Healthcare and NHS IT

IT is becoming increasingly critical for healthcare delivery. Vital initiatives such as electronic medical records, patient administration systems and telehealth are receiving growing investment in the NHS and elsewhere. Key technologies such as mobile, tablets and cloud are also essential for improving the healthcare industry with digital healthcare technology. Read the latest news about NHS IT and find resources on the broader world of healthcare IT with the news, case studies and advice in this topic section.

News 20 Oct 2022
Singapore extends cyber security labelling scheme to medical devices

The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore is extending its cyber security labelling scheme to medical devices to encourage medical device manufacturers to adopt a security-by-design approach to product development Continue Reading
News 28 Jun 2022
How MSD is harnessing AI

MSD’s global lead for artificial intelligence discusses what it will take for the technology to realise its full potential in healthcare Continue Reading

News 20 Oct 2022

Singapore extends cyber security labelling scheme to medical devices

The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore is extending its cyber security labelling scheme to medical devices to encourage medical device manufacturers to adopt a security-by-design approach to product development Continue Reading
News 19 Oct 2022

Oracle CloudWorld 2022: Ellison vaunts centrality of healthcare to mission

Oracle CTO Larry Ellison put the company’s healthcare initiatives front and centre of its vision during his keynote at Oracle CloudWorld 2022 in Las Vegas Continue Reading
News 19 Oct 2022

Treat cyber crime as a ‘strategic threat’, UK businesses told

The government’s new National Cyber Advisory Board aims to help elevate cyber discussion and spur action in the business community Continue Reading
News 17 Oct 2022

Government u-turns on plans to scrap IR35 reforms in public and private sector from April 2023

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt confirms that the planned repeal of the IR35 reforms in the public and private sector is cancelled Continue Reading
News 14 Oct 2022

Office 365 email encryption flaw could pose risk to user privacy

A vulnerability in Microsoft Office 365 Message Encryption could leave the contents of emails dangerously exposed, but with no fix coming it’s up to users to decide how at risk they are Continue Reading
News 14 Oct 2022

Advanced: Healthcare data was stolen in LockBit 3.0 attack

Advanced has revealed a total of 16 of its health and social care sector customers had their data exfiltrated in a recent ransomware attack Continue Reading
News 12 Oct 2022

NCSC urges organisations to secure supply chains

NCSC’s latest guidance package centres supply chain security, helping medium to large organisations assess and mitigate cyber risks from suppliers Continue Reading
News 11 Oct 2022

Public sector spend on IT climbed to £12.6bn in 2021

Public sector bodies IT spend went up 10% last year, but the majority of the money went to large IT suppliers with 89% of the total spend going to so-called ‘tech titans’, according to a report from Tussell Continue Reading
News 10 Oct 2022

BHRUT launches digital surgery clinic

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust’s digital surgery clinic, thought to be the first in the world, will give 700 patients access to a digital platform to help them prepare for surgery and speed up recovery Continue Reading
News 06 Oct 2022

NHS looks to improve digital mental health support

NHS England plans for programme to use digital technologies and data to improve mental health treatment and help patients access services Continue Reading
E-Zine 04 Oct 2022

Putting APIs to work

In this week’s Computer Weekly, our latest buyer’s guide looks at application programming interfaces (APIs) and how they can connect internal and external business processes. We examine the challenges and opportunities of using AI in healthcare. And we find out how retailers are turning to specialist apps to reduce food waste. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 30 Sep 2022

Interview: Rachel Hilliam, chair, Alliance for Data Science Professionals

Rachel Hilliam talks about the origins, mission and future plans for the Alliance for Data Science Professionals Continue Reading
Guide 28 Sep 2022

Essential Guide: Data Analytics in Healthcare

In the healthcare industry, a large amount of data is already being collected to generate insights on emerging conditions and to improve patient care. Yet, like other industries, the healthcare sector continues to grapple with issues such as data silos and security challenges that stand in the way of harnessing insights. Continue Reading
News 28 Sep 2022

Whistleblower Peter Duffy calls for oversight of NHS records to prevent evidence tampering

A whistleblower has called for greater oversight in the handling of ‘safety-critical digital information’ across the NHS, in light of a number of cases that raise questions about data governance and record-keeping within the health service Continue Reading
News 27 Sep 2022

Guy’s Cancer collaborates with healthtech provider to digitise patient care

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust has begun working with digital healthcare platform provider Carology to build capacity, drive efficiencies and improve patient experience Continue Reading
News 26 Sep 2022

Data analysis and artificial intelligence key industrial strategy missions for Labour

Shadow business secretary announces Labour’s proposed industrial strategy, in which data would take a central role Continue Reading
News 23 Sep 2022

The challenges of verifying AI for healthcare

Artificial intelligence promises to revolutionise healthcare, but even in areas such as medical imaging, where it is easy to spot AI errors, more research is needed Continue Reading
News 23 Sep 2022

IR35 reforms to be scrapped in public and private sectors from April 2023, government confirms

The government has confirmed that the 2017 and 2021 roll-out of the IR35 reforms to the public and private sectors, respectively, will be repealed in April 2023 Continue Reading
News 21 Sep 2022

Contractors call for IR35 review and tax cuts in Chancellor’s mini-Budget

The contractor community is patiently awaiting the outcome of this Friday’s mini-Budget, with hopes for some concrete details on the Prime Minister’s proposed IR35 review and news of a corporation tax cut Continue Reading
News 20 Sep 2022

NHS Scotland to transform population health through digital technologies

A collaboration between NHS Scotland, industry partners and academia aims to launch large-scale programmes to improve population health in the country through digital technologies and new patient pathways Continue Reading
News 15 Sep 2022

Organisations failing to account for digital trust

The vast majority of businesses are well aware of the importance of digital trust, yet very few have a dedicated staff role responsible for it, report finds Continue Reading
News 14 Sep 2022

Ex-CISA head Krebs: Disrupt ransomware support networks to win the war

Speaking at an event hosted by data protection specialist Rubrik, former CISA director Chris Krebs calls for the security community to work collectively to kick out the supports from under ransomware gangs Continue Reading
Feature 13 Sep 2022

AI Sweden connects the dots to keep the country competitive

How and why a centre dedicated to accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence technology has been created in Sweden Continue Reading
News 12 Sep 2022

CISOs should spend on critical apps, cloud, zero-trust, in 2023

Faced with a global recession next year, security buyers should try to direct investment towards technology that protects customer-facing and revenue-generating workloads, say analysts Continue Reading
News 12 Sep 2022

NHS Business Services Authority goes to tender for £1.7bn HR system

Organisation is looking for an integrated workforce solution for the NHS, which includes NHS electronic staff record services Continue Reading
News 09 Sep 2022

Sweden is ideal breeding ground for a direct-to-consumer unicorn

Sweden’s socially driven technology prowess could soon yield an e-commerce unicorn digitising direct to customers Continue Reading
News 08 Sep 2022

India’s wake-up call on health data privacy

Health app developers and industry watchers in India are keeping an eye on data privacy following the reversal of the Roe vs Wade ruling in the US Continue Reading
News 06 Sep 2022

New prime minister Liz Truss urged to press on with IR35 and loan charge policy reviews

Contracting stakeholders are calling on Liz Truss to make good on her pledge to undertake a review of the IR35 rules when she became prime minister Continue Reading
News 05 Sep 2022

UK payments upgrade to add more than £3bn to GDP, but much more on offer

UK GDP will increase when its ageing payments infrastructure is replaced with the latest technology to enable real-time payments Continue Reading
News 02 Sep 2022

Interview: Sibstar, the fintech app for dementia sufferers

Creator of app and debit card designed to support people living with dementia tells Computer Weekly how the idea developed Continue Reading
Opinion 01 Sep 2022

Security Think Tank: Effective DevSecOps requires collaboration

Application security and effective DevSecOps can only be achieved through collaboration with the business – the ultimate goal is to make it safer to do business, which requires considering integrated risk management and identity and access management alongside cyber security and application security Continue Reading
News 31 Aug 2022

NHS staff fall further behind amid ransomware attack

While some NHS bodies are now recovering their services after the ransomware attack on a crucial software supplier, others are still being forced to rely on pen and paper, and some will be waiting months to recover Continue Reading
News 30 Aug 2022

IAM house Okta confirms 0ktapus/Scatter Swine attack

Following last week’s disclosureby Group-IB researchers of a major phishing campaign, Okta has warned its customers to be on their guard Continue Reading
News 25 Aug 2022

Adaptive RedAlert, Monster ransomwares go cross-platform

Kaspersky researchers have shared new intelligence on two emergent cyber criminal groups that have adapted their ransomwares to target different operating systems at the same time Continue Reading
News 25 Aug 2022

Security pros fret about stress and promotion over cyber attacks

CIISec’s annual report on the state of the security profession reveals some home truths for security leaders Continue Reading
News 25 Aug 2022

LockBit 3.0 cements dominance of ransomware ecosystem

Ransomware attacks were up 47% in July compared with the previous month, according to the latest threat data from NCC Group, with the LockBit family largely to blame Continue Reading
News 24 Aug 2022

Most CISOs think they’ve been attacked by a nation state

Most organisations have made changes to their cyber strategies and policies following Russia’s invasion, and almost two-thirds suspect they have been directly targeted or impacted by a nation-state cyber attack Continue Reading
News 22 Aug 2022

Kaspersky threat data added to Microsoft Sentinel service

Microsoft and Kaspersky have agreed a collaboration to integrate Kaspersky’s threat data feeds into Microsoft’s cloud-native SIEM/SOAR service Continue Reading
News 22 Aug 2022

Lloyd’s to end insurance coverage for state cyber attacks

Lloyd’s of London has instructed its members to exclude nation state cyber attacks from insurance policies beginning in 2023, saying they pose unacceptable levels of risk Continue Reading
News 19 Aug 2022

Cozy Bear targets MS 365 environments with new tactics

Cozy Bear, or APT29, is trying out new tricks as it seeks access to its targets’ Microsoft 365 environments Continue Reading
News 18 Aug 2022

Growing MFA use spurs ‘pass-the-cookie’ attacks

The exploitation of stolen session cookies by cyber criminals is once again back on the agenda, thanks to the growing popularity of multifactor authentication tools Continue Reading
News 18 Aug 2022

It takes a breach to force boards to take notice of cyber, says UK government

Too often, it takes a major incident for business leadership to pay attention to cyber issues, according to a government-commissioned study of victims Continue Reading
News 16 Aug 2022

Why organisations need to harmonise their CIO and CISO roles

Unless properly managed, conflicting responsibilities between the chief information officer and the chief information security officer can cause project delays and budget overruns, says Netskope’s Mike Anderson Continue Reading
News 12 Aug 2022

Department of Health investigates bias in medical devices and algorithms

The government has launched a review to look at the problem of discrimination in medical devices and decision-making software Continue Reading
News 11 Aug 2022

NHS may take a month to recover from supply chain attack

Ransomware attack victim Advanced warns its NHS customers they could be waiting until early September to fully recover their operations Continue Reading
News 10 Aug 2022

Microsoft fixes two-year-old MSDT vulnerability in August update

August’s Patch Tuesday drop fixes more than 120 CVEs, including another MSDT RCE zero-day that is being actively exploited. Continue Reading
News 10 Aug 2022

‘Coopetition’ a growing trend among ransomware gangs

Sophos shares data from its new X-Ops unit at Black Hat in Las Vegas, revealing a growing number of ransomware victims being attacked by multiple gangs at the same time Continue Reading
News 08 Aug 2022

NHS recovering key services after attack on supplier

Incident at software provider Advanced took out multiple NHS services before the weekend, including the 111 advice service Continue Reading
News 04 Aug 2022

SBRC to administer NCSC training across Scotland

The Scottish Business Resilience Centre has been awarded a £500,000 contract to extend cyber resilience training across more than 250 at-risk organisations Continue Reading
News 04 Aug 2022

Spyware activity particularly impactful in July

After a quiet June, vulnerability exploitation ramped up in July, with intrusions linked to spyware seeing unusually high volumes of activity, according to a report Continue Reading
News 29 Jul 2022

IPA revises review of HMRC’s £300m datacentre migration

Infrastructure and Project Authority’s annual report ranks HMRC’s £300m datacentre migration as “unachievable”, but – ahead of publication – it appears the organisation has had a change of heart Continue Reading
News 28 Jul 2022

Artificial intelligence to reduce waiting list for neurology appointments

The Walton Centre is working with Tata Consultancy Services to apply digital technology to its operation, starting with a time-saving AI chatbot Continue Reading
News 28 Jul 2022

Cyber criminals pivot away from macros as Microsoft changes bite

As Microsoft resumes blocking macros by default in its Office application suite, reversing a temporary reversal, analysis from Proofpoint suggests the action has had a remarkable effect Continue Reading
News 28 Jul 2022

Teams in Grenoble work on 6G breakthrough technology

Even as 5G networks are being rolled out, new requirements are driving scientists, and engineers in Europe are back to the lab to start developing 6G Continue Reading
News 27 Jul 2022

Government slammed for slow response to IR35-related consultation on zero-rights employees

The government has taken four years to publish its response to a three-month consultation on whether employment status and tax laws should be more closely aligned, and concluded that now is not the right time to make any changes Continue Reading
News 27 Jul 2022

Consumers left out of pocket as security costs soar

As the average cost of a security incident reaches an all-time high of nearly $4.5m, an IBM Security study reveals how these costs are being passed on to ordinary people Continue Reading
News 27 Jul 2022

Cyber security training ‘boring’ and largely ignored

Two-thirds of employees don’t bother to pay attention to cyber security training – and the fault does not lie with them Continue Reading
Opinion 27 Jul 2022

Security Think Tank: Don’t rely on insurance alone

Cyber insurance is a useful addition to the cyber protection toolbox. However, it cannot be regarded as a replacement for the controls that should be in operation, says Turnkey Consulting’s Tom Venables Continue Reading
News 26 Jul 2022

No More Ransom initiative helps 1.5 million people in six years

One and a half million people have now taken advantage of free ransomware decryption tools offered by a joint European project Continue Reading
News 26 Jul 2022

Ducktail infostealer targets Facebook Business users

Newly uncovered Ducktail operation targets individuals with access to Facebook Business service and tries to steal their accounts Continue Reading
News 25 Jul 2022

Latest Atlassian Confluence vulnerability raises concerns

CVE-2022-26138 is the second major vulnerability disclosure made for Atlassian’s Confluence collaboration platform in recent months Continue Reading
News 22 Jul 2022

Russia could become the world’s largest market for illegal IT

Russia could become the biggest market for illegal IT equipment as companies try to get round sanctions imposed on the country Continue Reading
News 22 Jul 2022

UK heatwave linked to ongoing IT systems issues at Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Guy's & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust said it is working ‘around the clock’ to restore the IT systems affected by the extreme temperatures seen in the UK this week Continue Reading
News 21 Jul 2022

Buy ‘plug-n-play’ malware for the price of a pint of beer

Three-quarters of malwares and almost 90% of exploits retail on the dark web for about £8.40 or less, according to a report Continue Reading
News 21 Jul 2022

Data and Tech Aid pledges 10,000 first aid kits to Ukrainian civilians

Data and Tech Aid, a recently founded fundraising body, is pledging 10,000 medical kits to treat civilian Ukrainian casualties of the war Continue Reading
News 20 Jul 2022

(ISC)² expands entry-level cyber programme after UK success

Flush with success from a UK certification programme, reaching 100k in the UK, (ISC)² now wants to provide free security certification to a million people worldwide Continue Reading
News 20 Jul 2022

Transatlantic PET contest open for entries

A joint UK-US innovation prize challenge for developers of privacy-enhancing technologies has opened for entries Continue Reading
News 20 Jul 2022

Cato aims to bust cyber myths as it extends network protections

Cato Networks is beefing up its platform’s security features with ransomware and data loss protections, and the firm’s security strategy lead Etay Maor is using the occasion – and his unique access to billions of data points from the firm’s network – to explode some cyber myths Continue Reading
News 19 Jul 2022

European IT services see bumper quarter, but signs of slowing emerge

Spending on IT and BPO services in Europe saw significant growth in the past quarter, but there are signs of a slowdown Continue Reading
News 18 Jul 2022

US cyber agency CISA to open London office

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has chosen London to host its first office outside America Continue Reading
News 18 Jul 2022

NHS Digital seeks out wireless healthcare innovation

Funding is available across the NHS for innovative projects that use wireless technology within healthcare Continue Reading
News 18 Jul 2022

Dutch multinational hires HCL for digital transformation

Netherlands-based DSM is moving to a single-supplier IT services model for its digital transformation Continue Reading
News 15 Jul 2022

NHS trust ‘deliberately’ deleted up to 90,000 emails before tribunal hearing

A high-profile case brought by NHS whistleblower Chris Day raises questions about the adequacy of information governance practices in NHS hospital trusts Continue Reading
News 15 Jul 2022

Log4Shell on its way to becoming ‘endemic’

US government report concludes that, like Covid, Log4Shell will be with us for a long time to come Continue Reading
News 14 Jul 2022

Global IT services market shows signs of slowing

Spending on IT and business process services could be set to reduce over the coming months as the latest ISG figures show early signs of decline Continue Reading
News 14 Jul 2022

ICO wants to ‘empower people through information’

Information Commissioner’s Office sets out commitment to safeguard the information rights of the most vulnerable people in UK society Continue Reading
News 13 Jul 2022

Slippery phish wriggles around MFA protections, says Microsoft

Microsoft’s threat researchers share details of a phishing campaign that hit 10,000 organisations, against which standard multifactor authentication provides little defence Continue Reading
News 13 Jul 2022

July Patch Tuesday brings more than 80 fixes, one zero-day

While some admins can put their feet up and let Windows Autopatch do the hard work of updating their Microsoft estates, for the rest of us, the Patch Tuesday bandwagon keeps on keeping on Continue Reading
News 13 Jul 2022

NHS trust cuts costs and refresh cycle with Wasabi cloud storage

Imperial College NHS Trust expects to saves 30% in storage costs and cut back on five-year refresh headaches in a move that has seen backup and archive data move to the Wasabi cloud Continue Reading
News 12 Jul 2022

MaliBot Android malware spreading fast, says Check Point

The MaliBot malware is becoming a persistent and widespread problem, and Android users should be on their guard, says Check Point Continue Reading
News 12 Jul 2022

Microsoft Windows Autopatch now generally available

Microsoft customers with Windows Enterprise E3 and E5 licences can now take full advantage of its new automated patching service Continue Reading
News 11 Jul 2022

Microsoft VBA macro block will return

Microsoft provides more details about its sudden decision to rollback a landmark security policy, and reassures users it is a temporary measure Continue Reading
Opinion 11 Jul 2022

Cyber insurance: An effective use of your scant security budget?

The ISF’s Paul Watts asks if cyber insurance is a must-have item, an expensive luxury, or the emperor’s new clothes Continue Reading
News 08 Jul 2022

Stop telling clients to pay ransomware gangs, solicitors told

The NCSC and the ICO are calling on solicitors to help tackle the rising number of ransomware payments being made, and to stop giving erroneous advice to victims Continue Reading
News 08 Jul 2022

Microsoft appears to reverse VBA macro-blocking

Microsoft quietly reverses VBA macro-blocking across its Office portfolio in a move that has left security experts puzzled Continue Reading
Opinion 08 Jul 2022

Lots to consider when buying cyber insurance, so do your homework

When considering implementing a cyber insurance policy, due diligence should be your watchword, says Paddy Francis of Airbus CyberSecurity Continue Reading
News 07 Jul 2022

MI5, FBI chiefs warn of Chinese cyber espionage threat

In a joint appearance in London, MI5 director general Ken McCallum and FBI director Chris Wray warn of the growing threat posed by the Chinese government to UK and US interests Continue Reading
Opinion 07 Jul 2022

Security Think Tank: Cyber insurance – A nice safety blanket, but don’t count on it

In the second instalment of this month’s Security Think Tank, Mike Gillespie argues that cyber insurance should be thought of like car insurance – you don’t start driving recklessly because you’re covered Continue Reading
News 05 Jul 2022

Prepare for long-term cyber threat from Ukraine war, says NCSC

The NCSC has published refreshed guidance on cyber preparedness as the war on Ukraine continues, urging organisations to pay attention to the state of their security teams Continue Reading
News 05 Jul 2022

NCSC CEO: Why we should run towards crises to elevate cyber security

National Cyber Security Centre CEO Lindy Cameron, the 2022 Computer Weekly UKtech50 Most Influential Person in UK IT, reflects on a career immersed in crisis management, and how she is using this to elevate cyber security standards across the country Continue Reading
E-Zine 05 Jul 2022

How to get the right level of cyber insurance

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at how the market for cyber insurance is evolving and how to avoid buying the wrong level of cover. We find out what role hydrogen technologies could play in reducing datacentre carbon emissions. And we hear how a 125-year-old bicycle maker is embracing digital innovation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
Opinion 01 Jul 2022

Security Think Tank: Now is the time to think about cyber insurance

Many IT leaders shy away from cyber insurance, but new, innovative developments in the market can help organisations take an approach that suits their needs Continue Reading
News 30 Jun 2022

ICO to cut back on fines for public sector data breaches

Information commissioner John Edwards sets out a revised approach to how the ICO handles data breaches in the public sector, saying fining victims risks punishing the public twice over Continue Reading
News 29 Jun 2022

Government sets NHS digital transformation plan

The government expects to save billions of pounds and improve patient outcomes through digital transformation Continue Reading
News 29 Jun 2022

New cyber extortion op appears to have hit AMD

Semiconductor specialist AMD has confirmed it is investigating reports that a ‘bad actor’ has stolen hundreds of gigabytes of its data Continue Reading
News 28 Jun 2022

How MSD is harnessing AI

MSD’s global lead for artificial intelligence discusses what it will take for the technology to realise its full potential in healthcare Continue Reading
News 27 Jun 2022

Brexit a net negative for UK cyber, say CISOs

Six years on from the UK’s Brexit vote, the majority of security professionals say leaving the EU has raised concerns over their ability to keep their organisations safe Continue Reading
News 27 Jun 2022

LockBit ransomware gang launches bug bounty programme

A bug bounty programme is among a number of features LockBit’s developers have added to ‘version 3.0’ of the ransomware Continue Reading
Feature 27 Jun 2022

The cyber security impact of Operation Russia by Anonymous

The campaign against the Russian government by Anonymous surprised many with the depth and scale of the cyber attacks. What can we learn from this online war? Continue Reading
News 24 Jun 2022

Black Basta ransomware crew aiming for ‘big leagues’

Emergent Black Basta ransomware gang has hit more than 50 countries since bursting onto the scene earlier this year, says Cybereason Continue Reading