War and security news

HMRC website and a pen and letter

“Recent cyber attacks weren’t purely technical failures, they started with people, processes, and misplaced trust” – Cyber Security expert comments on run of high-profile online attacks

HMRC revealed yesterday that more than 100,000 taxpayer accounts had been compromised, as cyber criminals stole more than £47 million through fraudulent tax rebates. While the tax authority managed to secure the accounts, meaning no taxpayer’s money was lost, the incident highlights how susceptible to organised fraud large organisations can be.

Red exclamation mark on digital background

“Are we dangling on the edge of a digital apocalypse given all of the high-profile attacks recently?”

Professor in Cyber Security, Oli Buckley comments on the importance of digital housekeeping in a world so intrinsically tied to digital services.
Woman opening fridge in supermarket

“In our interconnected world, a hacker’s keyboard can disrupt the journey from farm to fork” – cyber security expert comments on growing vulnerability in our food infrastructure.

As incidents of cybercrime and security breaches dominate the news – particularly in connection to our groceries, Professor in Cyber Security, Oli Buckley comments on how online attacks, such as the recent incidents involving M&S, the Co-op, and now major distributor, Peter Green Chilled, pose serious risks to the complex supply chains that sit behind the shelves we shop from.

View from the Mount of Olives on the dome of the rock and ancient cemetery through the barbed wire, as a symbol of Palestine Israeli conflict

Israel’s peace movement offers a ray of hope amid the pain of Gaza conflict

An opinion piece written by Dr Yuval Katz from the School of Social Sciences and Humanities for The Conversation platform:
A laptop with a small supermarket trolley sat on the keys and two small cardboard boxes with images of trolleys on them

Why hasn’t the M&S cyber attack chaos been resolved yet? We asked a cyber security expert

More than a week has passed since Marks & Spencer (M&S), one of the UK’s most recognisable retailers, was hit by a major cyber attack.

A man facing several security cameras showing different locations in an office

Severance: what the hit show can teach us about cybersecurity and human risk

What if your work self didn’t know about your personal life, and your home self had no idea what you did for a living? In Apple TV’s Severance, that’s exactly the deal: a surgical procedure splits the memories of employees into “innies” (who only exist at work) and “outies” (who never recall what they do from nine to five).
Iran and US flags together

Iran and US to enter high-stakes nuclear negotiations – hampered by a lack of trust

The announcement of planned talks between the US and Iran in Oman signifies a crucial development – especially given the history of distrust and animosity that has characterised their interactions.
Hand holding phone with security graphics

“Technology wasn’t at fault - the human use of it was” – Cyber security expert explains how easily human mistakes can undermine even the best technical safeguards

The security leak involving some of America’s most senior officials and their military plans, shocked the world earlier this week.

Ice floating around in the arctic sea

Growing Trump-Putin detente could spell trouble for the Arctic

During a wide-ranging 90-minute speech to the US congress of March 4, Donald Trump revisited his determination to “get” Greenland “one way or the other”. Trump said his country needed Greenland “for national security”. While he said he and his government “strongly support your right to determine your own future” he added that “if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America”.
Fighters flying the Syrian flag

Syria: fall of Assad a blow for Iran’s ‘Shia crescent’ – here are its foreign policy options in the new-look Middle East

When Hafez al-Assad, an Alawite minority member, seized control of the Ba'ath Party in Syria in 1970, he faced a significant backlash. The Syrian Constitution stipulated that only Muslims could hold the presidency, and the Alawites were deemed non-Muslim by many Sunni groups.

Exploding pagers and walkie-talkies are a reminder of how easily your devices can be hacked – here’s how to make sure they are safe

The recent attacks on walkie-talkies and pagers in Lebanon have highlighted the hidden vulnerabilities in everyday technology. These incidents underscore the need for individuals to understand the potential risks associated with their devices and to take proactive steps to protect themselves in an increasingly digital world where safety can be compromised.
A blue globe with lines going around it, you can see different countries on the globe with lights making them look active

UK science secretary warns Britain is “desperately exposed” to cyber threats - researcher reacts

The UK science secretary has warned Britain is “desperately exposed” to cyber threats and the upheaval of another pandemic, and claims national resilience suffered “catastrophically” under the previous government.

A blue globe with lines going around it, you can see different countries on the globe with lights making them look active

IT outage: Researcher discusses how issue continues to impact airlines and NHS

Andrew Peck, a cyber resilience PhD researcher at Loughborough University who, prior to joining the institute, had a career delivering IT solutions to big industry, healthcare and government, shares his thoughts on the ongoing IT outage issues.

A blue globe with lines going around it, you can see different countries on the globe with lights making them look active

IT outage causes issues across the globe: cyber resilience researchers react

Andrew Peck, a cyber resilience PhD researcher at Loughborough University who, prior to joining the institute, had a career delivering IT solutions to big industry, healthcare and government, and Professor Oli Buckley, an expert in cyber security, have reacted to the IT outage news.
an aerial photograph of the arc de triomphe in Paris

Is Paris under external threat this summer? (VIDEO)

As host city Paris ramps up for the biggest sporting spectacle on earth, all eyes will undoubtedly be on those vying for podium places.
The Normandy landings

D-day: how world leaders have made commemorations part of their diplomatic playbook

The 2024 celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of D-day are the latest in a long line of commemorations in honour of the allied landings in Normandy, which began on June 6 1944.
Movie still from Saving Private Ryan

Ten classic films about D-day, recommended by a war historian

The allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944, commonly known as D-day, was an enormously significant moment in the history of the second world war.
A search and rescue dog and his handler search rubble

BESIEGED: Dogs of War – the ethics of using animals in conflicts

The Gevena Convention protects people who have fallen victim to armed conflict, but militaries around the world use thousands of animals in combat, support, and ceremonial roles. Who looks out for them?

Masters of the Air: ten other films and TV shows about the ‘friendly invasion’ of the American Eighth Air Force

New Apple TV series Masters of the Air tells the story of the famed 100th Bomb Group. The “Bloody 100th” (as they became known), were a part of the United States Eighth Air Force, a huge organisation which operated out of around 70 airfields in eastern England from 1942 to 1945.
person being rescued by stretcher in war torn Ukraine

BESIEGED PODCAST: “The sound of bombs, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, was nonstop.” Ukrainian aid workers describe life on the frontline

Loughborough University graduate Madeline MacKenzie is in Ukraine working for a humanitarian aid agency, STAY SAFE UA – set up by five friends who refused to stand by and watch people suffer. Earlier this year, Madeline, Andriy, Taras, Yuriy, David and Libby (the rescue dog) visited Loughborough’s London campus to talk to Peter Warzynski – host of the University’s Besieged podcast – to give firsthand accounts of the war which ravages their home.

myanmar police standing in a line

Myanmar’s military junta appears to be in terminal decline

Myint Swe, the acting president of Mynamar’s military government, has warned that the country “will be split into various parts” after his armed forces suffered huge territorial losses to resistance fighters recently. His response was to call on Mynamar’s people to support his military forces, a call that is likely, based on previous experience, to fall mainly on deaf ears.
Computer generated image showing a lock on top of a digital/tech looking background comprised of lines and small dots

Expert comment: AI Safety Summit - why it's important and what can be expected

For the next two days, leaders, tech executives, and experts - including Elon Musk, will gather at Bletchley Park for the AI Safety Summit 2023.

Loughborough bolsters ties with RAF to improve the future of military technology

Loughborough University has strengthened its long-standing relationship with the Royal Air Force by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) - an agreement which will see the two institutions working towards common goals.
Ukrainian flag flying over city

Loughborough to host roundtable discussion supported by the Fund of the President of the Ukraine

Loughborough is proud to be hosting one of the ‘World Academic Talks’ events, a series of roundtable discussions supported by the Fund of the President of the Ukraine.

How nurturing refugee businesses can help with integration

A global surge in the number of people being housed in temporary refugee camps means new opportunities need to be created to allow those communities to integrate into their host countries.