Privacy and data protection

The flight to data success

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at how Manchester Airport Group has set course to become the world’s most intelligent airport through its data-led approach. After much hype about artificial intelligence, we look at the failings of AI initiatives as the tech hits roadblocks, as well as explore what can be done to improve success. And we take a peek at what support networks are available to those new in the CISO role. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Longstanding Darktrace CEO Poppy Gustafsson to step down

Darktrace CEO Poppy Gustafsson is to leave the AI cyber company she helped build with Mike Lynch after more than a decade, following its acquisition by a private equity firm Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Canadian arrested by France after cooperating with US on Sky ECC cryptophone investigation

Thomas Herdman, who faces charges in France over his involvement in distributing Sky ECC encrypted phones, was arrested by French police despite agreeing to cooperate with US law enforcement Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin & Morgan Ayre

Fraud and scam complaints hit highest ever level in UK

The Financial Ombudsman Service says it recorded almost 9,000 complaints about fraud and scams from April to June, the most ever recorded Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Chief data officers highlight data integrity woes

In a report from the company co-founded by web inventor Tim Berners-Lee, CDOs discuss the challenges of artificial intelligence and using increasing amounts of personal data Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Transport for London hit by cyber attack

London’s transport network provider TfL experiences cyber security incident, but reassures customers there is no impact on services Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov under formal investigation, released on bail

European Commission confirms it has powers to place Telegram under ‘direct supervision’ if it meets the threshold for regulation under the Digital Services Act Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Global cyber spend to rise 15% in 2025, pushed along by AI

Security spending will increase at pace in 2025, with artificial intelligence, cloud and consultancy services all pushing outlay to new highs, according to Gartner Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cambridge Enterprise saves big with Keepit SaaS backup

University innovation body avoids hardware spend and saves management time as it switches from tape to cloud-to-cloud backup, instant recovery and decades-long retention from Keepit Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Telegram founder Pavel Durov questioned over cyber crime charges

Billionaire founder of Telegram accused of failing to co-operate with law enforcement requests for lawful interception Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

The US courts may have thrown a wrench into cyber regulation

A recent decision by the US Supreme Court to overrule the longstanding Chevron Deference has serious implications for global cyber security regulation Continue Reading

By

• Brian Arnold

Public education on security must be a top priority for Labour

With Labour returning to 10 Downing Street after 14 years, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank panellists share advice and wish lists for the new government Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Pakistani national arrested over Southport ‘cyber terrorism’

Authorities in Pakistan have arrested a man on suspicion of cyber terrorism over his role in the spread of online misinformation in the wake of the Southport knife attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Podcast: Ransomware and what data storage can do about it

We talk to NetApp’s Chris McKean about ransomware attacks and the role of data storage in protecting against them Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

From manifesto to material: What No. 10 needs to make reality

With Labour returning to 10 Downing Street after 14 years, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank panellists share advice and wish lists for the new government Continue Reading

By

• Paul Lewis, Nominet

ICO launches privacy notice tool for SMEs

ICO tool designed to make it easier for small businesses and sole traders operating online to create bespoke data privacy notices for compliance purposes Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Helsinki braced for elevated cyber attacks

The City of Helsinki is increasing its collaboration with cyber security and crime investigators following a major attack on its systems Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Popular Microsoft apps for Mac at risk of code injection attacks

Researchers at Cisco Talos turn up evidence suggesting that Microsoft apps running on the Apple macOS operating system are not as secure as they seem Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How might the UK's cyber landscape change under Labour?

With Labour returning to 10 Downing Street after 14 years, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank panellists share advice and wish lists for the new government Continue Reading

By

• Dhairya Mehta and Cate Pye

Thousands of NetSuite customers accidentally exposing their data

Misconfigured permissions across live websites are leaving thousands of NetSuite users open to having their valuable customer data stolen, researchers say Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Campaigners criticise Starmer post-riot public surveillance plans

A UK government programme to expand police facial recognition and information sharing after racist riots is attracting criticism from campaigners for exploiting the far-right unrest to generally crack down on protest and increase surveillance Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Google's cookie conundrum: What comes next?

Google's revised approach to third-party cookies shouldn't come as a surprise, and may also be welcome Continue Reading

By

• Christian Ward

Automated police tech contributes to UK structural racism problem

Civil society groups say automated policing technologies are helping to fuel the disparities that people of colour face across the criminal justice sector, as part of wider warning about the UK’s lack of progress in dealing with systemic racism Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Leeds Teaching Hospitals deploys patient records and data sharing on Azure

In-house patient records system has been migrated to the Microsoft public cloud, opening up the potential for greater data sharing Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

NIST debuts three quantum-safe encryption algorithms

NIST has launched the first three quantum-resistant encryption algorithms, and as the threat of quantum-enabled cyber attacks grows greater, organisations are encouraged to adopt them as soon as they can Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Labour's first cyber priority must be the NHS

With Labour returning to 10 Downing Street after 14 years, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank panellists share advice and wish lists for the new government Continue Reading

By

• Adam Button

Deep dive into quantum-resistant cryptography for email security

Quantum computers have the potential to crack many of the encryption methods we currently rely on to keep our digital communications safe. Quantum-resistant cryptography may be the answer Continue Reading

By

• Isla Sibanda

How UK firms can get ready for the implementation of NIS2

Many British companies will need to adhere to NIS2’s cyber security risk management and reporting requirements if they want to continue operating in the EU market and avoid huge fines Continue Reading

By

• Nicholas Fearn

The Security Interviews: Google’s take on confidential computing

We speak to Google’s Nelly Porter about the company’s approach to keeping data as safe as possible on Google Cloud Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Securing data in GCP: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

We speak to Google’s director of product management for confidential computing about ensuring the protection of data in use Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Russia’s luxury car phish continues to prove effective

Government organisations and other bodies operating in Ukraine continue to be targeted by a relatively unsophisticated phishing campaign that has proven so effective for Russia’s cyber spooks that there are now multiple agencies involved Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber lessons, and priorities for the UK's new government

With Labour returning to 10 Downing Street after 14 years, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank panellists share advice and wish lists for the new government Continue Reading

By

• Ameet Jugnauth and Mark Pearce

Police hunt scammers after takedown of Russian Coms fraud platform

The National Crime Agency has arrested four people after taking down a phone number spoofing platform used by criminals to defraud hundreds of thousands of people in the UK with more arrests to follow Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Banks, telcos call for more data sharing to fight fraud

A Which?-led coalition of banks and telecoms operators is calling on the UK's new government to take the lead on enabling data sharing to help fight digital fraud Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Mayor launches London Privacy Register for smart city information

To increase transparency around and trust in London’s smart city technology deployments, the London Privacy Register aims to provide the public with more information about the systems they encounter in their day-to-day lives Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Basic failures led to hack of Electoral Commission data on 40 million people

UK government identifies Chinese state-linked hackers as likely to have been behind attack on the Electoral Commission Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

What is data loss prevention (DLP)?

Data loss prevention (DLP) -- sometimes referred to as 'data leak prevention,' 'information loss prevention' or 'extrusion prevention' -- is a strategy to mitigate threats to critical data. Continue Reading

By

• Cameron Hashemi-Pour, Former Site Editor
• Garry Kranz
• Andy Patrizio

What is GDPR? Compliance and conditions explained

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is legislation that updated and unified data privacy laws across the European Union (EU). Continue Reading

By

• Scott Robinson, New Era Technology
• Rich Castagna
• Tréa Lavery, Editorial Assistant

WTO digital trade agreement aims to modernise global commerce

A digital trade deal negotiated over five years at the World Trade Organization has been signed by 91 countries, laying the groundwork for a new global digital trade regime Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Mastering data privacy in the age of AI

AI continues to revolutionise how organisations operate, using vast amounts of personal data to make smart, informed decisions. However, this incredible potential comes with concerns about data privacy. DQM GRC's Mark James explores the issues. Continue Reading

By

• Mark James

Cyber crisis? How good PR can save your brand

Cyber attacks and data breaches can happen to anybody and often bring reputational damage and a loss of customer trust. How organisations publicly respond to such incidents can make or break them, and the importance of a good PR strategy cannot be underestimated Continue Reading

By

• Ed Coram-James

Ban predictive policing and facial recognition, says civil society

A coalition of civil society groups is calling for an outright ban on predictive policing and biometric surveillance in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Mimecast to buy insider threat specialist Code42

Mimecast is to buy fellow human-centred risk experts Code42 for an undisclosed sum to take advantage of its insider threat and data loss protection specialisms Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

WhatsApp and Signal messages at risk of surveillance following EncroChat ruling, court hears

Defence lawyers seek leave to appeal a decision by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal that the National Crime Agency lawfully obtained warrants to intercept messages sent over an encrypted phone network Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Chrome cookies reprieved amid Google Privacy Sandbox changes

Google abruptly changes tack on third-party cookies in its Chrome web browser, cancelling plans to deprecate them in favour of an unspecified ‘new experience’ for users Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

What is the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA)?

The Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) is a United States federal law designed to protect the personally identifiable information of licensed drivers from improper use or disclosure. Continue Reading

By

• Katie Terrell Hanna
• Corinne Bernstein

Enhancing mobile app security with behaviour-based biometrics

Behavioural-based biometrics offer tantalising advantages over more traditional biometric solutions. Learn about some of the benefits and potential challenges for safe and secure implementation Continue Reading

By

• Isla Sibanda

What is data privacy?

Data privacy, also called information privacy, is an aspect of data protection that addresses the proper storage, access, retention, immutability and security of sensitive data. Continue Reading

By

• Cameron Hashemi-Pour, Former Site Editor
• Stephen J. Bigelow, Senior Technology Editor

Lawyers and journalists seeking ‘payback’ over police phone surveillance, claims former detective

Former Durham detective will be required to give evidence to a tribunal investigating allegations that police unlawfully monitored journalists’ phones Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Growth in nude image sharing heightens cyber abuse risk

The normalisation of sharing self-created intimate content with others is putting great numbers of people at risk of online abuse, says Kaspersky Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Incubator Plexal heads to Singapore for CyberBoost

Cyber startup hub Plexal expands its presence to Singapore through a new initiative, and sets its sights on helping new UK businesses break into the booming Asia-Pacific market Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Snowflake is tackling AI challenges

Snowflake’s regional leader Sanjay Deshmukh outlines how the company is helping customers to tackle the security, skills and cost challenges of AI implementations Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Dutch research firm TNO pictures the SOC of the future

In only a few years, security operations centres will have a different design and layout, and far fewer will remain Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohius

The security interview: Managing the ‘no’ mindset

Matt Riley, data protection and information security officer at Sharp Europe, discusses balancing cyber risks with business leaders’ goals Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Safeguarding democracy from cyber threat peril  

There has been an increase in disturbing activity emerging on the dark web involving the sale of public sector assets, including election data Continue Reading

By

•  Barry O’Connell

How Recorded Future is operationalising threat intelligence

Recorded Future is investing in APIs to enable automated security workflows, among other measures, to help organisations overcome the hurdles of operationalising threat intelligence Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Gulf Edge to operate Google Distributed Cloud in Thailand

The Gulf Energy subsidiary will offer Google’s sovereign cloud service in Thailand with a focus on air-gapped configurations Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange freed from prison

A deal reached with US authorities will end the WikiLeaks founder’s years-long legal saga, setting him free if he pleads guilty to a criminal conspiracy charge Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

NHS experts raise warning over patient data breach risk in registries project

Clinicians warn that the NHS England Outcome Registries Platform has poor security and is vulnerable to cyber attack, putting critical patient data at risk of being exposed Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sellafield pleads guilty to criminal charges over cyber security

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority-backed organisation Sellafield Ltd pleads guilty to criminal charges brought over significant cyber security failings that could have compromised sensitive nuclear information Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Qilin ransomware gang publishes stolen NHS data online

The ransomware gang behind a major cyber attack on NHS supplier Synnovis has published a 400GB trove of private healthcare data online Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Executive interview: Open models pros and cons

We speak to Meta’s vice-president of AI research about recent publicly released research and models, and the role of closed AI models Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

personally identifiable information (PII)

Personally identifiable information (PII) is any data that could potentially identify a specific individual. Continue Reading

By

• Alexander S. Gillis, Technical Writer and Editor
• Corinne Bernstein

ICO police cloud guidance released under FOI

Long-awaited guidance from the UK data regulator on police cloud deployments highlights some potential data transfer mechanisms it thinks can clear up ongoing legal issues, but tells forces it’s up to them to decide if the measures would work Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Sir Alan Bates hits out at Post Office ‘incompetence’ after data breach

Victims of the scandal react with anger at news the Post Office published a document containing their names and addresses on its website Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA
• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Microsoft admits no guarantee of sovereignty for UK policing data

Documents show Microsoft’s lawyers admitted to Scottish policing bodies that the company cannot guarantee sensitive law enforcement data will remain in the UK, despite long-standing public claims to the contrary Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

privacy impact assessment (PIA)

A privacy impact assessment (PIA) is a method for identifying and assessing privacy risks throughout the development lifecycle of a program or system. Continue Reading

By

• Cameron Hashemi-Pour, Former Site Editor
• Paul Kirvan
• Ben Cole, Executive Editor

PSNI ran secret unit to monitor journalists’ and lawyers’ phones, claims former senior officer

The Police Service of Northern Ireland denies claims that its anti-corruption unit used a standalone computer to ‘avoid scrutiny and control’ Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

NHS blood stocks running low after ransomware attack

The NHS is appealing for people with O Positive and O Negative blood types to come forward to donate as hospitals in London struggle to keep critical services running after ransomware attack Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Northern Irish police used covert powers to monitor over 300 journalists

PSNI publishes report on police surveillance of journalists and lawyers, but Northern Ireland’s Policing Board says it does not give the assurances needed Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

DDoS gang threatens to disrupt European elections

Russian hacktivists are threatening to disrupt the European Parliament elections, while the BBC reports on new deepfake threats to the UK’s electoral process Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Bitdefender makes MDR services free to NHS bodies hit by Qilin

Bitdefender offers NHS bodies affected by a major cyber incident free access to its product suite, as the health service continues to deal with the impact of the Qilin ransomware attack on partner Synnovis Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sophos uncovers Chinese state-sponsored campaign in Southeast Asia

Sophos found three distinct clusters of activity targeted at a high-level government organisation that appeared to be tied to Chinese interests in the South China Sea Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

FBI finds 7,000 LockBit decryption keys in blow to criminal gang

The US authorities say they now have more than 7,000 LockBit decryption keys in their possession and are urging victims of the prolific ransomware gang to come forward Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Qilin ransomware gang likely behind crippling NHS attack

Security experts investigating a major cyber attack on an NHS partner that has caused frontline services across South London to grind to a halt say the Qilin ransomware gang appears to be the culprit Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

OAIC files civil penalty action against Medibank

The OAIC alleges that Medibank failed to take reasonable steps to protect the personal information of 9.7 million Australians in the October 2022 data breach Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Invasive tracking ‘endemic’ on sensitive support websites

Websites set up by police, charities and universities to help people get support for sensitive issues like addiction and sexual harassment are deploying tracking technologies that harvest information without proper consent Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

NHS services at major London hospitals disrupted by cyber attack

A major cyber attack at NHS services provider Synnovis is disrupting frontline care at hospitals across London Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Russia used fake AI Tom Cruise in Olympic disinformation campaign

Microsoft threat researchers report a surge in Russian disinformation campaigns targeting the 2024 Summer Olympics, including AI-enhanced propaganda Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Police chief commissions ‘independent review’ of surveillance against journalists and lawyers

PNSI chief constable appoints lawyer to conduct review into police phone surveillance of journalists, lawyers and NGOs Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Major breaches allegedly caused by unsecured Snowflake accounts

Significant data breaches at Ticketmaster and Santander appear to have been orchestrated through careful targeting of the victims’ Snowflake cloud data management accounts Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sellafield local authority slammed over response to North Korean ransomware attack

The local authority for Europe’s biggest nuclear site has been slammed by auditors for its response to a North Korea-linked cyber attack that temporarily crippled its operations Continue Reading

By

• Tommy Greene

Ticketek Australia hit by data breach

Customer names, dates of birth and email addresses of Ticketek Australia account holders reportedly impacted in latest data breach affecting event ticketing firm Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Law student ‘unfairly disciplined’ after reporting data breach blunder

A law student has accused a leading legal college of unethical behaviour and a “lack of integrity” after it brought misconduct proceedings against him when he reported a data security blunder Continue Reading

By

• Tommy Greene

Storebrand divests from IBM over supply of biometrics to Israel

Norwegian asset manager Storebrand’s decision to divest from IBM comes amid growing scrutiny of the role technology companies play in Israel’s human rights abuses Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Kersley

Proofpoint exposes AFF scammers’ piano gambit

Ransomware and nation state actors dominate the headlines, but fraud and scams still net career cyber criminals thousands from unsuspecting members of the public. Proofpoint reports on a campaign targeting victims of a musical inclination Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Organisations value digital trust, but aren’t working at it

Three quarters of organisations believe digital trust is relevant to their businesses, yet clear gaps in strategies still seem to persist Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

AI governance needs global approach

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the UN agency, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) argues that AI governance needs a world-wide approach Continue Reading

By

• Doreen Bogdan-Martin

Interview: EU data chief Ulrich Ahle on obstacles to Europe’s digital single market

EU data scheme Gaia-X is trying to plug the UK into Europe’s planned digital single market as opposition mounts to efforts to extend the reach of Europe’s vast and controversial data laws over global supply chains Continue Reading

By

• Mark Ballard

Executive Interview: Why Dell wants to be your one-stop AI shop

At Dell Technologies World in Las Vegas, artificial intelligence was the talk of the town as Dell staked out an all-encompassing strategy ahead of an anticipated goldrush. Dell’s Nick Brackney explains why the tech giant believes it's onto a winner Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Parliamentarians warn of UK election threat from Russia, China and North Korea

Joint parliamentary security committee chair Margaret Beckett writes to prime minister urging government to prepare for foreign states interfering with 4 July election Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Northern Ireland police face £750,000 fine after data protection blunder put lives at risks

Information commissioner John Edwards uses discretion to reduce proposed fine from £5.6m to £750,000 Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

The Security Interviews: What is the real cyber threat from China?

Former NCSC boss Ciaran Martin talks about nation-state attacks, why the UK has become so exercised about cyber espionage, and how our leaders are in danger of misunderstanding their adversaries Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange granted appeal

Two high court judges granted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange leave to appeal against extradition to the US after defence lawyers argued that the US had failed to give adequate assurances Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

US authorities crack BreachForums for a second time

The BreachForums data leak website has been seized by the FBI and international partners again Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

GCHQ to protect politicians and election candidates from cyber attacks

The National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, to protect election candidates from hostile state cyber attacks Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

NHS trust dismisses governors who questioned allegations of email tampering

Two NHS trust governors who raised questions in a dispute over allegations of email tampering concerning whistleblower Peter Duffy have been dismissed after an investigation that followed their suspension Continue Reading

By

• Tommy Greene

Major breach of customer information developing at Dell

Almost 50 million data records relating to Dell customers appear to have been compromised in a major cyber breach Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Over 5.3 billion data records exposed in April 2024

The number of data records breached in April 2024 hit over five billion, a staggering year-on-year increase Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber attack victims need to speak up, says ICO

The Information Commissioner’s Office is urging organisations to be transparent and learn from each other’s mistakes as it reveals most of the cyber attacks it responds to stem from the same core errors Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor