IT for government and public sector
-
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
-
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
-
News
19 Jan 2024
Neighbouring Kent councils hit by simultaneous cyber attacks
Canterbury, Dover and Thanet Councils in Kent have all been struck by simultaneous cyber attacks knocking systems offline, with indications of a link between all three Continue Reading
-
News
19 Jan 2024
Cabinet Office publishes 10-point generative AI guidance
Cabinet Office’s framework, which will evolve as the technology moves forward, sets out 10 principles for the government's use of generative AI systems Continue Reading
-
News
19 Jan 2024
Fujitsu boss describes Post Office behaviour as 'shameful and appalling'
The UK head of Fujitsu said he does not know why the Post Office did not reveal information about Horizon software errors to defendants during prosecutions Continue Reading
-
News
18 Jan 2024
Anger sparked by TV drama forces Fujitsu to put public sector contract bidding on hold
It is not just the UK government that has been forced to act quickly amid public anger, as a wounded Fujitsu stalls government contract bidding Continue Reading
-
News
18 Jan 2024
PSTN switch-off threatens access to adult social care services
The Public Switched Telephone Network switch-off is threatening vulnerable Londoners access to adult social care and other vital services, as councils are left to manage the cost without financial support from the centre, says London chief digital officer Theo Blackwell Continue Reading
-
News
18 Jan 2024
More than 900 subpostmaster convictions wouldn’t have happened without Post Office-backed law change
IT expert says it cannot be the case that computer evidence is treated as accurate in court, without investigation into surrounding circumstances Continue Reading
-
Opinion
18 Jan 2024
AI will create a thousand Post Office scandals
Critical computing expert Dan McQuillan weighs in on the proliferation of artificial intelligence throughout the public sector and the potential this opens up for a slew of new IT scandals Continue Reading
-
News
18 Jan 2024
Tech firms: Investigatory Powers review will undermine privacy of UK citizens
Trade group TechUK argues in a briefing sent to the Home Office that proposed amendments to the Investigatory Powers Bill could have a far-reaching impact on privacy and security Continue Reading
-
News
17 Jan 2024
NCSC invites security pros to join the big leagues
The NCSC is inviting security pros from across the UK to sign up to work with its experts on an intelligence-sharing initiative Continue Reading
-
Feature
17 Jan 2024
Biometric revolution in IAM: The future of authentication
The IAM landscape is experiencing profound change thanks to the advent of biometrics. Learn about the latest advantages and key benefits of biometrics in identity Continue Reading
-
News
17 Jan 2024
Victims of 2023 Capita data breaches head to High Court
More than 5,000 people impacted by data breaches arising from two cyber incidents affecting outsourcer Capita have joined a group action lawsuit Continue Reading
-
News
17 Jan 2024
Michelle Donelan aims high on tech innovation growth
The science, innovation and technology secretary wants the UK to match US VC investment as a proportion of GDP Continue Reading
-
Opinion
17 Jan 2024
Paula Vennells fails to practice what she preaches in Post Office scandal
Reverend Richard Coles tells Computer Weekly how a recent ITV drama ‘moved and enraged’ a public that had missed the unfolding of the biggest miscarriage of justice in modern history, in front of their noses Continue Reading
-
News
16 Jan 2024
Fujitsu ‘morally obliged’ to contribute to subpostmaster financial redress amid ‘insane’ delays
Fujitsu has apologised for its role on the Post Office scandal and said it is ‘morally obliged’ to contribute to the financial redress of victims Continue Reading
-
News
16 Jan 2024
Republic of Ireland publishes progress update on digital strategy
Update reveals 2.3 million people in Ireland now have MyGovID accounts, and the Irish government plans to launch a new digital portal for businesses, as well as establishing an AI advisory council imminently Continue Reading
-
News
16 Jan 2024
NAO head calls for clean data and modern government IT
Better IT procurement, better IT systems and better data are among the recommendations Gareth Davies is giving to Parliament Continue Reading
-
Opinion
16 Jan 2024
The human toll of ransomware: how IT pros suffer during incidents
Any ransomware attack causes significant challenges for a business or organisation going through such incident. But ransomware attacks also have tremendous impact on the staff – especially IT teams – working on mitigating the attack’s effect Continue Reading
-
News
15 Jan 2024
British Library catalogues back online after ransomware attack
The British Library has restored online access to its main catalogue of nearly 40 million items on a limited basis as it continues the long and arduous process of recovering from a ransomware attack Continue Reading
-
News
15 Jan 2024
AI likely to worsen economic inequality, says IMF
While artificial intelligence will replace some jobs and complement others, the International Monetary Fund says that, in most of the scenarios it envisages, the technology will likely deepen macro-economic inequalities Continue Reading
-
Feature
15 Jan 2024
British Library cyber attack explained: What you need to know
In this essential guide, Computer Weekly investigates the cyber attack on the British Library that has rendered IT systems inoperable and caused service disruption to thousands of users Continue Reading
-
News
15 Jan 2024
Russia hacked ex-MI6 chief’s emails – what they reveal is more Dad’s Army than deep state
A Russian hacking group that published emails of ex-MI6 chief Richard Dearlove claimed to have uncovered a conspiracy, but it was more Dad’s Army than the ‘deep state’, Computer Weekly and Byline Times reveal Continue Reading
-
News
15 Jan 2024
How legal disclosure failures disrupted the Post Office Horizon inquiry
From overly narrow search terms, overzealous deduplication of documents and failed email migrations, poor management of legal discovery has delayed justice for postmasters in the Horizon inquiry Continue Reading
-
News
15 Jan 2024
IT failure caused weekend chaos at Sussex hospitals
The critical incident at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, caused by IT issues on Sunday night, has now been resolved Continue Reading
-
News
15 Jan 2024
NCA director sacked after WhatsApp and email security breaches
Nikki Holland, former director of investigations at the NCA, was sacked for “misconduct” after sending sensitive NCA information over personal email and WhatsApp Continue Reading
-
Opinion
15 Jan 2024
How the UK is supporting the Ukraine tech community
The launch of a TechBridge between UK and Ukraine allow IT experts from each country to collaborate and share experiences Continue Reading
-
Blog Post
13 Jan 2024
The Post Office Horizon buck stops where?
The cover up began to conceal the impossibility of delivering what was agreed with Number 10 in December 1998 ... but ... who was responsible and was the added encouragement of unethical conduct ... Continue Reading
-
News
12 Jan 2024
Post Office scandal inquiry hits mainstream after dramatic start to year
Long-running statutory public inquiry restarts with hugely increased interest following ITV’s dramatisation of the two decades-long scandal Continue Reading
-
News
12 Jan 2024
UK government seeks public views on impacts of AI-generated porn
The government’s Pornography Review will look in part at the use of AI throughout the industry to generate sexually explicit content without people’s consent Continue Reading
-
News
11 Jan 2024
MHRA launches roadmap for medtech regulations
The roadmap covers plans for regulations on medical technologies, including implantable devices, artificial intelligence and healthcare software, with core elements of a new framework to be in place by 2025 Continue Reading
-
News
11 Jan 2024
Cisco fixes high-impact flaw in unified comms platform
Cisco unified comms customers are urged to patch a critical vulnerability in Unity Connection, a messaging and voicemail product Continue Reading
-
Opinion
11 Jan 2024
Redefining the cyber domain to tackle the challenges of tomorrow
Emerging technologies have brought about a new age of cyber – and we need a 360-degree collaborative approach more than ever to succeed Continue Reading
-
News
10 Jan 2024
Hundreds of subpostmasters to have convictions quashed in blanket exoneration
The government has chosen to introduce legislation that will enable it to exonerate hundreds of subpostmasters as a group Continue Reading
-
News
10 Jan 2024
Windows Kerberos, Hyper-V vulns among January Patch Tuesday bugs
Microsoft starts 2024 right with another slimline Patch Tuesday drop, but there are some critical vulns to be alert to, including a number of man-in-the-middle attack vectors Continue Reading
-
News
10 Jan 2024
Scotland ‘sleepwalking’ to mass surveillance with DPDI Bill
The independent checks and balances over biometrics and biometric-enabled surveillance must be strengthened to prevent Scotland from sliding into a surveillance state along with the rest of the UK Continue Reading
-
News
09 Jan 2024
Babuk Tortilla ransomware decryptor made available
A joint effort between Cisco Talos, Avast and the Dutch police will bring relief to many victims of a variant of the Babuk ransomware known as Tortilla Continue Reading
-
News
09 Jan 2024
Study reveals cyber risks to US elections
With the 2024 US presidential election cycle beginning, a study produced by Arctic Wolf has highlighted big gaps in preparedness and resourcing at government bodies across the US Continue Reading
-
News
09 Jan 2024
Former Post Office CEO hands back CBE amid public backlash
Former Post Office CEO hands back her CBE after public backlash following dramatisation of her role in Post Office Horizon scandal Continue Reading
-
News
09 Jan 2024
‘Hero’ subpostmaster accuses government of diversion tactics through ‘weaselly’ statistics
Campaigning subpostmaster calls out government’s use of ‘weaselly’ statistics to hide its slow progress Continue Reading
-
News
09 Jan 2024
Fujitsu gets stay of execution as MPs support exoneration of wrongfully convicted subpostmasters
Fujitsu will have to wait until the end of the Post Office Horizon scandal public inquiry to hear how MPs will punish it Continue Reading
-
Opinion
09 Jan 2024
Trauma and fear means victims of the Post Office scandal are suffering in silence
Just like victims of child abuse, it is likely that issues of trauma, fear, feelings of shame and a complete loss of trust in authority are some of the powerful inhibitors preventing victims of the Post Office scandal from coming forward Continue Reading
-
News
08 Jan 2024
Government to push NHS roll-out of digital pathology
Department for Health and Social Care wants to increase use of digital pathology in cancer screening, following a recommendation by the UK National Screening Committee Continue Reading
-
News
08 Jan 2024
British Library ransomware attack could cost up to £7m
The cost of recovering the British Library’s ransomware-stricken IT systems could be up to £7m, it has emerged Continue Reading
-
News
08 Jan 2024
Post Office scandal furore is moment to change digital evidence rules
The current rules around digital evidence are partly to blame for the widest miscarriage of justice in UK history Continue Reading
-
News
08 Jan 2024
Inside the Met Police’s investigation into EncroChat crime gangs
The Met’s senior investigating officer responsible for investigating criminals using the EncroChat encrypted phone network tells the inside story of the UK’s biggest organised crime bust in a BBC podcast series released this week Continue Reading
-
News
07 Jan 2024
Metropolitan Police launches second criminal investigation in Post Office scandal
New investigation will examine potential crimes by the Post Office in its recovery of money from subpostmasters accused of theft and false accounting Continue Reading
-
News
05 Jan 2024
Information Commissioner questions DWP plan to monitor bank accounts of benefit claimants
The Information Commissioner has warned that legislation to give new powers to the Department of Work and Pensions to check bank accounts of benefit claimants for indications of fraud lacks appropriate safeguards Continue Reading
-
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
-
News
02 Jan 2024
China’s UNC4841 pivots to new Barracuda ESG zero-day
The Chinese state threat actor behind a series of cyber attacks on Barracuda Networks customers embarked on a campaign targeting the supplier’s email security products in the run-up to Christmas Continue Reading
-
Feature
02 Jan 2024
Data: the golden thread of military defence
Information has been the lifeblood of warfare for centuries and modern data strategies are no different. From frontline fighters to logistics, manufacturing, R&D, and recruitment, data is crucial Continue Reading
-
News
29 Dec 2023
Top 10 investigations and national security stories of 2023
From a secret campaign by right-wing Brexit supporters against science journal Nature to Investigatory Powers Act 2016 revisions that will make it easier for police and intelligence agencies to access databases on the population, here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 investigations and national security stories of 2023 Continue Reading
-
News
29 Dec 2023
Top 10 AI regulation stories of 2023
From the UK government’s publication of its long-awaited AI whitepaper to its convening of the world’s first AI Safety Summit, here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 AI regulation stories of 2023 Continue Reading
-
Feature
28 Dec 2023
Decoding zero trust in endpoint security: A practical guide for CISOs
The exponential increase in endpoints has vastly expanded the average organisation’s attack surface – address this by applying zero-trust best practice to endpoints Continue Reading
-
News
28 Dec 2023
Top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2023
Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2023 Continue Reading
-
News
27 Dec 2023
Top 10 police technology stories of 2023
Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 police technology stories of 2023 Continue Reading
-
News
22 Dec 2023
Top 10 government IT stories of 2023
In the year that gave life to four new government departments, Whitehall bosses have continued to fly the flag for technology, with mixed results and success. Here are the stories that made waves in 2023 Continue Reading
-
News
22 Dec 2023
Top 10 Middle East stories of 2023
Middle Eastern countries are on digital journeys, with many pinning their futures on expertise in advanced technologies Continue Reading
-
News
21 Dec 2023
Immigration clampdown could worsen UK IT skills shortage
The UK government’s recent clampdown on immigration could exacerbate the IT skills shortage in the country, especially in web design and development Continue Reading
-
News
21 Dec 2023
Top 10 cyber crime stories of 2023
Ransomware gangs dominated the cyber criminal underworld in 2023, a year that will prove notable for significant evolutionary trends in their tactics Continue Reading
-
News
20 Dec 2023
Post Office gets government handout as Horizon replacement costs increase ‘significantly’
The increasing costs associated with replacing the Post Office’s controversial IT system have forced the government to hand it over £100m extra Continue Reading
-
Opinion
20 Dec 2023
Beyond the office walls: Safeguarding remote workers from attack
Remote working has enabled people to work from almost anywhere but has piled pressure on cyber pros. Three years after Covid, how are best practices evolving and what can we expect going forward? Continue Reading
-
Opinion
20 Dec 2023
Zero-trust principles: Your gateway to securing remote workers
Remote working has enabled people to work from almost anywhere but has piled pressure on cyber pros. Three years after Covid, how are best practices evolving and what can we expect going forward? Continue Reading
-
Opinion
20 Dec 2023
Evolving best practice: What next for securing remote work?
Remote working has enabled people to work from almost anywhere but has piled pressure on cyber pros. Three years after Covid, how are best practices evolving and what can we expect going forward? Continue Reading
-
News
20 Dec 2023
'No hiding place' for those responsible for Post Office Horizon scandal
MPs want individuals to be held to account for their roles in causing the Post Office Horizon scandal, which destroyed thousands of lives Continue Reading
-
News
20 Dec 2023
ALPHV/BlackCat operation down, but maybe not out
Multinational law enforcement has targeted the operations of the notorious ALPHV/BlackCat cyber extortion gang, but the group’s members appear to remain defiant Continue Reading
-
Feature
20 Dec 2023
Levelling the playing field: Could a UK cloud strategy weaken the hold of the hyperscalers?
Over time, global hyperscale has taken a majority share of the UK market. How best could the government respond to Ofcom’s review to sustain local industry while best serving customers? Continue Reading
-
News
20 Dec 2023
Top 10 NHS IT stories of 2023
In the year we said goodbye to NHS Digital, the NHS has made some serious strides in digitising the health service, but many challenges remain. We look back at the stories that made the headlines in 2023 Continue Reading
-
News
20 Dec 2023
Top 10 Benelux stories of 2023
The Benelux region is researching some of the latest digital technologies of the future with efforts to ensure the region keeps pace in quantum computing and artificial intelligence Continue Reading
-
News
20 Dec 2023
Top 10 cloud stories of 2023
Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 cloud stories of 2023 Continue Reading
-
News
19 Dec 2023
Government reveals its own slow progress in compensating Post Office scandal victims
Few of the subpostmasters who unearthed the widest miscarriage of justice in UK history have been compensated so far, four years after their court victory Continue Reading
-
Opinion
19 Dec 2023
Security Think Tank: Testing to improve remote worker security
Remote working has enabled people to work from almost anywhere but has piled pressure on cyber pros. Three years after Covid, how are best practices evolving and what can we expect going forward? Continue Reading
-
News
19 Dec 2023
Top 10 information management stories of 2023
Generative AI was inescapable as the leading theme of the information management stories of 2023 gathered here. But also selected are pieces about data and healthcare, and the inexorable rise of the CDO Continue Reading
-
Opinion
19 Dec 2023
Security Think Tank: Anytime, anywhere access is achievable
Remote working has enabled people to work from almost anywhere but has piled pressure on cyber pros. Three years after Covid, how are best practices evolving and what can we expect going forward? Continue Reading
-
Feature
18 Dec 2023
Interview: Ex-UKCloud chairman airs economic fears over growing dominance of US hyperscalers
More than a year has passed since UKCloud went into liquidation - its former chairman outlines his concerns about the economic impact of the UK cloud market floundering in the face of the US hyperscalers Continue Reading
-
News
15 Dec 2023
Police defend facial recognition target selection to Lords
Senior police officers confirm to Lords committee that facial recognition watchlist image selection is based on crime categories attached to people’s photos, rather than a context-specific assessment of the threat presented by a given individual Continue Reading
-
News
15 Dec 2023
Government advised to overturn all Post Office scandal convictions
An independent board set up to advise the government on compensation for innocent subpostmasters has recommended that all the Post Office scandal convictions are ‘unsafe’ and should be overturned Continue Reading
-
News
14 Dec 2023
NCSC CEO Lindy Cameron to step down in 2024
NCSC chief exec Lindy Cameron, who helped lead and elevate the national dialogue on cyber security through major events such as Covid-19, SolarWinds Sunburst and Colonial Pipeline, is to step down in the New Year Continue Reading
-
News
14 Dec 2023
Current Post Office executive in denial of Horizon cover-up
Executives at the Post Office today are still in denial of the part they played in destroying the lives of thousands of people Continue Reading
-
News
13 Dec 2023
No UK AI legislation until timing is right, says Donelan
The UK government will not legislate on artificial intelligence until it has a better understanding of the technology, so is instead focusing on building up regulatory capacity and conducting safety-focused research, says digital secretary Continue Reading
-
News
13 Dec 2023
Microsoft’s Christmas present for cyber teams: no zero-days
Barely 30 vulnerabilities, and no zero-days, have been fixed in the final Patch Tuesday drop of 2023 Continue Reading
-
News
13 Dec 2023
Critical UK infrastructure a ‘hostage of fortune’ to ransomware
A lack of ransomware planning and preparedness at the highest levels of government is leaving UK operators or critical national infrastructure dangerously exposed, according to a Joint Committee report Continue Reading
-
News
12 Dec 2023
MoD fined after breach of Afghan staffers’ data put lives at risk
The MoD has been fined £350,000 by the ICO after an email blunder exposed data on Afghan nationals who had worked with British forces and were at risk of Taliban reprisals Continue Reading
-
News
12 Dec 2023
Outdated data protection practice key factor in PSNI data breach
The August 2023 data breach at the Police Service of Northern Ireland arose chiefly from an outdated approach to data protection and compliance at the force, according to an independent review Continue Reading
-
News
08 Dec 2023
Former Post Office investigator called subpostmaster campaigners ‘crooks’
Former Post Office investigator labelled subpostmasters attempting to clear their names as ‘crooks’ Continue Reading
-
News
07 Dec 2023
UK names Russian FSB agents behind political hacking campaign
Russian hacking group, Star Blizzard, was part of a Russian intelligence operation aimed at interfering with UK politics and the democratic process, says government. Continue Reading
-
News
07 Dec 2023
CIO interview: Keith Woolley, chief digital information officer, University of Bristol
With Bristol set to host the UK’s biggest supercomputer, its technology chief is looking to make the most of internal and international collaboration to drive digital improvements Continue Reading
-
News
06 Dec 2023
NHS whistleblower Peter Duffy threatens trust with legal action in row over alleged email tampering
NHS whistleblower warns his former employer of potential litigation over a dispute concerning allegations of email tampering Continue Reading
-
News
06 Dec 2023
Government launches UK-wide Cyber Explorers Cup
Schoolkids across the UK are being called on to team up and defeat Herbert the Hacker in a new government-backed competition Continue Reading
-
News
06 Dec 2023
Post Office prioritised its ‘bottom line’ over justice
The Post Office was more concerned with saving money and recovering unexplained losses than getting to the bottom of subpostmaster claims that Horizon errors caused shortfalls, inquiry told Continue Reading
-
News
05 Dec 2023
Government to trial new border tech
The software, which the government hopes will make it easier for border staff to identify what is inside the container, will be tested in the New Year as part of plans to ‘cut red tape’ for UK exporters Continue Reading
-
News
05 Dec 2023
Operator of Sellafield nuclear facility denies hacking claims
The operator of the Sellafield nuclear site has denied allegations that senior managers covered up a series of cyber security lapses that enabled Chinese and Russian threat actors to compromise its networks Continue Reading
-
News
05 Dec 2023
Majority of GPs now give patients online access to records
NHS England is close to reaching its target of having nine in 10 GPs offering patients access to their primary care records online Continue Reading
-
News
05 Dec 2023
Undisclosed document could reveal pressure on Fujitsu expert witness in Post Office prosecution
Details of Post Office prosecutor’s meeting with Fujitsu IT expert witness, used in subpostmaster prosecution, not yet disclosed to public inquiry Continue Reading
-
News
04 Dec 2023
Microsoft leaves SME resellers in the dark over Cloud Compute 2 framework snub
SME IT suppliers are calling on Microsoft to explain why it has banned them from reselling its services through the government's new £1.35bn Cloud Compute 2 framework Continue Reading
-
News
01 Dec 2023
Human augmentation tech requires dual use oversight
Researchers investigating human augmentation technologies must acknowledge the potential military applications of their work, and military bodies cannot be allowed to dismiss ethical concerns in their pursuit of national security interests, says NGO Drone Wars UK Continue Reading
-
News
01 Dec 2023
Lords committee urges caution on UK use of autonomous weapons
UK government must ensure proper democratic oversight of its development and use of AI-powered weapon systems, says Lords committee Continue Reading
-
News
01 Dec 2023
The Security Interviews: Mark McClain, SailPoint Technologies
SailPoint founder and CEO Mark McClain reflects on how the concept of identity has evolved over the past 20 years, and points to rapid evolution still to come Continue Reading
-
News
01 Dec 2023
Post Office lawyer with his fingerprints all over IT scandal spreads blame
Senior Post Office criminal lawyer was just following orders and claims his only mistake was believing those that told him the Horizon system was robust Continue Reading
-
News
30 Nov 2023
Yarra Valley Water to roll out smart water meters
The move is expected to stem water losses, alert customers to possible leaks and improve the affordability of water Continue Reading
-
News
30 Nov 2023
Government’s Online Fraud Charter welcomed
The government has corralled 11 of the largest tech platforms in the world to commit to its Online Fraud Charter, designed to tackle online scams, fake adverts, and more Continue Reading
-
News
30 Nov 2023
Rhysida gang stole hundreds of gigabytes of British Library data
The Rhysida ransomware gang behind the cyber attack on the British Library has published almost 600GB of stolen data to its dark web leak site Continue Reading