IT for government and public sector
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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
20 Aug 2024
Helsinki braced for elevated cyber attacks
The City of Helsinki is increasing its collaboration with cyber security and crime investigators following a major attack on its systems Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2024
Strategic Defence Review must emphasise cyber security, says industry
Cyber security leaders say the new government's Strategic Defence Review needs to put digital security front and centre Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2024
Fujitsu analyst gave witness statements when more qualified colleagues refused
Fujitsu employee provided witness statements to courts in cases against subpostmasters despite not understanding the evidence, after qualified IT experts refused Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2024
CMA looks deeper into Microsoft’s AI hirings
Microsoft recently hired two former co-founders of AI specialist Inflection AI, and signed a deal to host the company’s AI model on Azure Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2024
Labour government begins to dish out digital responsibilities
As the new government begins to settle in, ministers with technology remits begin to emerge as DHSC and others declare which ministers will have digital responsibilities Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2024
NHS Trusts cancelled over 6,000 appointments after Qilin cyber attack
The two NHS Trusts most heavily impacted by the Qilin ransomware attack on pathology services provider Synnovis have cancelled over 6,000 appointments and procedures in the past five weeks Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2024
Schools hit with cost hike as free Microsoft licences end
The A1 Plus academic licence, which gave teachers and pupils access to the Microsoft productivity suite, stops in August Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2024
DACH education ‘ready for AI’ as parents call for next phase of innovation
A rallying cry for digital intervention in the sector across the DACH region could set the tone for a continental shift towards more dynamic and intuitive learning in the years to come Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2024
WHO launches digital health collaboration network
The World Health Organisation’s network, which includes 53 member states alongside data and digital health partners, will tackle digital transformation issues in healthcare Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2024
Civil servant said subpostmasters’ threat of legal action was ‘sabre-rattling’
Post Office scandal public inquiry hears damning evidence capping off a bad week for the reputation of high-profile civil servants Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2024
Life sciences, medtech and the NHS must marry, says health secretary
Health secretary Wes Streeting wants the UK to be an international powerhouse for life sciences and medtech, and plans to turn the Department for Health and Social Care into a ‘public growth department’ Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2024
ITER workshop highlights the role of computing technology in nuclear fusion
One of the themes from the private sector workshop run in France this May is that information technology remains a key enabler for nuclear fusion Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2024
Dutch research firm TNO pictures the SOC of the future
In only a few years, security operations centres will have a different design and layout, and far fewer will remain Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2024
Challenges of deploying AI to run public services more efficiently
A report from an organisation headed by former prime minister Tony Blair has set an AI challenge for the Labour government Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2024
GDS appoints Christine Bellamy as CEO
The former head of Gov.uk has taken over as CEO of the Government Digital Service following the departure of Tom Read in June Continue Reading
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News
10 Jul 2024
Civil servant was lone voice on Post Office board to query legal plan that blew taxpayers' cash
Government representative felt he was 'in a minority of one' on the Post Office board of directors in questioning the handling of a High Court battle with subpostmasters that cost £100m Continue Reading
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Opinion
10 Jul 2024
Week one of a new government and it’s time to talk tech
The new UK government is already making changes around technology delivery and its legislative agenda needs to focus on some important digital priorities, says Lord Chris Holmes Continue Reading
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News
09 Jul 2024
Hyper-V zero-day stands out on a busy Patch Tuesday
Microsoft has fixed almost 140 vulnerabilities in its latest monthly update, with a Hyper-V zero-day singled out for urgent attention Continue Reading
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News
09 Jul 2024
Chinese spies target vulnerable home office kit to run cyber attacks
China’s APT40 is ramping up targeting of victims using vulnerable small and home office networking kit as command and control infrastructure, according to an international alert Continue Reading
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News
09 Jul 2024
Government left monitoring of Post Office to ‘luck’
If the Post Office board failed to spot bad faith within its management, it would be down to ‘luck’ for the government to find out Continue Reading
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News
09 Jul 2024
Lessons from war: How Israel is fighting Iranian state-backed hacking
The general director of the Israel National Cyber Directorate talks about the rise in cyber attacks and what lessons the country has gleaned to defend against hacking from foreign parties Continue Reading
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News
09 Jul 2024
Room to grow in UK for Tata Consultancy Services after half a century
Indian-headquartered IT giant has built a large UK footprint as part of its global network, a commitment which is helping it increase its business in the UK’s public sector Continue Reading
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Opinion
09 Jul 2024
Welcome minister, the next Horizon scandal is here in your department
Ministers in the new UK government should take prompt action to ensure that incorrect use of AI and algorithmic decision-making does not turn into the next Post Office Horizon scandal Continue Reading
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Opinion
09 Jul 2024
Automating public services - a careful approach
Automation is increasingly integrated into public services, promising enhanced efficiency, cost savings, and improved service quality Continue Reading
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News
09 Jul 2024
Revamped DSIT to transform digital public services, says government
The incoming government sets out preliminary plans to conduct a major revamp and relaunch of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Continue Reading
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E-Zine
09 Jul 2024
How data drives decisions at BAE Systems
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the chief data officer of one of the UK’s biggest manufacturers, BAE Systems, about data strategy and diversity. Microsoft’s claims over sovereign cloud for government IT are under scrutiny – we examine the issues. And our latest buyer’s guide looks at trends in cloud databases. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
08 Jul 2024
Synnovis attack highlights degraded, outdated state of NHS IT
More cyber attacks against the health service are likely, and will succeed if something isn’t done to address the increasingly elderly NHS IT estate, experts are warning Continue Reading
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News
08 Jul 2024
Sir Alan Bates welcomes MP’s elevation to House of Lords
Former Labour MP has moved to the House of Lords where he will continue campaigning for justice for victims of the Horizon scandal Continue Reading
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Blog Post
08 Jul 2024
Dear Prime Minister Starmer, here's how technology can help you transform the UK for the better
Dear Prime Minister Starmer, Look, I know you have a horrendous in-tray to work through in your new job. The previous incumbent(s) made quite a mess of things. But you – like your predecessors – ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
05 Jul 2024
New government, new approach to IT?
There is a long shopping list of policies the incoming government needs to execute to drive the UK forward over the next five years. And while it may not seem like a high priority, getting the IT ... Continue Reading
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News
04 Jul 2024
UK data regulator should investigate police cloud deployments
The Scottish biometrics commissioner has called for the UK Information Commissioner’s Office to formally investigate whether Police Scotland’s cloud-based evidence sharing system is fully compliant with data protection laws Continue Reading
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Opinion
04 Jul 2024
Safeguarding democracy from cyber threat peril
There has been an increase in disturbing activity emerging on the dark web involving the sale of public sector assets, including election data Continue Reading
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News
03 Jul 2024
NCA’s Operation Morpheus targets illicit Cobalt Strike use
International law enforcement operation targets cyber criminals using the Cobalt Strike penetration testing framework for dodgy purposes Continue Reading
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News
03 Jul 2024
Former Post Office chair 'regrets' keeping critical Horizon report secret
Tim Parker, chairman of the Post Office from 2015 to 2022, admits he should not have accepted legal advice to prevent release of a review that could have supported victims of the Horizon scandal Continue Reading
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News
03 Jul 2024
UK must push forward greater use of open tech
OpenUK is calling on policymakers to put more effort into building the UK’s open source capabilities Continue Reading
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News
03 Jul 2024
Police Digital Service employees arrested on suspicion of fraud, bribery and misconduct
The Police Digital Service has confirmed an internal review of its processes will be undertaken in the wake of staff arrests Continue Reading
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News
03 Jul 2024
Tech leaders recognised for social, cultural and economic innovations
TechUK President's Awards highlight the contribution of the IT community to improving society through digital innovation Continue Reading
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Opinion
02 Jul 2024
Security Think Tank: Securing today's ubiquitous cloud environment
The Computer Weekly Security Think Tank considers how CISOs and security practitioners should ensure that the business can make use of public cloud services safely and securely and avoid accidental or deliberate data leakage Continue Reading
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News
01 Jul 2024
Diana project provides Nato tech dividend to Finland
Finnish tech sector to receive a boost following the country’s decision to join Nato Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2024
Former Fujitsu engineer says Post Office ‘trapped’ him into giving incomplete evidence
Gareth Jenkins turned his fire on the Post Office on the final day of his marathon evidence session at the Post Office public inquiry Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2024
UKtech50 winner interview: Alan Bates, Post Office Horizon scandal campaigner
UKtech50 winner Alan Bates talks to Computer Weekly about why the Post Office needs to be modernised, how to deploy an IT system the right way and his plans to write a book Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2024
UKtech50 2024: The most influential people in UK technology
Computer Weekly has announced the 14th annual UKtech50 – our definitive list of the movers and shakers in the UK tech sector Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2024
IT giant Atos faces collapse if restructuring talks fail
French IT giant Atos is facing financial problems that could affect the ability of its UK arm to deliver key government contracts, including those related to NHS records in hospitals Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2024
Wales partners with OpenAI to improve Welsh language tech
The Welsh government’s data partnership with the company behind ChatGPT aims to improve how artificial intelligence technologies work in the Welsh language Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2024
Experts shocked by ‘extraordinary’ claim made by Post Office IT expert witness
A former Fujitsu engineer made an ‘unbelievable’ claim about evidence he gave in witness statements when acting as an expert witness during Post Office prosecutions of subpostmasters Continue Reading
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News
26 Jun 2024
Ignorance of ‘legal niceties’ from Post Office expert IT witness saw innocent people jailed
IT expert used by Post Office to give evidence supporting prosecutions of subpostmasters did not understand legal duties he was bound to Continue Reading
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News
26 Jun 2024
Police Scotland did not consult ICO about high-risk cloud system
Police Scotland chose not to formally consult with the data regulator about the risks identified with a cloud-based digital evidence sharing system, while the regulator itself did not follow up for nearly three months Continue Reading
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News
25 Jun 2024
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange freed from prison
A deal reached with US authorities will end the WikiLeaks founder’s years-long legal saga, setting him free if he pleads guilty to a criminal conspiracy charge Continue Reading
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Opinion
25 Jun 2024
The Post Office Offences Bill leaves much unresolved
The passing of a law to exonerate most of the victims of the Post Office scandal was undoubtedly good news - but the next government must address the anomaly that left thirteen people outside its remit Continue Reading
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News
25 Jun 2024
Numbers prove former subpostmaster federation boss’s ignorance over Post Office scandal
George Thomson is ignoring the numbers when he downplays subpostmaster prosecutions based on Horizon data Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2024
Sellafield pleads guilty to criminal charges over cyber security
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority-backed organisation Sellafield Ltd pleads guilty to criminal charges brought over significant cyber security failings that could have compromised sensitive nuclear information Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2024
Buckinghamshire Council drives efficiencies with Microsoft Copilot
With local government facing a funding crisis, Buckinghamshire Council hopes artificial intelligence can boost efficiency and reduce outgoings Continue Reading
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Opinion
24 Jun 2024
AI and outsourcing: What’s the future for relationships and contracts? (Part two)
In the second part of this two-part series, two technology lawyers offer guidance on what the integration of artificial intelligence in IT outsourcing and business process outsourcing will mean for customers and providers in outsourcing relationships and contracts Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2024
Metropolitan Police could investigate one of its own staff in Post Office probe
Former Post Office investigator deleted references to software errors in a witness statement from Fujitsu’s Gareth Jenkins during the wrongful prosecution of a subpostmaster Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2024
Sellafield whistleblower ordered to pay costs after email tampering claims
A former consultant at Sellafield has been ordered to pay costs for having ‘acted unreasonably’ in claiming the nuclear facility tampered with metadata in letters used against her in court Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2024
Qilin ransomware gang publishes stolen NHS data online
The ransomware gang behind a major cyber attack on NHS supplier Synnovis has published a 400GB trove of private healthcare data online Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2024
ICO police cloud guidance released under FOI
Long-awaited guidance from the UK data regulator on police cloud deployments highlights some potential data transfer mechanisms it thinks can clear up ongoing legal issues, but tells forces it’s up to them to decide if the measures would work Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2024
Sir Alan Bates hits out at Post Office ‘incompetence’ after data breach
Victims of the scandal react with anger at news the Post Office published a document containing their names and addresses on its website Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2024
Post Office and Fujitsu had tense relationship, but were joined at hip when protecting their brands
Problems in the roll-out of Horizon Online in 2010 created a tense relationship between the Post Office and Fujitsu Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2024
Post Office Horizon system investigators were blocked and threatened as they witnessed cover-up
Independent investigators who put Post Office and its Horizon system under spotlight faced aggression as they witnessed cover-up Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2024
Microsoft admits no guarantee of sovereignty for UK policing data
Documents show Microsoft’s lawyers admitted to Scottish policing bodies that the company cannot guarantee sensitive law enforcement data will remain in the UK, despite long-standing public claims to the contrary Continue Reading
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News
18 Jun 2024
General election 2024: The Green Party promises Digital Bill of Rights
The Green Party manifesto contains several tech nuggets, including a bill to ensure independent regulation of social media platforms, increase R&D investment and a cautious regulatory approach to AI pledges Continue Reading
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Opinion
18 Jun 2024
Digital transformation - the missing government mission?
Not for the first time, an incoming government has an enormous opportunity to improve public services through digital transformation - but whoever wins the general election will need to learn the lessons of the past Continue Reading
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Opinion
18 Jun 2024
We need a judge-led inquiry into police spying on journalists and lawyers
When journalists Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney were wrongly arrested in 2018, their case led to the discovery of a widespread police surveillance operation targeting journalists and lawyers in Northern Ireland. Barry McCaffrey tells the story Continue Reading
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E-Zine
18 Jun 2024
General election 2024 – the digital policies examined
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the digital policies revealed in the three main political parties’ general election manifestos. Our new buyer’s guide looks at the latest trends in cloud security. And we find out about the EU’s plans for a digital single market that could span the globe. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Opinion
17 Jun 2024
Cloud security: Finding the right provider to protect your data
This month, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank considers how CISOs and security practitioners should ensure that the business can make use of public cloud services safely and securely and avoid accidental or deliberate data leakage. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Jun 2024
Autonomous weapons systems defy rigid attempts at arms control
In an ever more dangerous world, the technology is outpacing diplomacy and holds clear strategic value. Retaining human control over its use will require embracing imperfect solutions Continue Reading
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News
17 Jun 2024
Once ridiculed Post Office scandal campaigner Alan Bates receives knighthood
Campaigner for justice, once labelled a ‘nutter’ and a ‘thief’, knighted for his work to expose the Post Office scandal Continue Reading
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16 Jun 2024
General election 2024: Digital promises from the main parties
Having pored over 333 pages of election manifestos, we round up the technology-focused proposals of the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
14 Jun 2024
General election 2024: Digital threads run through all parties' manifesto commitments
We’re not yet at the stage where a general election manifesto contains an entire section on digital economy issues, alongside the expected priorities of health, education, defence, housing and so ... Continue Reading
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News
14 Jun 2024
Post Office scandal victims in Scotland have convictions quashed
Scotland follows England, Wales and Northern Ireland in exonerating wrongfully convicted subpostmasters en masse Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2024
General election 2024: Labour promises to boost digital infrastructure
The Labour Party manifesto for the UK general election promises a new industrial strategy and an overhaul of planning rules to help support the digital and tech sector Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2024
AI’s environmental cost could outweigh sustainability benefits
Artificial intelligence can help organisations manage and mitigate their environmental impacts in a number of ways, but the highly polluting nature of the technology could outweigh its other sustainability benefits if not dealt with Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2024
Black Basta ransomware crew may be exploiting Microsoft zero-day
A Microsoft vulnerability that was addressed without fanfare in March may in fact have been exploited as a zero-day by the notorious Black Basta ransomware gang, threat hunters warn Continue Reading
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Opinion
13 Jun 2024
Data leakage in the cloud – can data truly be safe in the cloud?
This month, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank considers how CISOs and security practitioners should ensure that the business can make use of public cloud services safely and securely and avoid accidental or deliberate data leakage. Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2024
Q&A: Adalbjorn Thorolfsson on IT project management in Iceland
With a small, but very sophisticated population, Iceland has unique ways of keeping up with the rest of the world in the IT sector. Adalbjorn Thorolfsson, president of the Icelandic Project Management Association, describes some lessons for the rest of the world Continue Reading
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Opinion
12 Jun 2024
How to ensure public cloud services are used safely and securely
This month, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank considers how CISOs and security practitioners should ensure that the business can make use of public cloud services safely and securely and avoid accidental or deliberate data leakage. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2024
IT witness was hidden away from Post Office court battle, but supported it from shadows
Former Fujitsu chief architect provided evidence support to Post Office witnesses in High Court battle despite being unfit to provide it directly Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Jun 2024
True cloud security requires in-depth understanding
This month, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank considers how CISOs and security practitioners should ensure that the business can make use of public cloud services safely and securely and avoid accidental or deliberate data leakage. Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2024
Pure Storage hit by Snowflake credential hackers
Pure Storage emerges as the latest victim of a fast-spreading breach of Snowflake customers targeting users with lax credential security measures in place Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2024
General election 2024: Conservative manifesto promises to continue tech policies
The Conservative Party manifesto contains little by way of new commitments for tech and digital, but lays out plans to continue existing policies and promises made under the last government Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2024
More than 160 Snowflake customers hit in targeted data theft spree
Mandiant reports that more than 160 Snowflake customers have been hit in a broad data theft and extortion campaign targeting organisations that have failed to pay proper attention to securing valuable credentials Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2024
Nuclear waste body cuts energy use by 20% as Pure replaces HPE
French nuclear waste agency Andra has cut storage energy use by 20% and strengthened its disaster recovery capabilities by deploying Pure Storage and 10-year controller upgrades Continue Reading
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News
10 Jun 2024
General election 2024: Liberal Democrats thread digital commitments throughout manifesto
The Lib Dems have promised a new industrial strategy and emphasised the importance of the digital sector, skills and regulating AI, as they lay out plans for the UK general election Continue Reading
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News
10 Jun 2024
NHS blood stocks running low after ransomware attack
The NHS is appealing for people with O Positive and O Negative blood types to come forward to donate as hospitals in London struggle to keep critical services running after ransomware attack Continue Reading
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News
10 Jun 2024
AI firms can’t be trusted to voluntarily share risk information
Workers at frontier AI firms have warned that their employers – including OpenAI, DeepMind and Anthropic – can’t be trusted to voluntarily share information about their systems capabilities and risks with governments or civil society Continue Reading
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News
10 Jun 2024
Post Office Capture software training deficit echoes systemic Horizon problems
Post Office branch managers have told Computer Weekly they had no training on how to use Capture software, which pre-dated Horizon Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2024
Northern Irish police used covert powers to monitor over 300 journalists
PSNI publishes report on police surveillance of journalists and lawyers, but Northern Ireland’s Policing Board says it does not give the assurances needed Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2024
DDoS gang threatens to disrupt European elections
Russian hacktivists are threatening to disrupt the European Parliament elections, while the BBC reports on new deepfake threats to the UK’s electoral process Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2024
Bitdefender makes MDR services free to NHS bodies hit by Qilin
Bitdefender offers NHS bodies affected by a major cyber incident free access to its product suite, as the health service continues to deal with the impact of the Qilin ransomware attack on partner Synnovis Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2024
Fujitsu had Post Office ‘over a barrel’, inquiry told
Post Office scandal inquiry hears how board member believed Fujitsu was exploiting the Post Office Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2024
Mystery Post Office software developer revealed in 1995 Horizon project document
Capture software was used by about 2,000 subpostmasters in the 1990s, with allegations that errors in the software caused account shortfalls Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2024
Post Office chair was aware of Horizon concerns from day one but failed to act
Almost immediately after joining the Post Office, Alice Perkins was told about software problems and was concerned about an imbalance of power in the Post Office’s relationship with Fujitsu Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2024
Qilin ransomware gang likely behind crippling NHS attack
Security experts investigating a major cyber attack on an NHS partner that has caused frontline services across South London to grind to a halt say the Qilin ransomware gang appears to be the culprit Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2024
Subpostmasters consider legal action against government in pursuit of financial redress
Campaigner says former subpostmasters may have to resort to legal action in pursuit of the money they are owed Continue Reading
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Opinion
04 Jun 2024
Security Think Tank: The cloud just got more complicated
This month, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank considers how CISOs and security practitioners should ensure that the business can make use of public cloud services safely and securely and avoid accidental or deliberate data leakage. Continue Reading
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News
04 Jun 2024
NHS services at major London hospitals disrupted by cyber attack
A major cyber attack at NHS services provider Synnovis is disrupting frontline care at hospitals across London Continue Reading
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News
04 Jun 2024
Russia used fake AI Tom Cruise in Olympic disinformation campaign
Microsoft threat researchers report a surge in Russian disinformation campaigns targeting the 2024 Summer Olympics, including AI-enhanced propaganda Continue Reading
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News
04 Jun 2024
Post Office bosses misled subpostmasters a day before IT project problems were exposed
Subpostmasters were reassured by Post Office executives that the Horizon replacement project was satisfactory the day before Computer Weekly reported news to the contrary Continue Reading
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News
03 Jun 2024
Police chief commissions ‘independent review’ of surveillance against journalists and lawyers
PNSI chief constable appoints lawyer to conduct review into police phone surveillance of journalists, lawyers and NGOs Continue Reading
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News
03 Jun 2024
97 FTSE 100 firms exposed to supply chain breaches
Between March 2023 and March 2024, 97 out of 100 companies on the UK’s FTSE 100 list were put at risk of compromise following supply chain breaches at third-party suppliers Continue Reading