Security policy and user awareness
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News
12 Jul 2024
AT&T loses ‘nearly all’ phone records in Snowflake breach
Hackers have stolen records of virtually every call made by AT&T's customers during a six-month period in 2022, after compromising the US telco's Snowflake data environment Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2024
Public awareness of ID security grows, but big obstacles remain
Consumers are improving their awareness of the issues around digital identity security, but there are still some big issues preventing many from doing better, according to an Okta report Continue Reading
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News
12 Sep 2023
US casino giant MGM Resorts battles 36-hour outage after cyber attack
Multiple systems at US hotel and casino operator MGM went down in the wake of the incident on 10 September, crippling several of Las Vegas’ most prominent casinos Continue Reading
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Podcast
12 Sep 2023
Podcast: ‘Data first’ a key principle of digital transformation
Chris Gorton of Syniti says organisations should put data first during digital transformation projects, and that means getting data quality, access rights and governance right Continue Reading
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News
11 Sep 2023
Brits happy to break cyber law if the price is right
A study conducted ahead of an upcoming security trade fair reveals a slim majority of Brits would come out in favour of offensive government security ops and even engage in cyber criminality themselves in the right circumstances Continue Reading
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News
11 Sep 2023
Professional ransomware gangs clearly a threat, but attacks can be easily stopped
NCSC and NCA report reveals insight into business models and underpinnings of ransomware gangs and their affiliates, but also urges defenders to take heart, as stopping a ransomware attack is not that hard to do Continue Reading
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News
11 Sep 2023
UK boardrooms and CISOs increasingly aligned on cyber risks
Board members and CISOs in UK organisations seem to be working together much better, but while this is an encouraging sign, there remain some areas of concern over how the two relate to each other Continue Reading
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News
11 Sep 2023
Salesforce and Zoom embrace ethical hackers. You should, too
Software companies Salesforce and Zoom discuss their successful bug bounty programmes, what they learned at a recent in-person hackathon in which they participated, and why others shouldn’t be scared of hackers Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Sep 2023
AI-powered cloud SIEM: Real-time threat intel boosts defences
Thanks to their advanced data analysis and predictive capabilities, AI and ML will be valuable protective tools going forward. Learn about the potential of AI-backed cloud SIEM technology Continue Reading
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News
08 Sep 2023
Deputy PM urges UK plc not to lose focus on cyber
In a speech at TechUK, deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden urges the cyber security community not to lose focus, and to do more to further collaboration across sectors Continue Reading
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News
08 Sep 2023
North Koreans using new zero-day to target security researchers
A threat actor linked to the North Korean government is continuing a long-running campaign targeting legitimate security researchers, using an as-yet undisclosed zero-day vulnerability to gain access to their victims Continue Reading
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News
07 Sep 2023
Finnish government to bolster spending on cyber-AI defences
Finland’s government will increase spending on cyber security amid heightened threats from artificial intelligence-based attacks Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Sep 2023
How to prevent ransomware in 6 steps
Ransomware can cost companies billions in damage. Incorporate these ransomware prevention best practices, from defense in depth to patch management, to keep attackers out. Continue Reading
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News
06 Sep 2023
Meet the professional BEC op that targeted Microsoft 365 users for years
The so-called W3LL cyber crime operation ran a phishing empire that has played a large role in compromising Microsoft 365 accounts for years. Its activities are now coming to light thanks to Group-IB researchers Continue Reading
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News
06 Sep 2023
Okta customers targeted in new wave of social engineering attacks
Authentication specialist Okta has warned customers to be on alert for a campaign of social engineering attacks exploiting highly privileged users Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2023
Law firm Fieldfisher launches data breach management tool
UK and European data breach law specialist Fieldfisher has enlisted legal tech specialist Lawcadia to supply a 24-hour data breach notification assessment platform Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2023
Hacked Electoral Commission failed Cyber Essentials audit
The Electoral Commission failed an NCSC Cyber Essentials audit on multiple counts at about the same time as cyber criminals breached its systems in 2021, it has emerged Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2023
NCSC names ex-NCC man as new CTO
New NCSC CTO Ollie Whitehouse joins from NCC Group, having also worked at BlackBerry and Symantec Continue Reading
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News
01 Sep 2023
Police Scotland five-year digital strategy approved
Police Scotland’s new strategy outlines how the force will approach and invest in its digital transformation over the next five years, but notes its ability to achieve its ambitions is subject to the availability of funding Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Sep 2023
It might be too soon to claim victory against Qakbot
The multinational operation to take down the Qakbot (aka Qbot) malware has been hailed as a great victory, but Lumu Technologies’ Ricardo Villadiego argues that the celebrations may be a little premature Continue Reading
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News
31 Aug 2023
Ducktail social media marketing malware rears its head again
Use of the Ducktail infostealer, which first popped up in 2022 targeting Meta Business accounts, seems to be increasing Continue Reading
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News
29 Aug 2023
Top-performing CISOs reserve time for professional development
Survey of chief information security officers conducted by Gartner sheds light on habits shared by the top-performing members of the profession Continue Reading
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Opinion
25 Aug 2023
AI and supply chain visibility key to mitigating OT security threats
Leveraging AI and maintain visibility into the security of your software supply chain are key to mitigating cyber attacks against operational technology systems Continue Reading
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News
23 Aug 2023
St Helens Council in Merseyside hit by ransomware attack
St Helens Borough Council is investigating a suspected ransomware incident targeting its systems, and is advising residents to be on the alert for follow-on phishing attacks Continue Reading
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News
23 Aug 2023
Cyber attacks in 2023 develop quicker as average dwell times plummet
The median attacker dwell time shrunk from 10 to eight days in the first seven months of 2023, and in the case of ransomware attacks it is down to just five days Continue Reading
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News
21 Aug 2023
Cyber Explorers programme reaches 50,000 11-14 year olds in 18 months
The government-backed Cyber Explorers programme has reached 50,000 students in its first 18 months, and more schools are being invited to sign up for the Autumn Term Continue Reading
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News
18 Aug 2023
NatWest customer calls bank’s handling of breach of his data ‘disgusting’
A second NatWest customer has contacted Computer Weekly after finding out from a whistleblower that his sensitive personal data has been in her home for 14 years Continue Reading
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News
17 Aug 2023
Researchers demo fake airplane mode exploit that tricks iPhone users
Exploit chain that tricks a victim into believing their iOS device is offline in airplane mode when it is not could open the door to grave privacy concerns Continue Reading
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News
17 Aug 2023
Top marks for graduates of CIISec vocational cyber course
132 young people who sat the UK’s first Extended Project Qualification in Cyber Security have received their results today Continue Reading
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News
16 Aug 2023
CyberArk eyes growth beyond PAM
CyberArk is seeing exponential growth in the broader identity security market as the company expands its capabilities beyond privileged access management Continue Reading
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News
16 Aug 2023
ITAM influence on cyber risk becoming a factor in credit ratings
Credit agency S&P Global Ratings warns that organisations that pay inadequate attention to IT asset management as a factor in their cyber risk management processes may find their creditworthiness takes a dive Continue Reading
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News
15 Aug 2023
Norfolk and Suffolk police hit by FoI-linked data breach
Latest UK police data breach relates to crime suspects, victims and witnesses across East Anglia, and comes just days after a similar incident at the Northern Irish service Continue Reading
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News
15 Aug 2023
Online safety message failing to get through to women
The security community could be doing a lot more to make its advice and guidance more accessible to women, according to a study Continue Reading
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Podcast
15 Aug 2023
Unconventional career: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast
Cyber security expert Junade Ali, talks about his non-academic route to a PhD. He was recently elected as a fellow of the IET Continue Reading
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Guide
14 Aug 2023
Healthcare cybersecurity risks and management
Healthcare institutions are rich in what cybercriminals want: sensitive data like PII and financial information. Learn the danger and what an effective strategy must include. Continue Reading
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News
14 Aug 2023
US Cyber Board to probe cloud security after latest Exchange hack
CSRB review of cloud security comes in the wake of a major Chinese cyber attack on US government bodies orchestrated through Microsoft’s cloud services Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2023
Google speeds up security update frequency for Chrome
Changes to Google’s security update policy are supposed to help close the gap in which cyber criminals can exploit n-day vulnerabilities Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2023
PSNI investigating second breach after laptop stolen
Just hours after accidentally disclosing the personal details of 10,000 personnel, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has notified a second data breach after a police issue laptop and documents were stolen from a parked car Continue Reading
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News
09 Aug 2023
Microsoft addresses Office vulnerability attacked by Russian spooks in latest update
Microsoft has issued fixes for over 70 vulnerabilities in its August Patch Tuesday drop, including remedies for CVE-2023-36884, which was disclosed without a fix in July and has been the subject of Kremlin-backed cyber attacks Continue Reading
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News
09 Aug 2023
Northern Irish police expose staff data in botched FoI response
Human error is being blamed for the leak of personally identifiable information on all serving officers and civilian staff at the Police Service of Northern Ireland Continue Reading
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News
08 Aug 2023
MPs warn about growing prevalence of tech-enabled domestic abuse
The UK government must take action to prevent perpetrators from being able to use connected or smart technologies to conduct their domestic abuse, a select committee has warned Continue Reading
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News
08 Aug 2023
UK voter data hacked in cyber attack on election watchdog
An unknown threat actor who attacked the UK’s Electoral Commission had access to data on millions of UK voters for over a year, the watchdog has revealed Continue Reading
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News
08 Aug 2023
Many UK organisations considering ChatGPT bans on employee devices
More than 60% of organisations in the UK have either banned, or are considering banning, the use of generative AI tools on employee- or business-owned devices Continue Reading
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News
07 Aug 2023
Microsoft fixes Azure flaw that was subject of researcher criticism
Microsoft has confirmed a potentially-dangerous flaw in the Azure platform has now been fully fixed, and moved to reassure customers that despite criticism it is committed to responsible disclosure and timely fixes Continue Reading
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News
07 Aug 2023
Rise in fraudsters spoofing the websites of leading UK banks
Despite safeguards to protect customers from scams, UK retail banks are still seeing high volumes of fake phishing websites exploiting their brands, and the problem seems to be increasing in scope and scale Continue Reading
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News
04 Aug 2023
Log4Shell, ProxyShell still among most widely exploited flaws
Statistics released by the collective Five Eyes cyber agencies reveals insight into the most exploited vulnerabilities of 2022, and unsurprisingly there are some old ‘friends’ on the list Continue Reading
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News
04 Aug 2023
Biden’s SBOM mandate a ‘shot heard around the world’, report says
Two years and three months after Joe Biden mandated new standards in supply chain security, over 40% of UK respondents to a survey say they have implemented new SBOM policies in direct response Continue Reading
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News
03 Aug 2023
Scottish NHS trust ducks fine after staff shared patient data via WhatsApp
NHS Lanarkshire has been issued a formal reprimand by the ICO after staff members used WhatsApp to share patients’ personal data with one another Continue Reading
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News
03 Aug 2023
Plexal takes on new cohort for cyber security leadership scheme
Six more cyber security startup founders have been selected to take part in Plexal’s latest Cyber Runway Ignite programme, which is designed to help them develop their leadership skills Continue Reading
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News
03 Aug 2023
Cozy Bear hijacks SME Microsoft 365 tenants in latest campaign
Microsoft shares intelligence on a newly observed Cozy Bear campaign that saw the APT take over genuine Microsoft 365 tenants and subvert them to try to phish its victims Continue Reading
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News
03 Aug 2023
Microsoft attacked over ‘grossly irresponsible’ security practice
The CEO of Tenable has launched a scathing attack on Microsoft, asserting that the organisation is deliberately keeping its Azure cloud customers in the dark about dangerous vulnerabilities and accusing it of a culture of ‘toxic obfuscation’ Continue Reading
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News
02 Aug 2023
Pig butchers caught using ChatGPT to con victims
Romance scammers looking to con people out of their savings appear to be turning to generative AI tools to save time and effort Continue Reading
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News
02 Aug 2023
Ivanti MDM users told to patch against two dangerous flaws
Users of Ivanti’s mobile device management platform have been warned to act now to patch two vulnerabilities that were chained by a threat actor in a series of cyber attacks on the Norwegian government Continue Reading
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Opinion
02 Aug 2023
Vigilance advised if using AI to make cyber decisions
The AI arms race is heating up, and the battle lines are being redrawn. Still, organisations should proceed cautiously and remain vigilant in scrutinising AI’s ability to ensure accurate, safe, and informed decision-making. Continue Reading
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Definition
01 Aug 2023
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA)
The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) of 1986 is United States legislation that imposes criminal penalties on individuals who intentionally access a protected computer without proper authorization or whose access exceeds their authorization. Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Jul 2023
Does AI have a future in cyber security? Yes, but only if it works with humans
Do AI and ML hold the promise of helping cyber pros achieving the holy grail of operating quicker, cheaper, and with higher efficiency? We shouldn’t hold our breath, says Nominet’s Paul Lewis Continue Reading
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News
28 Jul 2023
How Indian organisations are keeping pace with cyber security
Indian organisations are shoring up their defences to improve their cyber resilience amid intensifying cyber threats targeted at key sectors such as healthcare and logistics Continue Reading
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News
27 Jul 2023
Cyber criminals pivot away from ransomware encryption
Cyber breaches that saw data theft and extortion without an encryption or ransomware component account for more and more incidents, in a possible indication that ransomware gangs are changing up their business models Continue Reading
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Opinion
27 Jul 2023
AI-enhanced cyber has potential, but watch out for marketing hype
As AI is a hot topic right now, it is no surprise there are some cyber solutions coming to market that have been thrown together in haste, but that said, genuine AI-powered security products do exist and their abilities could yet prove transformative. Continue Reading
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News
27 Jul 2023
US cyber breach reporting rules to have global impact
Organisations that operate as Foreign Private Issuers in the US will have to get to grips with strict new cyber breach reporting regulations handed down by the SEC in Washington Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Jul 2023
NATO countries must coordinate their cyber forces to combat the Russian threat
The top item on the agenda at the Vilnius NATO Summit this month was the revamping the alliance’s defences. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jul 2023
UK organisations lack confidence to carry out basic cyber tasks
Amid a shortfall of more than 10,000 cyber pros, UK businesses are still finding it difficult to fill their cyber security skills gaps, with even those in charge of security saying they lack confidence in themselves Continue Reading
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News
25 Jul 2023
Cisco, BT and others launch network security coalition
Network Resilience Coalition focuses on bringing together global expertise to improve data and network security Continue Reading
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News
25 Jul 2023
Tetra radio users’ comms may have been exposed for years
A number of flaws in the encryption algorithms used in the secure Tetra radio communications standard have potentially left users exposed to snooping Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2023
Citrix NetScaler users told to patch new zero-day urgently
A vulnerability disclosed and patched last week by Citrix appears to be being exploited by China-backed threat actors as a zero-day, prompting warnings from government cyber bodies Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2023
Security AI and automation may reduce cost of data breaches
Organisations that go all in on security AI and automation tend to incur lower financial costs when they experience a data breach incident, according to an IBM report Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2023
Why cyber security should be part of your ESG strategy
The impact of data breaches and cyber threats on businesses, societies and the environment makes cyber security a key consideration in an environment, social and governance strategy Continue Reading
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Opinion
21 Jul 2023
Future Cyber Threats: The four ‘horsemen of the apocalypse’
How to deal with emerging security threats from deep fake humans to the end of secure encryption Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jul 2023
Handbook helps Dutch organisations migrate to quantum-safe communication
Organisations must start implementing new cryptography standards – as migration is a lengthy process Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jul 2023
What the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act means for UK industry
For years, many network-connected devices have lacked adequate security, putting their users and others at risk of cyber attacks. The UK’s PSTI Act aims to prevent this by mandating minimum security requirements, but what impact will this have on industry? Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2023
Renowned hacker and social engineer Kevin Mitnick dead at 59
Famed hacker and social engineer Kevin Mitnick, who was at one time one of the most wanted cyber criminals in the world, has died peacefully at the age of 59 from complications arising from pancreatic cancer, following a 14-month illness Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2023
How the DSMA balances security and privacy with press freedom
In a world of information sharing and 24-hour news cycles, the Defence and Security Media Advisory committee have to balance national security and data privacy with freedom of the press Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2023
Attention-seeking KillNet hacktivists becoming more dangerous
The KillNet DDoS gang seems to be becoming more dangerous, but its primary goal remains to create a lot of noise and draw media attention, according to latest analysis Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Jul 2023
At the gates – How to survive the era of cyber insecurity
Businesses face more legal risks, a mine field of regulation, and individual liability for failures. Getting the basis right is more important than ever. Continue Reading
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News
19 Jul 2023
Half of cyber pros engage in risky behaviour at work, report claims
Approximately 55% of security professionals say they have engaged in behaviours they would more usually advise against in the workplace, according to a report Continue Reading
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News
19 Jul 2023
Cyber criminal AI tool WormGPT produces ‘unsettling’ results
A newly discovered generative AI tool dubbed WormGPT is being sold to the cyber criminal underground via the dark web, and poses a significant danger, researchers warn Continue Reading
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Blog Post
17 Jul 2023
Improving the Cyber Resilience of London
The London Cyber Resilience Centre is an umbrella for partnerships to deliver support and services for micro-businesses and sole traders at scale and help address the on-line safety, safeguarding, ... Continue Reading
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Opinion
17 Jul 2023
The essential role of PETs in unlocking the trillion dollar SaaS market
Ahead of the Eyes-Off Data Summit in Dublin, Jack Fitzsimons of Oblivious AI explains why so-called Privacy Enhancing Technologies or PETs may hold the key to unlocking the full potential of SaaS in the enterprise Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2023
Police Scotland use cloud for biometric data despite clear risks
Police Scotland confirms it has stored significant volumes of biometric data on a cloud-based digital evidence sharing system despite major ongoing data protection concerns, bringing into question the effectiveness of the current regulatory approach and the overall legality of using hyperscale public cloud technologies in a policing context Continue Reading
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News
13 Jul 2023
Microsoft issues new warning over Chinese cyber espionage
A newly uncovered Chinese espionage campaign exploited forged authentication tokens to access its victims’ email accounts, says Microsoft Continue Reading
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News
13 Jul 2023
One month after MOVEit: New vulnerabilities found as more victims are named
Five weeks after the mass MOVEit breach, new vulnerabilities in the file transfer tool are coming to light as the Clop cyber crime group continues to terrorise victims. But has the gang bitten off more than it can chew? Continue Reading
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E-Zine
13 Jul 2023
CW EMEA: Can we trust AI?
Artificial intelligence and the opportunities and dangers it introduces into society has been a hotly debated subject in tech circles for many years, but today with the increased use of platforms such as ChatGPT, these debates include a wider section of the public. The fact that schoolchildren are even asking ChatGPT for help with their homework brings home the importance of these debates and the responses to them by national policy-makers. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2023
Cozy Bear lures victims with used BMW 5 Series
A recent Cozy Bear campaign saw the Russian APT group pivot to exploiting an advert for a used car as it targeted diplomatic missions in Kyiv Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2023
Microsoft users on high alert over dangerous RCE zero-day
A serious RCE vulnerability in Microsoft Office and Windows is among several zero-days disclosed in Redmond’s July Patch Tuesday update, but this one does not have a patch yet Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2023
EU formally grants data adequacy to US
The European Commission has formally granted the US data adequacy, allowing companies and organisations to freely transfer personal data across the Atlantic via the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. But privacy activist Max Schrems has already committed to legally challenging the decision Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2023
Malicious URL volumes soar as cyber criminals pull on Threads
Malicious actors have been quick to exploit the buzz around Meta’s newly launched Threads platform, with thousands of new suspicious domains registered exploiting its branding Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2023
Apple pushes Rapid Response patch to fix WebKit zero-day
Apple deployed an emergency patch under its Rapid Security Response update programme, but had to temporarily suspend delivery after it caused problems for users of the Safari browser Continue Reading
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News
07 Jul 2023
Suspicious email reported every five seconds in UK
National Cyber Security Centre report reveals a suspicious email was reported by UK citizens and organisations every five seconds last year Continue Reading
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News
06 Jul 2023
Meta’s Threads hits app stores, but no EU launch in sight
Meta’s Twitter competitor makes its debut and signs up millions of users in just 12 hours, but concerns over compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act have sunk a pan-European launch for now Continue Reading
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Opinion
30 Jun 2023
The time to implement an internal AI usage policy is now
As with any emerging technology, AI’s growth in popularity establishes a new attack surface for malicious actors to exploit, thereby introducing new risks and vulnerabilities to an increasingly complex computing landscape. Continue Reading
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Opinion
29 Jun 2023
Navigating cyber security under ChatGPT
Balancing the risk and reward of ChatGPT – as a large language model (LLM) and an example of generative AI – begins by performing a risk assessment of the potential of such a powerful tool to cause harm Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2023
3,600 potential cyber security experts apply to government scheme
The UK government’s Upskill in Cyber programme is reporting great success just a month after launch, with almost half of applicants women Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Jun 2023
Could social media revolutionise war crimes trials?
Computer Weekly speaks with open source investigators about how they use social media to gather evidence of war crimes, and the trouble with using such evidence in legal proceedings Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Jun 2023
ChatGPT’s phishing ‘problem’ may not be overstated
Some data now suggests that threat actors are indeed using ChatGPT to craft malicious phishing emails, but the industry is doing its best to get out in front of this trend, according to the threat intelligence team at Egress Continue Reading
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News
23 Jun 2023
ICO under fire for taking limited action over serious data breaches
The ICO has come under fire from lawyers and data protection specialists for just issuing written warnings to two public bodies over serious data breaches that placed people’s lives at risk Continue Reading
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News
23 Jun 2023
Phishing and ransomware dominate Singapore’s cyber threat landscape
Phishing and ransomware attacks continued apace in Singapore last year amid signs of improving cyber hygiene Continue Reading
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News
22 Jun 2023
Lancaster University launches trailblazing cyber MBA
MBA programme at Lancaster University designed to deliver security leadership education to business leaders has received NCSC backing Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2023
Nearly quarter of a million malicious websites reported and removed through NCSC service
A suspicious email and text message reporting service in the UK has directly led to a quarter of a million malicious websites being removed Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Jun 2023
ChatGPT is creating a legal and compliance headache for business
ChatGPT’s increased use in the workplace has led many to question its legal and compliance implications for businesses. Experts warn that the software poses major security and copyright risks Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2023
Exploitation of Barracuda ESG appliances linked to Chinese spies
Intelligence from Mandiant links exploitation of a flaw in a subset of Barracuda ESG appliances to a previously untracked China-nexus threat actor Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2023
NCSC warns over ‘enduring’ LockBit threat
Although its activity volumes have been lower of late, LockBit is still a highly dangerous ransomware gang and is now the subject of a new international cyber advisory Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2023
Clop begins naming alleged MOVEit victims
Clop uploaded details of 12 new victims to its dark web leak site late on 14 June, many of them likely linked to the ongoing MOVEit cyber attack Continue Reading