Research shows educational establishments in the Netherlands are becoming favoured targets of cyber criminals and administrators are underestimating the risks Continue Reading

BT advances hollow core fibre research with world’s first trial of quantum-secure comms

Incumbent UK telco announces latest innovations in hollow core fibre by conducting trial of ultra-secure network communications using commercial equipment over a 6km long Lumenisity CoreSmart cable Continue Reading

Latest Microsoft zero-day being actively exploited

New Microsoft zero-day CVE-2021-40444 affects multiple versions of Windows and is probably being exploited through convincing phishing attacks Continue Reading

REvil reappearance may herald new ransom campaigns

The re-emergence of the infamous REvil ransomware gang is a likely sign that more high-profile attacks will unfold over the coming weeks Continue Reading

OT security in APAC remains work in progress

Two operational technology security experts shed light on the state of OT security in the region, and what’s being done to address skills, competency and organisational challenges Continue Reading

ICO in bid to end cookie pop-ups

Outgoing information commissioner Elizabeth Denham will call on her equivalents across the G7 group of countries to collaborate on an overhaul of cookie consent pop-ups Continue Reading

How NZ schools are tapping managed network services

Using managed network services has freed up time and resources for New Zealand school teachers and alleviated the pressure and challenges of maintaining technology infrastructure Continue Reading

Finance firms faced up to £760,000 costs per DNS attack during pandemic

Financial services firms have been the focus of attacks by cyber criminals during the Covid-19 crisis Continue Reading

Remote workers routinely bypassed security tools during pandemic

New data from Palo Alto Networks reveals that over 25% of UK security leaders saw their employees circumventing or switching off security measures at the height of the pandemic Continue Reading

Supply chain cyber security is only as strong as the weakest link

A spate of high-profile cyber attacks has highlighted the criticality of supply chain security and put new pressures on security leaders. How can we ensure that cyber security remains robust down the full length of supply chains? Continue Reading

How the cyber security market is evolving

The cyber security market has gained even greater importance in the post-Covid era and continues to grow and evolve. But what factors are driving trends in that market and what should your organisation consider when making cyber security investments? Continue Reading

Tech giants commit to Biden's cyber security action plan

Some of the world’s most prominent tech giants have made a series of commitments to enhance the US’ national cyber security posture following a high-profile meeting with president Biden Continue Reading

Half of MS Exchange servers at risk in ProxyShell debacle

Up to 50% of MS Exchange users in the UK are exposed to three vulnerabilities that are now being actively exploited Continue Reading

Swedish IT industry braced for China’s response to Huawei 5G ban

Swedish IT and communications equipment suppliers fear economic backlash from China following Huawei ban Continue Reading

MoD seeks security tech to harden military systems

The Defence and Security Accelerator has launched a programme to root out technology that will reduce the military’s exposure to cyber attacks Continue Reading

How to choose between SIEM and SOAR

In this week’s Computer Weekly, our buyer’s guide examines the use of SIEM and SOAR to improve IT security, and asks which you should use, and when? We look at what you need to know about NVMe over Fabrics, the emerging storage networking technology. And we find out how Oracle customers are introducing its Fusion Cloud suite. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Cyber Runway programme supports new security businesses

The Cyber Runway programme is a government-backed scheme to support entrepreneurs, startups and scaleups in launching and growing new security businesses Continue Reading

Microsoft fixes seven critical bugs on light Patch Tuesday

All seven critical vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s August Patch Tuesday were related to remote code execution, and there was one zero-day related to Windows Update Medic Service Continue Reading

The Netherlands still lacks digital resilience, says report

Report by National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security says the Netherlands’ digital resilience has improved, but is still insufficient Continue Reading

Researchers uncover database with 126 million unsecured records

Business-to-business marketing firm OneMoreLead was storing tens of millions of records in an unsecured database, exposing at least 63 million people to fraud, identify theft and phishing campaigns Continue Reading

Possible ransomware attack hits Italian vaccine booking system

It is still unclear who is behind the attack that caused Covid-19 vaccine bookings in Lazio, Italy, to grind to a halt, as despite masses of files being encrypted no specific ransom demands have been made for the decryptor Continue Reading

Nine security flaws found in critical hospital infrastructure

The ‘PwnedPiper’ vulnerabilities identified in systems used by 80% of US hospitals could be used to launch ransomware attacks Continue Reading

Cloud misconfiguration a growing cause of security incidents

Rapid cloud adoption during the pandemic has increased the attack surface and heightened the risk of misconfiguring services, leaving organisations more vulnerable to cyber attacks Continue Reading

Six Isle of Wight schools hit by ransomware attack

Authorities are still working to manage the fallout from the attack, which has already forced at least one school to delay the start of the new term in September Continue Reading

Initial access brokers unaffected by ransomware content bans

Banning ransomware content from cyber crime forums has done little to prevent initial access brokers from advertising their services, with the number of access listings increasing in the second quarter of 2021 Continue Reading

UK MoD turns to hackers to help secure digital assets

Hackers given direct access to internal Ministry of Defence systems to identify and report security vulnerabilities Continue Reading

Technical hiccups force Babuk ransomware gang to change tactics

The Babuk ransomware operation backed away from encrypting its victims’ files, and technical difficulties may be to blame, reports McAfee Continue Reading

Top vulnerabilities target perimeter devices

The most frequently exploited CVEs of the year so far are to be found in perimeter and network access devices, according to a joint advisory from the NCSC and partners Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Consider cyber policies and procedures as you welcome employees back

With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect their returning office workers? Continue Reading

TikTok sets up cyber security hub in Dublin

Dublin-based cyber centre will oversee the security of TikTok’s users across Europe Continue Reading

How IBM is solving the data privacy problem

IBM’s fully homomorphic encryption technology lets enterprises apply analytics and machine learning to encrypted data without compromising data privacy Continue Reading

No More Ransom initiative saves £850m over five years

Initiative’s free ransomware decryption tools have been used by more than six million people since 2016 Continue Reading

Government-led innovation can help cyber startups find a market

There are many reasons why early-stage cyber startups often struggle to get off the ground, but government-backed programmes can help them find a path Continue Reading

Tokyo 2020 hit by data breach

The user names and passwords of Tokyo 2020 ticket holders and event volunteers were reportedly compromised, but government official claims the data leak was not large Continue Reading

Five ways to ensure remote working security and compliance

A mix of on-site and remote working has become a fact of life for many organisations. We look at five key things you should consider to ensure compliance and security Continue Reading

Sparsely staffed offices: the new post-pandemic cyber gap

With many offices still operating at limited capacity, a red teaming expert reveals how his job is getting easier, and why this is a problem Continue Reading

The Secret IR Insider’s Diary: It’s all gone quie...

The ‘Q’ word isn’t one that’s really used in incident response, says the Secret IR Insider, largely because as soon as you use it, something happens Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: A return to the office is not a return to normal

With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect their returning office workers? Continue Reading

UK, US confirm Chinese state backed MS Exchange Server attacks

UK and US governments, alongside the EU and Nato, have formally attributed the March 2021 Microsoft Exchange Server attacks to Chinese state-backed actors Continue Reading

Pegasus mobile RAT abused to monitor journalists and activists

Israel-based surveillance specialist NSO Group is facing renewed pressure after it emerged its Pegasus mobile surveillance tool may be being widely abused by repressive regimes Continue Reading

Legacy SonicWall kit exploited in ransom campaign

Users of older versions of SonicWall Secure Mobile Access 100 and Secure Remote Access products are at risk from a new ransomware campaign Continue Reading

CW APAC: Trend Watch on supply chain security

In this handbook, Computer Weekly looks at the rise of supply chain attacks, the challenges that come with zero trust security and attacks on the Covid-19 vaccine supply chain Continue Reading

Privacy Shield: US surveillance law reforms essential for EU-US data, says EU parliamentary study

EU Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs study calls for major reforms of US spying laws to enable an EU-US data-sharing agreement to replace Privacy Shield Continue Reading

Singapore to invest S$50m in ‘digital trust’ capabilities

The Singapore government is pumping in S$50m to bolster research in technologies that will foster digital trust in areas such as privacy protection and identity management Continue Reading

REvil ransomware crew drops offline, reasons murky

The REvil ransomware operation appears to have gone dark, but claims about its demise are almost certainly exaggerated Continue Reading