IT for government and public sector

No10 Innovation Fellowship Programme ramps up AI focus

Second round of the programme, run jointly by Number 10 and the Government Digital Service, focuses on AI and automation Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

UK renews tech and science deal with Japan

Deal focuses on innovation and will see countries collaborate on networking and investment, joint R&D programmes, and exchange schemes Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Why we need a secure side door for encrypted apps, not a back door  

Splitting a decryption key into multiple fragments held by 'guardians', including privacy rights group, may be an answer to policing encrypted messages Continue Reading

By

• Andersen Cheng

MEPs vote in raft of amendments to EU AI Act

The proposed amendments to the EU’s AI Act have garnered a mixed reception from both industry and civil society, with the former seeing it as too stringent and the latter as not stringent enough in many areas, despite positive progress in others Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Post Office lawyer bragged how team ‘destroyed attack on the Horizon system’ and put woman in prison

A senior Post Office lawyer appeared gleeful in email about how his team helped prosecute a subpostmaster who was sent to prison Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Investigatory Powers Tribunal finds NCA EncroChat hacking warrants were lawful

Investigatory Powers Tribunal refers questions over whether messages obtained from the EncroChat encrypted phone network are legally admissible back to the criminal court Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

AI outcry intensifies as EU readies regulation

Policymakers are battling to keep pace with AI developments, while experts warn of societal impact Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Journalists’ confidential communications subject to unlawful spying, court hears

Campaign group Liberty and the National Union of Journalists tell Court of Appeal the government has not gone far enough to protect confidential journalist information and sources from surveillance Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

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

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UKtech50 2023: Vote for the most influential person in UK technology

Our judges have selected the top 50 leaders from a shortlist of more than 300 people – now it’s your chance to tell us who you think is the most influential person in UK technology Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Black Basta ransomware attack to cost Capita over £15m

Exceptional costs arising from the March 2023 Black Basta ransomware attack on the systems of outsourcer Capita will be somewhere between £15m and £20m, the organisation says Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UKtech50 2023: The longlist of the UK’s influential tech leaders

Each year, Computer Weekly launches a search for the most influential people in UK IT, asking the tech community who it thinks should be in the top 50 – here is the longlist of everyone nominated for 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Chat control: EU lawyers warn plans to scan encrypted messages for child abuse may be unlawful

Leaked legal advice warns that European ‘chat control’ proposals to require tech companies to scan private and encrypted messages for child abuse are likely to breach EU law Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Capita pension clients told data may have leaked

Capita has told trustees of some of the pension funds for which it provides outsourced services that their customer data may have been stolen by the Black Basta ransomware operation Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

HMRC confirms potential April 2024 end date for double-taxation issue in IR35 compliance cases

HM Revenue & Customs launches eight-week consultation on plans to roll out a legislative tweak that would put a stop to the government tax collection agency over-collecting tax in IR35 non-compliance cases Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

The ethics of military AI

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as the defence sector looks into using artificial intelligence to create autonomous weapons, we examine the risks and ethics of military AI. Amazon Web Services is under fire for not providing vital emissions data to customers – we investigate the issues. And we find out what IT security teams can learn from a year of cyber warfare in Ukraine. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Government is playing ‘psychic war’ in battle over end-to-end encryption

Peers hear that the UK government is being deliberately ambiguous about its plans to require technology companies to scan the content of encrypted messages Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

More Post Office software-related convictions overturned takes total to 86

A total of 86 former subpostmasters wrongly prosecuted for financial crimes after computer errors showed phantom losses have had convictions overturned Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Police Scotland receive formal notice about cloud system

Scotland’s biometrics watchdog has issued Police Scotland with an information notice over its deployment of a cloud-based digital evidence system, following disclosure of major data protection concerns by Computer Weekly Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

UK government introduces Digital Markets Bill to Parliament

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill will seek to level the playing field in digital markets by empowering regulators with new tools and powers to directly enforce competition and consumer protection laws Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Post Office paid IBM millions when it ended proposed contract to replace Horizon

The Post Office ended a proposed contract with IBM to replace its controversial Horizon system after work had already started Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK taskforce set to drive generative AI safety and opportunities

The government has committed £100m to helping the UK develop and build out generative artificial intelligence capabilities Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Emergency alert test review confirmed after ‘small number’ of mobile users excluded

In wake of emergency alert test on 23 April, government confirms review into why some 4G and 5G mobile phones were excluded Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Finland and Estonia deepen cross-border digital partnerships

Finland and Estonia, two global tech pioneers, are increasingly sharing their expertise Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

UK biometrics watchdog questions police cloud deployments

The UK biometrics commissioner has warned that policing and justice bodies must be able to demonstrate ‘immediately and unequivocally’ that their cloud deployments are lawful Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

UK Emergency Alert Test sparks cyber fraud warning

Fraudsters and scammers are likely to use the upcoming test of the UK's new mobile Emergency Alert system as bait in their attacks, while misinformation and conspiracy theories spread Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

New GovAssure cyber regime launches across UK government

An enhanced cyber security regime is being put in place to better protect UK government IT systems from growing threats Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Capita customer data was stolen in March ransomware attack

Capita says it has uncovered evidence of data exfiltration from a small proportion of its server estate following a cyber attack at the end of March Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

TUC says government is failing to protect workers from AI harms

TUC issues warning about artificial intelligence leading to more widespread workplace discrimination if the right checks are not put in place Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Surrey and Sussex police spared fines after recording 200,000 phone calls without people’s knowledge

Police forces escape potential £1m fines following change of policy by ICO to protect the finances of public sector bodies Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

IT Priorities 2023: Budget optimism among EMEA IT leaders

IT leaders across the EMEA region are optimistic that their budgets will increase over the coming year Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

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

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CyberUK 23: Alert over mercenary Russian threat to CNI

Russian hacktivists supportive of their government’s war on Ukraine are turning their attention to disruptive or destructive attacks on critical infrastructure in the UK, the NCSC has warned Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fintechs get more certainty about open banking’s future direction

Fintechs have welcomed the UK open banking regulators recommendations for the future of the sector Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Reduced spending on cloud services weighs European IT services market down

Reduced spending on cloud services in the EMEA region meant a year-on-year drop in total IT and BPO services spend Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Tech companies and NGOs urge rewrite of Online Safety Bill to protect encrypted comms

The Online Safety Bill faces amendments in the House of Lords amid concerns that it could weaken the security of end-to-end encrypted communications for UK citizens Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

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

By

• Peter Ray Allison

Government launches Smart Data Council to lower utility bills

The council aims to find ways to use and encourage uptake of smart data to make it easier to switch utility providers and save money Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Thousands at risk from critical RCE bug in legacy MS service

Thousands of organisations worldwide are at risk from three vulnerabilities – one critical – in a legacy Microsoft service that they may not be aware they are running Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sweden and Finland make advances in quantum computing

Separate Swedish and Finnish quantum computing projects make promising advances in the technology of the future Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

ICO responds to UK government AI regulation plans

The ICO has officially responded to the government’s plans for regulating artificial intelligence as outlined in its recent whitepaper, but called for clarity on certain aspects before the proposals are taken further Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

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

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

April Patch Tuesday fixes zero-day used to deliver ransomware

A zero-day in the Microsoft Common Log File System that has been abused by the operator of the Nokoyawa ransomware is among 97 vulnerabilities fixed in April’s Patch Tuesday update Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Gartner: Rebalance cyber investment towards human-centric elements

Security decision-makers need to reprioritise their investment outlooks towards people, rather than technology, according to the latest market forecast from Gartner Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Bank of England starts recruiting Britcoin team

The Bank of England is recruiting people to join its team focused on the development of a digital pound Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Anne Keast-Butler named as new director of GCHQ

The government has appointed current MI5 deputy director general Anne Keast-Butler to head signals and cyber agency GCHQ Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UKtech50 2023: Help us find the most influential people in UK IT

Computer Weekly’s annual search for the 50 most influential people in UK IT is back – let us know who you would like to nominate for this year’s list Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Scotland links its tech scaler programme with the NHS

As part of the deal, firms part of the tech scaler programme aimed at helping startups scale up will be given access to NHS regional test beds Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

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

By

• Andrew Peel

Controversial Fujitsu contract with Post Office extended after technical challenges moving to cloud

The Post Office has extended a contract with Fujitsu after being unable to resolve technical issues related to migrating its IT to the cloud Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

DWP appoints former Boots IT chief Richard Corbridge as CDIO

In his new role as the chief digital and information officer for the Department for Work and Pensions, Corbridge will be responsible for a £1.4bn annual budget Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Government to pump more than £100m into digital social care

As part of its Better Care Fund framework, the government has allocated £100m to accelerate digitisation in social care, £50m to improve data, as well as £35m for the creation of an innovation and improvement unit Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Government on the hunt for national tech adviser

Applicants for the role, which pays up to £135,000, will need to have “deep experience” of innovation and technology development, along with a “fantastic network” in the sector Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

CCRC says ‘door open’ for more reviews of subpostmaster convictions

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has told former Post Office workers the door is still open for them to come forward if they were prosecuted for financial crimes based on evidence from Horizon software Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Quick-acting Rorschach ransomware appears out of nowhere

Emergent Rorschach ransomware strain is highly advanced and quite unusual in its capabilities, warn researchers, who say they have been unable to link it to any other known strains Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

CGI signs up to prison leaver employment initiative

IT supplier is working with training company specialised in helping prison leavers to find recruitment in the tech sector Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Developers say Apple and Google are running app store monopolies

Coalition for App Fairness and its members speak to Computer Weekly about alleged anti-competitive practices of Apple and Google in their respective app stores, and call for urgent regulatory action to level the playing field Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

National Cyber Force carrying out daily hacking operations to disrupt hostile threats

Government discloses details about the National Cyber Force’s disruption activities against terrorists, organised criminals and nation states – and names first NCF chief as James Babbage Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Threat researchers dissect anatomy of a Royal ransomware attack

Trellix researchers share the inside track on a Royal ransomware attack that hit one of its customers in late 2022 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UAE central bank selects partners for phase one of digital currency programme

The UAE central bank has kicked off the first phase of its project to launch a digital currency Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Over 90% of organisations find threat hunting a challenge

Understaffed security teams and high levels of background noise are making basic security operations tasks a chore for defenders, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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

Three-day Capita outage was result of cyber attack

Public sector outsourcer Capita has confirmed a major outage which began on 31 March was the result of a cyber attack affecting its Office 365 apps Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Wales launches innovation fund for pharmacy systems suppliers

The fund aims to help suppliers of pharmacy systems in the country to deliver an electronic prescription service Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Generative AI central to Accenture’s tech vision

Generative AI will play a central role over the next 10 years as the digital and physical world become more and more integrated Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

OSC&R supply chain security framework goes live on Github

The OSC&R framework for understanding and evaluating threats to supply chain security has made its debut on Github to allow anybody to contribute to the framework Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCSC issues revised security Board Toolkit for business leaders

National Cyber Security Centre calls on CEOs and senior business leaders to take a more hands-on approach to cyber resilience with the launch of revised board-level tools Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Wales is building a dragon of an NHS app

As NHS Wales is due to launch the public version of its own app, Computer Weekly takes a deep dive into the technical aspects of the Welsh NHS app, future plans and whether the expectations for the programme have stacked up to reality Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

UK government study reveals 50,000 people employed in AI sector

Government publishes baseline analysis of UK artificial intelligence sector as it pins hopes on future growth Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

NHS Highland rapped over data breach affecting HIV patients

NHS Highland inadvertently exposed the personal data of individuals likely to be accessing HIV services in a lapse of email hygiene Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Preventing artificial deception in the age of AI

The proposals contained in Westminster’s AI whitepaper are a good start, but more creative thinking and investment will be required to achieve a truly pro-innovation regulatory environment Continue Reading

By

• Alwin Magimay

UK government publishes AI whitepaper

Artificial intelligence whitepaper outlines UK government’s proposals to regulate the technology, which are based around creating an agile, “pro-innovation” framework Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Generative AI presents opportunities and challenges to UK schools

Generative AI and LLMs hold great potential for use in the classroom, but the privacy and security implications of its use must be carefully considered, says the Department for Education Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Alan Turing Institute unveils strategy to support UK AI

The strategy is built around helping the UK government realise its artificial intelligence ambitions, and focuses on areas where the UK can play a transformative role in shaping AI development Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Apple security updates fix 33 iPhone vulnerabilities

A larger-than-usual update to Apple’s mobile operating system fixes more than 30 distinct vulnerabilities, including two serious issues that may potentially affect device kernels Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

AWS takes defence-focused startup accelerator Europe-wide after UK programme success

Nearly 12 months after the launch of the UK version of the AWS defence-focused accelerator programme, the cloud giant is expanding it Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Datacentre Editor

Is TikTok really a security threat to your business?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, with the UK government becoming the latest administration to ban TikTok, we ask whether the controversial social media app is really a security threat to enterprises. Technology guru Bruce Schneier tells us about the need to take back control of AI and the personal data it relies on. And we look at how firms are trying – and failing – to make AI work for online content moderation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Ransomware attacks up 45% in February, LockBit responsible

NCC Group says it observed a surge in ransomware attacks in February, with LockBit, BlackCat and BianLian all highly active Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Lords AI weapons committee holds first evidence session

In first evidence session of Lords AI weapons committee, expert witnesses unpack claims that artificial intelligence in weapon systems will help military organisations to improve their compliance with international humanitarian law Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Government must take the lead on STEM diversity

No single solution can increase diversity in the STEM sectors, says Science and Technology Committee, as it calls on government to take action Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

National Crime Agency sting operation infiltrates cyber crime market

The UK National Crime Agency has tricked thousands of potential cyber criminals into registering with a fake website pretending to offer tools for creating DDoS attacks Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Tech Nation says UK needs roadmap to help tech sector reach $4tn

In its final report published before shutting for good in April, Tech Nation has outlined success of the UK’s tech sector to date, and explores at a high level what needs to be done to ensure massive future growth Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

GDS goes serverless to bring personalisation to online government services with One Login

GDS has opened up about the reasons why it’s opted for a serverless infrastructure to underpin One Login, and how it hopes the system will provide UK citizens with a more personalised experience Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Government launches seven-year NHS cyber strategy

The new Cyber Security Strategy for Health and Adult Social Care lays out a plan for promoting cyber resilience in the sector by 2030 to protect services and patients alike Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK government launches international tech strategy as tool of diplomacy

The UK government has announced an international technology strategy to promote the country abroad, strengthening ties with allies and supporting developing nations Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Nordics move towards common cyber defence strategy

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

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

MPs explore how to expand quantum computing in business

Commons Science and Technology Committee is looking for evidence of where the UK’s new quantum strategy needs improvement Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

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

By

• Lis Evenstad

Ransomware gangs harass victims to ‘bypass’ backups

Analysis reveals how cyber criminal gangs are turning to extensive, targeted harassment campaigns to force victims to pay up, even if their backups are in good order Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government should invest in maritime tech, say MPs

Report from the Transport Committee calls for investment in technology for the maritime sector, and wants the government to make it easier to scale-up innovation Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

BBC cracks down on TikTok after review

The BBC is asking staff not to install TikTok on corporate-owned devices without a justified business purpose, although its use will still be allowed to share media content with its audiences Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK TikTok ban gives us all cause to consider social media security

The UK government’s ban on TikTok should give all organisations cause to look into what information social media platforms are collecting on us, and what they are using it for Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK government to create code of practice for generative AI firms

The code will look to strike a balance between copyright holders and generative AI firms so that both parties can benefit from the use of copyrighted material in training data Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

UK government's 'tech superpower' ambitions must be matched by realism and collaboration

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt went for it in a big way in his Budget speech this week. Fewer than 400 words were spoken, barely three minutes completed, before we got to cross off the ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

BEC attacks doubled in 2022, outstripping ransomware

Massive growth in the volume of Business Email Compromise or BEC attacks was linked to a surge in successful phishing campaigns, according to data from Secureworks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Vallance review advocates light-touch regulation for emerging technologies

Patrick Vallance, the outgoing government chief scientific adviser, has seen his light-touch emerging technologies regulation advice accepted by the government lock, stock and barrel Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

TikTok banned on UK government devices

The UK government has followed in the footsteps of its US and European counterparts and banned the use of Chinese social media app TikTok on official devices Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Budget 2023: startups extra funding via R&D relief and pensions

UK government aims to promote increased investment in research and development-intensive startups through tax relief measures, relaxed pension rules, and new investment zones Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Mandiant: Dangerous MS Outlook zero-day widely used against Ukraine

A zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook that was fixed in the March Patch Tuesday update has likely been actively exploited by Russian actors for a year or more, and its use will now spread rapidly Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor