Privacy and data protection

News 11 Dec 2023
Nordic governments join forces to protect data transfers

Nordic countries deepen their cooperation over cyber security amid heightened threat from neighbouring Russia Continue Reading
E-Zine 07 Sep 2023
CW EMEA: The value of valuing people

In this month’s CW EMEA ezine, we look at HR software and strategies that can help combat staff attrition, find out how Finland’s and Sweden’s plans to join NATO have initiated activity in the Nordic cyber security sector already, consider the data privacy challenges associated with generative AI, and find out why it is important for companies to implement new cryptography standards now in preparation for quantum-safe communication. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

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
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
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
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
News 07 Jun 2024

Sophos uncovers Chinese state-sponsored campaign in Southeast Asia

Sophos found three distinct clusters of activity targeted at a high-level government organisation that appeared to be tied to Chinese interests in the South China Sea Continue Reading
News 06 Jun 2024

FBI finds 7,000 LockBit decryption keys in blow to criminal gang

The US authorities say they now have more than 7,000 LockBit decryption keys in their possession and are urging victims of the prolific ransomware gang to come forward Continue Reading
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
News 04 Jun 2024

OAIC files civil penalty action against Medibank

The OAIC alleges that Medibank failed to take reasonable steps to protect the personal information of 9.7 million Australians in the October 2022 data breach Continue Reading
News 04 Jun 2024

Invasive tracking ‘endemic’ on sensitive support websites

Websites set up by police, charities and universities to help people get support for sensitive issues like addiction and sexual harassment are deploying tracking technologies that harvest information without proper consent Continue Reading
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
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
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
News 03 Jun 2024

Major breaches allegedly caused by unsecured Snowflake accounts

Significant data breaches at Ticketmaster and Santander appear to have been orchestrated through careful targeting of the victims’ Snowflake cloud data management accounts Continue Reading
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
News 02 Jun 2024

Ticketek Australia hit by data breach

Customer names, dates of birth and email addresses of Ticketek Australia account holders reportedly impacted in latest data breach affecting event ticketing firm Continue Reading
News 31 May 2024

Law student ‘unfairly disciplined’ after reporting data breach blunder

A law student has accused a leading legal college of unethical behaviour and a “lack of integrity” after it brought misconduct proceedings against him when he reported a data security blunder Continue Reading
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
News 29 May 2024

Proofpoint exposes AFF scammers’ piano gambit

Ransomware and nation state actors dominate the headlines, but fraud and scams still net career cyber criminals thousands from unsuspecting members of the public. Proofpoint reports on a campaign targeting victims of a musical inclination Continue Reading
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
Opinion 29 May 2024

AI governance needs global approach

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the UN agency, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) argues that AI governance needs a world-wide approach Continue Reading
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
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
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
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
News 21 May 2024

The Security Interviews: What is the real cyber threat from China?

Former NCSC boss Ciaran Martin talks about nation-state attacks, why the UK has become so exercised about cyber espionage, and how our leaders are in danger of misunderstanding their adversaries Continue Reading
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
News 15 May 2024

US authorities crack BreachForums for a second time

The BreachForums data leak website has been seized by the FBI and international partners again Continue Reading
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
News 14 May 2024

NHS trust dismisses governors who questioned allegations of email tampering

Two NHS trust governors who raised questions in a dispute over allegations of email tampering concerning whistleblower Peter Duffy have been dismissed after an investigation that followed their suspension Continue Reading
News 10 May 2024

Major breach of customer information developing at Dell

Almost 50 million data records relating to Dell customers appear to have been compromised in a major cyber breach Continue Reading
News 10 May 2024

Over 5.3 billion data records exposed in April 2024

The number of data records breached in April 2024 hit over five billion, a staggering year-on-year increase Continue Reading
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
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
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
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
Opinion 07 May 2024

Government plans to scan bank accounts of disabled people will lead to another scandal

The government is sleepwalking into another scandal as it pushes plans for ‘bank scanning’ algorithms to monitor bank accounts of disabled people Continue Reading
News 07 May 2024

Chinese APT suspected of Ministry of Defence hack

A cyber attack on the Ministry of Defence is suspected to be the work of threat actors working on behalf of Chinese intelligence Continue Reading
Feature 07 May 2024

What does the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill mean for UK industry?

The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill is the first shift in the UK’s data protection regime since leaving the EU, but what could it mean for UK industry? Continue Reading
News 03 May 2024

EU calls out Fancy Bear over attacks on Czech, German governments

The European Union, alongside member states Czechia and Germany, have accused Russian government APT Fancy Bear of being behind a series of attacks on political parties and government bodies Continue Reading
News 03 May 2024

Why IAM is central to cyber security

BeyondTrust’s chief security strategist talks up the importance of identity and access management, and the role of cyber insurance in driving security improvements Continue Reading
News 02 May 2024

Dropbox Sign user information accessed in data breach

Account data belonging to Dropbox Sign users was accessed by an unknown threat actor after they hacked into the organisation’s backend infrastructure Continue Reading
News 02 May 2024

BBC instructs lawyers over allegations of police surveillance of journalist

Lawyers for the BBC have written to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal over allegations that the Police Service of Northern Ireland spied on investigative journalist Vincent Kearney Continue Reading
News 01 May 2024

Australia’s Qantas apologises for mobile app data breach

Australian flag carrier Qantas has apologised after a glitch in its mobile application temporarily enabled some customers to view the flights and booking details of other frequent fliers on two separate occasions Continue Reading
News 01 May 2024

DWP anti-fraud measures will allow monitoring of bank accounts of landlords, carers and parents

Parliamentarians raise concerns that a proposed law to require banks to monitor the accounts of millions of people receiving state benefits could lead to those on welfare being denied accommodation or bank accounts Continue Reading
Opinion 01 May 2024

Are we ready for the era of the ‘sentient’ document?

This year is set to be the automation of documents since the invention of the printing press. Content control is key Continue Reading
News 01 May 2024

Autonomous weapons reduce moral agency and devalue human life

Military technology experts gathered in Vienna have warned about the detrimental psychological effects of AI-powered weapons, arguing that implementing systems of algorithmic-enabled killing dehumanises both the user and the target Continue Reading
News 30 Apr 2024

Persistent data breaches deny people with HIV dignity and privacy

The ICO has urged charities and healthcare organisations that work with people living with HIV to do better when it comes to protecting their personal data, after the HIV status of more than 100 people was accidentally disclosed by London’s Central YMCA Continue Reading
News 25 Apr 2024

Zero trust is a strategy, not a technology

Zero-trust security should be seen as a strategy to protect high-value assets and is not tied to a specific technology or product, says the model’s creator John Kindervag Continue Reading
News 24 Apr 2024

TikTok ban sails through US Senate

A law that will ban TikTok in the US unless its owner sells up pronto passed the US Senate by a landslide majority after being included in a package of military aid Continue Reading
Opinion 23 Apr 2024

Questions for IT and cyber leaders from the CSRB Microsoft report

The US government's CSRB report on last year's state sponsored cyber attacks on Microsoft raises significant concerns for Redmond and its customers. Expert Owen Sayers outlines five key questions IT and cyber security leaders should now consider Continue Reading
News 22 Apr 2024

Former Sellafield consultant claims the nuclear complex tampered with evidence

Whistleblower Alison McDermott claims former employer Sellafield tampered with metadata in letters used in evidence during an employment tribunal Continue Reading
News 22 Apr 2024

Fujifilm plans to ‘make tape easy’ with Kangaroo SME appliance

Fujifilm to add 100TB SME-focused Kangaroo tape infrastructure in a box to existing 1PB offer, as energy efficiency and security of tape make it alluring to customers Continue Reading
News 21 Apr 2024

Crime agency criticises Meta as European police chiefs call for curbs on end-to-end encryption

Law enforcement agencies step up demands for ‘lawful access’ to encrypted communications Continue Reading
News 19 Apr 2024

Report reveals Northern Ireland police put up to 18 journalists and lawyers under surveillance

Disclosures that the Police Service of Northern Ireland obtained phone communications data from journalists and lawyers leads to renewed calls for inquiry Continue Reading
News 19 Apr 2024

Tech companies operating with opacity in Israel-Palestine

Tech firms operating in Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel are falling “woefully short” of their human rights responsibilities amid escalating devastation in Gaza, says Business & Human Rights Resource Centre Continue Reading
News 18 Apr 2024

CSA warns of emerging security risks with cloud and AI

Few users appreciate the security risks of cloud and have the expertise to implement the complex security controls, says CSA chief executive David Koh Continue Reading
News 18 Apr 2024

TUC publishes legislative proposal to protect workers from AI

Proposed bill for regulating artificial intelligence in the UK seeks to translate well-meaning principles and values into concrete rights and obligations that protect workers from systems that make ‘high-risk’ decisions about them Continue Reading
News 16 Apr 2024

US provides assurances over extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

Extradition of the WikiLeaks founder moves a step closer after the US government gives diplomatic assurances over his treatment in the US. Assange supporters accuse the US of ‘weasel words’ Continue Reading
News 16 Apr 2024

CISOs not yet convinced to invest in AI

CISOs say their eyes are fixed firmly on threats like ransomware and supply chain attacks, and while AI is becoming a threat that needs to be dealt with, it’s not yet an immediate spending priority Continue Reading
News 16 Apr 2024

CW Innovation Awards: Balancing security and user experience

The National University of Singapore’s Safe initiative has strengthened the security of IT systems and end-user devices while prioritising user experience through passwordless access Continue Reading
Opinion 16 Apr 2024

2024 election security: Confronting disinformation and deepfakes

Although disinformation and deepfakes are a threat to electoral integrity, we already have ways to counter emerging threats and there is an opportunity is to adapt and scale these approaches to counter the challenge to democracy, writes Saj Huq. Continue Reading
Opinion 15 Apr 2024

Threat actors look to stolen credentials

In 2023, threat actors wrought havoc on corporate networks by logging in through valid accounts, and as bad actors begin investing in AI to help them identify priority targets, this problem is only expected to worsen in the future Continue Reading
News 15 Apr 2024

EU’s AI Act fails to protect the rule of law and civic space

Analysis reveals that the AI Act is ‘riddled with far-reaching exceptions’ and its measures to protect fundamental rights are insufficient Continue Reading
News 12 Apr 2024

Apple iPhone security alert renews spyware concerns

An Apple security alert received by users in 92 countries raises fresh fears over ongoing campaigns by users of mercenary spyware products Continue Reading
Feature 12 Apr 2024

5G networks and biometric breakthroughs: Navigating opportunities and risks

Businesses are quickly adopting 5G to introduce advanced security features such as facial recognition, but while these technologies improve safety and ease of use, they also raise concerns about how sensitive biometric information is gathered and may be misused Continue Reading
News 12 Apr 2024

Executive interview: Balancing AI with human creativity

We speak to the chief product officer at Getty Images and iStock about the role generative AI can play in the image-making process. Continue Reading
Feature 12 Apr 2024

European Digital Identity Wallet: One ID for EU citizens

The European Digital Identity Wallet is a personal digital wallet with which you will be able to identify yourself digitally in the future. Is this the solution for a centralised ID? Continue Reading
News 11 Apr 2024

Facial recognition to play key role in UK shoplifting crackdown

UK government will fund roll-out of police facial recognition across the country as part of its crackdown on shoplifting and violence against retail staff, but civil society groups say the government is attempting to police its way out of the cost-of-living crisis Continue Reading
News 11 Apr 2024

Government dismisses Lords’ concerns over facial recognition

UK government is claiming police forces’ use of live facial recognition is comprehensively covered by existing laws, in response to a Lords investigation that found police lacked a clear legal basis to deploy it Continue Reading
News 10 Apr 2024

Breakthrough may herald secure home quantum computing

An emerging approach to quantum security dubbed blind quantum computing may one day help spur mass adoption of quantum computing safely and securely, using technology that is already available today Continue Reading
News 10 Apr 2024

Biden considering whether to end prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

US president Joe Biden says he is considering requests by Australia to end the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange under espionage and computer fraud charges Continue Reading
News 10 Apr 2024

Salesforce helps customers establish bug bounty programmes

Salesforce has added new learning content to its Trailhead platform designed to help customers develop their own bug bounty programmes Continue Reading
News 09 Apr 2024

Public worried by police and companies sharing biometric data

More than half of the British public do not feel comfortable with police forces sharing biometric data with the private sector, including facial recognition images, to tackle crimes such as shoplifting Continue Reading
Answer 09 Apr 2024

How do companies protect customer data?

Companies can protect customer data through various technical tools and strategies, like authentication and encryption. But some types of data need more protection than others. Continue Reading
News 09 Apr 2024

Is a cyber arms control treaty out of reach?

The world needs cyber arms control more than ever, but the challenges facing a multilateral agreement will be hard to surmount, according to researchers at Germany’s Digital Society Institute Continue Reading
News 09 Apr 2024

Police forces check intelligence and criminal databases after errors discovered in O2 phone data

Criminal Bar Association calls for information about reliability of communications data used in criminal trials to be disclosed Continue Reading
News 09 Apr 2024

Greek government fined over AI surveillance in refugee camps

Greece’s Data Protection Authority has issued a €175,000 fine against the country’s migration ministry over its deployment of artificial intelligence-powered security systems in refugee camps after the watchdog’s investigation found ‘serious shortcomings’ with the roll-out Continue Reading
News 08 Apr 2024

UK vet network CVS hit by cyber attack

Operations at UK-based veterinary network CVS have been disrupted by a cyber incident of an as-yet undisclosed nature Continue Reading
Feature 05 Apr 2024

Seven ways to be sure you can restore from backup

Backups are no good if you can’t restore from them. We look at key elements of backup restoration, including backup audits, RPOs and RTOs, and how and when to test backups Continue Reading
News 05 Apr 2024

China ramps up use of AI misinformation

Microsoft researchers have identified a growing pattern of AI-laced misinformation and political interference coming from Chinese threat actors Continue Reading
News 04 Apr 2024

Changes needed for SOCs and CSIRTs, claims Dutch research institute

Cyber security specialists need a game-changer to keep up with their adversaries, who increasingly use automation and AI for their attacks Continue Reading
News 04 Apr 2024

Obituary: Professor Ross Anderson, pioneer in security engineering and campaigner

Ross Anderson, a titan in the field of security engineering and campaigner for privacy and security, has passed away Continue Reading
News 29 Mar 2024

Organisations getting better at spotting identity fraud

As the barriers to committing identity fraud continue to drop, organisations should consider more sophisticated technical measures to successfully up their game, according to a report Continue Reading
Definition 28 Mar 2024

sensitive information

Sensitive information is data that must be protected from unauthorized access to safeguard the privacy or security of an individual or organization. Continue Reading
News 28 Mar 2024

UK plc going backwards on cyber maturity, Cisco report claims

Fewer UK organisations believe their cyber security postures have reached a mature level than did so 12 months ago, as they struggle to keep up with new challenges and a fast-evolving threat landscape Continue Reading
News 28 Mar 2024

Sellafield to be prosecuted over alleged cyber compliance failure

Sellafield Ltd, the organisation responsible for cleaning up and decommissioning the UK's largest nuclear waste site, is to be prosecuted over alleged cyber security failings dating back to 2019 Continue Reading
Opinion 28 Mar 2024

Facial recognition endangers us all without a clear legal basis

Technology researcher Stephanie Hare outlines the growing danger of the UK’s failure to legalise and regulate facial recognition technology Continue Reading
Definition 27 Mar 2024

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is legislation that updated and unified data privacy laws across the European Union (EU). Continue Reading
News 27 Mar 2024

Ransomware gang leaks data stolen from Scottish NHS board

Data stolen from an earlier attack on NHS Dumfries and Galloway has been leaked by a ransomware gang that claims to be in possession of much more content Continue Reading
News 26 Mar 2024

Qilin ransomware gang claims cyber attack on the Big Issue

A ransomware attack on the systems of publisher and social enterprise Big Issue Group has been claimed by the Qilin gang Continue Reading
News 26 Mar 2024

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange given temporary reprieve over extradition

Court seeks assurances from the US that Assange will be given First Amendment Rights, will not prejudiced at trial because of his nationality, and will not be subject to the death penalty Continue Reading
News 26 Mar 2024

NCSC reaffirms guidance for those at risk of Chinese state hacking

As the UK and US governments announce sanctions and indictments of a Chinese state threat actor, the NCSC has reiterated its security advice for individuals at risk of being targeted for espionage purposes Continue Reading
News 26 Mar 2024

US authorities charge seven over Chinese hacking

The US Department of Justice has charged seven Chinese nationals linked to the APT31 threat actor that targeted politicians in the UK and US Continue Reading
News 25 Mar 2024

Which? calls for government action on fake banking sites

Amid high volumes of spoofed, fraudulent banking websites, Which? is calling for the government to implement new legal obligations for domain registrars Continue Reading
News 25 Mar 2024

Chinese hackers responsible for two ‘malicious’ cyber campaigns against UK

Government sanctions two Chinese nationals and a Chinese company identified as responsible for cyber campaigns against government officials and members of parliament Continue Reading
News 25 Mar 2024

Britain’s democracy under threat from Chinese cyber attackers, government warns

The deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, is due to tell Parliament that Beijing is behind a hacking attack that obtained details of 40 million UK voters and has targeted parliamentarians who have criticised the regime Continue Reading
Tip 22 Mar 2024

Data protection impact assessment template and tips

Conducting a data protection impact assessment is key to evaluating potential risk factors that could pose a serious threat to individuals and their personal information. Continue Reading
News 22 Mar 2024

Open Data Institute launches digital policy manifesto

The Open Data Institute has launched a policy manifesto ahead of the UK general election that outlines policies and issues it believes must be part of the political discussion around digital and data Continue Reading
News 21 Mar 2024

NCSC guidance to help CEOs work through cyber incidents

The NCSC has published in-depth guidance on how business leaders should respond to a cyber attack or data breach. Learn about some of the key steps you will need to follow Continue Reading
News 20 Mar 2024

Ukrainians crack network that stole 100m email, social accounts

Three members of an organised cyber criminal group who hacked and appropriated personal email and social media accounts face up to 15 years in prison Continue Reading