IT for government and public sector
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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
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
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News
03 Jun 2024
AI Seoul Summit review
Dozens of governments and tech companies attending the second global AI Safety Summit have committed themselves to the safe and inclusive development of the technology, but questions remain around whether the commitments made go far enough Continue Reading
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News
03 Jun 2024
Uktech50 2024: The longlist of the UK’s influential tech leaders
UKtech50 received a record-breaking 434 nominations for the 2024 list. Unfortunately, there wasn’t space for everyone in the top 50, and as you can see for yourself in this year’s longlist, it was a difficult decision for the judges Continue Reading
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News
03 Jun 2024
How poor IT project management failed Birmingham Oracle implementation
Birmingham City Council’s Oracle system – the biggest of its kind in Europe – went live in April 2022, resulting in a catastrophic IT failure. We investigate Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 Jun 2024
Proposed AI Bill scuppered by general election – so what comes next?
Lord Chris Holmes explains why he intends to bring his Private Member's Bill on AI back to Parliament once the new government is in place Continue Reading
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News
03 Jun 2024
Sellafield local authority slammed over response to North Korean ransomware attack
The local authority for Europe’s biggest nuclear site has been slammed by auditors for its response to a North Korea-linked cyber attack that temporarily crippled its operations Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 Jun 2024
Post Office scandal: What is a systemic error?
For those following the Post Office Horizon scandal public inquiry, confused about what makes a computer error systemic, IT expert James Christie explains Continue Reading
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News
31 May 2024
Fujitsu set for further £180m deal as Post Office Horizon replacement delayed
Problems with the Post Office project to replace its controversial Horizon IT system mean Fujitsu is set to receive up to £180m more in taxpayers' cash to support the system for another five years Continue Reading
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News
30 May 2024
Post Office Horizon replacement project labelled 'unachievable' as taxpayer bill reaches £1bn
The project to replace the Horizon IT system in Post Office branches is late, over budget and lacking quality – and government auditors sent in to assess a request for £1bn funding say it is currently unachievable Continue Reading
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News
29 May 2024
Storebrand divests from IBM over supply of biometrics to Israel
Norwegian asset manager Storebrand’s decision to divest from IBM comes amid growing scrutiny of the role technology companies play in Israel’s human rights abuses Continue Reading
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News
29 May 2024
Organisations value digital trust, but aren’t working at it
Three quarters of organisations believe digital trust is relevant to their businesses, yet clear gaps in strategies still seem to persist Continue Reading
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News
29 May 2024
Next UK government must be prepared to legislate on AI, say MPs
The House Science, Innovation and Technology Committee says the next government should be ready to legislate on artificial intelligence to plug any regulatory gaps Continue Reading
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News
29 May 2024
Interview: EU data chief Ulrich Ahle on obstacles to Europe’s digital single market
EU data scheme Gaia-X is trying to plug the UK into Europe’s planned digital single market as opposition mounts to efforts to extend the reach of Europe’s vast and controversial data laws over global supply chains Continue Reading
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News
28 May 2024
Executive Interview: Why Dell wants to be your one-stop AI shop
At Dell Technologies World in Las Vegas, artificial intelligence was the talk of the town as Dell staked out an all-encompassing strategy ahead of an anticipated goldrush. Dell’s Nick Brackney explains why the tech giant believes it's onto a winner Continue Reading
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News
28 May 2024
Government appoints investigators to analyse Post Office Capture software used before Horizon
PC-based accounting software used by subpostmasters in the 1990s will be investigated by forensic specialist Kroll after reports that Post Office workers may have been wrongly prosecuted in the years before Horizon Continue Reading
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News
28 May 2024
Post Office scandal: Met Police investigation set to go national
The police investigation into Post Office and Fujitsu executives is about to gain the status of a major national investigation – but it could be years before any individuals are charged with crimes or face trial Continue Reading
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E-Zine
28 May 2024
Digital border problems are stacking up
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the government’s post-Brexit plans for digital borders as problems begin to emerge. We find out about AI PCs and ask whether they will make any difference for enterprise IT. And we talk to Red Hat CEO Matt Hicks about the open source opportunities from AI. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
24 May 2024
Parliamentarians warn of UK election threat from Russia, China and North Korea
Joint parliamentary security committee chair Margaret Beckett writes to prime minister urging government to prepare for foreign states interfering with 4 July election Continue Reading
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News
24 May 2024
Over 700 wrongful subpostmaster convictions overturned by new legislation
Parliament has approved a law that will see hundreds of subpostmasters with wrongful convictions exonerated as one of the government’s final acts before the general election Continue Reading
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News
24 May 2024
Paula Vennells boasted about removing Horizon risk reference in Royal Mail flotation prospectus
A reference to Horizon was removed from Royal Mail prospectus by Paula Vennells in the eleventh hour Continue Reading
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Opinion
24 May 2024
How the next government could rewire the state
Overhauling the way government uses and exchanges data could dramatically improve public services Continue Reading
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News
24 May 2024
UKtech50 2024: Vote for the most influential person in UK IT
Our judges have selected the top 50 leaders from a shortlist of more than 400 people – now it’s your chance to tell us who you think is the most influential person in UK technology Continue Reading
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News
23 May 2024
Government was aware of Post Office strategy to fight subpostmasters
Former CEO Paula Vennells reveals that the government was aware of the controversial Post Office strategies to suppress subpostmasters' campaign for justice Continue Reading
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News
23 May 2024
Northern Ireland police face £750,000 fine after data protection blunder put lives at risks
Information commissioner John Edwards uses discretion to reduce proposed fine from £5.6m to £750,000 Continue Reading
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News
23 May 2024
Third police probe into Post Office scandal under consideration
The Metropolitan Police Service is looking into investigating potential corporate and individual crimes committed in the Post Office Horizon scandal Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2024
‘You knew’ – former ally accused Paula Vennells of knowing about Horizon problems
Former Royal Mail CEO messaged Paula Vennells following the broadcasting of ITV’s dramatisation of the Post Office scandal, questioning what the former Post Office boss knew and removed her support Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2024
AI Seoul Summit: 27 nations and EU to set red lines on AI risk
The countries will now work together to identify thresholds at which the risks presented by an AI model or system would be unacceptable without safeguards in place, as well as develop interoperable safety testing regimes for the technology Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2024
UK government announces £8.5m in grants for AI safety research
The funding programme will be directed by the UK’s AI Safety Institute, with grants being used to understand and mitigate the impacts of artificial intelligence, including any systemic risks it presents at the societal level Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2024
G-Cloud 14: Overseas suppliers risk non-compliance as CCS changes stance on UK VAT requirements
After assuring overseas suppliers multiple times during the G-Cloud clarification period that they did not need a UK VAT number to participate in the framework, government procurement chiefs have now backtracked on this guidance by telling non-UK suppliers to get VAT registered by October or risk being non-compliant Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2024
AI Seoul Summit: 10 nations and EU recommit to safe inclusive AI
During the latest AI Summit in South Korea, the participating governments reaffirmed their prior commitments to deepening international cooperation on AI safety, and have agreed to launch an international network of ‘safety institutes’ Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2024
AI Seoul Summit: 16 AI firms make voluntary safety commitments
Prominent artificial intelligence companies from around the world have committed to a set of voluntary AI safety measures, which includes developing continuous risk assessment processes, setting acceptable risk thresholds, and ensuring greater transparency Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2024
Parliamentary committee criticises big tech response to election threats
Parliamentary committee says tech companies ‘regurgitated publicly available content’ and failed to address questions raised by MPs and peers Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2024
CIO interview: Nic Granger, director of corporate and CFO, North Sea Transition Authority
Spending time with penguins in the Falkland Islands may not seem an obvious background for an IT leader, but it's worked for Nic Granger as she sets out to overhaul the way data is used in the oil and gas sector Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2024
Post Office clique deepened Horizon scandal
A general counsel annoyed by independent investigators and comms director that bragged about his contacts were part of a Post Office clique with former CEO Paula Vennells Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2024
HMRC underestimates Single Trade Window project complexity, says NAO
A National Audit Office report on UK border calls on government to have a more realistic approach to digital transformation Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2024
UK AI Safety Institute to open San Francisco branch
News of the AI Safety Institute’s expansion to the US follows the first public release of its AI safety testing results Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2024
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange granted appeal
Two high court judges granted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange leave to appeal against extradition to the US after defence lawyers argued that the US had failed to give adequate assurances Continue Reading
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Feature
20 May 2024
Post Office Horizon scandal explained: Everything you need to know
Computer Weekly has investigated the Post Office Horizon scandal since 2008 and is, in fact, part of the story. This guide contains essential information about the scandal Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2024
Post Office directors went crawling back to Fujitsu when IBM project got complex, inquiry told
More details emerge about how close IBM came to replacing Fujitsu and its controversial Horizon system at the Post Office Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2024
The fall from grace of ex-priest and Post Office boss Paula Vennells
As Paula Vennells faces statutory public inquiry into Horizon scandal, Computer Weekly compiles some of its must-read articles about the controversial former Post Office boss Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2024
Why the UK needs to fix its broken IT security market
Ollie Whitehouse, CTO of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre, says the market for secure software is broken. Are new laws required to make software companies liable for poor security? Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2024
Report highlights disagreement among experts on AI safety
An interim AI safety report coming out of the Bletchley Declaration shows AI experts are not in agreement over some of the biggest risks Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2024
Post Office CEO Paula Vennells ‘didn’t believe there were miscarriages of justice,’ inquiry told
As the nation waits for the impending appearance of former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells at the public inquiry, a former colleague reveals her certainty that there were no miscarriages of justice Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2024
Post Office considered asking Computer Weekly to review Horizon IT system
The Post Office CIO was tasked by directors with sizing up Computer Weekly for the task of reviewing a forensic investigation into Horizon Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2024
Post Office IT boss failed to raise concern over false Horizon statements
Former Post Office CIO Lesley Sewell failed to raise concern over Post Office’s false stance on Horizon integrity Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2024
HMRC Single Trade Window project hits turbulence
Less than a year into the programme to create a Single Trade Window as a digital gateway for traders, HMRC has already gone through a formal dispute resolution process with its supplier Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2024
Sunak warned against changing foreign student visa rules
Business leaders have called on prime minister Rishi Sunak not to be pressured into altering the graduate visa route Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2024
HMRC channel shift to digital ‘too aggressive’, says NAO
HMRC digital services have not had the anticipated effect on customer service it hoped for, NAO report reveals, as the auditor says the department needs to develop more realistic plans Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2024
Tom Read to bid farewell to GDS
The Government Digital Service chief is leaving his role, and the civil service as a whole, in June, after three-and-a-half years in charge of the department Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2024
GCHQ to protect politicians and election candidates from cyber attacks
The National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, to protect election candidates from hostile state cyber attacks Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2024
Critical SharePoint, Qakbot-linked flaws focus of May Patch Tuesday
A critical SharePoint vulnerability warrants attention this month, but it is another flaw that seems to be linked to the infamous Qakbot malware that is drawing attention Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2024
WikiLeaks founder’s extradition case labelled ‘institutional corruption’
Call for Julian Assange to be prosecuted in the US has been condemned as ‘institutional corruption on a judicial level’ with the WikiLeaks founder a ‘political prisoner’ Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2024
Government focuses on improving AI security
Two codes of practice are now available to help developers boost the security of their AI applications Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2024
Comms director at centre of cover-up never thought Post Office were the ‘baddies’
Head of communications at the Post Office painted a rosy picture of the error-prone Horizon system when challenged Continue Reading
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News
14 May 2024
Scotland’s Post Office scandal victims to be exonerated en masse
The Scottish parliament will introduce its own legislation to exonerate subpostmasters with convictions based on evidence from Post Office Horizon system Continue Reading
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News
14 May 2024
CyberUK 24: UK insurance industry gets tough on ransomware
Three of the UK’s largest insurance associations have signed on to a new initiative spearheaded by the NCSC to try to bring down the number of ransomware payments being made Continue Reading
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Opinion
13 May 2024
The UK may not have a choice on a ransomware payment ban
In the wake of renewed calls for lawmakers to consider enacting legal bans on ransomware payments, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank weighs in to share their thoughts on how to tackle the scourge for good. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 May 2024
Finland develops quantum algorithms for the future
Finnish researchers are focusing on a small set of quantum algorithms they believe will have a global impact Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2024
UK hails first test of quantum aircraft navigation
The government’s £2.5bn quantum strategy receives a boost with test of quantum technology that gets around GPS jamming Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2024
MHRA launches AI regulatory sandbox
The Medicines Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) hopes the AI Airlock sandbox will help in improving safe development and use of medical devices Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2024
NAO report highlights tech failings in flagship DWP project
Lack of tech skills, disconnected agile development and non-compliance with government standards are among the issues identified in report Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2024
Cyber attack victims need to speak up, says ICO
The Information Commissioner’s Office is urging organisations to be transparent and learn from each other’s mistakes as it reveals most of the cyber attacks it responds to stem from the same core errors Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2024
Wales gets UK’s first national SOC
The first national security operations centre of its kind in the UK has opened in the south of Wales to safeguard public sector bodies across the country Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2024
Barrister says Post Office lawyers misled him over Horizon cases
Simon Clarke told public inquiry he believes he was misled by Post Office internal lawyers over Horizon prosecutions Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2024
Fujitsu’s Post Office Horizon admission was ‘bombshell’ amid ‘religious panic’ over reliability
Barrister Simon Clarke was representing the Post Office when he discovered an expert witness had misled courts in subpostmaster trials Continue Reading
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Opinion
09 May 2024
Enhance identity controls before banning ransomware payments
In the wake of renewed calls for lawmakers to consider enacting legal bans on ransomware payments, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank weighs in to share their thoughts on how to tackle the scourge for good. Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2024
Government injects £1.8m into space tech innovation
Funding is being split between nine projects, covering a range of technologies aiming to support new space capabilities in the UK Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2024
Ofcom publishes draft online child safety rules for tech firms
In the draft codes, Ofcom calls on technology firms to use ‘robust’ age-checking and content moderation systems to keep harmful material away from children online Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2024
Police accessed phone records of ‘trouble-making journalists’
The Police Service of Northern Ireland ran a rolling programme to monitor phone records of journalists to identify the source of police leaks, it was claimed today Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2024
Cyber attack ruled out as source of UK Border Force outage
An IT outage that caused automated passport control e-gates to crash across the UK has been resolved, with a cyber attack ruled out as the cause Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2024
Germany: European Court of Justice ruling on EncroChat could lead to new legal challenges
A ruling by the European Court of Justice could prompt legal challenges in EncroChat prosecutions in Germany and other EU states Continue Reading