Alastair Revell on IT-Director.com

LinkedIn Security Breach: 6M Hashed Passwords Potentially Leaked

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 17:38:54 +0100

There are claims circulating on the Web today, which have been reported by the BBC, stating that some six million passwords from LinkedIn have been leaked on a Russian Internet site in encrypted... [Read More...]

Would You Risk the Wrath of the Information Commissioner?

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Tue, 10 May 2011 17:00:10 +0100

The Information Commissioner's fining of solicitor Andrew Jonathan Crossley is interesting in several respects and contains an important message for many small businesses. The �1,000 fine was... [Read More...]

US Diplomatic 'WikiLeaks' Inevitable

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:42:12 +0100

I was interested in what Sir Christopher Meyer (HM Ambassador to the United States between 1997 and 2003) had to say about WikiLeaks on BBC Question Time last night. I understand from what he was... [Read More...]

NHS: Can we trust them with the Patient Summary Care Record Data?

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:56:23 +0100

I find it worrying that the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) reports that the NHS is the United Kingdom's worst offender in terms of keeping personal data, especially in light of... [Read More...]

Thoughts on The Queen's Speech

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Fri, 28 May 2010 20:46:40 +0100

I welcome the two IT related bills in the Queen's Speech. The Freedom (Great Repeal) Bill will limit the amount of time that the DNA profiles of innocent people in England and Wales can be... [Read More...]

McAfee Update Causes Windows XP SP3 Machines to Fail Worldwide

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:34:45 +0100

I imagine that 21st April 2010 will be a day that McAfee will remember for sometime to come and probably one they would much prefer to forget! The antivirus vendor issued its daily security update... [Read More...]

Data Protection Act 1998

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:21:41 +0100

I suspect many businesses and probably most members of the general public are unaware that the fees for notification under the Data Protection Act 1998 were changed with effect from 1st October... [Read More...]

More on the Exeter University Virus

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:11:14 +0100

Just a quick update to my earlier blog regarding the problems currently being faced by the University of Exeter. It seems the virus is exploiting known flaws in the Microsoft Vista and... [Read More...]

Exeter University Shutdown!

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:02:17 +0100

It seems that the University of Exeter is currently in the middle of a�major virus outbreak, which has led to their IT team shutting down the entire campus network, including their telephone system... [Read More...]

IT Professionals must be assertive!

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:46:49 +0100

I've been mulling over Michael Cross' article of 23rd September 2009 for the Guardian web site for a while now, which was written in response to The British Computer Society rebranding... [Read More...]

Rural Payments Agency: More Government Data Loss

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:01:56 +0100

Farmers Weekly has reported that the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has lost the payment details of every farmer in the United Kingdom that has ever claimed a farm payment. The details include names... [Read More...]

BCS Rebranded: The Future isn't just Green!

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:29:48 +0100

The British Computer Society (BCS) launched its new branding over the weekend and it is clearly setting an ambitious course. [Read More...]

National Museum of Computing to Reboot the Harwell Machine

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:43:56 +0100

I was pleased to just read a few moments ago on the BBC Web Site that the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park is to acquire the Harwell machine. It is the oldest computer in existence... [Read More...]

Chartered IT Professional (CITP): The Qualification Whose Time is Coming?

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:29:16 +0100

I welcome the joint report produced by fellows of The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE), The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and The British Computer Society (BCS) entitled:... [Read More...]

Selling and marketing in a recession: Forget email?

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:26:13 +0100

I've recently had occasion to contact a number of professional service firms out of the blue about the services that they offer. [Read More...]

Bletchley Park: Important to the IT Profession

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:14:46 +0100

I attended the BCS South West AGM Talk The Second World War Code Breaking Centre at Bletchley Park at the University of Plymouth on Wednesday, 13th May 2009, given by John Gallehawk of... [Read More...]

IT Security: No Symptoms? No Problems?

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:37:15 +0100

I periodically battle with SME clients who argue that no one really would want to hack their organisation - they are simply too small or too insignificant to warrant the effort.... [Read More...]

Spam: What a Relief!

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:46:31 +0100

The closure of the San Jose hosting company McColo Corp has had an amazing effect on the level of spam world-wide. A number of sources suggest that spam has dropped by around 66% in the last week or... [Read More...]

There Be Dragons!

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:17:23 +0100

Over the last couple of weeks, I've spent a couple of fun days at the University of Plymouth being a dragon! I probably need to explain � [Read More...]

Bletchley Park

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:29:01 +0100

I was pleased to hear recently that both IBM and PGP have between them made a grant of �57,000 towards the upkeep of Bletchley Park. The BBC has reported that the donation will help curate... [Read More...]

Do Young IT Professionals Deserve a Career Track?

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:46:13 +0100

I think one of the long term problems that faces the IT profession is how we train new entrants to our profession. Established professions, such as law and surveying, have long had well-defined... [Read More...]

Microsoft: What does the future hold?

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:29:39 +0100

I suspect that at some point in the future, today may well be seen to be very significant! Why? Simply because today was the first day that Microsoft moved forward without its founder at the helm.... [Read More...]

Web Compliance? It is often simply unbelievable!

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:56:25 +0100

I can't believe just how many web designers claim that their web sites are compliant with the standards when they are demonstrably not! I'm talking in particular about the World Wide... [Read More...]

A Contentious Lunchtime Thought?

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:40:18 +0100

I came across an interesting article by Bruce Lawson on The Web Standards Project web site about the UK Government Accessibility Consultation that was held by the Cabinet Office last November... [Read More...]

EMail: The Beginning of the End?

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:32:41 +0100

I was interested to read Ben Limberg's article on the BBC News web site this morning about how stressful email is becoming. It highlighted for me that spam continues to grow and it reminded me of... [Read More...]

Internet Attacks: It Won't Happen to Us...

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:35:25 +0100

The lack of understanding of IT-related security issues in many small-to-medium sized businesses that I encounter as a management and technology consultant often worries me. There seems to be a... [Read More...]

Personal Details of 25M People Compromised by UK Government

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 21:28:24 +0100

I suspect the loss of 25 million child benefit records by HM Government in the United Kingdom will have considerable, long-term ramifications. I understand that the compromised data represents the... [Read More...]

Do You Have a Good Web Site?

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:43:17 +0100

What is the minimum for a good web site? I am often asked to give an opinion on whether a web site is good or not. I normally start by assessing whether the web site complies with relevant law... [Read More...]

Sweeping Spam under the Carpet

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 19:43:11 +0100

Unless I am greatly mistaken, there has been yet another surge in spam in the last few weeks. Like many firms, Revell Research Systems uses a fairly sophisticated anti-spam system, which... [Read More...]

Plymouth University's Best Computing Graduate Receives Recognition

rss@it-analysis.com (Alastair Revell, Revell Research Systems) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 23:04:38 +0100

I'm pleased to announce that Darren Rees, from Llantwit Major in South Wales, formally received the 2007 Revell Research Systems Prize at the University of Plymouth at a small ceremony in Exeter... [Read More...]