Connor Jones
Connor Jones has been at the forefront of global cyber security news coverage for the past few years, breaking developments on major stories such as LockBit’s ransomware attack on Royal Mail International, and many others. He has also made sporadic appearances on the ITPro Podcast discussing topics from home desk setups all the way to hacking systems using prosthetic limbs.
Connor has previously written for the likes of Red Bull Esports and UNILAD, before a lengthy stint at ITPro. He has a master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from one of the UK’s leading journalism departments at the University of Sheffield, as well as an undergraduate degree in English Language from Sheffield Hallam University.
When he’s not hitting the phones trying to squeeze stories out of sources and press offices, in his free time Connor studies software development, is a keen cook, and enjoys leading an active life through cycling, hiking, racket sports, and weightlifting.
Latest articles by Connor Jones
LockBit set Royal Mail ransom at £65 million
By Connor Jones published
News The leak offers a rare and unique insight into the negotiations tactics of both LockBit and the UK's NCSC
Manchester still the North's largest tech sector as funding increases to £532 million
By Connor Jones published
News The city retained its title while also raising more than rival European cities
ION Trading reportedly pays LockBit ransom demands
By Connor Jones published
News Paying ransomware groups is a highly discouraged practice but has been historically sanctioned in the most severe cases
BT Group extends Kyndryl deal to migrate legacy mainframe apps to the cloud
By Connor Jones published
News Applications will either be repackaged for cloud environments, dismantled and have their functionality transplanted into other apps, or retired completely
Business leaders continue to raise salaries as tech layoffs mount
By Connor Jones published
News Only 5% of CFOs said they would be reducing staff compensation amid a challenging economic climate
US extradites French ShinyHunters hacker, faces 123 years in prison
By Connor Jones published
News The hacker is believed to be a member of the hacking group known for its spree of data breaches across 2020 and 2021
FBI's landmark Hive ransomware takedown 'a drop in the ocean'
By Connor Jones published
News A huge win for law enforcement, but the 'hacking back' takedown of Hive's domain is just a small drop in the expansive ransomware ocean
'Highly evasive' polymorphic malware generated using ChatGPT
By Connor Jones published
News Researchers at CyberArk Labs developed a novel method to generate malware using text that goes largely undetected by signature-based antimalware products
Royal Mail ransom note leaked, LockBit’s role remains uncertain
By Connor Jones published
News The prolific ransomware operation has denied involvement but researchers remain sceptical
Linux fixes maximum-severity kernel vulnerability
By Connor Jones published
News Most businesses running SMB servers are believed to be shielded but one expert likened potential exploits to Heartbleed
The Guardian newspaper believes "IT incident" caused by ransomware
By Connor Jones published
News It's the second case of a major Western media organisation being targeted by a cyber attack this year
Asian countries dominate list of least cyber-secure remote working locations
By Connor Jones published
News The research aimed to highlight the security risks of post-pandemic 'workations'
Best free malware removal tools in 2023
By Connor Jones last updated
Best Worried your device is infected? Here are some of the best free malware removal tools at your disposal in 2023
Businesses to receive unique Twitter verification badge in platform overhaul
By Connor Jones published
News There will be new verification systems for businesses, governments, and individuals - each receiving differently coloured checkmarks
Google rolls out patch for high-severity Chrome browser zero day
By Connor Jones published
News It's the eighth time this year Google has been forced to address a zero-day vulnerability in its world-leading browser
ICO: The public sector isn’t getting 'an easier ride' with GDPR penalties
By Connor Jones published
News The UK’s information commissioner outlines his new approach to regulation and why the most constructive punishments will always be favoured
‘Hardcore’ Musk decimates Twitter staff benefits, mandates weekly code reviews
By Connor Jones published
News The new plans from the CEO have been revealed through a series of leaked internal memos
Google Cloud Platform now automatically detects highly common ransomware dropper
By Connor Jones published
News Cobalt Strike is one of the most widely abused cyber security tools on the market and the latest measures aim to prevent cloud-based cyber attacks
Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement harnesses "Brexit freedoms" to grow tech sector
By Connor Jones published
News The review of the government's budgetary focuses delivered significant tax increases while preserving spending in key growth areas
US federal agency breached by Iranian state-backed hackers via Log4Shell exploit
By Connor Jones published
News The initial intrusion was discovered in February but a full incident response wasn't launched until June
Hundreds of thousands of Emotet attacks spotted daily after four-month hiatus
By Connor Jones published
News The botnet that refuses to die returns again and is equipped with new payloads and tactics to evade detection
Google agrees record $391.5m settlement in US digital tracking case
By Connor Jones published
News The sum represents the largest settlement ever paid in a US digital privacy case which dates back to 2018
IT workers' self-confidence hampering portfolio career ambitions
By Connor Jones published
News Research suggests imposter syndrome is holding back around half of IT professionals from realising their multi-faceted dream careers
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