Don't forget to check out http://www.auda.org.au/domain-news/ for the archive of the last 3 months of the news. And see my website - http://GoldsteinReport.com/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** Security: A code explodes http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fcce9b76-cd8c-11df-9c82-00144feab49a.html Cyber Storm III: a war on trust http://www.zdnet.com.au/cyber-storm-iii-a-war-on-trust-339306307.htm In cyber war 'you're on your own': Australian government [AAP] http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/in-cyber-war-youre-on-your-own-government-20101001-160ni.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/in-cyber-war-youre-on-your-own-government-20101001-160ni.html International cyber security exercise: Cyber Storm III [news release] http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2010_ThirdQuarter_29September2010-InternationalcybersecurityexerciseCyberStormIII Commission to boost Europe's defences against cyber-attacks http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/itemlongdetail.cfm?item_id=6190 au: Cyber breaches investigated by Defence http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/cyber-breaches-investigated-by-defence-20100930-15zds.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/cyber-breaches-investigated-by-defence-20100930-15zds.html Free speech group fights lawsuits vs. news sharers [AP] http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/free-speech-group-fights-lawsuits-vs-news-sharers-20101001-15zrw.html COICA Censorship Bill Shelved... For Now http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100930/13300411241/coica-censorship-bill-shelved-for-now.shtml Even Without COICA, White House Asking Registrars To Voluntarily Censor 'Infringing' Sites http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100929/20293711230/even-without-coica-white-house-asking-registrars-to-voluntarily-censor-infringing-sites.shtml ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** IGF 2010: Day 3 and Day 4 This post concludes New America?s coverage of the 2010 IGF in Vilnius, Lithuania. Two weeks ago, we explained the non-traditional, multi-stakeholder composition of the IGF and expressed hope that its vision of Internet governance would continue to reflect its structure. Last week, in highlighting some of the discussions from the first two days, we noted that most participants - while not breaking new ground - reaffirmed the need for IGF to maintain its open, multi-stakeholder approach. Now we turn to the second half of the 2010 IGF. http://mediapolicy.newamerica.net/blogposts/2010/igf_2010_day_3_and_day_4-37753 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Review Teams for SSR (Security, Stability and Resiliency of the DNS) and for WHOIS (WhoIs Policy) After careful review of the candidates' documents, the mandated Selectors for the Affirmation of Commitments ? Heather Dryden, Interim Chair of the ICANN Government Advisory Committee and Rod Beckstrom, ICANN President and CEO ? have reached a decision on the composition of the above Review Teams (RT), as presented in the tables below. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-30sep10-en.htm Letter from Amre Moussa, League of Arab, States The Secretary General to Rod Beckstrom, President and CEO Recognition of Arab region http://icann.org/en/correspondence/moussa-to-beckstrom-28aug10-en.pdf New TLD competition group throws in the towel The ICANN working group tasked with deciding whether registrars should be allowed to apply for new top-level domains has failed to reach agreement after over six months of talks. http://domainincite.com/new-tld-competition-group-throws-in-the-towel/ ICANN May Test Whois Privacy and Proxy Services The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) has asked ICANN to consider the cost and feasibility of extended whois studies. ICANN has already undertaken studies to determine what percentage of whois records are accurate. The next study is to see how whois privacy and whois proxy services respond to requests to reveal the actual owner of domain names. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/09/29/icann-may-test-whois-privacy-and-proxy-services/ ICANN cans broke registrar 4Domains.com has lost its registrar accreditation after ICANN decided it had gone insolvent. http://domainincite.com/icann-cans-broke-registrar/ Are New TLDs Truly About Competition and Innovation or Is It to Make ICANN Rich and Powerful? by Constantine Roussos The ICANN Board resolutions adopted during the retreat in Trondheim, Norway on the 25th of September, 2010, painted yet another question mark for new TLDs, despite its positive outlook. While the Board seems dedicated to resolve all the outstanding issues, applicants were still left in the dark in regards to some key issues that affect the economics of launching new TLDs. http://www.circleid.com/posts/are_new_tlds_truly_about_competition_and_innovation_or_make_icann_rich/ ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** .Biz Prices to Increase Along with .Org .Biz domain name registry NeuStar has informed ICANN that it intends to raise wholesale prices for .biz domain names effective April 1, 2011. That?s the same time that Public Interest Registry will raise its rates on .org domain names to $7.21. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/09/30/biz-prices-to-increase-along-with-org/ ee: Domain Re-Registration Starts Off Slowly Only about 5 percent of the 79,000 "old" domain names in Estonia have been re-registered under the new system, according to the Estonian Internet Foundation. http://news.err.ee/Economy/a7142b86-6ee2-47fd-9501-9dd7db1af41f AFNIC launches ZoneCheck version 3 AFNIC launched on September 27th version 3 of ZoneCheck, the software designed to check the configuration of a domain or zone by means of various tests. The latest version has been developed in the context of the deployment of DNSSEC in France. http://www.afnic.fr/actu/nouvelles/255/afnic-launches-zonecheck-version-3 Now .mobi wants to auction ultra-short domains Afilias-owned dotMobi has applied to ICANN to auction off one and two-letter .mobi domain names, following in the footsteps on other top-level domain registries. http://domainincite.com/now-mobi-wants-to-auction-ultra-short-domains/ VeriSign Abandons Plans for 1 and 2 Character .Net Domains VeriSign has withdrawn its request to ICANN to allow it to release one and two character .net domain names. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/09/30/verisign-abandons-plans-for-1-and-2-character-net-domains/ Co.no To Launch November 1st The .no registry has very restrictive rules governing both who can register domain names and how many they can register. Only Norwegian companies can register .no domain names and they are limited to registering a maximum of 20 domain names. http://www.dnsnews.me/2010/09/24/cono-to-launch-november-1st/ PIR Launches WhyIChose.ORG Campaign What?s in a name? When it comes to online branding, we, at .ORG, The Public Interest Registry, pride ourselves on educating registrars and end-users about the value of domain names. That?s why .ORG is excited to kick-off WhyIChose.ORG, a campaign that explores this question and more. Our overall goal? To illustrate the importance of the domain you choose and how this decision can make a true impact on brand impressions. http://pir.org/blog/2010/whyichose .ORG Kicks-Off the "Why I Chose" Campaign to Educate Marketers About Value of Domain Names What's in a name? With nearly 200 million registered domain names worldwide, an increasing number of organizations, companies and individuals are fine-tuning their online marketing campaigns and selecting domain names that will enhance brand value. In fact, with over 8.5 million registrants, .ORG -- the world's third largest generic top-level domain -- is quickly becoming the venue of choice for not just non-profits and associations but also for consumer marketing campaigns, education initiatives, corporate giving and corporate crisis communications. http://pir.org/news/pr/2010/whyichose Russian ccTLD Breaks 3 Million Mark The Russian ccTLD, .ru, has broken the 3 million mark in terms of domains registered. http://www.dnsnews.me/2010/09/27/russian-cctld-breaks-3-million-mark/ se: Cheaper dispute solution for small companies and private individuals As of September 15, 2010, the fee for private individuals and small companies that want to retroactively appeal the allocation of a .se domain name through .SE?s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) will be halved. http://www.iis.se/en/pressmeddelanden/billigare-tvistlosning-for-smaforetag-och-privatpersoner-3 Snap up some Somalian domain names Domain names under .SO, the Somalian country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD), have for many years been unavailable for registration due to the civil war in Somalia and the general confusion concerning who should be responsible for running the Registry. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=68f2dc74-bd61-4dc1-91f3-bb91aed67dc7 Nominet to release one and two character domain names On 13 September 2010, the Registry for .UK domain names (Nominet) announced that it would soon be releasing various one and two character domain names under the extensions .CO.UK, ORG.UK, .NET.UK and .ME.UK. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=d448c42d-55d1-48cc-adc2-2af35cb34a6e ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Security: A code explodes Sitting in his office in Hamburg, Ralph Langner, a German information technology specialist, recalls the moment when he came across the Stuxnet computer worm. ?I have to tell you, my jaw dropped,? he says. ?I have been in the computer consultancy business for 20 years. I have always warned clients that something like this might appear. But I did not expect that I would end up seeing something so sophisticated, so aggressive, so dangerous.? http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fcce9b76-cd8c-11df-9c82-00144feab49a.html Cyber Storm III: a war on trust Australia is at war with her allies, and will have to defend herself from the military might of the world's most powerful nations. But no shots will be fired, nor blood shed, as the third incantation of the international online war game Cyber Storm kicked off today. http://www.zdnet.com.au/cyber-storm-iii-a-war-on-trust-339306307.htm In cyber war 'you're on your own': Australian government [AAP] A senior bureaucrat has warned big business it would have to defend itself if a major cyber attack hit Australia. http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/in-cyber-war-youre-on-your-own-government-20101001-160ni.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/in-cyber-war-youre-on-your-own-government-20101001-160ni.html International cyber security exercise: Cyber Storm III [news release] Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, today launched Cyber Storm III ? a major international cyber security exercise which will simulate cyber attacks targeting critical infrastructure and other nationally important systems and services. http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2010_ThirdQuarter_29September2010-InternationalcybersecurityexerciseCyberStormIII Commission to boost Europe's defences against cyber-attacks The European Commission today unveiled two new measures to ensure that Europe can defend itself from attacks against its key information (IT) systems. A proposal for a Directive to deal with new cyber crimes, such as large-scale cyber attacks, is complemented by a proposal for a Regulation to strengthen and modernise the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA). http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/itemlongdetail.cfm?item_id=6190 Commission to boost Europe's defences against cyber-attacks [news release] The European Commission today unveiled two new measures to ensure that Europe can defend itself from attacks against its key information (IT) systems. A proposal for a Directive to deal with new cyber crimes, such as large-scale cyber attacks, is complemented by a proposal for a Regulation to strengthen and modernise the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA). The two initiatives are foreseen by the Digital Agenda for Europe and the Stockholm Programme to boost trust and network security (see IP/10/581, MEMO/10/199 and MEMO/10/200). Under the proposed Directive, the perpetrators of cyber attacks and the producers of related and malicious software could be prosecuted, and would face heavier criminal sanctions. Member States would be also obliged to quickly respond to urgent requests for help in the case of cyber-attacks, rendering European justice and police cooperation in this area more effective. Strengthening and modernising ENISA would also help the EU, Member States and private stakeholders develop their capabilities and preparedness to prevent, detect and respond to cyber-security challenges. Both proposals will be forwarded to the European Parliament and the EU's Council of Ministers for adoption. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/459 Proposal for a Directive on attacks against information systems, repealing Framework Decision 2005/222/JHA http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/463 Stuxnet worm heralds new era of global cyberwar The memory sticks were scattered in a washroom at a US military base in the Middle East that was providing support for the Iraq war. ... In an exercise named Cyber Storm III, involving government agencies and 60 private sector organisations including the banking, chemical, nuclear energy and IT sectors, it presented a scenario where America was hit by a co-ordinated cyber shock-and-awe campaign, hitting 1,500 different targets. The results of the exercise have not been released. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/sep/30/stuxnet-worm-new-era-global-cyberwar EU unveils plan to strengthen cybersecurity efforts Fear of cybercrime is preventing as many as 150 million Europeans from using the Internet, according to Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/093010-eu-unveils-plan-to-strengthen.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/206661/.html http://www.cio.de/index.cfm?pid=156&pk=2249264 DNSEC vs DDoS Protection: Is It Really a Choice? by John Kane Within the last year or two, I've heard people express an opinion to the effect that if the domain name industry put as much focus on preventing distributed denial of service attacks as we have on implementing DNSSEC, the Internet would be a safer place. While there may be a grain of truth there, I suggest that this kind of thinking presents us with something of a false dichotomy. http://www.circleid.com/posts/dnsec_vs_ddos_protection_is_it_really_a_choice/ au: Cyber breaches investigated by Defence Defence investigated about 250 ''serious, sophisticated'' cyber intrusions into government networks in the first eight months of the year, and the threat is so severe the department is considering designating cyberspace as a fifth domain of warfare. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/cyber-breaches-investigated-by-defence-20100930-15zds.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/cyber-breaches-investigated-by-defence-20100930-15zds.html It's The Start of National Cyber Security Awareness Month Today kicks-off the first day of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, which is a national public awareness campaign to encourage everyone ? from consumers and schools to businesses and government agencies -- to better protect themselves and stay safe online. http://pir.org/blog/2010/ncsa ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Free speech group fights lawsuits vs. news sharers [AP] A San Francisco group that defends online free speech is taking on a Las Vegas company it says is shaking down news-sharing Internet users through more than 140 copyright infringement lawsuits filed this year. ... The EFF argues that the lawsuits limit free speech and bully defendants into costly settlements by threatening $150,000 in damages and the transfer of domain names. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/free-speech-group-fights-lawsuits-vs-news-sharers-20101001-15zrw.html http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/09/30/financial/f155548D83.DTL http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-technology/free-speech-group-fights-lawsuits-vs-news-sharers-20101001-15zrw.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/free-speech-group-fights-lawsuits-vs-news-sharers-20101001-15zrw.html ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** us: Federal Government Imposes New IPv6 Deadlines The Obama administration's CIO has informed federal agencies that they must run native IPv6 on their Web, email, ISP, and DNS servers and services by the end of fiscal year 2012, and their internal client applications by fiscal year 2014. http://www.darkreading.com/security/government/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=227501098 There is no Plan B: why the IPv4-to-IPv6 transition will be ugly Twenty years ago, the fastest Internet backbone links were 1.5Mbps. Today we argue whether that's a fast enough minimum to connect home users. In 1993, 1.3 million machines were connected to the Internet. By this past summer, that number had risen to 769 million and this only counts systems that have DNS names. The notion of a computer that is not connected to the Internet is patently absurd these days. http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2010/09/there-is-no-plan-b-why-the-ipv4-to-ipv6-transition-will-be-ugly.ars ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** COICA Censorship Bill Shelved... For Now While there had been plans to move forward with a markup on the COICA censorship bill this week, it appears that those plans have been delayed, effectively shelving the bill for the time being. This should keep it off the agenda at least until after the elections, but you can expect it to come back before too long. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100930/13300411241/coica-censorship-bill-shelved-for-now.shtml An Open Letter From Internet Engineers to the Senate Judiciary Committee Today, 87 prominent Internet engineers sent a joint letter the US Senate Judiciary Committee, declaring their opposition to the "Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act" (COICA). The text of the letter is below. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/09/open-letter Even Without COICA, White House Asking Registrars To Voluntarily Censor 'Infringing' Sites While there's been increasing attention paid to the "Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act" (COICA), the proposed law that would allow the government to require ISPs and registrars to block access to websites deemed to be "dedicated to infringing activities," it looks like the White House (which we had thought was against censoring the internet) appears to be working on a backup plan in case COICA doesn't pass. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100929/20293711230/even-without-coica-white-house-asking-registrars-to-voluntarily-censor-infringing-sites.shtml Amendment Aims To Address Concerns With Online IP Bill The Senate Judiciary Committee has drafted a substitute amendment aimed at addressing some of the concerns raised by technology and public interest groups about legislation targeting online piracy and counterfeiting. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/09/amendment-aims-to-address-conc.php Internet pioneers protest Senate anti-piracy bill Some of the rock stars of Internet engineering (yes, they exist) on Tuesday protested a Senate bill aimed at fighting online piracy, saying the legislation could lead to censorship and destabilize the architecture of the Web. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2010/09/internet_pioneers_protest_sena.html Think Twice Before You Use a Domain Hack Domain hacks can be cutesy, and the more publicity some of the popular hacks receive, the more others want to emulate. The problem with domain hacks is that they can be confusing to consumers, especially when they don?t mention the ?dot? in their branding. http://www.elliotsblog.com/think-twice-before-you-use-a-domain-hack-5802 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Google Street View: No more privacy for penguins as Antarctica gets mapped plus Brazil, Ireland A big bone of contention in many countries, Google's Street View mapping service today goes live in Brazil, Ireland and Antarctica, meaning Street View now has a presence in all seven continents. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/sep/30/google-street-view-map-antarctica Street View Reaches the South Pole: Will the Penguins Complain? It's official: Google's Street View has now officially reached all seven continents. Google today announced that it has added Brazil, Ireland, and Antarctica to its Street View library, which provides panoramic images of street-level scenes from locations around the world. It's a major milestone for Google's three-and-a-half year old service, but it's not one that will be universally celebrated, as Street View is now (and has been, almost since its launch) under fire for its alleged privacy violations and data collection practices. http://www.pcworld.com/article/206691/.html Reuters blocks anonymous comments in bid to cast out 'uncivil behaviour' Newspapers always publish their readers' letters with the writer's name and address appended there for everyone to read (Or at least they do secure in the knowledge that those vital facts have been supplied). http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/oct/03/reuters-web-comment-policy Tom Hanks Uses Web to Plot the Future The actor-producer?s new project, ?Electric City,? is science fiction for the Internet, but has very real implications for Hollywood. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/02/arts/television/02hanks.html More funds to get S'pore seniors tech-savvy Both government and businesses in Singapore boost efforts to promote IT and assistive technologies in bid to encourage the elderly to be more independent and IT-savvy. http://www.zdnetasia.com/more-funds-to-get-s-pore-seniors-tech-savvy-62203355.htm cn: Teen beaten to death at web addicts' camp [AFP] A Chinese teenager was allegedly beaten to death at a boot camp for troubled youths that his mother had lured him to attend by promising he was going to study IT, state media reported yesterday. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/teen-beaten-to-death-at-web-addicts-camp-20101001-15zlw.html ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Friends Without Benefits: The sad truth about Facebook. The people who run Facebook, the social-networking company, are furious about a new movie that takes lots of liberties in its depiction of how Facebook came into existence. They?re upset because much of The Social Network, which opens Oct. 1, is just completely made up. That?s fair enough. But to me, the really interesting thing about this movie is that while much of the tale is invented, the story tells a larger truth about Silicon Valley?s get-rich-quick culture and the kind of people?like Facebook?s 26-year-old founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg?who thrive in this environment. ... ?The old Silicon Valley was about solving really hard problems, making technical bets. But there?s no real technical bet being made with Facebook or Zynga,? says Nathan Myhrvold, the former chief technology officer at Microsoft who now runs an invention lab in Seattle. ?Today almost everyone in the Valley will tell you there is too much ?me-tooism,? too much looking for a gold rush and not enough people who are looking to solve really hard problems.? http://www.newsweek.com/2010/09/24/the-sad-truth-about-the-facebook-movie.html ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Inventions Ease the Plight of Trapped Chilean Miners The 33 Chilean miners who have been trapped deep underground for eight weeks watch movies on a projector built into a cellphone. They avoid athlete's foot and other infections thanks to socks made with a bacteria-killing copper fiber. And they communicate with rescuers and relatives over an ultra-flexible fiber-optic cable that maintains transmission capacity while twisting through hard rock nearly half a mile below ground. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704116004575522343755639692.html Change to 'Bios' will make for PCs that boot in seconds New PCs could start in just seconds, thanks to an update to one of the oldest parts of desktop computers. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11430069 ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Facebook 'frenemies' most likely to hurt kids POLICE and teachers are warning parents that children as young as eight are at risk from cyber bullies and online predators because they are flouting Facebook website age restrictions. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/facebook-frenemies-most-likely-to-hurt-kids-20101002-161vb.html Bullying, Suicide, Punishment Tyler Clementi may have died from exposure in cyberspace. His roommate and another student, according to police, viewed Mr. Clementi?s intimate encounter with another man on a Webcam and streamed it onto the Internet. Mr. Clementi, an 18-year-old violinist in his freshman year at Rutgers University, jumped off of the George Washington Bridge, and now the two face serious criminal charges, including invasion of privacy. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/weekinreview/03schwartz.html us: Cyberbullying Goes to College The case of a Rutgers University student who committed suicide after his roommate allegedly posted secretly taped footage of him having a sexual encounter shows that cyberbullying isn?t just for middle-schoolers. And psychologists say colleges should do more to combat it. http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/09/30/the-rutgers-students-suicide-cyberbullying-goes-to-college/ Cyber-bullying and social networking: an updated curriculum is urgently needed. Tyler Clementi, an 18-year-old Rutgers student took his own life shortly after his college roomate and a friend posted a live webcam feed on the Internet of him having sex in his dorm room. His body was pulled from the Hudson River on Thursday. http://communities.canada.com/VANCOUVERSUN/blogs/thecity/archive/2010/09/30/cyber-bullying-and-social-networking-an-updated-curriculum-is-urgently-needed.aspx Gay suicide puts focus on cyber-bullying The suicide of a first-year university student in the United States has shocked observers and raised more questions about cyber-bullying. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/02/3027943.htm eu: Combating sexual abuse of children, child pornography A new proposal on EU rules to combat child sexual abuse has stirred broad debate on whether blocking websites is an effective measure or not. MEPs on Wednesday shared opinions with experts on this and other issues included in the legislative proposal which aims to tackle these horrendous crimes against children through prevention, prosecution and protection. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/story_page/017-83670-270-09-40-902-20100927STO83658-2010-27-09-2010/default_en.htm Anti-Bullying Resources for Parents and Teachers Note to Parents and Teachers: CNN Student News has compiled the following tips, discussion questions, videos, articles and online resources that can be used to address bullying with students. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/studentnews/09/30/antibullying.resource/ How to Keep Your Kids Safe on Facebook Your children are probably spending more time on Facebook than you are. Here's how to protect them from predators, their peers, and themselves. http://www.pcworld.com/article/206683/.html uk: IWF Awareness Day ? 7 October 2010 The IWF Awareness Day will be taking place on 7th October this year to help raise awareness of the work of the IWF. http://www.ispa.org.uk/news/page_869.html#5 ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Downloads are not performances, rules US court A music download is not a performance of a work and therefore does not demand an additional licence and fee, a US court has ruled. A stream of a file is a performance, though, the court said. http://out-law.com/page-11406 YouTube to Pay Royalties to French Composers Google Inc.'s YouTube struck a deal Thursday with France's biggest music-rights body to pay composers when their songs are viewed on the video-sharing website. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704483004575523713129048530.html Porn studios to subpoena accused file sharers The latest wave of copyright litigation against illegal file sharing was ignited by indie filmmakers, including the producers of "The Hurt Locker." http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20018358-261.html ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Microsoft files lawsuit over Android Microsoft has mounted an indirect legal attack on Google over its highly successful Android smartphone operating system, accusing handset maker Motorola of patent infringement for including the software in its own devices. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/8b1ecaa2-cdb2-11df-9c82-00144feab49a.html Microsoft Activates Android Lawsuit Against Motorola Microsoft joined the Android lawsuit club on Friday, accusing Motorola of patent infringements. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/01/microsoft-activates-android-lawsuit-against-motorola/ Microsoft sues Motorola over Android phones Microsoft Corp. filed a lawsuit against Motorola on Friday, saying the smartphone maker had infringed on nine patents in its Android-based devices. http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/01/technology/microsoft_motorola/ Microsoft sues Motorola over Android phones Microsoft Corp sued Motorola Inc, alleging patent infringement on the handset maker's line of Android phones, in the latest development in a web of legal actions in the evolving smartphone business. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6905RN20101001 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-51885420101001 Microsoft hopes to bury iPhone, Android Last month, a few hundred Microsoft Corp employees acted out their fantasy with a mock funeral for Apple Inc's iPhone at its Redmond, Washington campus. http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-51887620101001 FCC changes position on cell phone radiation and safety guidelines The Federal Communications Commission has updated its views on cellphone safety in a move criticized by a public interest group for downplaying the potential risks that radio frequencies could pose to users. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2010/09/fcc_changes_guidelines_on_cell.html Google Android apps found to be sharing data Some of the most popular apps written for Google's Android phones do not tell users what data they are gathering, says a study by US researchers. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11443111 Is Your Android Phone Spying on You? Got an Android phone? Installed apps from the Android Market? Congratulations, you have been named the Mayor of We Know Where You Went and What You Did Last Week. ... While this study was limited to Android apps, the problem is not. I expect to hear a lot more about other apps slurping up GPS and handset information, either accidentally or deliberately, on other handset platforms. The reason we're hearing about Android first is that Android is open source and easier for researchers to access. http://www.pcworld.com/article/206710/.html Many Android apps leak user privacy data A recent test of prototype security code for Android phones found that 15 of 30 free Android Market applications sent users' private information to remote advertising servers, without the users being aware of what was being sent or to whom. In some cases, the user's location data was sent as often as every 30 seconds. http://www.itworld.com/security/122438/many-android-apps-leak-user-privacy-data India rejects RIM corporate email solution - report India's telecommunications ministry has rejected a solution offered by Research In Motion for its BlackBerry corporate email services, and it has not been able to access chats on the messenger service either, the Economic Times reported on Friday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6900FP20101001 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-51862920101001 Developers See Strategic Advantage in Using Google Android Over Apple iOS Long-Term [news release] Appcelerator, the leading platform for rapidly developing native mobile, desktop, and iPad applications using Web technologies, and industry-leading analyst firm International Data Corporation (IDC), today announced results from a joint Appcelerator-IDC survey of nearly 2,400 app developers around the world. The survey reveals developer plans to build applications for various mobile and tablet platforms, as well as their preferences for popular mobile APIs. Appcelerator also announced that it has entered into a partnership with IDC to deepen the level and quality of research conducted in Appcelerator?s quarterly reports. http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS22509710 ********************** SPAM ********************** Spam organisation launches whitelist of safe email senders Anti-spam organisation Spamhaus has opened a 'whitelist' of internet domains and addresses that are unlikely ever to send spam, or unsolicited commercial email. The list is in addition to Spamhaus's existing 'blacklist' of domains likely to send spam. http://out-law.com/default.aspx?page=11405 ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** In Stuxnet Computer Worm, a Possible Biblical Clue Deep inside the computer worm that some specialists suspect is aimed at slowing Iran?s race for a nuclear weapon lies what could be a fleeting reference to the Book of Esther, the Old Testament tale in which the Jews pre-empt a Persian plot to destroy them. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/world/middleeast/30worm.html The meaning of Stuxnet: A sophisticated ?cyber-missile? highlights the potential-and limitations-of cyberwar It has been described as ?amazing?, ?groundbreaking? and ?impressive? by computer-security specialists. The Stuxnet worm, a piece of software that infects industrial-control systems, is remarkable in many ways. Its unusual complexity suggests that it is the work of a team of well-funded experts, probably with the backing of a national government, rather than rogue hackers or cyber-criminals (see article). It is designed to infect a particular configuration of a particular type of industrial-control system?in other words, to disrupt the operation of a specific process or plant. The Stuxnet outbreak has been concentrated in Iran, which suggests that a nuclear facility in that country was the intended target. http://www.economist.com/node/17147862 Stuxnet worm heralds new era of global cyberwar The memory sticks were scattered in a washroom at a US military base in the Middle East that was providing support for the Iraq war. They were deliberately infected with a computer worm, and the undisclosed foreign intelligence agency behind the operation was counting on the fallibility of human nature. According to those familiar with the events, it calculated that a soldier would pick up one of the memory sticks, pocket it and ? against regulations ? eventually plug it into a military laptop. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/sep/30/stuxnet-worm-new-era-global-cyberwar Computer virus drains millions from bank accounts Attackers e-mailed out malware that captured victims' user names and passwords as they logged in to online bank accounts. Almost $4 million was stolen from victims throughout the U.S. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cyber-scam-20101001,0,4882844.story British police chief warns of rise in cyber crime Britain is facing a rising tide of online crime such as bank fraud committed by computer hackers, the country's most senior policeman has warned. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8038736/Police-chief-warns-of-rise-in-cyber-crime.html E-crime detectives as vital as bobbies on beat by Sir Paul Stephenson, Metropolitan Police Commissioner A thinly-stretched team of police experts is tackling the fast-growing problem of cyber crime, according to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8038731/E-crime-detectives-as-vital-as-bobbies-on-beat.html More than 100 arrests, as FBI uncovers cyber crime ring The FBI says it has cracked a major international cyber crime network after more than 90 suspected members of the ring were arrested in the US. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11457611 Cyber Banking Fraud: Global Partnerships Lead to Major Arrests [news release] The cyber thieves were smart. Instead of targeting corporations and large banks that had state-of-the-art online security, they went after the accounts of medium-sized companies, towns, and even churches. Before they were caught, members of the theft ring managed to steal $70 million. http://www.fbi.gov/page2/oct10/cyber_100110.html $70 million cyber crime exposed by US and European police Law enforcement agencies in the US and Europe are tracking down international cyber criminals who stole $70 million (?44 million) by using a computer virus that captured passwords and account details. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/8038233/70-million-cyber-crime-exposed-by-US-and-European-police.html FBI says cyber-thieves stole $70 million [AP] The FBI and law enforcement agencies in Ukraine, the Netherlands and Britain are tracking down international cyber criminals who stole $70 million by using malicious software that captured passwords and account numbers to log onto online bank accounts. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/fbi-says-cyberthieves-stole-70-million-20101002-161ff.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/fbi-says-cyberthieves-stole-70-million-20101002-161ff.html Dozens charged in global computer virus scam [AP] Hackers in eastern Europe who used computer viruses to steal usernames and passwords teamed up with foreign students who opened bank accounts in the US to snatch at least $3 million from American bank accounts, authorities said in announcing charges against more than 80 people. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10677379 US Charges 60 in Connection With the Zeus Trojan [IDG] U.S. authorities have charged more than 60 people in connection with the money-stealing Zeus Trojan program, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/206655/.html Security: A code explodes Sitting in his office in Hamburg, Ralph Langner, a German information technology specialist, recalls the moment when he came across the Stuxnet computer worm. ?I have to tell you, my jaw dropped,? he says. ?I have been in the computer consultancy business for 20 years. I have always warned clients that something like this might appear. But I did not expect that I would end up seeing something so sophisticated, so aggressive, so dangerous.? http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fcce9b76-cd8c-11df-9c82-00144feab49a.html Cyber Storm III: a war on trust Australia is at war with her allies, and will have to defend herself from the military might of the world's most powerful nations. But no shots will be fired, nor blood shed, as the third incantation of the international online war game Cyber Storm kicked off today. http://www.zdnet.com.au/cyber-storm-iii-a-war-on-trust-339306307.htm In cyber war 'you're on your own': Australian government [AAP] A senior bureaucrat has warned big business it would have to defend itself if a major cyber attack hit Australia. http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/in-cyber-war-youre-on-your-own-government-20101001-160ni.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/in-cyber-war-youre-on-your-own-government-20101001-160ni.html International cyber security exercise: Cyber Storm III [news release] Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, today launched Cyber Storm III ? a major international cyber security exercise which will simulate cyber attacks targeting critical infrastructure and other nationally important systems and services. http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2010_ThirdQuarter_29September2010-InternationalcybersecurityexerciseCyberStormIII Commission to boost Europe's defences against cyber-attacks The European Commission today unveiled two new measures to ensure that Europe can defend itself from attacks against its key information (IT) systems. A proposal for a Directive to deal with new cyber crimes, such as large-scale cyber attacks, is complemented by a proposal for a Regulation to strengthen and modernise the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA). http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/itemlongdetail.cfm?item_id=6190 Commission to boost Europe's defences against cyber-attacks [news release] The European Commission today unveiled two new measures to ensure that Europe can defend itself from attacks against its key information (IT) systems. A proposal for a Directive to deal with new cyber crimes, such as large-scale cyber attacks, is complemented by a proposal for a Regulation to strengthen and modernise the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA). The two initiatives are foreseen by the Digital Agenda for Europe and the Stockholm Programme to boost trust and network security (see IP/10/581, MEMO/10/199 and MEMO/10/200). Under the proposed Directive, the perpetrators of cyber attacks and the producers of related and malicious software could be prosecuted, and would face heavier criminal sanctions. Member States would be also obliged to quickly respond to urgent requests for help in the case of cyber-attacks, rendering European justice and police cooperation in this area more effective. Strengthening and modernising ENISA would also help the EU, Member States and private stakeholders develop their capabilities and preparedness to prevent, detect and respond to cyber-security challenges. Both proposals will be forwarded to the European Parliament and the EU's Council of Ministers for adoption. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/459 Proposal for a Directive on attacks against information systems, repealing Framework Decision 2005/222/JHA http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/463 EU unveils plan to strengthen cybersecurity efforts Fear of cybercrime is preventing as many as 150 million Europeans from using the Internet, according to Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/093010-eu-unveils-plan-to-strengthen.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/206661/.html http://www.cio.de/index.cfm?pid=156&pk=2249264 au: Cyber breaches investigated by Defence Defence investigated about 250 ''serious, sophisticated'' cyber intrusions into government networks in the first eight months of the year, and the threat is so severe the department is considering designating cyberspace as a fifth domain of warfare. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/cyber-breaches-investigated-by-defence-20100930-15zds.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/cyber-breaches-investigated-by-defence-20100930-15zds.html It's The Start of National Cyber Security Awareness Month Today kicks-off the first day of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, which is a national public awareness campaign to encourage everyone ? from consumers and schools to businesses and government agencies -- to better protect themselves and stay safe online. http://pir.org/blog/2010/ncsa The 17 Most Dangerous Places on the Web Those photos of Jessica Alba may be murder on your PC. That Google search result that looks as if it answers all your questions may do nothing but create a serious tech headache. The fun you had watching that hilarious video you downloaded may not be worth the misery it can cause your system. http://www.itworld.com/internet/121987/the-17-most-dangerous-places-web ************************** PRIVACY ************************** EU Commission takes UK to court over web privacy The European Commission is taking the UK to court for failing to comply with EU rules on internet privacy. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11443734 Commission takes UK to court over alleged privacy law failings The European Commission is taking the UK to court, claiming that UK law does not protect citizens' privacy as strongly as EU laws demand. The case centres on the UK Government's response to the Phorm web monitoring scandal. http://out-law.com/page-11409 Digital Agenda: Commission refers UK to Court over privacy and personal data protection http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/1215 ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Web Tastes Freedom Inside Syria, and It's Bitter Earlier this month, a graphic video of teachers beating their young students appeared on Facebook. Although Facebook is officially banned here, the video quickly went viral, with Syrian bloggers stoking public anger until the story was picked up by the pan-Arab media. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/world/middleeast/30syria.html Rise of the Online Autocrats: It turns out that the enemies of free expression are adept at the Internet, too. The tweets started arriving in August, and they did not mince words. One of the first accused the South Korean government of being "a prostitute of the United States." The Twitter account, under the name "uriminzok," or "our nation," seemed to be part of a sprawling North Korean digital operation that included a Facebook account (registered as a man interested in "meeting other men," but solely for "networking purposes") and a series of YouTube videos meant to celebrate the might of the North Korean military. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704116004575522072016129094.html Global Free Flow of Information on the Internet The Department of Commerce's Internet Policy Task Force is examining issues related to the global free flow of information on the Internet and seeks public comment on government policies that restrict information flows on the Internet. Comments are due on or before November 15, 2010. http://www.ntia.doc.gov/InternetPolicyTaskForce/gffi/FR_gffinoi_09292010.pdf ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** US Senator working on a privacy 'do-not-track' bill The chairman of the Senate Commerce Consumer Protection Subcommittee is working on a bill aimed at giving consumers more control over whether their activities will be tracked on the Internet. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20101001_6529.php COICA Censorship Bill Shelved... For Now While there had been plans to move forward with a markup on the COICA censorship bill this week, it appears that those plans have been delayed, effectively shelving the bill for the time being. This should keep it off the agenda at least until after the elections, but you can expect it to come back before too long. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100930/13300411241/coica-censorship-bill-shelved-for-now.shtml An Open Letter From Internet Engineers to the Senate Judiciary Committee Today, 87 prominent Internet engineers sent a joint letter the US Senate Judiciary Committee, declaring their opposition to the "Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act" (COICA). The text of the letter is below. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/09/open-letter Even Without COICA, White House Asking Registrars To Voluntarily Censor 'Infringing' Sites While there's been increasing attention paid to the "Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act" (COICA), the proposed law that would allow the government to require ISPs and registrars to block access to websites deemed to be "dedicated to infringing activities," it looks like the White House (which we had thought was against censoring the internet) appears to be working on a backup plan in case COICA doesn't pass. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100929/20293711230/even-without-coica-white-house-asking-registrars-to-voluntarily-censor-infringing-sites.shtml Amendment Aims To Address Concerns With Online IP Bill The Senate Judiciary Committee has drafted a substitute amendment aimed at addressing some of the concerns raised by technology and public interest groups about legislation targeting online piracy and counterfeiting. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/09/amendment-aims-to-address-conc.php Internet pioneers protest Senate anti-piracy bill Some of the rock stars of Internet engineering (yes, they exist) on Tuesday protested a Senate bill aimed at fighting online piracy, saying the legislation could lead to censorship and destabilize the architecture of the Web. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2010/09/internet_pioneers_protest_sena.html ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* nz: End of an era: Ernie Newman looks back ?Having been on a plane most of today, I got off to see the Google Mail previews show me the subject lines of emails, including one from Clare Curran saying Labour pays tribute to Ernie Newman. I thought to myself ? hell either Ernie is dead, or he has resigned.? http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/end-of-an-era-ernie-newman-looks-back ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Video calling reaches the living room Skype and Microsoft to the fore in introducing couch-to-couch video calls as telepresence systems of corporate world become affordable for consumers http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9f999bc4-cf0b-11df-9be2-00144feab49a.html The Difference Engine: Bigger than Wi-Fi Have you ever wondered, if you are of an age with your correspondent, about those missing channels on old television sets? Apart from channel two, the rest of the original VHF channels on the dial were usually just the odd numbers from three to 13. That was because, in over-the-air VHF broadcasting, the channel between two analogue stations had to be left unused so that it would not interfere with adjacent ones. When UHF broadcasting came along, empty ?guard bands? were added to each channel for the same reason. In some places, this so-called ?white space? of unused frequencies separating working channels amounted to as much as 70% of the total bandwidth available for television broadcasting. http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2010/09/white-space_wireless Singapore seeks stronger connection Singapore has developed an advanced and reliable telecommunications infrastructure, and its government is strongly committed to making Singapore one of the most connected cities in the world. A high-quality, progressive telecommunications regulatory regime has resulted in a richly competitive market, and all restrictions on direct and indirect foreign ownership within the country?s telecom sector have been lifted. http://www.broadband-europe.eu/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?ItemID=739 Thailand Proposes National Broadband Coverage Thailand's Information and Communication Technology Ministry will present a draft national broadband policy to the cabinet in October, ICT Minister Chuti Krairiksh said Thursday. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704116004575523043550630702.html ?Two fibres per home? plan unveiled Two fibres will run into every home under the ultrafast broadband deployment plan, John Greenhough, chief technical officer of Crown Fibre Holdings (CFH), told an audience at the recent Huawei Broadband Summit in Auckland. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/two-fibres-per-home-plan-unveiled ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION ********************************** de: Ex-Government Spokesman Spread Child Porn Investigation Rumors A former government spokesman for the city-state of Hamburg has become entangled in a child porn scandal. He has admitted to spreading rumors about a manager at the New York branch of HSH Nordbank who the company's chief executive apparently wanted to get rid of. http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,720264,00.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2010 --------- David Goldstein email: goldstein_david§yahoo.com.au web: http://davidgoldstein.tel/ http://goldsteinreport.com/ phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 5773 - office/home "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim FlanneryReceived on Sun Oct 03 2010 - 20:36:23 UTC
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