public sector
South Korean public sector organisations targeted by Gwisin ransomware![A simple graphic of a white laptop on a red background, with a distorted red padlock showing on the laptop's otherwise black screen](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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South Korean public sector organisations targeted by Gwisin ransomware
Threat actors tailored attacks on victims such as pharmaceutical companies, with researchers still in the dark on key details
8 Aug 2022
Home Office to collect foreign offenders' biometric data using smartwatch scheme![A smartwatch on someone's arm, lit in red](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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Home Office to collect foreign offenders' biometric data using smartwatch scheme
Facial recognition and geolocation data will be matched against Home Office, Ministry of Justice and police databases
5 Aug 2022
EU opens antitrust probe into Play Store's billing guidelines![The Google Play Store application as shown on a smartphone display](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
![The Google Play Store application as shown on a smartphone display](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20221210024108/https://media.itpro.co.uk//image/upload/f_auto,t_card-mobile@1/v1589542274/itpro/Google_Play_store_Shutterstock.jpg)
EU opens antitrust probe into Play Store's billing guidelines
The European Commission will investigate whether developer fees and billing terms put forth by Google’s Play Store are adequate
4 Aug 2022
India scraps privacy bill following big tech outcry![India's parliament building at sunset](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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India scraps privacy bill following big tech outcry
However, the government is developing a new bill which it hopes to bring into law early next year
4 Aug 2022
Legal challenge for Sadiq Khan over ANPR expansion, Met access to data![An automated number-plate recognition (ANPR) camera watches over a dual carriageway](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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Legal challenge for Sadiq Khan over ANPR expansion, Met access to data
Rights campaigners argue that the increase in surveillance is unlawful and unjustified
3 Aug 2022
Twitter reports largest ever period for data requests in new transparency report![A close-up of a blue cartoon bird, the logo of Twitter, against a white background](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
![A close-up of a blue cartoon bird, the logo of Twitter, against a white background](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20221210024108/https://media.itpro.co.uk//image/upload/f_auto,t_card-mobile@1/v1659361405/itpro/Twitter-closeup-GettyImages-1241930983.jpg)
Twitter reports largest ever period for data requests in new transparency report
The company pointed to the success of its moderation systems despite increasing reports, as governments increasingly targeted verified journalists and…
1 Aug 2022
Why the UK is dragging its feet on regulating big tech![The British flag overlaid with digital abstract elements](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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Why the UK is dragging its feet on regulating big tech
Britain’s delay to empowering the Digital Markets Unit (DMU) with the powers it craves could see the once-frontrunner fall behind the rest of the worl…
1 Aug 2022
Cyber attack on US court system being investigated, DoJ confirms![Matthew Olsen of the US National Security Division](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
![Matthew Olsen of the US National Security Division](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20221210024108/https://media.itpro.co.uk//image/upload/f_auto,t_card-mobile@1/v1659087131/itpro/matthew_olsen_NSD_getty.jpg)
Cyber attack on US court system being investigated, DoJ confirms
The early 2020 attack, publicly disclosed for the first time this week, is thought to have had a "staggering effect" on the department and other agenc…
29 Jul 2022
Government launches Defence Centre for AI Research![The logo for the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), written in white text on a purple background with pink square brackets on either side, and the motto 'The Science Inside' in white underneath](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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Government launches Defence Centre for AI Research
The MoD and Alan Turing Institute announce the project as part of a wider plan to make the UK a world-leader in AI research
15 Jul 2022
How to protect against 'endemic' Log4j vulnerabilities![A mockup of the log4j Java library logo](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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How to protect against 'endemic' Log4j vulnerabilities
A US government report details a series of recommendations to help counter the Log4Shell flaw in the long term
15 Jul 2022
BAE Systems lands $699 million US army HPC contract![The BAE Systems logo at an exhibition](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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BAE Systems lands $699 million US army HPC contract
Defense giant will operate and maintain the military’s high performance computing systems until 2027
14 Jul 2022
ID.me pushes for US-wide privacy legislation![US flag outside Congress](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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ID.me pushes for US-wide privacy legislation
The latest push follows Apple CEO Tim Cook advocating support for the "strongest privacy bill possible"
14 Jul 2022
FTC fires warning against sensitive data misuse![A point-of-view shot of a pregnant woman, holding a phone with an app that shows she is 22 weeks pregnant](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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FTC fires warning against sensitive data misuse
The agency has responded to fears around biometric data breaches, including those relating to abortion services
13 Jul 2022
Why does the UK government want to replace GDPR with the Data Reform Bill?![The UK in red and the EU in blue as seen in a digitised map](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
![The UK in red and the EU in blue as seen in a digitised map](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20221210024108/https://media.itpro.co.uk/image/upload/f_auto,t_card-mobile@1/v1570816879/itpro/2019/06/uk_shutterstock_1232869537.jpg)
Why does the UK government want to replace GDPR with the Data Reform Bill?
Critics brand the EU's regulations as inflexible and counterproductive, but do the claims stand up to scrutiny?
11 Jul 2022
US seeks to ban shipments of chipmaking tools to China’s SMIC![Macro view of modern multicore CPU processor in human hand with PC computer motherboard in background](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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US seeks to ban shipments of chipmaking tools to China’s SMIC
The potential export ban will stall China's efforts to make more advanced chips
8 Jul 2022
UK government must 'engage with tech giants' on foreign policy![A red world map with white pixels](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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UK government must 'engage with tech giants' on foreign policy
The Foreign Affairs Committee urge the government to work more closely with big tech, which is becoming the new battleground for threats to national p…
8 Jul 2022
EU inches closer to blocking Meta from sending personal data to US![A smartphone showing the Meta company logo in front of a large Facebook logo](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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EU inches closer to blocking Meta from sending personal data to US
The decision still needs to be approved by other European data regulators, but could see the shut down of Instagram and Facebook on the continent
8 Jul 2022
NCSC and ICO chiefs plead with lawyers to stop making ransomware payments![A close up image of a smartphone with the ICO webpage displayed on screen](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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NCSC and ICO chiefs plead with lawyers to stop making ransomware payments
The two UK authorities say misconceptions around ICO fines are jeopardising the integrity of UK cyber security, in a direct appeal to the Law Society
8 Jul 2022
Maui ransomware actively targeting US healthcare organizations![Abstract image showing a cyber criminal silhouetted against a North Korean flag](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
![Abstract image showing a cyber criminal silhouetted against a North Korean flag](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20221210024108/https://media.itpro.co.uk/image/upload/f_auto,t_card-mobile@1/v1570816704/itpro/2018/10/north_korea_shutterstock_498172096.jpg)
Maui ransomware actively targeting US healthcare organizations
North Korean state-sponsored attackers are said to have been targeting critical services since at least May 2021
7 Jul 2022
US unveils next-gen encryption tools to withstand quantum computing attacks![An image representing the digital quantum world](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
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US unveils next-gen encryption tools to withstand quantum computing attacks
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) hopes to offer a variety of tools for quantum-proof encryption
7 Jul 2022
What is the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA)?![The EU flag overlaid with a circuit board](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
![The EU flag overlaid with a circuit board](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20221210024108/https://media.itpro.co.uk//image/upload/f_auto,t_card-mobile@1/v1657028695/itpro/2022/July/GettyImages-EU%20tech%20digital.jpg)
What is the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA)?
The European Commission is hoping to open up platforms and break down big tech’s most egregious monopolistic practices
6 Jul 2022
Cross-party MPs urge ban on two Chinese CCTV companies citing ethics and security concerns![A slightly out of focus CCTV camera points at a 45 degree to the right of the viewer, while a second camera that is in focus bearing the word 'Hikvision' points away from the viewer](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
![A slightly out of focus CCTV camera points at a 45 degree to the right of the viewer, while a second camera that is in focus bearing the word 'Hikvision' points away from the viewer](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20221210024108/https://media.itpro.co.uk//image/upload/f_auto,t_card-mobile@1/v1657015836/itpro/cctv-hikvision-GettyImages-1266205793.jpg)
Cross-party MPs urge ban on two Chinese CCTV companies citing ethics and security concerns
Hikvision and Dahua are used by over 60% of UK public bodies, despite widespread criticism around alleged ties to crimes in Xinjiang
5 Jul 2022
Hackers claim to steal personal data of over a billion people in China![Hacker on a computer with a Chinese flag in the background](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
![Hacker on a computer with a Chinese flag in the background](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20221210024108/https://media.itpro.co.uk//image/upload/f_auto,t_card-mobile@1/v1626707768/itpro/shutterstock_chinese_hacker.jpg)
Hackers claim to steal personal data of over a billion people in China
The attackers have reportedly offered to sell over 23 terabytes of data for 10 bitcoin
4 Jul 2022
Universities are fighting a cyber security war on multiple fronts![A cybersecurity expert examines an attack](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
![A cybersecurity expert examines an attack](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20221210024108/https://media.itpro.co.uk//image/upload/f_auto,t_card-mobile@1/v1634725724/shutterstock_cyber-warfare-2.jpg)
Universities are fighting a cyber security war on multiple fronts
Businesses may be under constant threat, but for institutions that harbour sensitive R&D, the stakes are much higher
4 Jul 2022