IT suppliers

Dedicated number for victims of fraud launched amid national security threat

Consumers that suspect they are being targeted by fraudsters can call 159 to be directly linked to their bank, as part of a 12-month pilot Continue Reading

Women in fintech welcome Barclays initiative and demand more from the sector

Women in UK financial technology have welcomed bank’s new female-focused lab and funding initiative and call for more like it from the sector Continue Reading

NVMe-over-fabrics: Five need-to-knows

We look at five need-to-knows about NVMe-over-fabrics, such as its implementations – RDMA, Fibre Channel and TCP – use cases, hardware and operating system support Continue Reading

UK consumer trust in banks, retailers and telcos declines as scams increase

Consumers are blaming banks, retailers and social media for the huge increase in online scams, survey shows Continue Reading

Pure launches Fusion cloud control layer for storage

Pure Fusion is a storage control plane across cloud and datacentre. Portworx Data Services also launches to provide database management for container storage platform Continue Reading

Dutch IT firm transforms HR policy built on lessons from pandemic

Software firm rips up human resources rule book and replaces it with a hybrid working policy Continue Reading

Uber drivers strike over pay issues and unfair dismissal claims

Unionised Uber drivers take industrial action in response to ongoing disputes over pay and claims that drivers are being unfairly dismissed as a result of the company’s technologies Continue Reading

Giant Umbrella contractors suffer salary payment delays following suspected ‘data breach’

Following the discovery of “suspicious network activity” in its systems, payroll processing firm Giant Umbrella has taken itself offline, leaving contractors to fume over missing salary payments Continue Reading

GCP gets triple-redundant NAS and built-in Kubernetes backup

Google Filestore Enterprise will provide synchronous replication across three zones, while Backup for Google Kubernetes Engine brings built-in container cluster data protection Continue Reading

IR35 reforms: HMRC confirms compliance checks under way in financial services, oil and gas sectors

Less than six months after the roll-out of the IR35 reforms to the private sector, HMRC has confirmed it has started writing letters to companies requesting details of their compliance procedures Continue Reading

London publishes guidelines for ethical use of smart city tech

Latest draft of the ‘Emerging Technology Charter for London’ encourages local authorities, public services and technology companies to improve how they implement technology in the capital Continue Reading

Regulator concerns about resilience and security could slow cloud adoption in financial services

Report by Association for Financial Markets In Europe highlights the pressure financial services firms face as they seek to balance the need for innovation with regulatory requirements Continue Reading

Fresh alert over Conti ransomware surge

Conti ransomware crew appears increasingly active, prompting fresh warnings from the US authorities Continue Reading

Tech Nation announces 15 startups for 10th Future Fifty cohort

Fifteen high-growth startups set to join Tech Nation’s 10th annual Future Fifty programme to help them scale further Continue Reading

JP Morgan Chase to replace core banking system with Google-inspired cloud platform

JP Morgan Chase is the latest bank to acquire the cloud-native core banking technology of UK fintech Thought Machine Continue Reading

AI cannot be regulated by technical measures alone

The regulation of artificial intelligence must address the power of tech companies, as technical measures alone will not be enough to prevent the harms caused by AI-driven technologies, says report Continue Reading

Mastercard invests in digital competence training for five million very small businesses

Mastercard is working with suppliers to embed training for small businesses onto their digital platforms Continue Reading

Open banking objectives a decade away for over a third of UK finance firms

The completion of complex open banking initiatives could still be over a decade away for many companies in the finance sector Continue Reading

BlackMatter gang ramps up attacks on multiple victims

A wave of new BlackMatter ransomware attacks is hitting organisations around the world, even as the US authorities mull new sanctions on ransom payment infrastructure Continue Reading

Kioxia revisits SLC flash to power FL6 and rival Optane

SLC flash storage – mostly consigned to the ‘where is it now?’ pile – has been given a lease of life by Kioxia as capacity for rapid access storage-class memory applications Continue Reading

How Estonia’s country-as-a-service scheme has attracted tens of thousands of foreign entrepreneurs

Estonia has created a country-as-a-service offering which is attracting entrepreneurs and businesses from across the world Continue Reading

NGO Fair Trials calls on EU to ban predictive policing systems

The use of artificial intelligence to predict criminal behaviour should be banned because of its discriminatory outcomes and high risk of further entrenching existing inequalities, claims Fair Trials Continue Reading

UK tech sector on track for another record year of investment

The UK creates one unicorn tech business a week, as startup funding during the first half of 2021 rockets to £13.5bn Continue Reading

JP Morgan launch of UK digital bank expected next week

JP Morgan will launch its UK digital retain bank next week, and continental Europe will be next if it’s a success Continue Reading

Bitdefender launches free REvil ransomware decryptor

Working alongside law enforcement partners, Bitdefender has developed and released a tool to help REvil victims recover their data for free Continue Reading

UN human rights chief calls for moratorium on AI technologies

High commissioner’s call for a moratorium on the use of AI systems that pose a serious risk to human rights is accompanied by a UN report on the negative human rights impacts associated with the technology Continue Reading

Tech Nation announces second cohort for Net Zero accelerator

The Net Zero programme from Tech Nation aims to help tech startups and scaleups realise their potential to reduce global emissions Continue Reading

HDD support and Zoned Namespaces: Key takeaways about NVMe 2.0

We look at new capabilities in the most recent iteration of the NVMe flash storage standard Continue Reading

UK GDPR faces changes under planned reforms

DCMS is launching a major consultation on proposed changes to the UK’s data protection regime, under which several key elements of the GDPR are likely to change Continue Reading

Five things you need to know about cloud file services

We look at cloud file services, which provide a file system-like architecture that gives users access to file data wherever they are, just as if it were a local NAS filer Continue Reading

Estonian government opens its digital heart to tech testers

Tech startups are being invited to build and test their products and services on the Estonian government’s IT estate for free, in return for use of the software developed Continue Reading

Dell, NetApp and Pure: Healthy results on Covid easing

Dell’s still top of the storage supplier pile with midrange arrays doing well, but meanwhile NetApp and Pure are making gains on the rise of public cloud Continue Reading

NetApp and AWS launch fully managed Ontap cloud file storage

But hybrid cloud still limited, according to NetApp. Until containerisation is widespread, applications tend to be built for the cloud or work better in the datacentre Continue Reading

Room for improvement in UK right to repair laws

The UK government introduced right to repair legislation earlier in 2021 to combat the growing issue of electronic waste, but data sanitisation firm Blancco says that while it’s a step in the right direction, there is definitely scope for improvement Continue Reading

Finance firms faced up to £760,000 costs per DNS attack during pandemic

Financial services firms have been the focus of attacks by cyber criminals during the Covid-19 crisis Continue Reading

Five key questions to ask about storage-as-a-service and consumption models

We look at important questions to ask providers of consumption-based storage procurement services, such as base costs and burst, usage measurement and upgrade paths Continue Reading

Twitter tests auto-block feature for accounts at risk of abuse

Latest Twitter feature automatically blocks abusive users, and is intended to help victims regain control of their experience on the platform Continue Reading

The Gulf is counting on its smart cities for a sustainable and profitable future

The countries in the Gulf region are leading the way in the development of smart cities as part of their economic diversification Continue Reading

University of Sunderland applies technology through robot dog

Students will apply technologies such as artificial intelligence to robotic dog as part of their learning Continue Reading

More NAND SSD in fewer hands as WD $20m Kioxia bid likely

The NAND flash market could soon go from six major players to four, but the fusion of Kioxia into WD and SK Hynix with Intel’s NAND business will still leave Samsung atop the pile Continue Reading

Are proposed data protection changes a threat to UK citizens’ privacy?

Though changes are as-yet undefined pending an upcoming consultation, concerns are already being expressed over the government’s plan to liberalise data protection laws in the service of innovation and growth Continue Reading

Tech giants commit to Biden's cyber security action plan

Some of the world’s most prominent tech giants have made a series of commitments to enhance the US’ national cyber security posture following a high-profile meeting with president Biden Continue Reading

Government unveils post-Brexit data flow proposals

The government will pursue data partnerships with countries including Australia, South Korea and the US as part of a post-Brexit data regime that may also see substantial changes to the UK’s data protection law Continue Reading

Scottish government launches £25m digital funding for SMEs

Money comes from the latest wave of the government’s DigitalBoost Fund, which offers small and medium-sized businesses in Scotland funding to invest in digital technologies Continue Reading

NZ privacy lead John Edwards named new information commissioner

DCMS has named John Edwards, currently New Zealand privacy commissioner, to succeed Elizabeth Denham as UK information commissioner Continue Reading

UK loses £1.3bn to fraud and cyber crime so far this year

New figures from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau show a threefold spike in reported financial losses to fraud and cyber crime in the first six months of 2021 Continue Reading

Half of MS Exchange servers at risk in ProxyShell debacle

Up to 50% of MS Exchange users in the UK are exposed to three vulnerabilities that are now being actively exploited Continue Reading

Veeam survey: Big cloud impact on backup and disaster recovery

Backup specialist finds cloud eclipses on-site compute for all workloads while DR makes big strides in the cloud despite concerns about complexity and security Continue Reading

Swedish IT industry braced for China’s response to Huawei 5G ban

Swedish IT and communications equipment suppliers fear economic backlash from China following Huawei ban Continue Reading

Inside Estonia’s tech startup scene

Estonia is a Baltic tech tiger that is fast-gaining an international reputation for competently delivered government e-services at a level that surpasses most of its European and international counterparts Continue Reading

UK government criticised for proposed facial-recognition guidance

Privacy campaigners say the government's updated 'surveillance camera code of practice' does not do enough to mitigate abuses of facial-recognition technology Continue Reading

Thames Valley Police drops ERP system after spending £14m

Thames Valley Police exits tri-force programme to develop new enterprise resource planning software for the police Continue Reading

ICO consults public on personal data in employment practices

The ICO has launched a public consultation on employers’ use of personal data to help it provide practical guidance for both businesses and workers Continue Reading

Nearly half of retailers hit by ransomware in 2020

In the face of increasingly prevalent and sophisticated ransomware attacks, retail organisations need to develop alternative ways of restoring lost or encrypted data, as paying the ransom does not guarantee its return in almost a third of cases Continue Reading

UN special rapporteurs call for surveillance tech moratorium

In the wake of revelations about NSO Groups Pegasus spyware, a number of special rapporteurs from the United Nations are re-igniting calls for a global moratorium on the sale and transfer of surveillance technologies Continue Reading

CW Benelux: Netherlands sees increase in the number of women opting for an ICT career

The IT skills gap in the Netherlands could be about to narrow as more women take up jobs in the sector. Figures from last year revealed that the number of female ICT professionals grew by 6.5%, while the number of male ICT professionals increased by only 1.7%. Read more about it in this issue. Also find out why more openness about ransomware attacks in the Dutch business community could be the first step to defeating a growing problem. Continue Reading

Global fintech investments reach new heights

The global financial technology industry is emerging from the pandemic-triggered slowdown with record levels of investment to fuel further growth Continue Reading

Dutch lead the way in protecting themselves against internet risks

Dutch citizens come top in a study on awareness of internet risks in Europe, which showed major differences across the continent Continue Reading

11 areas will trial digital identity scheme for residential property sector

MyIdentity scheme will allow estate agents, conveyancers, solicitors and mortgage providers across 11 locations to trial the use of digital identity to speed up and make home buying more secure Continue Reading

Nine security flaws found in critical hospital infrastructure

The ‘PwnedPiper’ vulnerabilities identified in systems used by 80% of US hospitals could be used to launch ransomware attacks Continue Reading

Cloud misconfiguration a growing cause of security incidents

Rapid cloud adoption during the pandemic has increased the attack surface and heightened the risk of misconfiguring services, leaving organisations more vulnerable to cyber attacks Continue Reading

Leading venture capital firms are failing to protect human rights

Venture capital firms and high-profile tech accelerators are not conducting human rights due diligence on their investments, which means they cannot be sure the companies they invest in are not causing, or contributing to, human rights abuses Continue Reading

Panasas’s 10x saving bumps NetApp from HPC storage deployment

University of Wollongong got 1.2PB for the cost of 100TB for HPC storage in its cryo-imaging institute. Scale-out NAS maker Panasas also brought life sciences expertise to bear Continue Reading

HMRC will shut down Chief system by end of March 2023

From 31 March 2023, the Customs Declaration Service will become the only operating UK customs platform when HMRC turns off the legacy Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight system Continue Reading

IR35 reforms: TUC demand for government ban on umbrella companies raises eyebrows

The Trades Union Congress has raised eyebrows within the contracting community by calling for a ban on umbrella companies to help stamp out malpractice Continue Reading

Government opens up SME digital support programme for suppliers

Help to Grow: Digital scheme aims to help small businesses access productivity-enhancing software, and suppliers are now encouraged to register as approved suppliers Continue Reading

Thousands wrongly given criminal convictions after computer error

HM Courts and Tribunals Service report reveals that computer error wrongly assigned guilty pleas to more than 5,000 defendants Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: Consider cyber policies and procedures as you welcome employees back

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

Gaming could reduce the gamble for users of online finance

Financial gaming platform designed to educate the increasing number of amateur traders Continue Reading

Government-led innovation can help cyber startups find a market

There are many reasons why early-stage cyber startups often struggle to get off the ground, but government-backed programmes can help them find a path Continue Reading

TfL under fire for relying on Uber facial-verification data in licensing decisions

TfL is facing numerous legal appeals from Uber drivers as a result of its decisions to revoke their private licences on the basis of mistaken information from Uber’s systems Continue Reading

Kaseya obtains universal ransomware decryptor

Kaseya says it obtained a ransomware decryptor key from a trusted third party, but there is no word on whether a ransom was paid Continue Reading

DNA storage promises 10 million times storage capacity boost

A datacentre that fits in the palm of your hand? However, right now, DNA storage is an expensive chemical process that researchers are trying to make a practical proposal Continue Reading

IR35: Government sets out plan to rid contractor market of non-compliant umbrellas and loan schemes

In the wake of a consultation earlier this year, the government has drawn up a package of measures it intends to take to help protect contractors from non-compliant umbrella companies and loan scheme promoters Continue Reading

Covid-19 creates opportunity to digitally transform justice system, says TechUK

The pandemic has accelerated the use of digital in the UK justice system but challenges remain, leaving it ripe for reform with data at its heart, says industry body Continue Reading

Government officials lack experience to lead digital transformation, says NAO

The government needs to reskill senior decision makers and give tech leaders more influence if digital business change projects are to succeed Continue Reading

Uber drivers face real-terms pay cut after service fee hike

Unionised Uber drivers have condemned the ride-hailing firm for ‘cynically’ framing its UK service fee rise as a way of improving equality among drivers, rather than a pay cut Continue Reading

Nordic banks join forces to compete with fintechs

Collaboration will be key for traditional Nordic banks to retain business amid intense competition from tech companies Continue Reading

Is tech team remuneration opening up a new form of cyber risk?

Failing to reward cyber security staff in line with increases for other members of the tech team could open up new risks to organisations Continue Reading

Chelsea and Westminster NHS launches acute Covid app

The app aims to work as a one-stop Covid-19 information and resource shop for doctors and nurses working with coronavirus patients Continue Reading

Storage-as-a-service: Consumption models from the big six

We look at the big six storage makers’ consumption model offers, which allow customers to pay for on-prem hardware and cloud storage capacity on a pay-per-use basis, within limits Continue Reading

Briefing: Cloud storage performance metrics

We look at some of the key storage performance metrics that determine what your applications will get from cloud storage, plus cloud essentials that are beyond simple measurement Continue Reading

More than half of European IT outsourcing spending will soon be on cloud services

Cloud services will soon be the largest part of the IT services market in Europe, as enterprises invest in them as part of their Covid-19 recovery strategies Continue Reading

Multiple Microsoft bugs being actively exploited

Microsoft’s July Patch Tuesday update fixes 117 vulnerabilities, 13 rated as critical and four already being actively exploited Continue Reading

AI to have biggest impact on fintech development over next five years

Artificial intelligence will become the most influential technology in the fintech sector over the next five years Continue Reading

UK fintech investments recovering from lost year

Fintech investments have bounced back in the first half of this year after a Covid-19-hit 2020 Continue Reading

Russia tightens pressure on global IT companies

Russian authorities will force certain IT companies with customers in Russia to open local offices Continue Reading

Driving intelligence – behind the scenes of Volkswagen’s in-car software

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we go behind the scenes of Volkswagen’s in-car software R&D centre. The UK’s largest supercomputer has gone live in Cambridge – we find out how it will transform healthcare research. And we talk to DWP’s digital chief about the restructuring of its IT capabilities. Read the issue now. 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

Kaseya apologises for extended downtime after ransom attack

CEO of Kaseya apologises after pushing back the restoration of the firm’s VSA service following a REvil ransomware attack Continue Reading

CW Middle East: Pandemic speeds up edtech revolution in Gulf

One of the lessons the Covid-19 pandemic has taught governments across the world is that education providers can still teach when their premises are inaccessible. Read how organisations in the Gulf region’s education sector have been quick to adopt the latest education technology, known as edtech, to help in this endeavour. Also read in this issue how Indian IT services company TCS is bringing together universities, businesses, tech startups and government to work on sustainability challenges. 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

Flexify brings virtualisation layer to multi-cloud storage

Cloud storage virtualisation provider allows application access via S3 API calls to a single destination while capacity can be in numerous clouds with migration between them Continue Reading

TCS opens its first European innovation centre in Amsterdam

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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

Five things you need to know about NVMe over Fabrics

We look at NVMe-oF, which extends fast flash across the network – what it is, how it works, use cases, benefits and limitations, and the suppliers of NVMe-oF products Continue Reading

The Cambridge-1 switch-on: UK’s most powerful supercomputer goes live

The UK's most powerful supercomputer has gone live, with Nvidia talking up its potential to transform artificial intelligence-based healthcare research around the world 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

Manutan claws back 25% of storage admin time in switch to Pure

Industrial and office supply giant needed to replace 3Par arrays then made a rapid switch to Pure Storage FlashArray flash storage when the ageing HPE hardware crashed during POC Continue Reading