IT security

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

8 blockchain-as-a-service providers to have on your radar

You don't have to build your blockchain project from the ground up. These cloud-based service providers can provide the necessary infrastructure, networking and development tools. Continue Reading

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

‘Shadow’ AI use becoming a driver of insider cyber risk

Off-the-books use of generative AI tools will inevitably lead to a costly, high-profile data breach for someone, but a little attention paid to appropriate data management policy can help mitigate the risk Continue Reading

How real and present is the malware threat from AI?

One of the most talked about concerns regarding generative AI is that it could be used to create malicious code. But how real and present is this threat? Continue Reading

Charity demands transparency in digital universal credit system

The digital universal credit system needs overhauling to ensure greater transparency over benefit claims and more effective means of redress when things go wrong, says child poverty charity Continue Reading

GDPR tax reclaim scheme preys on fears of SMEs

IT suppliers are a target of companies offering a tax reclaim scheme that preys on small businesses’ fears around General Data Protection Regulation compliance Continue Reading

Stolt-Nielsen SASE looks to optimise global connectivity, security for hybrid workers

Bulk liquid logistics and sustainable land-based aquaculture expert advances secure digital transformation plans and operational efficiency Continue Reading

Three years on, EncroChat cryptophone hack nets 6,500 arrests and seizures of €900m

French and Dutch prosecutors say three years after they infiltrated the EncroChat cryptophone network in a novel hacking operation, Europe’s courts are opening the way for more collaboration and data sharing between law enforcement agencies Continue Reading

SolarWinds hack explained: Everything you need to know

Hackers targeted SolarWinds by deploying malicious code into its Orion IT monitoring and management software used by thousands of enterprises and government agencies worldwide. Continue Reading

One Login’s Gov.uk ID check apps downloaded over two million times

The One Login digital identity system is being used by eight government services, and GDS has issued more than 1.5 million verified identities since summer 2022, while its ID check apps are proving popular Continue Reading

WithSecure forges ahead with green coding initiative

WithSecure’s W/Sustainability programme kickstarts a number of initiatives, including a commitment to green coding the security supplier hopes will set an example for others to follow Continue Reading

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

A tenth of kids claim they could hack you

More and more young people are at risk of being drawn into cyber criminality, and parents must shoulder some of the blame, according to a report Continue Reading

The complete guide to ransomware

Organizations in every industry can be targets of cybercrime for profit. Get expert advice on ransomware prevention, detection and recovery in our comprehensive guide. Continue Reading

The ultimate guide to cybersecurity planning for businesses

This in-depth cybersecurity planning guide provides information and advice to help organizations develop a successful strategy to protect their IT systems from attacks. Continue Reading

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

AI cyber monitoring: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

In this podcast, Darktrace’s Max Heinemeyer discusses the good – and the bad – to come out of artificial intelligence in IT security Continue Reading

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

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

Generative AI: Data privacy, backup and compliance

We look at generative AI and the risks it poses to data privacy for the enterprise, implications for backup, and potentially dangerous impacts on compliance 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

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

Manchester University students threatened by ransomware gang

Students and staff members at the University of Manchester are being pressurised by an unnamed ransomware gang Continue Reading

Orange Business leads team to deliver cloud-native managed SASE to enterprises

Enterprise division of the global telco taps in-house cyber security practice and leading cyber security technology provider to offer simpler operational model for customers with end-to-end accountability, improved agility, efficiency and performance 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

Podcast: Cloud security, compliance and data classification

The rise of cloud has led to a proliferation of enterprise data and a rise in risk. We talk to Vigitrust CEO Mathieu Gorge about how to ensure compliance in a multicloud world Continue Reading

The security interviews: Exploiting AI for good and for bad

The chief product officer of AI security firm Darktrace explains how large language AI models are making it harder for people to spot email attacks Continue Reading

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

Prime minister Rishi Sunak faces pressure from banks to force tech firms to pay for online fraud

The UK’s major banks have told the prime minister to force tech firms to do more to prevent fraud that the banks end up paying for Continue Reading

How Fastly thinks differently about CDNs and the edge

Fastly is counting on its developer chops and different approaches towards security and other areas to compete with its rivals Continue Reading

Early June Microsoft outages were result of large-scale DDoS hit

Investigations into recent outages on Microsoft Azure and Outlook services have turned up evidence of a massive distributed denial-of-service attack Continue Reading

Nakivo adds ransomware scanning and new restore options

Backup maker adds malware scanning with big names in security to immutable backup copy functionality. “Tape’s not dead” either, with restore from the venerable medium now possible Continue Reading

UK to contribute up to £25m to Ukraine cyber defences

Prime minister Rishi Sunak announces an expansion to the Ukraine Cyber Programme, with a cash boost of up to £25m over the next two years Continue Reading

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

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

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

Ransomware-stricken Capita to run Action Fraud successor

A £50m deal to replace the Action Fraud service has been handed to PwC and Capita, which is facing investigations over its handling of customer data in a ransomware incident Continue Reading

Podcast: Containers, Kubernetes, data protection and compliance

Containers offer benefits to application deployment, but they proliferate, so tracking them for compliance purposes can be a challenge. We talk to Mathieu Gorge, CEO of Vigitrust Continue Reading

No zero-days for June Patch Tuesday, but plenty to chew over

On the face of it, Microsoft’s monthly round of updates is a lighter-than-usual load for security teams, with no zero-days in evidence, but there are still plenty of issues needing attention 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

Clop’s MOVEit ransom deadline expires

A seven-day deadline set by Clop for victims of its latest attack to contact it to arrange payment passes today Continue Reading

Cyber attacks against APAC commerce sector surpass 1.1 billion

Retailers, hotels and travel-related organisations in the region saw over a billion cyber attacks last year amid the surge in e-commerce activity and online travel bookings Continue Reading

Arnold Clark data leak victims prepare legal action

More than 10,000 people who had their data stolen and leaked in a ransomware attack on the Arnold Clark car dealer network have signed up to a group legal action after facing elevated amounts of fraud Continue Reading

Top Of The POPs

I always find it interesting when unanticipated themes crop up out of nowhere that are suddenly commonplace between multiple conversations with different vendors, especially vendors that are very ... Continue Reading

(ISC)² and CIISec set out to make cyber language more inclusive

Newly published guide on appropriate use of language in cyber security aims to help make the profession more inclusive for all Continue Reading

UKtech50 2023: The most influential people in UK technology

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we reveal the 13th annual UKtech50 list of the most influential people in UK technology. This year’s award goes jointly to the secretaries of state for science, innovation and technology – Michelle Donelan and her maternity cover, Chloe Smith. Also, we examine the mounting legal challenges faced by the emergence of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Ofcom data stolen in MOVEit cyber attack

Communications regulator Ofcom says data on employees and regulated communications companies was stolen by the Clop gang Continue Reading

Progress Software releases patch for second MOVEit Transfer vulnerability

Progress Software releases a patch for a second MOVEit Transfer issue, which was uncovered by third-party security specialist Huntress Security during post-incident code scanning Continue Reading

Building a secure coding philosophy

A proportion of cyber security spend goes towards securing application development. Software teams are also budgeting for IT security Continue Reading

6 must-read blockchain books for 2023

Numerous sources provide comprehensive information on blockchain fundamentals and applications. We narrowed the field to six of the most popular and diverse books available. Continue Reading

Extreme Networks emerges as victim of Clop MOVEit attack

Network equipment and services supplier Extreme Networks has revealed its instance of Progress Software’s MOVEit tool was compromised in the ongoing Clop cyber attack Continue Reading

Barracuda ESG users told to throw away their hardware

Owners of Barracuda Email Security Gateway appliances are being told that they will need to throw out and replace their kit after it emerged that a patch for a recently disclosed vulnerability had not done the job Continue Reading

UK and US move closer to transatlantic data bridge deal

The British and American governments have committed, in principle, to a new data bridge agreement that will ease the free flow of personal data across the Atlantic Continue Reading

University of Manchester hit by cyber attack

The University of Manchester has been hit by a cyber attack of an undisclosed nature Continue Reading

RFI vs. RFP vs. RFQ: What are the differences?

A request for information, a request for proposal and a request for quote are critical documents for procurement. Learn what differentiates each one and when to use them. Continue Reading

CDEI publishes portfolio of AI assurance techniques

The UK’s Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation has published a variety of case studies to show how different assurance techniques can build and maintain trust in artificial intelligence systems Continue Reading

Vulnerability exploitation volumes up over 50% in 2022

Data from Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 threat intel specialists reveals insight into the scale of vulnerability exploitation in the wild Continue Reading

UK gets new rules to regulate crypto sector

The Financial Conduct Authority is introducing new rules to regulate the cryptoasset sector, after being handed a government remit to oversee crypto promotions Continue Reading

Clop may have been sitting on MOVEit vulnerability for two years

The Clop cyber extortion gang may have been keeping the MOVEit SQL injection vulnerability they used to penetrate the systems of multiple victims secret for two years 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

Bishop Fox’s Vinnie Liu talks offensive security skills

There is growing demand for offensive security testing, but it needs a multi-layered skillset that can be hard to quantify. Bishop Fox’s CEO and co-founder explains why and some potential mitigation strategies Continue Reading

CW EMEA: IT budgets buck economic trends

Despite the gloomy economic outlook across the world, IT leaders in the EMEA region appear confident that they will have more to spend on IT this year, with 44 expecting IT budgets to increase, according to TechTarget/Computer Weekly’s IT Priorities survey for 2023. Also in this issue, we look at how health authorities in the United Arab Emirates are increasing their emphasis on new, smart technologies to modernise healthcare services, we find out how global tech pioneers Finland and Estonia are increasingly sharing their expertise, and we look at what the Dutch government is doing to address unconscious stereotypes and bias that are still preventing girls in the Netherlands to study engineering or IT. Read the issue now. 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

Clop cyber gang claims MOVEit attack and starts harassing victims

The Clop cyber extortion and ransomware operation is demanding organisations pay a ransom to avoid data stolen via an exploited vulnerability in a file transfer product being leaked 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

Google launches hacker-backed SME security training scheme

Citing research that shows almost half of SMEs are struggling to recruit cyber security specialists, Google is launching a programme designed to upskill more people to fill thousands of vacant roles Continue Reading

Victims of MOVEit SQL injection zero-day mount up

The BBC, Boots, and British Airways are among the victims of cyber incidents arising from a recently disclosed vulnerability in the MOVEit file transfer, exploitation of which is spreading fast Continue Reading

Cyber spotlight falls on boardroom ‘privilege’ as incidents soar

Three quarters of data breaches now involve a significant human element, and the higher up they get in an organisation, the more risks people seem to take, according to Verizon’s annual Data Breach Investigations Report 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

Developing an effective ransomware strategy: protecting big data

This is a guest blogpost by Brian Brockway, Chief Technology Officer at Commvault. The ransomware landscape has evolved significantly in recent years, with cybercriminals employing increasingly ... Continue Reading

Discovering the Diversity Process Flow in cyber

The UK Cyber Security Council's Simon Hepburn explains the Council's new Diversity Process Flow framework, and outlines its potential implications for ethnic minorities in the cyber sector 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

HSBC explores quantum computing for finance sector

UK banking giant works with quantum computing specialist to explore the technology’s potential in the finance sector Continue Reading

Generative AI – the next biggest cyber security threat?

Following the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, several reports have emerged that seek to determine the impact of generative AI in cyber security. Undeniably, generative AI in cyber security is a double-edged sword, but will the paradigm shift in favour of opportunity or risk? Continue Reading

Is cyber training all the same old? Shift your perspective and get stuck in

Getting your cyber smarts only from books or presentations just isn’t going to cut it anymore – the only way we can get ahead of the cyber criminals is to get into their heads, and you can only achieve this by doing and changing your way of thinking. Continue Reading

Why we need advanced malware detection with AI-powered tools

AI-powered cyber security tools have now developed to a point where they are becoming an effective approach to protecting the organisation. Learn how you can benefit from adopting them 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

Security Think Tank: A brief history of (secure) coding

From controlling who was allowed to work with IBM mainframes to present-day DevSecOps techniques, the concept of secure coding has a longer history than you might think Continue Reading

Downstream breaches of Capita customers spreading

As many as 90 organisations that used Capita services have now reported data breaches arising from various security incidents at the outsourcer Continue Reading

Can the UK cash in on chips?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the UK government has committed £1bn to the semiconductor sector – but can it ever compete with the US and China? The potential of 5G networking could transform manufacturing – we examine the implications. And we talk to the global CIO at cloud storage provider Box about plans to incorporate AI and machine learning. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Driving secure-by-design principles

Errors can and will occur in code – the key is to minimise the impact and ensure you streamline remediation Continue Reading

How do you tackle Data Diarrhoea?

We now face the most lethal of situations - secure (if properly used)  technologies in the hands of insecure people.  Continue Reading

Cisco joins growing Manchester cyber security hub

Networking kingpin signs up to Greater Manchester Digital Security Hub to support centre’s work on security resilience and skills Continue Reading

Bumbling IT security analyst convicted of blackmail offences

A Hertfordshire man has been convicted of blackmail and other offences after piggybacking on an in-progress ransomware attack to try to defraud his employer, but failing to cover his tracks in any meaningful way Continue Reading

Five key steps where there is a risk of fraud investigation

When fraud investigators come knocking, there are some important ways in which management and senior IT professionals can make sure their company is best protected. Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Why “secure coding” is neither

Ensuring the security of code is just one element of a complex software lifecycle and risk management process that people need to think about more holistically, says Ed Moyle 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

Alert over Chinese cyber campaign targeting critical networks

A Chinese threat actor known as Volt Typhoon has been observed infiltrating CNI networks in a cyber espionage campaign, according to intelligence Continue Reading

Almost all ransomware attacks target backups, says Veeam

Some 93% of ransomware attacks go for backups and most succeed, with 60% of those attacked paying the ransom, according to a Veeam survey 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

Cohesity Turing aims AI tools at backup and ransomware

Backup supplier continues to enrich its ecosystem with more artificial intelligence for backup and ransomware, with chat-like reporting functions and new security partners in its alliance 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

Let’s open up and put an end to secrecy and cover-ups in ransomware attacks

The NCSC and the ICO are calling for organisations to bite the bullet and be more open about cyber security and ransomware incidents, and the community is firmly behind them 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

Facebook owner Meta fined record €1.2 billion over EU-US data transfers

Decision could have implications for other companies using Standard Contractual Clauses to share data between Europe and the US Continue Reading

Spanish lawyers claim police hacking of EncroChat cryptophones breaches human rights law

Lawyers speaking at the Madrid Bar Association question the legality of a cryptophone hacking which has led to arrests of organised criminals in multiple countries Continue Reading

Navigating artificial intelligence: Red flags to watch out for

Lou Steinberg, founder of cyber security research lab CTM Insights, flags up the risks of the growing use of AI, and what organisations can do to tame the technology for good Continue Reading