CrowdStrike to lay off five percent of staff
CrowdStrike reiterated its fiscal 2026 first quarter and annual forecasts and announced a plan to cut about 500 roles, roughly five percent of its workforce, to reduce costs. The cybersecurity company will incur about US$36 million ($55 million) to US$53 million in charges related to the layoffs, of which about US$7 million will be recognised […]
US lawmakers criticise UK backdoor order to Apple
US House Judiciary chair Jim Jordan and Foreign Affairs chair Brian Mast warned Britain that its order to Apple to create a backdoor to its encrypted user data could be exploited by cybercriminals and authoritarian regimes. Apple, which has said it would never build a so-called back door into its encrypted services or devices, has […]
Qld government scales up generative AI usage
Over 14,000 Queensland public service workers have adopted the state government’s generative AI tool, QChat, nearly a year after it became fully operational. The Azure OpenAI-based service was initially introduced in private preview to select departments in late 2023 before being rolled out statewide almost a year ago. As of now, staff at 18 Queensland […]
Airservices consolidates tech under CISO leadership
Airservices Australia has consolidated technology functions into a newly formed division led by chief information security officer Anthony Kitzelmann. The new portfolio brings together the air navigation agency’s enterprise technology strategy, assurance and cyber security functions. As part of the reorganisation, Kitzelmann will now hold the expanded title of head of Technology Strategy, Assurance and […]
Microsoft forecasts strong growth for Azure cloud business
Microsoft has forecast stronger-than-expected quarterly growth for its cloud-computing business Azure after blowout results in the latest quarter, calming investor worries in an uncertain economy and lifting its shares. Microsoft’s results, which follow similar outcomes from Google last week, could ease concerns about a potential slowdown in AI demand, after some analysts pointed to canceled […]
ANZ Plus to go passwordless
ANZ Plus, ANZ’s digital bank, will introduce two passwordless authentication methods for its web banking from mid-2025. The bank said that customers will be able to log in either via an app or a passkey. Using the app method, “customers can enter their mobile number and approve a login request sent to their ANZ Plus […]
Lake Macquarie City Council resets IT leadership with CTO role
Lake Macquarie City Council has promoted its acting chief information officer, Joshua Crooks, to the permanent leadership position of chief technology officer. In his new role, Crooks will lead the implementation of the council’s digital strategy and technology roadmap, with a focus on enhancing digital customer services and improving asset maintenance. Crooks has led Lake […]
WA reboots IT infrastructure buying after GovNext’s end
Western Australia’s planned reboot of its whole-of-government buying scheme for technology hardware and services will “commence in mid-2025”, replacing the discontinued GovNext ICT scheme. Perth iStock The state’s Department of Finance confirmed to iTnews that it will launch a fresh technology infrastructure and solutions panel this June, replacing the now-defunct GovNext common use arrangement (CUA), […]
France accuses APT28 of repeated cyber attacks since 2021
France’s foreign ministry explicitly accused Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency of mounting cyber attacks on a dozen entities including ministries, defence firms and think tanks since 2021 in an attempt to destabilise France. The accusations, levelled at GRU unit APT28, which officials said was based in Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia, are not the first by […]
Britain’s M&S says cyber attack has hit food availability in some stores
British retailer Marks & Spencer said some stores have been left short of some food items as it continues to grapple with a “cyber incident”. M&S, one of the best known names in British business, stopped taking clothing and home orders through its website and app following problems with contactless pay and click and collect […]