IT for government and public sector

Taxpayers will have to pay at least £300m to bail out Post Office after scandal

The cost of a scheme set up to compensate subpostmasters who were victims of the Horizon IT scandal will exceed £300m even before damages are paid to all those who suffered Continue Reading

NHS to get new online jobs platform

NHS Business Services Authority is working to transform the NHS Jobs platform, currently in beta stage, with plans to launch it early next year Continue Reading

Met Police should release information on British WikiLeaks journalists passed to US, tribunal told

The Metropolitan Police should release correspondence with the US Department of Justice about three UK based WikiLeaks journalists, despite national security claims, a tribunal heard Continue Reading

Government commitment to Post Office Horizon victims was a ‘false promise’

The government has made no contact with subpostmasters two months after it said it would work with them to ensure they get speedy and fair compensation for their losses as a result of Post Office IT scandal Continue Reading

Developers have a moral duty to create ethical AI

Corsight AI publishes report on how organisations can develop more human-centric AI and biometric technologies Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Reopening is an opportunity to reassess wider security posture

With Covid-19 restrictions easing, offices are welcoming back remote workers this summer, bringing with them their notebooks and mobiles, and creating an endpoint management headache for CISOs. What do security teams need to account for to protect their returning office workers? Continue Reading

US government given permission to appeal UK’s decision to not extradite Julian Assange

US offers assurances that Assange could serve time in his home country of Australia if convicted Continue Reading

ICO to probe Hancock over private email use

Former health secretary faces an investigation by the UK’s data protection watchdog over his use of private email to conduct government business Continue Reading

US Department of Defense cancels controversial $10bn JEDI contract

The US Department of Defense has cancelled the controversial JEDI cloud project awarded to Microsoft and will replace it with multi-supplier contracts. Continue Reading

Opportunists seen targeting Kaseya REvil victims

Malwarebytes researchers highlight new spam campaign targeting businesses impacted by the ongoing Kaseya REvil ransomware incident Continue Reading

Cyber insurance costs up by a third

The frequency and severity of ransomware attacks is a leading factor behind a substantial increase in the cost of obtaining cyber security insurance Continue Reading

Government sets out plan for digital regulation

The plan aims to make the UK a “global leader” in digital regulation, boost economic growth and maximise the potential of digital technology Continue Reading

How Transport for West Midlands works with geospatial data

Covid-19 showed why greater data granularity is key, with Transport for West Midlands turning to geospatial data to understand demand for services Continue Reading

CIO interview: Simon McKinnon, chief digital and information officer, DWP

The Department for Work and Pensions’ CDIO sheds light on its digital ambitions and how it is bringing more digital capability in-house through the integration of Benefits and Pension Digital Technology Services staff Continue Reading

Government genomically sequences 600,000 Covid-19 samples

More than 600,000 positive Covid-19 tests have been genomically sequenced by the government to identify genes that make people more susceptible to severe symptoms, and to monitor different variants of the virus Continue Reading

Berlin court finds EncroChat intercept evidence cannot be used in criminal trials

In a major setback for police hacking operations, Berlin’s regional court has decided that intercepted data from the EncroChat phone network should not be used in criminal prosecutions Continue Reading

UK needs legislation with specific focus on biometric technologies

The UK’s former biometrics commissioner has told MPs that Parliament should explicitly legislate on the use of biometric technologies so it is clear to both police and private companies which uses are acceptable Continue Reading

Should I be worried about PrintNightmare?

The accidental publication of proof of concept code for a Windows vulnerability, and the reclassification of said bug from low to critical severity, has the cyber community concerned. Is it right to be? Continue Reading

UK government issues “safety by design” guidance for tech firms

The guidance is designed to help technology companies embed safer design for users into their services in anticipation of the Online Safety Bill becoming law Continue Reading

US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency launches ransomware assessment tool

Newly launched service will help US organisations understand how prepared they are to deal with a ransomware attack Continue Reading

Ten more former subpostmasters set to have wrongful convictions overturned

Another 10 subpostmasters are set to have their criminal convictions quashed as part of one of the biggest miscarriage of justice in British history Continue Reading

Clashing agendas, by David Freud - review: How Universal Credit got there in the end

It was nearly 10 years ago, in October 2011, when Computer Weekly first reported on concerns about the IT project behind Universal Credit. That was five months before the new Coalition government’s ... Continue Reading

New Nobelium attacks a reminder to attend to cyber basics

A new campaign from the same threat group that broke into SolarWinds serves as a reminder that cyber crime gangs will try to exploit any avenue they can, even if technically unsophisticated Continue Reading

UK Cyber Security Council launches inaugural initiatives

Security association seeks to determine terms of reference for committees to oversee standards and ethics, and qualifications and careers in the cyber sector Continue Reading

EU recognises UK data protection adequacy but warns against divergence

The European Commission has granted the UK data adequacy, allowing data sharing between the EU and the UK, but warns it may yet be revoked Continue Reading

Insurers unprepared for challenges of underwriting ransomware

RUSI think tank calls for an industry-wide reset amid intense challenges for providers of cyber security insurance Continue Reading

HMRC-branded phishing scams surge despite protections

The number of HMRC-branded phishing scams surged 87% in the past 12 months, according to latest revealed figures Continue Reading

Universal Credit: What went wrong, and what we learned

The architect of one of the biggest and most controversial government policies – and IT failures – of the past decade gives his inside view of the project, and how Computer Weekly was a thorn in their side Continue Reading

NCSC CEO: UK-Ireland collaboration crucial to stop cyber threats

Speaking at a conference in Dublin, NCSC Lindy Cameron is highlighting the importance of continued collaboration between the UK and Ireland to protect shared interests and counter security threats Continue Reading

Anglesey schools offline after cyber attack

Isle of Anglesey County Council is investigating a cyber attack that has forced it to shut down systems at all five secondary schools on the island Continue Reading

Deliveroo riders do not have right to unionise, UK court rules

A legal bid to establish collective bargaining rights for Deliveroo riders been dismissed in court, with judges ruling that they are not entitled to the right to form or join a trade union Continue Reading

Online Safety Bill unfit for purpose, says new campaign group

Campaign group set up to oppose Online Safety Bill says the duty of care is too simplistic, cedes too much power to US corporations and will, in practice, privilege the speech of journalists or politicians Continue Reading

Make ransomware payments illegal, say 79% of cyber pros

Report produced for MSSP Talion claims overwhelming support for the criminalisation of ransomware payments Continue Reading

City of York picks Barracuda Networks for data protection

York Council needed to refresh its backup service to bring new security protections after it went ‘all-in’ on Microsoft Office 365 Continue Reading

European Union to set up new cyber response unit

Proposed Joint Cyber Unit will tackle a rising number of serious incidents impacting public services, businesses and citizens of the EU Continue Reading

UK councils reported over 700 data breaches to ICO in 2020

Data disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act reveals an estimated 700 data breaches were reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office by local councils last year Continue Reading

EU regulators call for ban on biometrics in public spaces

European Union’s data protection regulators say facial recognition and other biometric identification technologies present too great a risk to fundamental human rights to be allowed in public spaces Continue Reading

CDEI: UK public wants clear algorithmic transparency policies

A research exercise by the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation has found the UK public wants clear, easy-to-understand information about algorithms in use by the public sector Continue Reading

Boris Johnson unveils plans for National Science and Technology Council

Prime minister Boris Johnson has announced plans to set up a National Science and Technology Council, which will help the UK realise and maximise the opportunities of scientific and technological breakthroughs Continue Reading

Government Digital Service sets out three-year strategy

The new GDS strategy up to 2024 includes a focus on making Gov.uk a single, trusted source of information, joining up services, and creating a pan-government digital identity solution Continue Reading

A new three-year plan for digital government

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the new CEO of the Gov-ernment Digital Service, Tom Read, explains his three-year strategy for improving online public services. EU attempts to regulate AI are under fire – we examine the issues. And we find out how Bupa is turning to the cloud to deliver per-sonalised healthcare. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

UK public largely supportive of Amazon workers unionising

A poll released on Prime Day by UK-based trade union Unite shows strong public support for Amazon workers should they choose to unionise Continue Reading

Parliamentary devices left in taxis, buses, trains and pubs

Nearly 100 devices belonging to parliamentary staffers, including MPs and peers, were lost or stolen over the course of 2019 and 2020 Continue Reading

Post Office pays 400 subpostmasters compensation for losses caused by computer errors

The Post Office has so far compensated 400 subpostmasters who suffered losses because of errors in the organisation’s Horizon computer system Continue Reading

NHS App reaches six million users, thanks to Covid vaccine feature

More than two million new users have downloaded the NHS App since it was updated in May to include Covid-19 vaccination status Continue Reading

ICO issues guidance on facial recognition in public spaces

Information commissioner’s concern over the problematic use of facial recognition in public spaces has prompted her to publish official guidance on its deployment, while civil society calls for an outright ban Continue Reading

UK taskforce calls for cutting GDPR protections

The UK’s Taskforce on Innovation, Growth and Regulatory Reform has recommended scrapping safeguards against automated decision-making contained in the General Data Protection Regulation Continue Reading

Technology takes centre stage in UK government reform

The government’s tech recovery programme includes a pledge to shift towards data interoperability and phasing out legacy systems Continue Reading

GDS to improve Gov.uk with user monitoring

Gov.uk’s measurement approach is expected to enhance the experience of 335 million users of the government’s online platform Continue Reading

Tech sector trade union campaigns to protect workers’ privacy

A UK-based trade union for technology workers and others employed by tech companies is organising around the issue of worker’s privacy and workplace monitoring Continue Reading

NHS Test and Trace picks Risk Ledger to secure supply chain

Risk Ledger’s technology promises ‘unparalleled’ visibility into NHS Test and Trace’s supply chain Continue Reading

Oliver Dowden hails Tech Zero Taskforce at CogX

Government backs a group of UK tech companies and associations to combat the climate emergency, drive green investment and help consumers make greener choices Continue Reading

The Security Interviews: How to build a government model to ‘hack for good’

Kyle Hanslovan started Huntress to give back after a career in the intelligence sector. After US authorities took action to help people hit by the Microsoft Exchange attacks, we discussed how governments can ‘hack for good’ Continue Reading

Scottish government awards digital identity platform contract to Scott Logic

Supplier is working on a two-year project to create a digital identity service through a suite of common platforms that will be adopted across Scottish government Continue Reading

Europe’s proposed AI regulation falls short on protecting rights

The European Commission’s proposal for artificial intelligence regulation focuses on creating a risk-based, market-led approach replete with self-assessments, transparency procedures and technical standards, but critics warn it falls short of being able to protect people’s fundamental rights and mitigating the technology’s worst abuses Continue Reading

FBI planned a sting against An0m cryptophone users over drinks with Australian investigators

Australian Federal Police and the FBI came up with the idea over drinks: build a cryptophone network with a built-in backdoor and sell it to crime gangs around the world Continue Reading

UK promises tougher line on cyber crime

Speaking ahead of the G7 Summit, foreign secretary Dominic Raab says the UK is ready to take on cyber criminals and other malicious actors wherever they may be Continue Reading

UK and US to develop tech and science partnership

Partnership will explore collaboration in areas such as innovation, research, defence, security, intelligence and law enforcement, as well as making sure technology is ‘used as a force for good’ Continue Reading

Central government spent £4.4bn on IT in 2020

Tussell report finds that central government increased tech spend during the Covid-19 pandemic, and HM Revenue and Customs is the biggest spender Continue Reading

Risk data shows UK energy sector most vulnerable to cyber attack

New report compiled by insurance firm Hiscox reveals the state of cyber preparedness in the UK and beyond Continue Reading

FBI arrests distributors accused of selling An0m encrypted phones to crime groups

Working with overseas law enforcement, the FBI has arrested eight people and named a further 13 accused of distributing An0m phones to organised crime groups Continue Reading

With the National Data Strategy, execution is everything

This is a guest blogpost by Peter Campbell, Data & AI practice director at Kainos The latest stage in the National Data Strategy – the Government’s response to consultation – shows the UK has a ... Continue Reading

Did government allow Post Office to sack forensic accountants to cover up Horizon scandal?

Whatever the Post Office told government about its decision to sack investigators examining subpostmaster prosecutions for theft could identify if the government was part of a cover-up Continue Reading

CIO interview: Tom Read, chief executive, Government Digital Service

The new chief at GDS has outlined a three-year strategy for the organisation, and tells Computer Weekly he wants to get back to the core focus of building products for use across government Continue Reading

Police raids around world after investigators crack An0m cryptophone app in major hacking operation

Police in 16 countries carried out raids on after Australian Police and the FBI cracked an encrypted An0M communications network used by crime groups Continue Reading

EU privacy chief investigates use of US cloud services

Use of Amazon and Microsoft’s cloud services by public sector bodies in the European Union is being scrutinised by the bloc’s privacy watchdog Continue Reading

MoD launches digital strategy

The Ministry of Defence aims to invest an additional £1.6bn in digital over the next 10 years, and plans to establish a federated ecosystem of digital innovators and developers to ensure continuous progress Continue Reading

Bank of England calls for feedback on digital currencies

The UK financial services regulator is calling for feedback from organisations, including tech firms, on the use of cryptocurrency Continue Reading

EC launches digital identity framework

The European digital identity will be available to citizens, residents and businesses across the EU, and member states will offer digital identity wallets on a national level Continue Reading

NCSC updates schools ransomware guidance amid surge

The National Cyber Security Centre says it is dealing with a renewed surge of ransomware attacks targeting schools, colleges and universities Continue Reading

IBM pushes back against US government data requests

Technology giant IBM says the US government has ‘no jurisdiction’ to request data from its European entities Continue Reading

UK immigration exemption in Data Protection Act found unlawful

Court of Appeal rules immigration exemption unlawful, but further hearings will follow to decide what remedies must be put in place Continue Reading

Secrecy around EncroChat cryptophone hack breaches French constitution, court hears

French lawyers claim that investigators are unlawfully withholding details of a cryptophone hacking operation in a case that could impact UK prosecutions Continue Reading

Swedish university is behind quantum computing breakthrough

Chalmers University of Technology simplifies the process of measuring the temperatures of quantum computers during complex calculations Continue Reading

Royal Navy trials AI during exercise in Scotland

The Royal Navy is testing two different artificial intelligence systems to see how they would perform against a supersonic missile threat Continue Reading

What the Telecommunications (Security) Bill means for UK industry

The Telecommunications (Security) Bill is intended to reinforce the security of the UK telecommunications infrastructure, but what are the implications for industry? Continue Reading

Government on the hunt for Advanced Research and Invention Agency CEO

First CEO of the high-risk, high-reward research agency will be in charge of shaping the research, culture and setup of the organisation and define its strategy to identify and fund ground-breaking science and technology Continue Reading

Long-term thinking is vital to secure UK’s critical infrastructure

To face down the threat of cyber warfare against UK CNI, the government needs long-term thinking that looks beyond the next general election cycle, says Advent-IM’s Mike Gillespie Continue Reading

NHS trust’s Pioneer data platform joins up care delivery and improves outcomes

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust aims to improve patient care by bringing together anonymised health data from different care settings to better understand the patient journey Continue Reading

Post Office scandal public inquiry finally begins after chances to address problems were ignored

The Post Office Horizon scandal inquiry begins with subpostmaster campaign group waiting for full details before committing its support Continue Reading

Privacy experts concerned over NHS data collection plans

Security and data privacy experts warn NHS Digital that its data collection plans could increase risk and cause a public backlash Continue Reading

BCS demands reform to rules on computer evidence following Post Office Horizon scandal revelations

Professional IT body wants changes to how computer evidence is used in court in the wake of the Post Office case Continue Reading

Loss of 150,000 police records made worse by management failures

The loss of 150,000 records from a number of national policing systems was caused by a human coding error, but made worse by process and management failures Continue Reading

Uber signs collective bargaining agreement with GMB

Uber and GMB sign “landmark” collective bargaining agreement with no ability to negotiate on earnings, attracting criticism from smaller unions that it lacks teeth Continue Reading

Singapore deploys drones to monitor reservoir water quality

Singapore’s national water agency PUB is deploying autonomous drones at six reservoirs to monitor water quality and other activities to improve operational efficiency Continue Reading

NGOs file complaints against Clearview AI in five countries

Privacy and human rights organisations have asked data protection regulators in the UK, France, Austria, Italy and Greece to investigate controversial facial recognition company Clearview AI Continue Reading

Department for Education’s e-learning unpreparedness widens inequality among students

Department is ‘surprisingly resistant’ to a lessons-learned exercise based on findings during Covid, says Public Accounts Committee report Continue Reading

Google offers free tech skills training to UK jobseekers

Online training in areas such as IT support and UX design will be available through the Department for Work and Pensions Continue Reading

‘It's a good day when we refer a case,’ CCRC tells MPs during review of Post Office prosecutions

Criminal Cases Review Commission will not allow pressure on its resources to prevent subpostmasters seeking a review of their criminal convictions Continue Reading

GCHQ bulk interception programme breached privacy rights, Strasbourg court rules

European Court of Human Rights finds that the UK’s bulk surveillance programme breached citizens’ privacy rights Continue Reading

IR35: MPs denied vote to amend Finance Bill to ‘curb or kill’ umbrella companies

MPs were denied the opportunity to vote in favour of amending the incoming Finance Bill to ‘curb or kill’ umbrella companies, prompting industry watchers to double down on calls for regulation Continue Reading

Online Safety Bill: an opportunity for tech to get it right

Long-awaited proposals for regulating internet companies still leave much to be defined – and the tech sector must take the lead in finalising a plan that works for society and government Continue Reading

UK startups lack gender diversity in senior technical roles

Women account for about 2-3% of engineering and technology directors in startups and scaleups, says report Continue Reading

UK to have digital border by end of 2025

Home secretary’s plans for immigration reform include border crossing technology, online immigration status service and electronic travel authorisation system Continue Reading

Government pumps £166.5m into green technology

The government funding will be awarded to innovators, businesses and academics across the UK to develop technologies in carbon capture, greenhouse gas removal and hydrogen Continue Reading

IR35: MPs urged to back ‘curb or kill’ umbrella company-focused Finance Bill amendments

Two amendments to the incoming Finance Bill that have the potential to ban the use of umbrella companies are being voted on by MPs in the House of Commons today Continue Reading

Innovation and skills at the heart of CBI report

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) wants an inclusive and innovative economy, with increased research and development (R&D) investment and better digital intensity and adoption, particularly among SMEs Continue Reading

NHS Education for Scotland defends 'decade-long' public cloud deal with AWS

The training arm of NHS Scotland has come under fire from members of the public sector IT supplier community over its decision to award a 10-year cloud contract to AWS Continue Reading

Government Digital Service sets out three-year strategy

The new GDS strategy up to 2024 includes a focus on making Gov.uk a single, trusted source of information, joining up services, and creating a pan-government digital identity solution Continue Reading

UK regulators commit to closer cooperation on digital economy

Two UK regulators have issued a joint statement and signed a memorandum of understanding on the need for closer collaboration on digital markets Continue Reading