IT for government and public sector

Office 365 loophole may give ransomware an easy shot at your files

Researchers at Proofpoint have discovered potentially dangerous Microsoft Office 365 functionality that they believe may give ransomware a clear shot at files stored on SharePoint and OneDrive Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Best practices for boosting supply chain security

In a highly connected world, managing the supply chain landscape requires an adaptation of the ‘traditional’ approach to managing cyber risk Continue Reading

By

• Carl Nightingale

Is digital ID still the missing link for the UK’s digital economy?

While progress has been made, the government’s proposed digital ID trust framework needs more work – and the tech industry wants to have more input Continue Reading

By

• Julian David, TechUK

Patch Tuesday dogged by concerns over Microsoft vulnerability response

The last Patch Tuesday in its current form is overshadowed by persistent concerns about how Microsoft deals with vulnerability disclosure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Basic steps to secure your supply chain

When it comes to supply chain security, there are some core things you should be doing – but remember, the devil is in the detail Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

MS Azure Synapse vulnerability fixed after six-month slog

Microsoft patched a critical Azure Synapse vulnerability twice, but each time the researcher who discovered it was able to bypass it with ease, leading to a lengthy saga Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government data talk to the fore at London Tech Week

Data figured prominently in the unfolding of the government’s digital strategy at the start of London Tech Week, with privacy-enhancing technologies and anonymous health data sharing notable Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

A breathless week for digital government and government digital

If you have worked in the tech or digital world for less than five years, the past week must have been very exciting for you. First, you would have read about the new digital government strategy ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Government recommits to UK’s cyber future in Digital Strategy

New strategy leans heavily on cyber security but stops short of announcing any initiatives that have not already been launched or heavily trailed Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

New UK digital strategy aims to secure future growth for £150bn digital economy

Government publishes plan that brings together existing and new initiatives intended to expand the digital sector and help to establish the UK as a ‘superpower’ in science and tech Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

New warning over tech suppliers in thrall to hostile governments

Ukraine war could lead to shakeup of dual-use tech exports, says former UK intelligence officer Continue Reading

By

• Joe Fay

Health data strategy to exorcise ghosts of GPDPR

Government publishes a revised data in health strategy, with an emphasis firmly on preserving the integrity and privacy of patients’ confidential information Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

London Mayor pledges £500,000 for city’s data economy

At the start of London Tech Week 2022, the Mayor of London is announcing £500,000 in funding for the city’s data economy, in the form of the Data for London platform Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

What’s new about the new digital government strategy?

There’s a new plan for improving the UK’s digital public services – and we’ve heard a lot of it before. But among all the hyperbole, there is a welcome realism in the latest approach to transforming government Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

ICO fails to disclose majority of reprimands issued under GDPR

London law firm Mishcon de Reya forces disclosure of reprimands issued to organisations by the Information Commissioner’s Office for contraventions of UK data protection law Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Security Think Tank: Don’t trust the weakest link? Don’t trust any link

Your security model shouldn’t fall apart just because a part of your business, or a partner, has weak security. This is why information-centric security is a must Continue Reading

By

• Tim Holman, 2-sec

Snake Keylogger climbing malware charts, says Check Point

Cyber criminals behind Snake Keylogger campaigns have been switching up their tactics in the past few weeks, say researchers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Researchers find eight CVEs in single building access system

A series of eight vulnerabilities in Carrier LenelS2 building access panels could enable malicious actors to obtain physical access to their targets Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government wrong to pass the buck on computer evidence reform

IT expert James Christie tells Computer Weekly why he is disappointed that the government has no plans to change the rules on the use of computer evidence in court Continue Reading

By

• James Christie

UK government promises £1bn savings from latest digital strategy

Three-year roadmap aims to transform online public services, targeting 50 top services for improvement – but contains much that has been previously promised in the past Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

More wrongful convictions quashed in Post Office IT scandal

Two more Post Office Horizon scandal victims have had their wrongful convictions overturned Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

SolarWinds CEO offers to commit staffers to government cyber agencies

A new proposal from SolarWinds’ outspoken CEO, Sudhakar Ramakrishna, could see software companies commit key staff to work with government cyber agencies to improve cooperation and incident response Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Trade body calls for public-private sector collab on digital ID

TechUK has published a report outlining 10 key recommendations it believes are urgently needed to enable the rapid creation of an effectively regulated digital identity marketplace Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Move with the times – in defence of WhatsApp in government

Former minister and current member of the House of Lords argues that the UK government needs to move with the times and embrace new communications tools such as WhatsApp Continue Reading

By

• James Bethell

Naivety of computer evidence leaves door ajar for more miscarriages of justice

Barrister Paul Marshall explains why the government’s lack of action on reforming the legal rules around computer evidence, which presume it is correct, mean the Post Office Horizon scandal could be the tip of a miscarriages of justice iceberg Continue Reading

By

• Paul Marshall

ProxyLogon, ProxyShell may have driven increase in dwell times

The median network intruder dwell time was up 36% to 15 days last year, thanks to massive exploitation of the ProxyLogon and ProxyShell vulnerabilities by IABs, according to new Sophos data Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Prison and Probation Service’s tagging ambition ‘outstripped its ability to deliver’

HM Prison and Probation Service’s programme to transform the tagging of offenders has failed to deliver after software platform was scrapped Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Russia looks towards import substitution in its IT sector

The exodus of Western IT companies from Russia and sanctions imposed on the country amid its military invasion of Ukraine are leading to shortages of IT and professionals in the sector Continue Reading

By

• Computer Weekly correspondent

CIO interview: Emma Frost, director of innovation, London Legacy Development Corporation

The former Olympic Park in London has become a hotbed – and a testbed – for data and technology innovation that could have a wider benefit for the urban environments in which we live Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

How Police Scotland deployed mobile comms for integrated services

Technology is core to Police Scotland’s 10-year plan to transform policing, and since 2019 it has worked with Motorola to roll out mobile comms Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

How cryptocurrency is bringing humanitarian value to Ukraine

Web3 technology has great significance as a form of charitable giving, and in providing permanent records for the government Continue Reading

By

• Avivah Litan

ICO calls for police to end ‘excessive collection’ of personal data from rape and assault victims

The UK’s information commissioner, John Edwards, has called for prosecutors and police to end the excessive collection of personal data from victims of rape and serious sexual assault Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

UAE residents think 3D printing will have the most positive impact on society

People in the UAE believe next-generation technologies such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence will become widespread in the country Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Strong internal foundations are key to withstanding external threats

The modern-day abundance of platforms, apps and IT tools presents malicious actors with a web of interconnection that is easily exploited to move rapidly through the network to compromise critical assets. Security teams need to understand these attack pathways better in order to fight back Continue Reading

By

• Steve Forbes

Two-thirds of UK organisations defrauded since start of pandemic

Nearly two out of three UK companies say they have experienced some form of fraud or economic crime in the past two years, according to a report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Dutch companies struggle to fill tech jobs

There are plenty of IT job vacancies in the Netherlands, but a shortage of IT professionals Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

Tech companies join UK four-day work week trial

Computer Weekly speaks with tech companies taking part in the UK’s upcoming four-day work week trial, which will measure the impact of shorter working weeks on productivity, wellbeing and the environment Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

The barristers that broke their backs to break the Post Office’s shield of lies

Computer Weekly spoke to the barristers at Henderson Chambers that fought the Post Office in the High Court to expose the widest miscarriage of justice in UK history Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

IR35 reforms: PAC report blames HMRC for ‘widespread non-compliance’ in public sector

The Public Accounts Committee has shared the findings of its report into the after-effects of the IR35 reforms coming into force in the public sector back in April 2017 Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

The birth of Estonia’s digital civil servant

 Continue Reading

ICO orders facial recognition firm Clearview AI to delete all data about UK residents

UK data watchdog fines facial recognition company Clearview AI £7.5m for multiple privacy breaches. The firm, which offers services to law enforcement, faces growing pressure from regulators and legal action around the world Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Ransomware volumes grew faster than ever in 2021

Verizon’s annual DBIR assessment of the security landscape highlights an unprecedented boom in ransomware volumes, to the surprise of nobody Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government has no plans to review controversial court rules on computer evidence

Government accused of ‘passing the buck’ and ‘not knowing what it is talking about’ after stating it has no plans to review court rules on computer evidence Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Reimagining the cities of the future in Finland

New ideas around new space: Helsinki not only imagines, but can see, the cities of the future Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Applying international law to cyber will be a tall order

Many in the security community have voiced their support for the UK government’s ambitions to work towards agreement with other countries on the application of international law to cyber space, but not without some reservations Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Defensive cyber attacks may be justified, says attorney general

Speaking ahead of a speech at the Chatham House think tank, the UK’s attorney general has suggested defensive cyber attacks against hostile countries may be legally justifiable Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: To follow a path, you need a good map

The modern-day abundance of platforms, apps and IT tools presents malicious actors with a web of interconnection that is easily exploited to move rapidly through the network to compromise critical assets. Security teams need to understand these attack pathways better in order to fight back Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Post Office scandal victim calls for government’s role in silencing victims to be investigated

Victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal in Scotland raise further questions about Post Office and government conduct Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

(ISC)² to train 100,000 cyber pros in UK

Security association (ISC)² unveils ambitious UK training programme Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Controversial Post Office IT system to be replaced by 2025

Work is ongoing by the Post Office to replace the controversial Horizon retail and accounting system used in nearly 12,000 branches Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Smart traffic management offers greater emissions control

Juniper Research has predicted that CO2 emissions could be slashed if governments fully deploy smart traffic management systems Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Pro-competition data sharing will not include users’ personal info, says minister

UK government proposals to improve competition in digital markets by making tech giants share data with smaller firms will not include consumers’ personal information, says digital minister Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Government levelling up bill promotes open data-based digital planning

The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill announced in the Queen’s Speech includes proposals for digital planning powers to be given to local government in England and Wales, based on open data Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Mind the gap: public and private sector disparity in cybersecurity

Amidst increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks and a constantly shifting threat landscape, cyber security partnerships across the private and public sector are essential in tackling these threats. ... Continue Reading

By

• Louella Fernandes, Quocirca

CyberUK 22: Five Eyes focuses on MSP security

The western intelligence community has set out practical steps IT service providers and their customers can take to protect themselves Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

DWP partners with AI-powered career and job services

Partnership involves a trial to see how well artificial intelligence can be used to help job seekers find work more quickly Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Cyber accreditation body Crest forges new training partnerships

Crest says partnerships with Hack The Box and Immersive Labs will enhance its members’ defensive and offensive security skills Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Microsoft fixes three zero-days on May Patch Tuesday

It’s the second-to-last Patch Tuesday as we know it, and Microsoft has fixed a total of 75 bugs, including three zero-days Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Queen’s Speech: Employment Bill omission suggests further delays to umbrella market regulation

Contracting market stakeholders were hoping for some clarification on the delivery timeline for umbrella market regulation in the Queen’s Speech, but none was forthcoming Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

EU plans to police child abuse raise fresh fears over encryption and privacy rights

Draft regulation unveiled today will require internet and messaging firms to use algorithms to identify grooming and child abuse or face heavy fines Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

CCRC to contact 88 more former subpostmasters with potentially wrongful convictions

The Criminal Cases Review Commission is to contact 88 more potentially wrongfully convicted Post Office workers Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

‘Spy cops’ inquiry delves into police relationship with MI5

There was ‘no filter’ on the information that undercover police officers were collecting on activists throughout the 1970s, despite senior managers and officials involved in directing the surveillance questioning the appropriateness of the information gathering and sharing Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

CyberUK 22: Cyber leaders affirm UK’s whole-of-society strategy

On the opening day of CyberUK 2022, GCHQ director Jeremy Fleming and NCSC CEO Lindy Cameron have spoken of their commitment to the government’s ambition for a whole-of-society cyber strategy Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Post Office scandal inquiry chair brings forward urgent compensation hearings

The chair of the Post Office Horizon scandal inquiry has brought forward hearings about compensation as victims warn that at this rate “people will die” before they get anything Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CyberUK 22: NCSC refreshes cloud security guidance

The National Cyber Security Centre is revising its cloud guidance as increasing uptake of potentially vulnerable cloud services puts more organisations at risk of compromise Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The spies who hack you – the growing threat of spyware

In this week’s Computer Weekly, after 10 Downing Street was hit by a spyware attack, fears about targeted mobile phone hacks are increasing. Our salary survey highlights the diversity challenge in IT, with men’s support for women in IT declining. And we look at how datacentre heat reuse can help reduce carbon emissions. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

DWP Digital sets out three-year plan to improve data sharing and cut legacy

In response to the pandemic, the government department aims to improve collaboration and develop a reference architecture Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Post Office scandal victims in Scotland to tell their stories, raising questions of law

Inquiry into Post Office scandal moves to Scotland, with differences in English and Scottish law raising further serious questions about subpostmaster prosecutions Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Malaysian government inks agreement with Google Cloud

The cloud framework agreement with Google will make it easier for Malaysia’s public sector agencies to access Google Cloud services through a single government contract Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

UK digital markets regulator to be given statutory powers

Digital Markets Unit will be put on statutory footing by UK government to ensure technology giants do not abuse market power, but announcement comes with no clear indication of when legislation will be introduced Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

IT infrastructure used to launch DDoS attack on Russian targets

Organisations could unwittingly be participating in hostile activity against the Russian government as compromised IT infrastructure is used without their knowledge to launch denial of service attacks Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Disaster recovery is an essential service for EDF with Phenix-IT

EDF has built disaster recovery tracking, planning and testing software on a six-month upgrade cycle based on governance, risk and compliance functionality in Mega’s Hopex platform Continue Reading

By

• Alain Clapaud
• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Five companies join NCSC for Startups to deal with ransomware

The NCSC has invited five startups to join the NCSC for Startups programme to develop tech that can help deal with the threat of ransomware Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Judicial intervention 'inevitable' as Post Office compensation valuation falls short

Lawyer negotiating compensation for victims of Post Office scandal says the two sides are 'poles apart' on valuations Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Post Office scandal CEO could be stripped of CBE

Honours Forfeiture Committee to review Paula Vennells’ CBE in the light of Post Office scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Electric vehicle transition comes with uneven costs

Governments, car makers and tech companies are promoting electric vehicles, but are they considering the uneven social and environmental costs from extracting the critical minerals needed to make batteries? Continue Reading

By

• Patrick Elliot

Totting up a decade of ones and zeros at the ODI

As the Open Data Institute turns 10, managing director Louise Burke reflects on its first decade and what comes next Continue Reading

By

• Louise Burke

Ransomware recovery costs dwarf actual ransoms

The cost of recovering from a ransomware attack far outweighs the ransoms now being demanded by cyber criminals, according to recent data Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK regulators seek input on algorithmic processing and auditing

Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum is inviting views on how the four UK watchdogs involved should approach regulating algorithms, following its publication of discussion papers and a 2022 workplan Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Sanders calls on Biden to cut off federal contracts with Amazon

In an open letter, senator Bernie Sanders urges the US president to fulfil a campaign promise to stop union-busting companies from winning federal government contracts Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Russia plumbs new depths in cyber war on Ukraine

Microsoft details cyber attacks on Ukrainian civilian communications, nuclear safety authorities, and the exploitation of the destruction of Mariupol in a phishing campaign Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Scotland’s tech sector recovers pre-pandemic verve

According to ScotlandIS research, the Scottish technology sector has recovered pre-pandemic levels of growth, and cyber security emerged as the hottest growth area from the industry body’s annual report Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Log4Shell, ProxyLogon, ProxyShell among most exploited bugs of 2021

These 15 CVEs were the most commonly exploited last year, and if you haven’t mitigated against them, now is the time Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ransomware victims paying out when they don’t need to

Sophos’s annual State of Ransomware report shows dramatic increases in the impact of ransomware attacks, but also finds many organisations are paying ransoms when they don’t need to Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government digital ignorance puts Dutch economy at risk

In this interview, Michiel Steltman, managing director of Digital Infrastructure Netherlands, tells Computer Weekly why the Dutch digital economy is at risk due to a lack of knowledge and understanding at government level Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Police question former Fujitsu worker again in Post Office scandal perjury investigation

Police have interviewed a former Fujitsu employee for the third time in the investigation into potential perjury during trials of wrongfully convicted subpostmasters Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

BCS passes defiant Ukrainian tech industry message to its members

BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, has passed on a message from Ukrainian IT suppliers that the country is open for, and in need of, business Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Emotet tests new tricks to thwart enhanced security

The operators of the Emotet botnet seem to be trying to find a way to get around recent changes made by Microsoft to better protect its users Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Did HMRC really 'lock taxpayers out' from their online accounts?

Did HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) really “lock taxpayers out” from their online accounts, as The Guardian has claimed? It’s a situation that arose from a predictable and – according to HMRC – ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Majority of workers using umbrella companies see no benefits

Research from trade body for independent professionals finds that most self-employed workers operating through an umbrella company think there are no advantages to the arrangement Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Government appoints head of technology transfer unit

Government announces a CEO to lead its initiatives around commercialising its knowledge assets Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Post Office scandal victims still waiting for compensation a year after convictions overturned

Former subpostmasters at the centre of one of biggest miscarriage of justice in modern history are still waiting for compensation a year after their wrongful convictions were overturned Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

EU lawmakers propose limited ban on predictive policing systems

MEPs’ joint report on European Artificial Intelligence Act sets out limited ban on predictive policing systems alongside a raft of further amendments to improve redress mechanisms and extend the list of AI systems deemed high-risk Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Five Eyes in new Russia cyber warning

Latest cross-body alert warns of Russian threat to utilities and other core elements of national infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

European cities moving fast to change business of parking

German cities are using the latest smart parking technology to reduce traffic and car pollution while collecting more fees for parking Continue Reading

By

• Gordon Feller

Dutch schools struggle with digitisation

Now is the time for schools in the Netherlands to determine how the opportunities of distance and digital learning resources can be made to work and how the risks involved can be mitigated Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

More Scottish subpostmaster conviction reviews expected as part of Post Office scandal

The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission expects more subpostmasters with potential wrongful convictions to come forward Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Home secretary Priti Patel to decide whether to extradite Assange

Home secretary will decide in four weeks whether to approve Julian Assange’s extradition to the US, where he faces espionage and hacking charges Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

NSO Group faces court action after Pegasus spyware used against targets in UK

Three human rights activists whose phones were targeted by spyware traced to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have begun legal action against both countries and Israel’s NSO Group Technologies Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Financial Ombudsman Service chooses TCS as digital transformation partner

Tata Consultancy Services will build and implement key systems as part the Financial Ombudsman Service’s digital transformation Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA