IT for utilities and energy
Utility firms and energy companies rely on IT to support their often highly complex operations. The industry is being forced by politial and customer pressure to be greener and technology is central to achieving greater energy efficiency, through major initiatives such as smart meters. Our stories about energy and utility firms examine how IT is helping to enable change and improvement in these companies.
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Feature
27 Aug 2024
Computer simulations show Swedish fusion initiative could have global impact
The only nuclear fusion initiative in the Nordics, Novatron, believes it has a lot to offer on the global scale Continue Reading
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News
03 Jan 2024
Artificial intelligence to the front in Sweden’s National Technology Strategy
Sweden focuses in on artificial intelligence in its latest far-reaching national IT strategy Continue Reading
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Opinion
30 Nov 2022
Think technology, process, human risk to manage ransomware
Effective ransomware handling boils down to three core areas – technology, process and human risk Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Nov 2022
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
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News
25 Nov 2022
Data management, backup becoming the CISO's responsibility
More and more CISOs are taking on responsibility for wider data management strategies, and this trend looks set to grow next year Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Nov 2022
Indefinite storage: What it is and why you might need it
Indefinite storage addresses the issue that archived data may need to be kept well beyond the lifespan of the technology it was written for Continue Reading
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Opinion
24 Nov 2022
Your staff are the frontline in your ransomware fight
As part of a solid cyber defence plan, the CISO must make sure that the frontline within the organisation is prepared for an attack, says Theodore Wiggins of Airbus Protect Continue Reading
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News
22 Nov 2022
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
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News
22 Nov 2022
Killnet DDoS hacktivists target Royal Family and others
Russia-aligned hacktivists targeted multiple UK websites, including those of the Royal Family, in a new campaign of DDoS attacks Continue Reading
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News
22 Nov 2022
C-suite mystified by cyber security jargon
Malware, supply chain attack, zero-day, IoC, TTP and Mitre ATT&CK are just some of the everyday terms that security pros use that risk making the world of cyber incomprehensible to outsiders Continue Reading
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News
21 Nov 2022
EDF UK deploys Riverbed’s Alluvio Aternity to tackle IT issues
Monitoring software links into ServiceNow and PowerShell scripts are being used to automate remediation Continue Reading
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News
18 Nov 2022
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
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News
17 Nov 2022
Brexit deregulation will make UK next Silicon Valley, vows Hunt
Chancellor vows to revolutionise how the IT industry is regulated to spur competition, investment and innovation in a technological ‘Big Bang’ Continue Reading
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News
17 Nov 2022
Another Log4Shell warning after Iranian attack on US government
The breach of a US federal body by an Iranian threat actor exploiting the Adobe Log4j Log4Shell vulnerability has prompted a fresh flurry of patching Continue Reading
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News
16 Nov 2022
Global network fragmentation a source of increasing risk
Risk consultancy’s report says the weaponisation of cyber space and geopolitical clashes herald a breakdown of global networks into distinct regional or national architectures Continue Reading
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Opinion
16 Nov 2022
Security Think Tank: Ransomware defences: An extended to-do list
Strategies to extend ransomware protection beyond backups and intrusion detection must centre dark web monitoring, among other things Continue Reading
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Opinion
14 Nov 2022
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
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Opinion
11 Nov 2022
Cyber insurance: The good, the bad and the ugly
Most cyber insurance contracts are innately flawed because they exclude losses arising from state-backed cyber attacks, and this will make proper attribution even more important in the future, says Cisco Talos’ Martin Lee Continue Reading
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News
11 Nov 2022
Volume of self-reported breaches to ICO jumps 30%
The number of self-reported breaches to the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office soared by nearly 30% in the 12 months to 30 June 2022 Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Nov 2022
An encouraging new conversation around sustainable IT, says Nordic CIO
What started as a whisper a decade ago has become distinctly audible chatter among IT leaders sharing best practices on how to protect the environment Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Nov 2022
Security Think Tank: To stop ransomware, preparation is the best medicine
You can’t ‘stop’ ransomware, but you can do a lot to keep yourself from becoming ensnared when it strikes Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2022
Microsoft serves smorgasbord of six zero-days
November’s Patch Tuesday fixes significantly fewer vulnerabilities of late, but includes six actively-exploited zero-days, three of them of critical severity Continue Reading
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Opinion
09 Nov 2022
Security Think Tank: Anti-ransomware strategies should be as easy as ABC
When developing and implementing ransomware protection strategies, the importance of paying thorough attention to security measures you might consider elementary cannot be understated Continue Reading
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News
07 Nov 2022
UK climate tech startup investment doubles in 2022
Climate technology investment has nearly doubled in the UK over the past year and is growing globally, but questions remain over how to scale capacity and whether the necessary change will occur in time to prevent climate catastrophe Continue Reading
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Opinion
07 Nov 2022
To fight ransomware, we must treat digital infrastructure as critical
Ransomware defence is failing because we don’t view our digital infrastructure in the same way as our physical infrastructure, argues Elastic’s Mandy Andress Continue Reading
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News
04 Nov 2022
Microsoft: Nation-state cyber attacks became increasingly destructive in 2022
The willingness of nation-state actors to conduct destructive cyber attacks is a source of grave concern, as Microsoft’s latest annual Digital Defence Report lays bare Continue Reading
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Opinion
04 Nov 2022
Security Think Tank: Ransomware and CISOs’ balancing act
Ransomware has the potential to cause irreversible business damage, so CISOs should consider not only protection but also response and recovery Continue Reading
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News
03 Nov 2022
Microsoft pledges $100m in new IT support for Ukraine
Microsoft will continue to offer free-of-charge technology support to Ukraine for the foreseeable future Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2022
UK spent £6.4m on secret cyber package for Ukraine
Westminster has revealed for the first time the existence of a previously top-secret security programme that has been helping Ukraine fend off Russian cyber attacks Continue Reading
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Opinion
02 Nov 2022
Security Think Tank: Know your networks, know your suppliers
To combat the ransomware scourge, we must work harder to monitor and learn from the increasingly complex threat environment, keep a closer eye on supply chains, and share our insights Continue Reading
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Definition
01 Nov 2022
biotechnology (biotech)
Biotechnology is the use of biology to develop new products, methods and organisms intended to improve human health and society. Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2022
A third of UK cyber leaders want to quit, report says
Nearly a third of UK security leaders are considering leaving their current role, and more than half are struggling to keep on top of their workload Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2022
Prepare today for potentially high-impact OpenSSL bug
OpenSSL trailed a critical vulnerability patch last week, which will be only the second such flaw ever found in the open source encryption project. Unfortunately, the first was Heartbleed Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Oct 2022
Security Think Tank: Container security: why so different?
Done well, container security can be a model for securing the enterprise, and businesses that focus their teams on solving it can help accelerate positive change in other areas Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Oct 2022
How has container security changed since 2020, and have we taken it too far?
While containers are now one of the most popular ways to deploy applications, it is fair to say that the adoption and implementation of security best practice to govern their use has not kept up Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2022
LinkedIn adds new features to safeguard user privacy, security
Social media platform is adding a number of features and systems designed to protect legitimate users from inauthentic profiles and activity Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Oct 2022
Finnish researchers lay the groundwork for flying drones
A large, sparsely populated country, Finland is preparing for a future where it could rely on flying drone technology Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
Apple patches new iPhone zero-day
Apple’s latest patch fixes yet another zero-day, as security issues keep surfacing in its mobile products Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
Apple puts pressure on manufacturing partners to decarbonise their operations through yearly audits
Consumer electronics giant wants its global supply chain partners to follow its lead on becoming a carbon-neutral company Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
Digital-first businesses more willing to accept some fraud
Companies founded in the past 20 years appear more willing to accept higher levels of fraudulent activity during the customer onboarding process, according to a report Continue Reading
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News
24 Oct 2022
Half of staff might quit after a cyber attack, report says
Findings from a survey of CISOs, IT leaders and staffers reveal how experiencing a cyber incident may take a larger-than-thought toll on employee retention Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2022
Ukrainian and UK IT sectors to deepen collaboration, partnerships
BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, and the IT Ukraine Association have signed an MoU to deepen collaboration between the UK and Ukrainian IT sectors, and champion new partnerships and growth opportunities Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2022
Cyber professional shortfall hits 3.4 million
Shortage of cyber security professionals continues to grow and shows no signs of abating, says report Continue Reading
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News
19 Oct 2022
Treat cyber crime as a ‘strategic threat’, UK businesses told
The government’s new National Cyber Advisory Board aims to help elevate cyber discussion and spur action in the business community Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2022
Subpostmaster federation failed its members when they needed it most
A dereliction of duty saw subpostmaster federation ignore its members when IT problems hit and allowed the Post Office destroy their lives Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2022
Office 365 email encryption flaw could pose risk to user privacy
A vulnerability in Microsoft Office 365 Message Encryption could leave the contents of emails dangerously exposed, but with no fix coming it’s up to users to decide how at risk they are Continue Reading
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News
12 Oct 2022
NCSC urges organisations to secure supply chains
NCSC’s latest guidance package centres supply chain security, helping medium to large organisations assess and mitigate cyber risks from suppliers Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Oct 2022
IT sustainability strategies: Why enterprises need to start with the datacentre when going green
Enterprises are under pressure to curb their carbon emissions and become more environmentally friendly entities on multiple fronts, including in the datacentre Continue Reading
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News
10 Oct 2022
Ukraine and EU explore deeper cyber collaboration
A Ukrainian delegation has met with officials from the EU’s ENISA cyber agency to explore deeper cooperation on cyber security issues Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2022
Tech Nation and PwC launch joint climate tech accelerator
The Net Zero X programme by Tech Nation and PwC will help climate tech companies to overcome common growth challenges and scale faster Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2022
Data analysis and artificial intelligence key industrial strategy missions for Labour
Shadow business secretary announces Labour’s proposed industrial strategy, in which data would take a central role Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2022
NCSC publishes cyber guidance for retailers
The NCSC has published tailored advice to support online retailers, hospitality providers and utility services in protecting themselves and their customers from cyber crime Continue Reading
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News
15 Sep 2022
Organisations failing to account for digital trust
The vast majority of businesses are well aware of the importance of digital trust, yet very few have a dedicated staff role responsible for it, report finds Continue Reading
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News
14 Sep 2022
Ex-CISA head Krebs: Disrupt ransomware support networks to win the war
Speaking at an event hosted by data protection specialist Rubrik, former CISA director Chris Krebs calls for the security community to work collectively to kick out the supports from under ransomware gangs Continue Reading
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News
12 Sep 2022
CISOs should spend on critical apps, cloud, zero-trust, in 2023
Faced with a global recession next year, security buyers should try to direct investment towards technology that protects customer-facing and revenue-generating workloads, say analysts Continue Reading
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News
06 Sep 2022
Saudi Arabian organisations choose to outsource to improve cyber security posture
Overwhelmed by rising threats and a growing number of government mandates, many organisations in Saudi Arabia are looking for outside help to take care of cyber security Continue Reading
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E-Zine
06 Sep 2022
Out with the old at Asda
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to Asda’s CIO, Carl Dawson, about the supermarket’s cloud-oriented renovation of its technology stack. We narrate the security woes at Twitter. And we examine best practices for data backup. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2022
UK payments upgrade to add more than £3bn to GDP, but much more on offer
UK GDP will increase when its ageing payments infrastructure is replaced with the latest technology to enable real-time payments Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Sep 2022
Security Think Tank: Effective DevSecOps requires collaboration
Application security and effective DevSecOps can only be achieved through collaboration with the business – the ultimate goal is to make it safer to do business, which requires considering integrated risk management and identity and access management alongside cyber security and application security Continue Reading
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News
30 Aug 2022
IAM house Okta confirms 0ktapus/Scatter Swine attack
Following last week’s disclosureby Group-IB researchers of a major phishing campaign, Okta has warned its customers to be on their guard Continue Reading
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News
25 Aug 2022
Adaptive RedAlert, Monster ransomwares go cross-platform
Kaspersky researchers have shared new intelligence on two emergent cyber criminal groups that have adapted their ransomwares to target different operating systems at the same time Continue Reading
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News
25 Aug 2022
Security pros fret about stress and promotion over cyber attacks
CIISec’s annual report on the state of the security profession reveals some home truths for security leaders Continue Reading
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News
25 Aug 2022
LockBit 3.0 cements dominance of ransomware ecosystem
Ransomware attacks were up 47% in July compared with the previous month, according to the latest threat data from NCC Group, with the LockBit family largely to blame Continue Reading
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News
24 Aug 2022
Most CISOs think they’ve been attacked by a nation state
Most organisations have made changes to their cyber strategies and policies following Russia’s invasion, and almost two-thirds suspect they have been directly targeted or impacted by a nation-state cyber attack Continue Reading
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E-Zine
23 Aug 2022
How digital technology rescued Merlin
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the CTO of Merlin Entertainments – operator of Legoland, Sea Life and Alton Towers – to find out how digital saved the company when Covid shut all its theme parks. We look at how software and data analytics can help to track – and reduce – greenhouse gas emissions. And Southern Water explains how data helps to support its most vulnerable customers. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Aug 2022
private sector
The private sector is the part of a country's economic system that is run by individuals and companies, rather than a government entity. Continue Reading
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News
22 Aug 2022
Kaspersky threat data added to Microsoft Sentinel service
Microsoft and Kaspersky have agreed a collaboration to integrate Kaspersky’s threat data feeds into Microsoft’s cloud-native SIEM/SOAR service Continue Reading
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News
22 Aug 2022
Lloyd’s to end insurance coverage for state cyber attacks
Lloyd’s of London has instructed its members to exclude nation state cyber attacks from insurance policies beginning in 2023, saying they pose unacceptable levels of risk Continue Reading
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News
19 Aug 2022
Cozy Bear targets MS 365 environments with new tactics
Cozy Bear, or APT29, is trying out new tricks as it seeks access to its targets’ Microsoft 365 environments Continue Reading
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News
18 Aug 2022
Growing MFA use spurs ‘pass-the-cookie’ attacks
The exploitation of stolen session cookies by cyber criminals is once again back on the agenda, thanks to the growing popularity of multifactor authentication tools Continue Reading
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News
18 Aug 2022
It takes a breach to force boards to take notice of cyber, says UK government
Too often, it takes a major incident for business leadership to pay attention to cyber issues, according to a government-commissioned study of victims Continue Reading
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News
16 Aug 2022
South Staffs Water is victim of botched Clop attack
South Staffordshire Water moves to reassure customers that their supplies remain safe after its attackers screw up their initial assault Continue Reading
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News
16 Aug 2022
Why organisations need to harmonise their CIO and CISO roles
Unless properly managed, conflicting responsibilities between the chief information officer and the chief information security officer can cause project delays and budget overruns, says Netskope’s Mike Anderson Continue Reading
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News
15 Aug 2022
How clean data helps Southern Water identify vulnerable customers
Escalating prices means households around the country are having to tighten spending, with many struggling to pay their bills. Water4All, a consortium led by Southern Water, is using data to identify low-income and vulnerable households so they can be better supported Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2022
Microsoft fixes two-year-old MSDT vulnerability in August update
August’s Patch Tuesday drop fixes more than 120 CVEs, including another MSDT RCE zero-day that is being actively exploited. Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2022
‘Coopetition’ a growing trend among ransomware gangs
Sophos shares data from its new X-Ops unit at Black Hat in Las Vegas, revealing a growing number of ransomware victims being attacked by multiple gangs at the same time Continue Reading
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News
04 Aug 2022
Spyware activity particularly impactful in July
After a quiet June, vulnerability exploitation ramped up in July, with intrusions linked to spyware seeing unusually high volumes of activity, according to a report Continue Reading
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News
29 Jul 2022
Austrian data firm accused of selling malware, conducting cyber attacks
Microsoft has accused DSIRF, an Austrian data services firm, of involvement in a string of cyber attacks Continue Reading
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News
29 Jul 2022
How TCS is supporting Australia’s electricity market settlement
Tata Consultancy Services worked with the Australian Energy Market Operator to build a new system that speeds up electricity market settlement Continue Reading
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News
28 Jul 2022
NCSC startups scheme turns focus to operational technology, SME security
NCSC for Startups initiative turns its focus to supporting innovation around securing operational technology and addressing the challenges facing small businesses Continue Reading
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News
28 Jul 2022
Cyber criminals pivot away from macros as Microsoft changes bite
As Microsoft resumes blocking macros by default in its Office application suite, reversing a temporary reversal, analysis from Proofpoint suggests the action has had a remarkable effect Continue Reading
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News
28 Jul 2022
Teams in Grenoble work on 6G breakthrough technology
Even as 5G networks are being rolled out, new requirements are driving scientists, and engineers in Europe are back to the lab to start developing 6G Continue Reading
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News
27 Jul 2022
Consumers left out of pocket as security costs soar
As the average cost of a security incident reaches an all-time high of nearly $4.5m, an IBM Security study reveals how these costs are being passed on to ordinary people Continue Reading
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News
27 Jul 2022
Cyber security training ‘boring’ and largely ignored
Two-thirds of employees don’t bother to pay attention to cyber security training – and the fault does not lie with them Continue Reading
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Opinion
27 Jul 2022
Security Think Tank: Don’t rely on insurance alone
Cyber insurance is a useful addition to the cyber protection toolbox. However, it cannot be regarded as a replacement for the controls that should be in operation, says Turnkey Consulting’s Tom Venables Continue Reading
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News
26 Jul 2022
No More Ransom initiative helps 1.5 million people in six years
One and a half million people have now taken advantage of free ransomware decryption tools offered by a joint European project Continue Reading
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News
26 Jul 2022
Ducktail infostealer targets Facebook Business users
Newly uncovered Ducktail operation targets individuals with access to Facebook Business service and tries to steal their accounts Continue Reading
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News
25 Jul 2022
Latest Atlassian Confluence vulnerability raises concerns
CVE-2022-26138 is the second major vulnerability disclosure made for Atlassian’s Confluence collaboration platform in recent months Continue Reading
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News
22 Jul 2022
Russia could become the world’s largest market for illegal IT
Russia could become the biggest market for illegal IT equipment as companies try to get round sanctions imposed on the country Continue Reading
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News
21 Jul 2022
Buy ‘plug-n-play’ malware for the price of a pint of beer
Three-quarters of malwares and almost 90% of exploits retail on the dark web for about £8.40 or less, according to a report Continue Reading
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News
21 Jul 2022
SSEN partners with Icebreaker One to break energy data silos
Better access to, and sharing of, energy data will help direct the installation of new electric vehicle charging points, as well as help network operators to better understand the electricity grid’s capacity for the introduction of more renewables Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2022
(ISC)² expands entry-level cyber programme after UK success
Flush with success from a UK certification programme, reaching 100k in the UK, (ISC)² now wants to provide free security certification to a million people worldwide Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2022
Cato aims to bust cyber myths as it extends network protections
Cato Networks is beefing up its platform’s security features with ransomware and data loss protections, and the firm’s security strategy lead Etay Maor is using the occasion – and his unique access to billions of data points from the firm’s network – to explode some cyber myths Continue Reading
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News
19 Jul 2022
European IT services see bumper quarter, but signs of slowing emerge
Spending on IT and BPO services in Europe saw significant growth in the past quarter, but there are signs of a slowdown Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2022
US cyber agency CISA to open London office
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has chosen London to host its first office outside America Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2022
Dutch multinational hires HCL for digital transformation
Netherlands-based DSM is moving to a single-supplier IT services model for its digital transformation Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2022
Log4Shell on its way to becoming ‘endemic’
US government report concludes that, like Covid, Log4Shell will be with us for a long time to come Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2022
Global IT services market shows signs of slowing
Spending on IT and business process services could be set to reduce over the coming months as the latest ISG figures show early signs of decline Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2022
ICO wants to ‘empower people through information’
Information Commissioner’s Office sets out commitment to safeguard the information rights of the most vulnerable people in UK society Continue Reading
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News
13 Jul 2022
Slippery phish wriggles around MFA protections, says Microsoft
Microsoft’s threat researchers share details of a phishing campaign that hit 10,000 organisations, against which standard multifactor authentication provides little defence Continue Reading
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News
13 Jul 2022
July Patch Tuesday brings more than 80 fixes, one zero-day
While some admins can put their feet up and let Windows Autopatch do the hard work of updating their Microsoft estates, for the rest of us, the Patch Tuesday bandwagon keeps on keeping on Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2022
MaliBot Android malware spreading fast, says Check Point
The MaliBot malware is becoming a persistent and widespread problem, and Android users should be on their guard, says Check Point Continue Reading