Identity and access management products

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

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

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

TSB calls on Meta to intervene and protect users from fraud losses of £250m this year

TSB is the latest bank to demand more action from social media sector in helping to reduce online fraud Continue Reading

Regulatory ‘lacuna’ around facial recognition threatens rights

The UK is heading for a “legal quagmire” around live facial recognition if the government and regulators do not take action to rein in use of the technology before it becomes ubiquitous Continue Reading

Podcast: Storage, backup, AI and data classification at RSA 2023

Much discussion at RSA 2023 about artificial intelligence, the risks to data protection, storage and compliance, plus risk and data classification, especially its impacts on access and data management Continue Reading

UKtech50 2023 winner: Michelle Donelan/Chloe Smith, secretary of state, DSIT

Computer Weekly looks at the achievements and successes of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, as its secretary of state is recognised as the most influential person in UK technology for 2023 Continue Reading

Payments regulator makes APP fraud reimbursement mandatory

UK payments regulator confirms changes to rules around repaying customers who lose money to authorised push payment fraudsters Continue Reading

Bank of International Settlement sets up channel secure from quantum breach

The Bank of International Settlement has worked with two of Europe's central banks to explore preventing the security risks posed by quantum computers Continue Reading

Met Police director of intelligence defends facial recognition

The Met Police’s director of intelligence has appeared before MPs to make the case for its continuing use of facial-recognition technology, following announcements from the force and the Home Office that they intend to press on with its adoption Continue Reading

Lloyds Bank calls on tech companies to control social media ‘wild west’

Lloyds Banking Group is calling on tech giants to step forward in the fight against online fraud, which emanates in the social media ‘wild west’ Continue Reading

Cabinet Office publishes response to data sharing for digital ID consultation

The majority of respondents to government’s consultation on data sharing for digital identity are critical to the plans and concerned about data privacy, but Whitehall’s response says many of the responses ‘were driven by anti-digital commentaries’ Continue Reading

Kuwait bank introduces biometric payments card

Middle East bank launches payment cards with fingerprint sensor technology embedded Continue Reading

Two-thirds of all 2022 breaches resulted from spear phishing

Research by Barracuda Networks has found that, despite the low volume of spear-phishing attempts, the attacks are highly successful and have major consequences Continue Reading

How to secure your software supply chain

In this week’s Computer Weekly, our latest buyer’s guide looks at secure coding, and kicks off by examining the challenges of securing your software supply chain. Cyber law enforcement leaders are calling on firms to end the secrecy around ransomware attacks. And we find out how facial recognition technology is being adopted by retailers. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

CW APAC: Expert advice on security and threat intelligence

Organisations are all too aware of the importance of cyber defence. In this handbook, focused on security and threat intelligence in the Asia-Pacific region, Computer Weekly looks at the software supply chain, Mimecast’s email security, Australian data breaches and Singapore’s threat intelligence. Continue Reading

Home Office pushes for more police facial-recognition deployments

An independent report commissioned by the biometrics commissioner of England and Wales reveals that the UK policing minister is pushing for wider adoption of facial-recognition technology by police, and further criticises the government’s proposed changes to surveillance oversight Continue Reading

Pentera ups ante in penetration testing

The Israeli startup, which expanded to the APAC region last year, scans for vulnerabilities and emulates cyber attacks through its automated security validation platform Continue Reading

MS macro-blocking has forced cyber criminals to innovate

One year after Microsoft started blocking VBA and XL4 macros by default, the cyber criminal ecosystem has all but stopped exploiting macros in their attacks. They’re instead innovating at an unprecedented rate Continue Reading

CW EMEA: The future of work

In this month’s CW EMEA, we look at the future of work in Europe after the pandemic forced a change in entrenched human behaviour. For years, people talked about flexible working being the way forward, but scepticism within the management of large companies held it back. This all changed when Covid-19 began to spread out of control and governments and businesses quickly told people to work from home where possible. We also look at the increasing problem of IT failures in Dutch hospitals and how they are affecting patient care, highlighting the need to improve IT security in hospitals. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Fujitsu staff had ‘unrestricted and unauditable’ remote access to Post Office branch systems

Fujitsu engineers could make changes to Post Office branch accounts without anyone knowing Continue Reading

How datacentre operators can fend off cyber attacks

Applying zero-trust principles in the form of strong authentication controls and network segmentation can help datacentre operators to mitigate cyber threats Continue Reading

Santander reports increase in scams and admits fraud head was impersonated

Santander has reported an increase in impersonation scams, and admitted its own head of fraud was impersonated by a fraudster Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Thinking beyond IAM in the cloud

Looking beyond IAM, there are other aspects of securing public cloud environments that admins can reasonably expect to control Continue Reading

Google debuts passwordless login options for users

Launch of Google’s passkey service hailed as a great leap forward for passwordless technology Continue Reading

Cyber Action Plan for Wales launched

The devolved Welsh government has set out four priorities in an action plan designed to foster cyber resilience, talent and innovation across the country Continue Reading

Google Cloud seals bug that could have led to data breaches

The Asset Key Thief vulnerability gave rise to multiple potential attack scenarios that could have impacted thousands of Google Cloud users, but has now been safely fixed Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Going beyond IAM for cloud security

Managing access and privilege across complex and powerful cloud tooling is not a straightforward task; but there are some key considerations that can help security teams stay on top of identities in the cloud Continue Reading

Global finance firms take part in NATO cyber attack simulation

Global financial services organisations take part in NATO annual event which simulates cyber attacks on critical infrastructure Continue Reading

How organisations can succeed with zero trust

By starting small, taking a long-term view and prioritising the most critical assets in their zero-trust implementations, organisations will be able to reap returns from their investments in the security paradigm Continue Reading

Cloud identity: Are you who you say you are?

As identity, rather than networking segmentation, becomes the primary determining factor in accessing cloud resources. ISACA’s Ser Yoong Goh highlights three trends driving cloud IAM Continue Reading

Focus on these three risky behaviours to boost cloud security

Some 80% of cloud security alerts are triggered by just 5% of security rules. Security teams can substantially improve their resilience by zeroing in on a small set of risky behaviours, according to a report Continue Reading

Why IAM systems are crucial for securing multicloud architecture

As business tools evolve into cloud-based services, organisations are finding themselves becoming ever more reliant on the cloud, but how can data be secured across so many different platforms? Continue Reading

Securing your software supply chain

Organisations need to have a thorough understanding of software components and build security controls into development lifecycles to shore up the security of their software supply chains Continue Reading

Three charged over banking fraud for hire website

UK authorities have charged three men in connection with the operation of a website that sold social engineering tools to cyber fraudsters Continue Reading

UK police double down on ‘improved’ facial recognition

The Met and South Wales Police have doubled down on their use of facial recognition technology after research found improved accuracy in their algorithms when using certain settings, but civil society groups maintain that the tech will still be used in a discriminatory fashion Continue Reading

Okta integrates with Singapore’s national digital ID system

The integration with Singpass will let Okta customers authenticate consumers using Singapore’s national digital ID system and is expected to expand the company’s reach in regulated industries Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Adopt a coherent framework for ID first security

With IAM central to enabling appropriate access to cloud-based services, identity first security is becoming a key trend for IAM in the cloud. Continue Reading

Prioritise automated hardening over traditional cyber controls, says report

A report from strategic risk specialist Marsh McLennan advises security buyers to funnel their budgets towards automated cyber security hardening techniques, saying they have a much better chance of reducing risk in a meaningful way Continue Reading

Scottish police tech piloted despite major data protection issues

Scottish policing bodies are pressing ahead with a data sharing pilot despite data protection issues around the use of US cloud providers, placing sensitive personal data of tens of thousands of people at risk Continue Reading

Revitalising UK digital government

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as the UK plummets down the international rankings for digital government, can its £400m identity system revitalise the UK’s digital strategy? We examine the container management platforms from the big six storage suppliers. And we look at the challenges of achieving IT sustainability while continuing to drive digital innovation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Reactive approach to cyber procurement risks damaging businesses

Too many organisations are following a reactive approach to cyber security, which WithSecure believes is stifling security teams ability to demonstrate value and align with business outcomes Continue Reading

Nordics move towards common cyber defence strategy

Nordic countries agree to work together to improve their cyber defences amid increasing threat Continue Reading

GDS signs £24m worth of contracts for One Login

As the Government Digital Service (GDS) prepares for the official end of Gov.uk Verify, it signs three new contracts for its successor programme, One Login Continue Reading

NCSC launches cyber check-up tools for SMEs

The NCSC has launched two new security services aimed at SMEs that lack the resources to address cyber issues, and may underestimate their vulnerability to attack Continue Reading

NatWest announces ID service for its customers

The identities of NatWest customers engaging with businesses online can be confirmed by the bank's ID service in seconds Continue Reading

UK government introduces revised data reform bill to Parliament

Designed in close collaboration with technology businesses, the UK government is re-introducing an updated version of its Data Protection and Digital Information Bill to Parliament, which civil society groups say upends key safeguards Continue Reading

How ForgeRock is tackling identity management

ForgeRock CEO Fran Rosch has set the identity and access management software supplier on a path to deliver a frictionless identity experience without compromising security or privacy Continue Reading

Nine in 10 enterprises fell victim to successful phishing in 2022

Egress annual email security risk report breaks down impacts of email-based phishing attacks and data loss, and the effect these can have on organisations in terms of staff retention and morale Continue Reading

Dutch hospitals underestimate impact of cyber attack

IT failures in acute care organisations in the Netherlands have increased considerably since 2010, affecting patient care and stressing the need to improve IT security in hospitals Continue Reading

Uber introduces dynamic pricing algorithm in London

The dynamic pricing algorithm will allow Uber to set variable pay and pricing levels, but drivers are concerned about how their personal data will be used and the impact the algorithm will have on their livelihoods Continue Reading

WH Smith staff data accessed in cyber attack

The retailer has said that customer data has not been affected by the incident as it is held in different systems, and that investigations into the attack are ongoing Continue Reading

Salt Labs identifies OAuth security flaw within Booking.com

Security flaw in Booking.com OAuth implementation could be used to launch account takeovers, but researchers discovered and flagged the issue before it could be exploited in the wild Continue Reading

LastPass attack saw employee’s home computer hacked

The ongoing investigation into a series of linked security incidents at LastPass has found that the attacker was successfully able to compromise a developer’s home PC using a vulnerability in a media software package Continue Reading

UK police have ‘culture of retention’ around biometric data

A culture of retention around biometric data in UK policing is damaging public trust, says UK biometrics commissioner, who is calling for clear regulation to govern police use of biometric technologies Continue Reading

Dutch cyber security professionals experience stress akin to soldiers in war zone, claims expert

Cyber attacks are taking a heavy toll on Dutch IT professionals, with over a third reporting that their mental health suffers as a result Continue Reading

Twitter 2FA changes bring more risks than benefits

Twitter’s approach to nudging users away from insecure SMS-based 2FA is being questioned over its logic Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: New trends and drivers in cyber security training

Self-paced, interactive, bite-sized learning is becoming the optimum path for cyber security training in the workplace, says John Tolbert of KuppingerCole Continue Reading

How to tame the identity sprawl

Organisations should find a comprehensive way to gain full visibility into their digital identities and leverage automation to tame the identify sprawl Continue Reading

Police tech needs clear legal rules, says biometrics regulator

Police use of artificial intelligence and facial recognition needs to be controlled by strict rules and mechanisms to ensure public trust Continue Reading

Whistleblower in limbo as sensitive NatWest customer files remain under her bed

Whistleblower and NatWest at stalemate as regulators leave it up to them to come to an agreement on return of sensitive customer data Continue Reading

Social media platform Reddit breached in phishing attack

An unspecified threat actor obtained access to internal documents, code and business systems at Reddit after stealing employee credentials in a phishing attack Continue Reading

Banking regulatory body wants a ‘tripwire’ to flag APP fraud

Banking code of practice organisation wants banks to monitor where authorised push payment scammers are sending stolen money Continue Reading

APP fraud reimbursement proposal is ‘fundamentally flawed’, say MPs

MPs claim the involvement of a bank-sponsored organisation in reimbursing victims of APP fraud would be a conflict of interest Continue Reading

APAC buyer’s guide to SASE

In this buyer’s guide on secure access service edge services, we look at the benefits of the technology, key considerations and the market landscape Continue Reading

NCSC for Startups inducts four companies into programme

Four more startups are set to join the NCSC accelerator, which helps the UK government develop technology and approaches to pressing cyber security challenges Continue Reading

Innovative Technology deploys age estimation tech in shops and pubs

A company involved in Home Office-led trials of biometric age estimation technologies has begun rolling out its hardware to UK shops and pubs so they can use its facial recognition algorithm to assure customers’ ages Continue Reading

Malware variant can block contactless payments

Kaspersky warns that the latest variant of the Prilex malware can block contactless payments to force people to insert cards, enabling criminals to steal money Continue Reading

GitHub warns Desktop, Atom users after code-signing certificates pinched

Threat actors stole encrypted code-signing certificates for GitHub’s Desktop and Atom applications in December 2022, prompting warnings for users Continue Reading

NCSC exposes Iranian, Russian spear-phishing campaign targeting UK

Spear-phishing campaigns likely linked to Iranian and Russian espionage activity are targeting persons of interest in the UK, warns the NCSC Continue Reading

The rise of fraud in pop culture is impacting consumers’ digital trust

Shows such as The Tinder Swindler and Inventing Anna were big money-earners for Netflix in 2022, but Onfido’s Mike Tuchen says their popularity risks damaging consumer trust Continue Reading

NCSC warning over cyber risk to charity sector

Cash-strapped charities without the resource to tackle their resilience deficit are increasingly at risk from malicious actors, says the NCSC Continue Reading

The Security Interviews: Protecting your digital self

Our digital self – the virtual presence of who we are online – has a pervasive influence in the real world. People make judgements based on these digital depictions, so what can be done to ensure positive representation? Continue Reading

Cabinet Office looks to expand public data sharing for digital ID

Cabinet Office seeks feedback on proposed legislation to enhance data sharing across the public sector, in support of the UK government’s ambition to have a single sign-on identity-check system for all public services Continue Reading

UK government completes trials of age estimation technology

Government-led trials of age estimation and verification technologies for the sale of alcohol in nightlife venues and supermarkets have been completed, with both government and retail lobbyists pushing for legislation that would allow retailers to adopt the tools for alcohol sales Continue Reading

Vulnerable organisations to get free Cyber Essentials support

Charities and legal aid firms are among those to be offered free security checks and certifications from the National Cyber Security Centre Continue Reading

Test of digital ID tech at Surrey nightclub proclaimed success

The majority of visitors to a Camberley venue who piloted a digital identification app developed by 1account said they found it easy to use and preferred it to standard physical ID Continue Reading

China and India governments among top targets for cyber attackers

Chinese and Indian governments targeted by hacktivists and ransomware groups out to make statement or expose flaws in their respective security postures Continue Reading

Cyber security professionals share their biggest lessons of 2022

In the run-up to 2023, cyber security professionals are taking the time to reflect on the past few months and share their biggest lessons of 2022 Continue Reading

Top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2022

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2022 Continue Reading

Top 10 cyber security stories of 2022

The war in Ukraine loomed large over the cyber security news agenda, but 2022 also saw growing awareness of open source security, discussion around cyber insurance, and more besides Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: 2022 brought plenty of learning opportunities in cyber

At the end of another busy 12 months, Turnkey Consulting’s Andrew Morris sums up some of the most important takeaways for cyber pros Continue Reading

UK unis implement new IP traffic policies to combat ransomware

Jisc will introduce new measures to protect UK universities and research institutions from ransomware attacks that exploit the Remote Desktop Protocol remote-access feature Continue Reading

Finnish government launches information security voucher scheme

Finland’s government is offering businesses financial support to help them improve their cyber security Continue Reading

Online Safety Bill returns to Parliament

MPs and online safety experts have expressed concern about encryption-breaking measures contained in the Online Safety Bill as it returns to Parliament for the first time since its passage was paused in July Continue Reading

Too many secrets: What can today’s cyber teams learn from a 30-year-old film?

Despite being 30 years old, Sneakers remains a classic hacker film. The technology may have dated, but the underlying themes remain relevant and remind us about the threats lurking online Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: As cyber pros, we need to articulate our needs better

There is always a lot to learn about security, but one of the most important lessons may not relate to technology at all, says Petra Wenham Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: The more you buy, the less you protect

The most important lesson learned this year is that the more controls you have in place, the less secure you become, argues 2-sec’s Tim Holman Continue Reading

LastPass probes new cyber incident related to August attack

The August 2022 cyber attack on LastPass seems to have begat another incident, according to company CEO Karim Toubba Continue Reading

Think technology, process, human risk to manage ransomware

Effective ransomware handling boils down to three core areas – technology, process and human risk Continue Reading

‘Legal but harmful’ clause dropped from Online Safety Bill

Online Safety Bill’s ‘legal but harmful’ provision will be dropped by the UK government in favour of public risk assessments, tools to help users control the content they consume, and new criminal offences around self-harm Continue Reading

How gamifying cyber training can improve your defences

Security training is the cornerstone of any cyber defence strategy. With ever-escalating online threats, it is now more important than ever that this training is an engaging experience Continue Reading

Not-for-profit aims to encourage 1,300 girls into cyber careers

CyNam, a not-for-profit cyber security initiative, is collaborating with industry, education providers and government to encourage young women into cyber Continue Reading

Dutch national cyber security strategy aims to protect digital society

Cabinet sets up national cyber security strategy to make the Netherlands digitally secure Continue Reading

Ducktail spins new tales to hijack Facebook Business accounts

The increasingly active Ducktail cyber crime operation is refining its operations, seeking new methods to compromise its victims’ Facebook Business accounts Continue Reading

Is Elon Musk’s Twitter safe, and should you stop using it?

With a litany of security and compliance issues exposed and in many cases caused by Elon Musk’s takeover of social media platform Twitter, some may be asking if it’s still safe or appropriate to use Continue Reading

Scottish government to pilot digital identity platform in early 2023

Pilot of Scotland’s digital identity platform will be run in partnership with Disclosure Scotland, using secure sign-on and identity verification Continue Reading

HMRC will begin migration from Government Gateway to One Login in summer 2023

One Login for Government programme has the objective of simplifying access to central government, says HMRC chief technology and design officer Continue Reading

APP fraud volumes expected to double by 2026, says report

Losses to authorised push payment fraud in the UK are expected to climb to over $1.5bn in the next four years. Meanwhile, the NAO accuses the Home Office of lagging on progress to tackle the issue Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Let’s be transparent about ransomware

Greater transparency regarding ransomware attacks, including details about attack methods used and what kinds of assets were compromised, would likely help the community prevent future attacks Continue Reading