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 *************************************************** ICANN Leader Calls for Global Collaboration in Battle Against Cyber Security Threats http://icann.org/en/news/releases/release-06dec10-en.pdf New Internet extension rules to be finalised at 2011 Board-government meeting by Kieren McCarthy http://gibc.biz/2010/12/icann-extension-rules-move-to-gac-meetin/ ICANN Day 1: Sane Board, crazy community. What happened here? http://kierenmccarthy.com/2010/12/07/icann-day-1-sane-board-crazy-community-what-happened-here/ ICANN's Proposal To Add New Domains Comes Under Fire http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/12/icanns-proposal-to-add-new-dom.php Registry Group Asks ICANN To Remove All Pricing Rules on New TLDs http://domainnamewire.com/2010/12/08/registry-group-asks-icann-to-remove-all-pricing-rules-on-new-tlds/ Trademarks may delay new TLD approval http://domainincite.com/trademarks-may-delay-new-tld-approval/ .INFO Grows 25% According to Latest Annual Report http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/12/08/info-grows-25-according-to-latest-annual-report/ DHS official: Cyber attacks against infrastructure on the rise http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20101207_9128.php Botnets and Web Threats Take Center Stage in Security Report http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/212735/.html Hackers Go After Companies Seen as WikiLeaks Enemies http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/09/world/09wiki.html Hackers hit Mastercard and Visa over Wikileaks row http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11935539 au: Government responds to Communications Committee report into cyber crime http://www.lexology.com/r.ashx?i=2707127&l=7ETBAGS Independent Studies Examine Far-Reaching Benefits of DNSSEC for Hardware and Software Vendor Communities https://press.verisign.com/easyir/customrel.do?easyirid=AFC0FF0DB5C560D3&version=live&prid=694396&releasejsp=custom_97 nz: Survey highlights trends in New Zealand computer crime and security [news release] http://internetnz.net.nz/news/media-releases/2010/survey-highlights-trends-new-zealand-computer-crime-and-security Swiss registry under pressure over WikiLeaks.ch http://www.worldradio.ch/wrs/news/switzerland/swiss-registry-under-pressure-over-wikileaksch.shtml?22107 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** ICANN Leader Calls for Global Collaboration in Battle Against Cyber Security Threats The President and Chief Executive Officer of ICANN has called for the increased global sharing of information about security risks and escalating threats to the Internet?s Domain Name System (DNS). http://icann.org/en/news/releases/release-06dec10-en.pdf ICANN CEO hits right notes in crucial conference address by Kieren McCarthy ICANN?s CEO gave a carefully balanced address that hit the right notes at a crucial meeting for the organisation this morning in Cartagena. http://gibc.biz/2010/12/icann-ceo-hits-right-notes-in-crucial-conference-address/ New Internet extension rules to be finalised at 2011 Board-government meeting by Kieren McCarthy ICANN is likely to delay final approval of rules for new Internet extensions until a special meeting of its Board and Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) is held in early 2011. http://gibc.biz/2010/12/icann-extension-rules-move-to-gac-meetin/ ICANN Day 1: Sane Board, crazy community. What happened here? According to chairman Peter Dengate Thrush, the ICANN Cartagena meeting is ?not that much different? to others. I?d beg to differ. http://kierenmccarthy.com/2010/12/07/icann-day-1-sane-board-crazy-community-what-happened-here/ ICANN's Proposal To Add New Domains Comes Under Fire The group that manages the Internet's domain name system is meeting this week in Catagena, Colombia where its board is expected to take up a controversial proposal that could dramatically increase the number of generic Internet domain names available to users. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/12/icanns-proposal-to-add-new-dom.php New TLDs ?not at risk?, but delay not ruled out ICANN?s program to introduce new top-level domains has not been put at risk by the US government?s recent request for delay, according to both its chairman and chief executive. http://domainincite.com/new-tlds-not-at-risk-but-delay-not-ruled-out/ Beckstrom: ICANN accountable to world, not just US ICANN chief Rod Beckstrom opened the organization?s 39th public meeting in Cartagena, Colombia, with a speech that touched on many of the organization?s recent controversies and appeared to take a strong stance against US government interference. http://domainincite.com/beckstrom-icann-accountable-to-world-not-just-us/ Registry Group Asks ICANN To Remove All Pricing Rules on New TLDs ICANN?s Registries Stakeholder Group (RySG) has submitted comments regarding the Proposed Final Applicant Guidebook for new top level domain names. One proposed change sticks out: requesting no notice requirements for price changes on top level domain names. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/12/08/registry-group-asks-icann-to-remove-all-pricing-rules-on-new-tlds/ Trademarks may delay new TLD approval The intellectual property lobby won a notable victory this week, after governments told ICANN they want it to delay approval of the new top-level domains program until it has more cybersquatting protections. http://domainincite.com/trademarks-may-delay-new-tld-approval/ Registrars Defend Domain Name Whois Privacy Domain registrars are fighting off critics of Whois privacy on multiple fronts at the ICANN meeting in Cartagena, Colombia this week. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/12/08/registrars-defend-domain-name-whois-privacy/ ICANN Day 1: The Natives Are Getting Restless & Other Observations The ICANN meeting got under way in Colombia yesterday and the new gTLD?s were back front and center. http://www.thedomains.com/2010/12/07/icann-day-1-the-natives-are-getting-restless-other-observations/ I support ICANN, I support new gTLDs by Tony Kirsch After a very long flight from Australia the ARI team have descended on Cartagena, Colombia, for the 39th ICANN meeting. http://www.ausregistry.com/blog/?p=684 ICANN meets over 'urgent' dwindling IP address problem [AFP] ICANN ... has met to discuss expanding the list of top level domain names and a new generation of internet protocol addresses. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10692706 http://www.france24.com/en/20101207-internet-body-meets-domain-names-ip-addresses http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/internet-body-meets-on-domain-names-ip-addresses-20101207-18nef.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/internet-body-meets-on-domain-names-ip-addresses-20101207-18nef.html The UK & Other Governments Give The ICANN Board A Good Working Over On The New gTLD?s The 2nd day of the ICANN meeting in Colombia was highlighted by The Government Advisory Committee (the GAC) open meeting yesterday with the ICANN board. http://www.thedomains.com/2010/12/08/the-uk-other-governments-give-the-icann-board-a-good-working-over-on-the-new-gtlds/ Phase II Of The New gTLD Economic Study Released The long awaited second phase of the New gTLD economic study has been released by ICANN just in time for the Cartagena, Colombia meeting. In the wake of a stern letter from The United States Department of Commerce expressing concerns about ICANN moving forward on New gTLDs that specifically mentions that this study has not yet been produced, it would seem that ICANN has made at least that point moot. http://www.namesmash.com/index.php?p=547 Perspectives, Members Of The Domain Community Weigh In On What They Expect From ICANN 39 As the dates of ICANN 39 loom large, the announcements of the last few weeks are digesting in the collective minds and corners of the domain industry. Preparations for travel, presentations and good old getting down to business are underway and as an industry we have our work cut out for us. We have a Draft Applicant Guide Book to read, analyze and comment on as well as a host of issues on which to come up to speed. There isn?t much time left over to consider what is going on outside of our specific niches. http://www.namesmash.com/?p=542 ICANN Skirts Criticism To Announce Domain Changes ICANN, the body that manages the Internet address space, is proposing to expand the generic top-level domains (gTLD) system of categorising web sites (.com, .org, .net. .gov) to allow companies to register their names as domains. http://www.eweekeurope.co.uk/news/icanns-skirts-criticism-to-announce-domain-changes-15150 ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** dotHOTEL Selects Afilias as new TLD Registry and DNS provider [news release] At the 39th International Meeting of ICANN, Afilias announced that it has been selected by dotHOTEL? as the registry services and DNS provider for its application to ICANN for the .hotel new top-level domain (new TLD). dotHOTEL is supported by the International Hotel and Restaurant Association, the world?s largest association of hospitality providers. http://www.afilias.info/news/2010/12/06/dothotel-selects-afilias-new-tld-registry-and-dns-provider .INFO Grows 25% According to Latest Annual Report .INFO continues to grow and, according to Afilias, is the number one new gTLD however it is the sixth largest TLD behind .COM, .DE, .NET, .UK and .ORG with more than 6.8 million domain name registrations according to the latest VeriSign Domain Name Industry Brief or seventh largest according to the registry itself. http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/12/08/info-grows-25-according-to-latest-annual-report/ .INFO remains the most successful new TLD ever launched [news release] Afilias, a global provider of Internet infrastructure services and registry for the .INFO top-level domain (TLD), has released its 2010 .INFO annual report which recaps .INFO?s growth in 2010. .INFO maintains its position as the number one new TLD ever launched and is the seventh largest TLD on the Internet today with nearly 6.8 million domain names. http://www.info.info/news/2010/12/07/afilias-releases-info-domain-2010-annual-report No .xxx yet: 'Net agency delays porn decision Porn Web sites can't park themselves at a ".xxx" address quite yet. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35835697/40310101 .XXX Will Have Three Sunrise Periods Trademark holders are to get new rights if and when the porn-only .xxx domain launches. ICM Registry, which hopes to get its .xxx application approved by ICANN this week, plans to have not one but three sunrise periods when it opens up next year. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/12/07/xxx-will-have-three-sunrise-periods/ ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** ICANN Blasts KnujOn for ?Not Verifying the Facts? KnujOn has been a controversial group when it comes to trying to clean up domain name abuse. Its latest attack was on ICANN in an article on CircleID titled ?Two Years Later Dozens of Registrars Still in the Shadows?. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/12/08/icann-blasts-knujon-for-not-verifying-the-facts/ Two Years Later Dozens of Registrars Still in the Shadows by Garth Bruen In June of 2008 KnujOn reported that 70 Registrars did not have a business address listed in the InterNIC Registrar Directory. Only after reporting a month later that little had changed did ICANN perform a mass update of the directory. On further inspection we found many of the newly disclosed addresses were phantom locations, false addresses, and PO boxes. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20101203_two_years_later_dozens_of_registrars_still_in_the_shadows/ DHS official: Cyber attacks against infrastructure on the rise The U.S. government is seeing a rise in cyber attacks aimed at taking over control systems that operate critical infrastructure, such as industrial facilities and pipelines, a senior Homeland Security Department official said Tuesday. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/12/dhs-official-cyber-attacks-aga.php http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20101207_9128.php Botnets and Web Threats Take Center Stage in Security Report Symantec's MessageLabs has released its annual security report, and it's not pretty. Not only does the MessageLabs Intelligence: 2010 Annual Security Report reveal concerning malware trends for 2010, but the sneak peek at what 2011 might hold isn't very comforting either. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/212735/.html Symantec Announces MessageLabs Intelligence 2010 Annual Security Report [news release] Symantec Corp. today announced the launch of its MessageLabs Intelligence 2010 Security Report. The annual report details how cyber criminals have diversified their attack tactics to sustain spam and malware at high levels throughout 2010. http://www.messagelabs.co.uk/resources/press/64370 WikiLeaks armors itself to survive cyberattacks As its operations have come under increasing financial and political pressure, WikiLeaks has quietly bolstered its electronic defenses in an attempt to become more difficult to censor. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20024935-281.html WikiLeaks furor spawns rival DDOS battles An anonymous, loosely affiliated group that has been responsible for a series of recent Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks against entertainment industry Web sites over copyright issues, has started attacking organizations viewed as being hostile to WikiLeaks, says a PandaLabs researcher. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9200098/WikiLeaks_furor_spawns_rival_DDoS_battles http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/370471/wikileaks_furor_spawns_rival_ddos_battles/ Hackers Go After Companies Seen as WikiLeaks Enemies A small army of activist hackers orchestrated a broad campaign of cyberattacks on Wednesday in support of the beleaguered antisecrecy organization WikiLeaks, which has drawn governmental criticism from around the globe for its release of classified American documents and whose founder, Julian Assange, is being held in Britain on accusations of sex offenses. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/09/world/09wiki.html Hackers hit Mastercard and Visa over Wikileaks row Hackers have attacked the websites of credit card giants Mastercard and Visa. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11935539 Hackers Give Web Companies a Test of Free Speech A hacking free-for-all has exploded on the Web, and Facebook and Twitter are stuck in the middle. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/09/technology/09net.html WikiLeaks: Who are the hackers behind Operation Payback? The MasterCard website was forced offline for several hours today, following an online assault led by a shadowy group of hackers protesting against the card issuer's decision to block payments made to the WikiLeaks website. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/08/anonymous-4chan-wikileaks-mastercard-paypal ?Hacktivists? take revenge for WikiLeaks Computer hackers disrupted MasterCard?s online payment processing system for several hours on one of the busiest shopping days of the year as part of revenge attacks on companies that blocked services to WikiLeaks, the whistle-blowing website. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ee014b5e-02cd-11e0-a07e-00144feabdc0,dwp_uuid=9a36c1aa-3016-11da-ba9f-00000e2511c8.html au: Government responds to Communications Committee report into cyber crime In its response to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications Report on the Inquiry into Cyber Crime titled, Hackers, Fraudsters and Botnets: Tackling the Problem of Cyber Crime, the Government has accepted 11 of the Committee's 34 recommendations. http://www.lexology.com/r.ashx?i=2707127&l=7ETBAGS Independent Studies Examine Far-Reaching Benefits of DNSSEC for Hardware and Software Vendor Communities New Forrester Consulting studies, commissioned by VeriSign, examine trends in Domain Name System (DNS) security and their impact on hardware and software vendors. Based on an October 2010 survey of enterprise and SMB companies in the US, UK, Germany, Brazil, India and Japan, the studies outline user demand, and hardware and software vendor plans with regards to the incorporation of DNS Security extensions (DNSSEC) into their infrastructures. https://press.verisign.com/easyir/customrel.do?easyirid=AFC0FF0DB5C560D3&version=live&prid=694396&releasejsp=custom_97 Business sees demand for confidentiality with DNSSEC, study finds Small and medium-sized businesses in the UK, US, Germany, Brazil, India and Japan saw substantial customer demand for Domain Name System security (DNSSEC) in the past 12 months, a study has revealed. http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2010/12/07/244376/Business-sees-demand-for-confidentiality-with-DNSSEC-study.htm nz: Kiwi companies will not spend on security, computers get infected 60% of IT departments in New Zealand spend less than 5% of their budget on security, despite the fact that the Conficker worm infected 24% of companies in the past year, according to a survey. http://pcworld.co.nz/pcworld/pcw.nsf/news/kiwi-companies-will-not-spend-on-security-computers-get-infected nz: Survey highlights trends in New Zealand computer crime and security [news release] Results from the 2010 New Zealand Computer Crime and Security Survey have been released, noting an overall reduction in security incidents and costs per organisation. http://internetnz.net.nz/news/media-releases/2010/survey-highlights-trends-new-zealand-computer-crime-and-security ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Swiss experts downplay Assange asylum chances Swiss asylum experts have cast doubt over the success of the possible request for political asylum revealed by Julian Assange, the embattled founder of Wikileaks. http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/Swiss_experts_downplay_Assange_asylum_chances.html Swiss registry under pressure over WikiLeaks.ch Whether or not WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will get asylum in Switzerland is an open question, but his website has already made the move. http://www.worldradio.ch/wrs/news/switzerland/swiss-registry-under-pressure-over-wikileaksch.shtml?22107 ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** The Trouble With 6to4 by Mirjam Kuehne In the transition from IPv4 to IPv6, the preferred solution for network endpoints is to have both native IPv4 and IPv6 connectivity (also called dual-stack connectivity). If a site cannot get native IPv6 connectivity, however, the IPv4 network endpoints can choose from a number of conversion technologies to connect to the IPv6 Internet. The most commonly used conversion mechanisms are 6to4, Teredo and tunnel-brokers. At recent RIPE meetings there have been claims that 6to4 connectivity is quite often broken. We were interested to find out how broken it really is. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20101206_the_trouble_with_6to4/ The Impending IPv4 Crisis: how US Courts Are Likely To Approach The Question Of Ownership Rights In IPv4 Numbers Abstract: The tiny island-nation of Tuvalu in the Pacific derives millions of dollars annually from its ccTLD - .tv. Tuvalu highlights the great disparity between the ownership rights of top-level domain names and those of IP numbers. While top-level domains have been treated similar to natural resources, with alienable qualities and property-like characteristics, IP addresses have largely gone unnoticed as a source of revenue for countries and organizations. The estimated 168 million1 remaining IPv4 addresses provide for a 10-month supply to the newborn in cyber world. http://ciara.fiu.edu/publications/Rubi - Property Rights in IP Numbers.pdf ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** VeriSign Files Trademark Applications for New ?V? Logo VerisignVeriSign has filed a slew of trademark applications for ?V? this week. But before you flip out, the company isn?t trying to trademark the letter itself. Instead, it appears the company is giving its stylized ?v? logo a new look. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/12/07/verisign-files-trademark-applications-for-new-v-logo/ ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Sex.co for Sale at Sedo [news release] Sedo and .CO Internet S.A.S. announced that Sedo is exclusively brokering the domain name, Sex.co. http://www.sedo.com/presse/presse.php?tracked=&partnerid=&language=e&id=351 DomainAdvertising.com Issues Study Showing Impressive Results for Their Graphics Rich Parking Platform + ICANN Meeting Opens With New gTLD Plans Under Fire DomainAdvertising.com is a new kid on the domain parking block, having just joined the PPC fray at the start of this year. However, the new platform, a division of Mumbai, India based powerhouse Directi, launched with immediate credibility by bringing former Fabulous.com COO Dan Warner on board as their CEO. http://dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2010/dailyposts/20101206.htm ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** The move to cloud computing is unstoppable ? but WikiLeaks gives us pause Until last week, any computing futurologist would tell you that cloud computing is where it's at. You don't need to know where your data is being stored; it's just on a computer, or more likely computers, Out There On The Internet. Thus Amazon, with its EC2 ("Elastic Cloud Compute") service, or Microsoft with its Azure service, or the most familiar example, Google, with its GoogleMail and Google Docs services, which are used by thousand of companies around the world. (Disclosure: the Guardian uses Google Docs and Mail, and Amazon's EC2 system for its API.) http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/dec/07/wikileaks-cloud-computing 'Silver surfers' surge in the UK One in 10 of Brits aged between 65 and 75 got a broadband connection for the first time last year, causing a rise in 'silver surfers', according to Ofcom. http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=3252441 http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/120810-silver-surfers-surge-in-the.html ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Google Opens Doors to E-Bookstore The Google e-bookstore is finally open. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/business/media/07ebookstore.html Google Opens Online Bookstore Google Inc. launched Google eBooks, its long-anticipated digital bookselling enterprise, on Monday. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704493004576001671533243118.html Google unveils Chrome OS notebook for test scheme Google has delayed a much anticipated branded laptop powered by its Chrome operating system until next year. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11941601 Video games get kids to eat more veg, fruit: study [AFP] After being fingered as a key cause of the rising rate of US childhood obesity, video games got a reprieve Tuesday as a new study showed they can be used to encourage kids to eat healthier foods. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/video-games-get-kids-to-eat-more-veg-fruit-study-20101207-18nhr.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/video-games-get-kids-to-eat-more-veg-fruit-study-20101207-18nhr.html ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ au: Conroy releases cybersafe button The Federal Government has launched a computer application designed to protect children from cyber bullying and online grooming on social networking sites. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/07/3086802.htm au: Help Button for Australians Online [news release] The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Senator Stephen Conroy today launched the Cyber Safety Help Button, to help Australian children and families to stay safe online. http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2010/110 How Much Do Your Parents Know About Your Life Online? An article this week about Internet bullying describes the difficulties parents face in keeping their children safe online. Not only are they often scrambling to catch up with the technological sophistication of the next generation, but parents today must also wrestle with issues of how much online privacy is appropriate. What do you think? How aware are your parents or guardians of what you do online or via your cellphone? How much should parents in general know about their teenagers? life online? Why? http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/06/how-much-do-your-parents-know-about-your-life-online/ FBI alert over Barbie Video Girl causes child porn panic A new Barbie doll that comes with a built-in camera could be used by predators to create child porn, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned. The Barbie Video Girl has been available in stores since July, but the FBI sent out a "Cyber Crime Alert" about the doll to its Sacramento Field Office last week, and it was leaked to the public on Monday. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/12/fbi-alert-over-barbie-video-girl-causes-child-porn-panic.ars Young European technology companies that are leading the charge in the continent's efforts to take on Silicon Valley ... Safe social networking Moshi Monsters, the social network for children, is already a household name in the U.K., but its parent company, Mind Candy, is surprisingly young. Profitable since 2009, Mind Candy is now solely devoted to the development of Moshi Monsters, which continues to grow at a remarkable rate, with over 30 million registered users. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703506904575592362271077780.html ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Mobile phone link to kids' bad behaviour revealed in Danish study of mothers [AFP] Pregnant mothers who regularly used mobile phones were more likely to have children with behavioural problems, according to a new study in Denmark. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/mobile-phone-link-to-kids-bad-behaviour-revealed-in-danish-study-of-mothers/story-e6frg6so-1225967040572 Hold the phone, behavioural study tells pregnant women Pregnant women who regularly use mobile phones may be more likely to have children with behavioural problems, particularly if their children start using mobile phones in their first seven years, new research suggests. http://www.theage.com.au/national/hold-the-phone-behavioural-study-tells-pregnant-women-20101207-18od6.html http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/controversial-study-finds-mobile-phones-a-risk-to-foetuses-20101207-18ojg.html Commission launches consultation on review of EU mobile phone roaming rules The European Commission is seeking the views of consumers, businesses, telecom operators and public authorities on the EU mobile phone roaming market in a public consultation launched today. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/1679 Google Android phones biggest network hogs: study Users of Google's Android phones, such as Samsung's Galaxy S, use more data services than those with other smartphones, threatening to choke wireless network capacity, an industry study showed. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6B722U20101208 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-53428620101208 Android users hungriest for mobile data, study says Users of Android phones consume far more mobile data than users of other smartphones do, according to a study released Wednesday by network management software provider Arieso. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/212954/.html http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/370672/android_users_hungriest_mobile_data_study_says/ Android's Architect Talks Profitability and Success The secret to the success of Android, Google?s mobile operating system? Its newness, said Andy Rubin, vice president of engineering at Google and the chief architect behind Android. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/06/androids-architect-talks-profitability-and-success/ Google Unveils the Nexus S Smartphone Google?s Nexus One phone may have been a disappointment in the marketplace, but that hasn?t stopped the company from taking a hands-on approach with another Android smartphone. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/06/google-unveils-the-nexus-s-smartphone/ Google launches Nexus S phone in UK and US Google has made its second bid for a slice of the mobile phone market, with the launch of its Nexus S phone. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11930190 Google Nexus S launches in UK with Carphone Warehouse but without delivery date Google is returning to the branded phone fold with the launch of the Nexus S, built by Samsung, which will be sold in the UK through Carphone Warehouse and in the US via the retail chain Best Buy - a tacit admission that its previous attempts to sell the phone through a website failed due to lack of customer support. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/dec/06/google-nexus-s-launched BlackBerry-maker RIM downgraded by two analysts as threats loom Despite a three-month rally in which its stock has rocketed up more than 40%, RIM was downgraded from two separate analysts Tuesday, betraying Wall Street's rising ambivalence about the company's prospects. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/12/blackberry-maker-rim-downgraded-by-two-analysts-neutral-and-underperform.html ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** U.S. Arrests Online Seller Who Scared Customers Federal law enforcement agents on Monday arrested a Brooklyn Internet merchant who mistreated customers because he thought their online complaints raised the profile of his business in Google searches. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/business/07borker.html us: Rogue merchant arrested after gaming Google After a New York Times magazine article exposed his bizarre business tactic of courting the worst customer feedback possible so that infuriated buyers would leave negative commentary online, boosting his Google search results, DecorMyEyes.com eyeglass proprietor Vitaly Borker has been arrested on charges of cyberstalking, making interstate threats, mail fraud, and wire fraud. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20024763-93.html As jurors go online, U.S. trials go off track The explosion of blogging, tweeting and other online diversions has reached into U.S. jury boxes, raising serious questions about juror impartiality and the ability of judges to control courtrooms. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B74Z820101208 au: Thousands fleeced in Microsoft scam but police powerless to act Thousands of Australians have been taken for hundreds of dollars each by cold call scammers pretending to be Microsoft but police, regulators and the software company are powerless to fight the growing problem. http://www.watoday.com.au/technology/technology-news/thousands-fleeced-in-microsoft-scam-but-police-powerless-to-act-20101209-18qgq.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/thousands-fleeced-in-microsoft-scam-but-police-powerless-to-act-20101209-18qgq.html nz: Kiwi companies will not spend on security, computers get infected 60% of IT departments in New Zealand spend less than 5% of their budget on security, despite the fact that the Conficker worm infected 24% of companies in the past year, according to a survey. http://pcworld.co.nz/pcworld/pcw.nsf/news/kiwi-companies-will-not-spend-on-security-computers-get-infected nz: Survey highlights trends in New Zealand computer crime and security [news release] Results from the 2010 New Zealand Computer Crime and Security Survey have been released, noting an overall reduction in security incidents and costs per organisation. http://internetnz.net.nz/news/media-releases/2010/survey-highlights-trends-new-zealand-computer-crime-and-security DHS official: Cyber attacks against infrastructure on the rise The U.S. government is seeing a rise in cyber attacks aimed at taking over control systems that operate critical infrastructure, such as industrial facilities and pipelines, a senior Homeland Security Department official said Tuesday. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/12/dhs-official-cyber-attacks-aga.php http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20101207_9128.php Botnets and Web Threats Take Center Stage in Security Report Symantec's MessageLabs has released its annual security report, and it's not pretty. Not only does the MessageLabs Intelligence: 2010 Annual Security Report reveal concerning malware trends for 2010, but the sneak peek at what 2011 might hold isn't very comforting either. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/212735/.html Symantec Announces MessageLabs Intelligence 2010 Annual Security Report [news release] Symantec Corp. today announced the launch of its MessageLabs Intelligence 2010 Security Report. The annual report details how cyber criminals have diversified their attack tactics to sustain spam and malware at high levels throughout 2010. http://www.messagelabs.co.uk/resources/press/64370 WikiLeaks armors itself to survive cyberattacks As its operations have come under increasing financial and political pressure, WikiLeaks has quietly bolstered its electronic defenses in an attempt to become more difficult to censor. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20024935-281.html WikiLeaks furor spawns rival DDOS battles An anonymous, loosely affiliated group that has been responsible for a series of recent Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks against entertainment industry Web sites over copyright issues, has started attacking organizations viewed as being hostile to WikiLeaks, says a PandaLabs researcher. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9200098/WikiLeaks_furor_spawns_rival_DDoS_battles http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/370471/wikileaks_furor_spawns_rival_ddos_battles/ Hackers Go After Companies Seen as WikiLeaks Enemies A small army of activist hackers orchestrated a broad campaign of cyberattacks on Wednesday in support of the beleaguered antisecrecy organization WikiLeaks, which has drawn governmental criticism from around the globe for its release of classified American documents and whose founder, Julian Assange, is being held in Britain on accusations of sex offenses. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/09/world/09wiki.html Hackers hit Mastercard and Visa over Wikileaks row Hackers have attacked the websites of credit card giants Mastercard and Visa. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11935539 Hackers Give Web Companies a Test of Free Speech A hacking free-for-all has exploded on the Web, and Facebook and Twitter are stuck in the middle. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/09/technology/09net.html WikiLeaks: Who are the hackers behind Operation Payback? The MasterCard website was forced offline for several hours today, following an online assault led by a shadowy group of hackers protesting against the card issuer's decision to block payments made to the WikiLeaks website. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/08/anonymous-4chan-wikileaks-mastercard-paypal ?Hacktivists? take revenge for WikiLeaks Computer hackers disrupted MasterCard?s online payment processing system for several hours on one of the busiest shopping days of the year as part of revenge attacks on companies that blocked services to WikiLeaks, the whistle-blowing website. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ee014b5e-02cd-11e0-a07e-00144feabdc0,dwp_uuid=9a36c1aa-3016-11da-ba9f-00000e2511c8.html Swiss experts downplay Assange asylum chances Swiss asylum experts have cast doubt over the success of the possible request for political asylum revealed by Julian Assange, the embattled founder of Wikileaks. http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/Swiss_experts_downplay_Assange_asylum_chances.html Swiss registry under pressure over WikiLeaks.ch Whether or not WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will get asylum in Switzerland is an open question, but his website has already made the move. http://www.worldradio.ch/wrs/news/switzerland/swiss-registry-under-pressure-over-wikileaksch.shtml?22107 ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Facebook in breach of Korean privacy laws, says regulator [IDG] Facebook is in breach of South Korean data privacy laws and needs to do a better job of getting consent from users when getting their personal information, a South Korean regulator said Wednesday. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/120810-facebook-in-breach-of-korean.html us: In Online Privacy Plan, the Opt-Out Question Looms The Federal Trade Commission?s proposed privacy mechanism could cause a major shift in the online advertising industry, as companies that have relied on consumers? browsing history try to make up for what could be billions in lost revenue. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/06/business/media/06privacy.html Personal information too easy to take Credit card details, tax file numbers, personal addresses and legal documents - just some of the information which could easily end up in the hands of identity thieves trawling the net for second hand hard drives. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/07/3086750.htm Easy Numbers for ID Theft, Lightly Guarded by Military The government warns Americans to closely guard their Social Security numbers. But it has done a poor job of protecting those same numbers for millions of people: the nation?s soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/technology/07identity.html Microsoft, Spurred by Privacy Concerns, Introduces Tracking Protection to Its Browser As the debate continues about a potential privacy system that would allow consumers to opt out of having their data collected online, Microsoft on Tuesday announced a feature for the newest version of Internet Explorer that would permit users to stop certain Web sites from tracking them. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/business/media/08soft.html Microsoft plans to ramp up browser privacy Microsoft Corp plans to give users of its new Internet browser the ability to stop certain sites from gathering information from users as the company looks to head off federal online privacy legislation. http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-53414820101208 ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Undercut by Microsoft, Russia Drops Piracy Case The authorities have dismissed software piracy charges against one of Russia?s most well-known environmental groups after Microsoft indicated that it would no longer support the case. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/06/world/europe/06russia.html Don't shoot messenger for revealing uncomfortable truths by Julian Assange WikiLeaks deserves protection, not threats and attacks. In 1958 a young Rupert Murdoch, then owner and editor of Adelaide's The News, wrote: "In the race between secrecy and truth, it seems inevitable that truth will always win." http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/dont-shoot-messenger-for-revealing-uncomfortable-truths/story-fn775xjq-1225967241332 Hundreds of WikiLeaks Mirror Sites Appear The battle lines between supporters of the whistle-blowing Web site WikiLeaks and its detractors began to form on Sunday, as supporters erected numerous copies of the site on the Internet and the United States put pressure on Switzerland not to offer a haven to the site?s founder, Julian Assange. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/06/world/europe/06wiki.html The Internet Society on the Wikileaks issue Recently, we have witnessed the effective disappearance from the Internet of a website made infamous through international press coverage and political intrigue. http://isoc.org/wp/newsletter/?p=2706 Wikileaks' struggle to stay online For rolling news outlets Wikileaks has been a dream come true with thousands of US embassy cables dribbling out titbits of sensitive information and providing new headlines on a daily and even hourly basis. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11928899 ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** UK government reveals super-fast broadband plans Every community in the UK will gain access to super-fast broadband by 2015 under plans outlined today. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11922424 Time for Jeremy Hunt to decide: does he want a BT monopoly, or fibre everywhere? What a honking mess Britain's policies on trying to get fibre-optic broadband to our homes are turning out to be. Successive governments have now wrestled with it, and so far haven't come up with anything that has people in the industry doing anything but shake their heads - unless, that is, the people are working for BT, in which case they're quietly satisfied at seeing the arc of this particular story heading right their way. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/dec/06/broadband-jeremy-hunt-strategy-failure us: Consumers Key to Regulation of the Net As the FCC prepares to vote on an Open Internet regulation, Verizon and the Consumer Federation of America agreed Monday that Internet users will be the linchpin of any successful effort to govern the web. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/12/consumers-key-to-regulation-of.php us: Net neutrality plan will likely pass, says ex-FCC chairman [IDG] The U.S. Federal Communications Commission will likely approve a compromise network neutrality proposal from its current chairman later this month with the support of many large broadband providers, Michael Powell, former chairman of the agency, said Tuesday. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9200318/Net_neutrality_plan_will_likely_pass_says_ex_FCC_chairman ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* nz: $2.63 to the SFO: Online calculator reveals where your tax goes A new online calculator, created as part of Microsoft and InternetNZ's Mix and Mash competition, graphically displays how the government spends your tax dollars. http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/263-sfo-online-calculator-reveals-where-your-tax-goes-134454 ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** uk: Challenges remain in the communications market, but complaints fall [news release] Challenges such as landline mis-selling, switching, broadband speeds, silent calls and complaints handling remain in the communications market, however complaints to Ofcom about telecoms services have fallen by almost 20 per cent per cent over the past four years, new Ofcom research reveals. http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2010/12/07/challenges-remain-in-the-communications-market-but-complaints-fall/ Digital Agenda: Commission launches consultation on a single Europe-wide phone number for EU businesses [news release] In a public consultation launched today, the European Commission is asking businesses, consumers, telecoms operators and public authorities whether they see benefits in a system that would allow businesses to use the same telephone number in all EU Member States. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/1664 India regulator proposes massive broadband boost India's telecoms regulator called for massive expansion of broadband in the country and wanted the government to set up a nationwide broadband network that would cost about 600 billion rupees ($13 billion) to take high-speed Internet to rural hinterlands. http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-53435820101208 NZ beats Australia in OECD broadband rankings New Zealand has passed Australia in the latest OECD rankings for broadband penetration. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/nz-beats-australia-in-oecd-broadband-rankings au: Conroy, Turnbull face off over OECD stats The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has reported that Australia's broadband penetration ranking has dropped from 17th to 18th in the last six months, which Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has taken as evidence that Australia needs a National Broadband Network (NBN). http://www.zdnet.com.au/conroy-turnbull-face-off-over-oecd-stats-339307811.htm Fibre providers are not telcos: Joyce ICT Minister Steven Joyce told a press conference today that the electricity companies confirmed as partners in the Ultra Fast Broadband network are not expected to behave like telcos. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/fibre-providers-are-not-telcos-joyce nz: First Crown fibre deals signed - and Telecom is out in the cold The cities of Hamilton, Tauranga, Whangarei, New Plymouth and Wanganui will be among the first to benefit from the government?s rollout of ultra-fast broadband (UFB), Minister for Communications and Information Technology Steven Joyce said in a statement this morning. ... One of the first lobby groups to respond, InternetNZ, welcomed the first deals' no-connection fee pledge. http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/first-crown-fibre-deals-signed-134308 nz: Smaller centres first to get fast broadband Several North Island towns will be among the first to benefit from the government's rollout of ultra-fast broadband (UFB), the government said today. ... InternetNZ Chief Executive Vikram Kumar welcomed the announcement, especially the pricing information. http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/smaller-centres-first-get-fast-broadband-3950070 http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/main-centres-not-get-broadband-first-3950070 InternetNZ: UFB pricing excellent InternetNZ Chief Executive Vikram Kumar has come out applauding this morning?s announcement that Hamilton, Tauranga, Whangarei, New Plymouth and Wanganui will be the first to get ultra-fast broadband. http://www.techday.co.nz/telecommunicationsreview/news/internetnz-ufb-pricing-excellent/18907/6/ First UFB Signings Welcomed InternetNZ Chief Executive Vikram Kumar welcomes today's announcement by Minister of Communication Steven Joyce that the first two partners have signed deals with Crown Fibre Holdings to create local fibre companies and roll out Ultra Fast Broadband. http://www.voxy.co.nz/technology/first-ufb-signings-welcomed/5/74764 ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION ********************************** Canadian police leading to child-porn arrests in U.S. As the Toronto police child-exploitation unit trumpeted the results Wednesday of its massive Project Sanctuary arrest blitz, a Florida man first identified by one of the Canadian investigators as a child-porn producer and purveyor was serving his first week in prison after receiving a 25-year sentence for his crimes on Monday. http://www.canada.com/news/Canadian+police+leading+child+porn+arrests/3948125/story.html 25 Canadians charged in global child sex sweep A total of 218 charges of child exploitation, sometimes involving victims as young as four, have been laid against 57 men, including 25 Canadians, the Toronto Police Service said Wednesday. http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/calgarybusiness/Canadians+charged+global+child+sweep/3945835/story.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 Wed Dec 08 2010 - 20:04:04 UTC
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