[DNS] domain name news - 29 October

From: David Goldstein <david> Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2012 14:13:23 +1100 · This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Sat Sep 09 2017 - 22:00:11 UTC

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.

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The domain name news is supported by auDA

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Centr Report of ICANN 45 Toronto: ... Highlights: Fadi Charts the course ? A New Season
http://centr.org/CENTR-Report-ICANN45

.Com Pricing Through 2018 Uncertain as USG Reviews Renewal Contract
http://internetcommerce.org/USG_Review_DotCom_Renewal

Verisign .COM Registry Approval Held Up By US Govt Over Pricing Concerns, Which They Previously Agreed
http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/10/26/verisign-com-registry-approval/

Governments to process new gTLDs by April 2013 by St?phane Van Gelder, Registry Relations and Strategy Director for NetNames
http://www.netnames.com/blog/2012/10/governments-to-process-new-gtlds-by-april-2013/

Phishing Alerts for Domain Registries
http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2012/10/25/phishing-alerts-for-domain-registries.html

Only 2% of phishing attacks use cybersquatted domain names
http://domainincite.com/10861-only-2-of-phishing-attacks-use-cybersquatted-domain-names

ITU-IMPACT holds first ever pan-European cross-border cybersecurity drill
http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2012/83.aspx

When is a cyberattack an act of war?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/when-is-a-cyberattack-an-act-of-war/2012/10/26/02226232-1eb8-11e2-9746-908f727990d8_story.html

Canada and the U.S. Announce Cybersecurity Action Plan [news release]
http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/media/nr/2012/nr20121026-1-eng.aspx

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GOVERNANCE
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The Great ITU Internet Heist by Anthony Rutkowski
There was a meeting in Geneva a few weeks ago dealing with Internet names and addresses. Known as the Second Informal Expert Group Meeting of the Fifth World Telecommunication / Information and Communication Technologies Policy Forum, it was yet another of the endless blathering bodies on this subject that have met for the past fourteen years.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121026_the_great_itu_internet_heist/

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DOMAIN NAMES
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 - ICANN
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REMINDER: WHOIS Technical Requirements Survey Available Until 31 OCT 2012
Mid-September 2012 ICANN invited the community to participate in a survey about possible Technical WHOIS Requirements.
http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-25oct12-en.htm

Expert Recommended Improvements to ICANN's Accountability Structures
Purpose (Brief): To receive comments on the recommended enhancements to ICANN's Reconsideration Process and Independent Review Process provided by the Accountability Structures Expert Panel (ASEP). The ASEP, that was formed in fulfillment of the Accountability and Transparency Review Team Recommendations 23 and 25, developed these recommendations after a series of work sessions and discussions at ICANN's public meeting in Toronto. ICANN is also providing draft Bylaws revisions that would give effect to the ASEP's recommendations.
http://www.icann.org/en/news/public-comment/asep-recommendations-26oct12-en.htm

FY12 Annual Report of Expense Reimbursement and Other Payments to ICANN Directors For the Period 1 July 2011 through 30 June 2012
https://www.myicann.org/news/topics/2/page/1/articles/15831

New gTLD Video Update: GAC Early Warning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSVVS48iDSI

New gTLD Sessions from ICANN Meetings
In this session, Kurt Pritz, Chief of Strategy, provides updates on new gTLD application evaluation progress, new gTLD program timeline, EBERO, applicant support, and more.
https://www.myicann.org/news/topics/2/page/1/articles/15814

CNNIC Selected to Implement an Open-Source RESTful WHOIS Server
We are pleased to report that ICANN has engaged China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) to produce an open-source RESTful WHOIS Server Implementation.
http://blog.icann.org/2012/10/cnnic-selected-to-implement-an-open-source-restful-whois-server/

NTAG, New gTLD Applicant Group, to ICANN
Re: Rights Protection Measures (RPM) Improvements
http://www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/ntag-to-icann-24oct12-en

Independent Objector launches web site
The new gTLD program?s Independent Objector has launched his own web site, independently from ICANN.
http://domainincite.com/10883-independent-objector-launches-web-site

Centr Report of ICANN 45 Toronto: ... Highlights: Fadi Charts the course ? A New Season
The most important session of this ICANN meeting was the first official presentation by Fadi Chehad?, the new CEO. He failed to follow one of the main rules of the corporate world as he did not attempt to temper expectations. On the contrary: he raised them sky high. And he wants to be held accountable to them. Accomplishments so far include a new ICANN information hub (www.myicann.org), staff reorg and a radical change in the relation between CEO and Board. An impressive start.
http://centr.org/CENTR-Report-ICANN45

ICANN Pays Over $1.5 Million For Director?s Travel & Compensation
ICANN released today the list of compensation and travel expense paid to or on behalf of Directors of ICANN for the fiscal year ending June 2012.
http://www.thedomains.com/2012/10/28/icann-pays-over-1-5-million-for-directors-travel-compensations/

CNNIC To Implement Alternative WHOIS
CNNIC, the .cn registry, are to implement an alternative to traditional whois. According to an announcement by ICANN?s Kurt Pritz, the Chinese organisation will be implementing a ?RESTful? Whois server implementation.
http://www.internetnews.me/2012/10/27/cnnic-to-implement-alternative-whois/

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 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
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bel/by: Cyrillic domain extension to be in 2013
Within 2013 in the Belarusian segment of the Internet there will be created Cyrillic domain extension .bel, where individual and legal entities will be able to register their domain names, as announced Director of Hoster.by OJS Sergey Povalishev during the conference ?Business Internet? held on October 24th.
http://telegraf.by/en/2012/10/v-2013-godu-poyavitsya-kirillicheskaya-domennaya-zona-bel

.Com Pricing Through 2018 Uncertain as USG Reviews Renewal Contract
VeriSign?s future ability to increase pricing for .Com domains has suddenly become uncertain after the company announced on October 25th that the renewal registry operations contract that has already been approved by ICANN?s Board of Directors is undergoing extended review by the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Justice.
http://internetcommerce.org/USG_Review_DotCom_Renewal

Verisign .COM Registry Approval Held Up By US Govt Over Pricing Concerns, Which They Previously Agreed
Verisign may have successfully renewed their .COM Registry Agreement with ICANN and seemingly come to agreement with the US government, but are now having the pricing terms reviewed by the US government due to concerns over the previously agreed price increases.
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=19071
http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/10/26/verisign-com-registry-approval/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/verisign-com-registry-approval-held-up-by-us-govt-over-pricing-concerns-which-they-previously-agreed.html

US probing Verisign price hikes, .com contract may be extended
The US Departments of Commerce and Justice are investigating the price increase provisions of Verisign?s .com registry agreement.
http://domainincite.com/10865-breaking-us-probing-verisign-price-hikes-com-contract-extended

Verisign narrows rev outlook; says government contract review may be delayed
Verisign Inc's third-quarter results modestly beat estimates, but the company that assigns Internet protocol (IP) addresses said the Commerce Department may not complete its contract review before it expires on November 30, sending its shares down 15 percent after market.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/26/us-verisign-results-idUSBRE89P0UI20121026

Commerce to Verisign: are you making too much money?
Verisign has a wonderful business model. Running the .com registry has huge efficiencies of scale. As the .com base gets bigger, it throws off more cash.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/10/26/commerce-to-verisign-are-you-making-too-much-money/

For VeriSign, it?s 2009 all over again
Growth in .Com/.net base slows down thanks in part to search engine changes.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/10/26/for-verisign-its-2009-all-over-again/

Government review of VeriSign?s .com registry not complete
Reston-based VeriSign Inc. said it sees no disruption in its oversight of the registry of .com Internet domains, even though a government review of its renewal agreement might not be completed by the time the agreement expires.
http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2012/10/25/government-review-of-verisigns-com.html

Verisign Reports 13 Percent Year-Over-Year Revenue Growth in Third Quarter 2012
VeriSign, Inc. ... today reported financial results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2012. ... In accordance with the Cooperative Agreement between the Department of Commerce and Verisign, Verisign submitted the .com Registry Agreement to the Commerce Department for its review on June 26, 2012. As a result of communications beginning in October 2012 with the Commerce Department, we have concluded that the Commerce Department may not complete its review and approve the renewal of the .com Registry Agreement prior to its expiration on Nov. 30, 2012, and that the Commerce Department, together with the Department of Justice, is reviewing the .com Registry Agreement's pricing terms.
http://www.verisigninc.com/en_US/news-events/press-room/articles/index.xhtml?artLink=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLm13bmV3c3Jvb20uY29tL2FydGljbGUvcnNzP2lkPTE2NDkxMzE%3D

DK Hostmaster has revised the Terms and Conditions for Name Server Managers.
As for the existing agreements regarding Name servers, the new Terms and Conditions will enter into force on December 1st 2012, and will replace the existing agreements with DK Hostmaster as of that date.
https://www.dk-hostmaster.dk/english/news/news-single/artikel/new-terms-and-conditions-for-name-server-managers/

fr: The Internet in 10 years ? Professionals answer the Afnic survey
Afnic posts the results of the 2nd edition of its "Technology Backdrop" survey. Supervised by the Scientific Council of Afnic and carried out by the INIT Company, the survey is designed to provide a common overview of technological trends. Based on the forecasts made by Internet professionals and users, the survey indicates:
http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/6391/show/the-internet-in-10-years-professionals-answer-the-afnic-survey.html

AFNIC (.fr) Trying For Their Own Meme?
Is AFNIC getting into social media and memes in a big way? They?ve already got a Facebook page, Twitter and are even pushing out infographics.. now it appears they?re trying to harness memes.
http://www.internetnews.me/2012/10/26/afnic-fr-trying-for-their-own-meme/

Dotme Registry Reports Stellar Growth
The .me domain name registry is growing from strength to strength. Earlier today they issued a release in which they reported their latest growth figures. They?ve not only surpassed the 650k domain name mark, but they?re also the fastest growing ccTLD in Europe according to the latest CENTR report.
http://www.internetnews.me/2012/10/25/dotme-registry-reports-stellar-growth/

On the Horizon of ICANNs Release of New TLDs .ME Remains the Choice of the People
As the Internet gears-up for the release of hundreds of new domain extensions, the momentum around .ME domain names continues to build. The enthusiasm with which .ME has been received affirms a .ME domain name is the right Web address for people, both today and as new extensions become available in the future.
http://www.domain.me/on-the-horizon-of-icanns-release-of-new-tlds-me-remains-the-choice-of-the-people

nl: Draft report on Domain Name Debate 2012 now available
On 28 September, SIDN organised the Domain Name Debate 2012 at the Koninklijke Schouwburg in The Hague. A draft report on the debate is now available. The registrars that participated in the debate and the people who were involved in the on-line discussion may submit feedback on the draft report.
https://www.sidn.nl/en/news/news/article/draft-report-on-domain-name-debate-2012-now-available/

.post gains momentum
Member countries and their designated operators are keen to explore the possibilities of .post following last week?s announcement that the technical platform is up and running.
http://news.upu.int/no_cache/news/news-details/article/post-gains-momentum///3df9f75177cc8541db92e4f865e7cd97/

First .post domains going live
After entering the DNS root in August, the .post gTLD has started accepting its first registrations.
http://domainincite.com/10855-first-post-domains-going-live

A Founders Program Buyer?s Thoughts On Why ICM Made A Huge Mistake In Putting Up Over 1K Premium Domains For Sale
On Wednesday ICM Registry the company that operates the .XXX registry put up for sale over 1,000 premium registry owned domains, with prices ranging from $330 to $220,000 and a total value of $7.7 Million.
http://www.thedomains.com/2012/10/27/a-founders-program-buyers-thoughts-on-why-icm-made-a-huge-mistake-in-putting-up-over-1k-premium-domains-for-sale/

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 - NEW TLDS
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Just a Warning?
Last week in Toronto during ICANN?s 45th Public Meeting, members of the Governmental Advisory Committee, or GAC, discussed a variety of topics about both new gTLDs and other ICANN policy initiatives. Of those, the topic with arguably the highest stakes for new gTLD applicants was the GAC?s Early Warnings.
http://www.gtldstrategy.com/policy-updates/just-a-warning

Governments to process new gTLDs by April 2013 by St?phane Van Gelder, Registry Relations and Strategy Director for NetNames
Governments are set to play a key role in ICANN?s new gTLD program as they are able to object to specific applications. Individual countries may, for instance, feel that a proposed new gTLD would infringe their national laws and may wish to raise this as a red flag to both the applicant and ICANN. The new gTLD applicant guidebook calls this an ?early warning? and advises recipients of such a warning to seek to address it before the string they have requested comes up for evaluation by the ICANN Board.
http://www.netnames.com/blog/2012/10/governments-to-process-new-gtlds-by-april-2013/

Registrars Come Out Against Additional Rights Protections Policy Changes For New gTLD?s
In a letter sent by the Registrar Stakeholder Group to ICANN, today, the group has come out against making any additional changes to the Rights Protection Mechanisms (RPM) for trademark holders in the new gTLD?s.
http://www.thedomains.com/2012/10/26/registrars-come-out-against-additional-rights-protections-policy-changes-for-new-gtlds-or-trademark-clearing-house/

ICANN TMCH: The haunted Trademark Clearance House by Naseem Javed
When the fantasy of a universal trademark clearance house was floated in the name of protecting existing trademark owners by the opposing lobbies against the global domain name expansion, particularly the gTLD programs, the domain name industry and ICANN quickly accepted the idea. A universal trademark clearance house is perhaps a greatest idea but in reality a fantasy.
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/82/84054.html

?Net rebel sues over .nyc, .sex and wants damages
Paul Garrin wants you to have .sex right now if you want it ? and .food, .art and .music along with it, too, if you like. But there?s a little problem. Actually, make that a big problem, as in the faceless organization that rules the World Wide Web with a digital iron fist.
http://www.thevillager.com/?p=8176

ICANN 45: New gTLDs not far away now
Just a few days have passed since the most recent ICANN meeting in Toronto ended and, like always, it was a whirlwind of activity and information. But this time around, with a new CEO and accompanying organizational changes, it felt like the winds were all moving in the same direction: towards a new era of ICANN effectiveness and, of course, new gTLDs.
http://registrypro.pro/blogs/roland-laplante/icann-45-new-gtlds-not-far-away-now

Man claims he and friends were duped for $123,000 in new top level domain scheme
A Florida man has filed a lawsuit alleging he was duped by a new TLD scheme.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/10/26/dot-bim-new-tld-lawsuit/

.ART for Art?s sake? New debates with New gTLDs...
It seems nothing escapes controversy these days, and the new gTLDs are no exception. Ever since ICANN announced it was accepting applications for new TLDs, there?s been speculation and concern about who would control certain domains and what it means to develop and administer a domain.
http://www.name.com/blog/general/2012/10/art-for-arts-sake-new-debates-with-new-gtlds/

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 - DNS SECURITY
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Phishing Alerts for Domain Registries
While some registries still perceive phishing as a content issue for hosting companies and registrars, detailed knowledge of phishing activity within their TLD(s) is very beneficial for registries. It is a key data source for identifying problematic, negligent, or fraud-friendly registrars, and an essential tool for maintaining the reputation of a TLD.
http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2012/10/25/phishing-alerts-for-domain-registries.html

Only 2% of phishing attacks use cybersquatted domain names
The number of cybersquatted domain names being used for phishing is falling sharply and currently stands at just 2% of attacks, according to the Anti-Phishing Working Group.
http://domainincite.com/10861-only-2-of-phishing-attacks-use-cybersquatted-domain-names

nl: Abuse IX takes on botnets
Seven Dutch internet service providers have linked up with SIDN to cut the number of their clients' computers snared in botnets. Through the Abuse Information Exchange ? Abuse IX for short ? the group's members will gather and analyse information about botnets centrally.
https://www.sidn.nl/en/news/news/article/abuse-ix-takes-on-botnets/

Riyadh summit to discuss digital security
A major conference to discuss the growing threat to digital security in the Middle East, especially in Saudi Arabia, will be held in Riyadh in December. ... The summit will feature several key regional figures and digital security experts including Robert Schischka, joint managing director, Austrian National CERT.
http://www.tradearabia.com/news/IT_224571.html

ITU-IMPACT holds first ever pan-European cross-border cybersecurity drill
ITU and its cybersecurity executing arm, the International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Threats (IMPACT), has organized the first UN-backed cross border cyber drill for Europe and CIS countries designed to test national cyber response capabilities and improve readiness and reaction in the event of a theoretical cyber attack.
http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2012/83.aspx

When is a cyberattack an act of war?
On the night of Oct. 11, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta stood inside the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, housed in a former aircraft carrier moored at a New York City pier, and let an audience of business executives in on one of the most important conversations inside the U.S. government.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/when-is-a-cyberattack-an-act-of-war/2012/10/26/02226232-1eb8-11e2-9746-908f727990d8_story.html

Is The Term "Cyberwarfare" Overstating the Case? by Terry Zink
At the Virus Bulletin conference last month, Andrew Lee from ESET gave a talk entitled "Cyberwar: Reality or Weapon of Mass Distraction?" In it, Lee talks about how the term "cyberwar" is thrown around a lot these days. However, he disagreed with the use of the term because it uses inflationary language and overstates the case; today's "cyberwar" is not the same as a conventional ware.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121027_is_the_term_cyberwarfare_overstating_the_case/

Internet security: Let's keep this between us
Twenty years ago Phil Zimmermann released encryption software called Pretty Good Privacy (PGP). His aim was to offer free tools to help human-rights advocates exchange data securely. The program was better than pretty good; it fell afoul of munitions export rules of the day that classified sufficiently strong scrambling as a weapon, leading to a three-year investigation by American authorities. Charges were never filed, however, and PGP popularised the use of public-key cryptography to allow parties who may never have met to communicate without fear of snooping.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2012/10/internet-security

Open DNS resolvers increasingly abused to amplify DDoS attacks, report says [IDG]
Open and misconfigured DNS (Domain Name System) resolvers are increasingly used to amplify distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, according to a report released Wednesday by HostExploit, an organization that tracks Internet hosts involved in cybercriminal activities.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/102512-open-dns-resolvers-increasingly-abused-263712.html
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/440156/open_dns_resolvers_increasingly_abused_amplify_ddos_attacks_report_says/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2013109/report-open-dns-resolvers-increasingly-abused-to-amplify-ddos-attacks.html

University researchers claim DNS boosting tool can speed Web performance by 40%
Offerings such as Google Public DNS, OpenDNS and other public domain name system services promise increased security and privacy but can fall short on Web performance, according to a Northwestern University research team that has developed a tool it says can address that shortcoming.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/102512-dns-boosting-tool-263702.html

Dutch Government Proposes Cyberattacks Against... Everyone
Last week, the Dutch Minister of Safety and Justice asked the Parliament of the Netherlands to pass a law allowing police to obtain warrants to do the following: Install malware on targets? private computers, Conduct remote searches on local and foreign computers to collect evidence & Delete data on remote computers in order to disable the accessibility of ?illegal files.?
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/10/dutch-government-proposes-cyberattacks-against-everyone

us: DHS Warns of ?Hacktivist? Threat Against Industrial Control Systems
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is warning that a witches brew of recent events make it increasingly likely that politically or ideologically motivated hackers may launch digital attacks against industrial control systems.
http://krebsonsecurity.com/2012/10/dhs-warns-of-hacktivist-threat-against-industrial-control-systems/

US, Canada launch joint cybersecurity plan [AAP]
CANADA and the United States say they are launching a joint cybsersecurity plan to protect their digital infrastructure from online threats.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/us-canada-launch-joint-cybersecurity-plan/story-fn3dxix6-1226504429496

Canada and the U.S. Announce Cybersecurity Action Plan [news release]
Canada and the United States announced the Cybersecurity Action Plan Between Public Safety Canada and the Department of Homeland Security, a key commitment under the Beyond the Border Action Plan for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. The announcement comes during Cyber Security Awareness Month, which both countries recognize every October to remind individuals about how to protect themselves and their families from online threats.
http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/media/nr/2012/nr20121026-1-eng.aspx

DHS and Canada Public Safety Announce Plan to Strengthen Cybersecurity Cooperation [news release]
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Canadian Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews today announced the Cybersecurity Action Plan, which aims to strengthen cybersecurity cooperation through enhanced integration and collaboration of joint cybersecurity activities between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Public Safety Canada. This Action Plan represents just one of many important efforts between the US and Canada to deepen strong bilateral cybersecurity cooperation and advance the objectives articulated in the February 2011 declaration, Beyond the Border: A Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competiveness, which is aimed at defending and protecting critical infrastructure, ensuring resiliency of our mutual assets, and securing a free and open cyberspace. 
http://www.dhs.gov/news/2012/10/26/dhs-and-canada-public-safety-announce-plan-strengthen-cybersecurity-cooperation

Misconfigured open DNS resolvers used in DDoS attacks
Hackers are increasingly using open DNS resolvers as a means to perform DDoS, or Distributed denial-of-service, attacks against their targets, says a new report by HostExploit, a voluntary organization that tracks and promotes awareness of cyber crime activities.
http://www.fiercecio.com/techwatch/story/misconfigured-open-dns-resolvers-used-ddos-attacks/2012-10-26

DDoS Attacks: First Signs of Fraud?
Distributed denial of service attacks on U.S. banking institutions will continue, says Akamai's Mike Smith. And he believes the attackers aren't out just to embarrass the banks, but to commit fraud.
http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/interviews/ddos-attacks-first-signs-fraud-i-1705

NIST: Use Cloud to Repel DDoS Attacks
Employing cloud computing services could help organizations defend against the type of distributed denial of service attacks that have temporarily crippled the online service of major American banks, says NIST's Matthew Scholl.
http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/interviews/nist-use-cloud-to-repel-ddos-attacks-i-1698

Phishing is getting tougher to spot [Computerworld]
I don't know if cybercriminals are trying to boost their revenue streams for early Christmas shopping, but cyberbombs have been landing in e-mail in-boxes and flying onto smartphones via SMS lately.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2013194/phishing-is-getting-tougher-to-spot.html

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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
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Top-level-domain .eu reserved for trademark owners established in the EU
European Court of Justice, Decision of 19 July 2012, No. C-376/11, "lensworld.eu": The European Court of Justice (CJEU) decided that the registrations of .eu domain names during the "sunrise period" (the initial registration period for trademark owners) by EU-based agencies on behalf of trademark owners not established in the EU do not meet the relevant statutory requirements. Domain names obtained in this way will now be vulnerable to revocation by EURid.
http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=dd66d1e7-9283-478d-80c1-3fe733b71c5b

Social Annotation Site Diigo.com Recovering After Domain Hijacking Nightmare
Diigo, a social bookmarking and annotation site, is finally back online 50 hours after the domain was first hijacked. It?s an incredible story that involves crisis management, blackmail, investigative research, payoffs, a clever thief, and points to potential problems with the domain name registry system that could affect anyone with a website. Diigo?s co-founder called it a nightmare and crisis that he?d like to help other companies avoid.
http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/27/social-annotation-site-diigo-com-recovering-after-domain-hijacking-nightmare/

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 - MISCELLANEOUS
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APNIC First RIR To Upgrade to Global Trust Anchor RPKI
On 25 October 2012 APNIC will make some important changes to its Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) system. These changes, which involve APNIC issuing up to five new ?trust anchor? certificates, will take the APNIC RPKI framework to the next stage of its evolution towards supporting a global trust anchor. All of the five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) will be transitioning to the new structure, which will contribute to the long-term security of worldwide Internet traffic.
http://www.apnic.net/publications/news/2012/apnic-first-rir-to-upgrade-to-global-trust-anchor-rpki

RIPE NCC and APNIC Formalise Closer Working Relationship
The RIPE NCC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with APNIC, its counterpart for the Asia-Pacific region. The agreement formalises the already close working relationship between the two organisations which has seen them sharing resources in a number of key areas.
http://www.ripe.net/internet-coordination/news/ripe-ncc-and-apnic-formalise-closer-working-relationship

ARI Registry Services unveils DNS service & sends message to the competition
ARI Registry Services formally unveiled its expanded DNS service last week in Toronto, Canada during ICANN?s 45th public meeting.
http://www.ariservices.com/news-ari_unveils_dns.php

Presidential Pranks
The Democratic National Committee has turned to the Internet to take on Mitt Romney's tax cut promises by launching RomneyTaxPlan.com. The interactive site appears, at first, to be an official Romney campaign site, but it quickly becomes apparent that the opposite is true.
http://www.domainnamestrategy.com/2012/10/22/presidential-pranks

Incorrect Use of the RIPE Database
Recently, members of our community have been contacted by a commercial organisation that may have used personal contact details from the public RIPE Database for marketing and advertising purposes.
http://www.ripe.net/internet-coordination/news/incorrect-use-of-the-ripe-database

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 - WEBHOSTING
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Dutch Court Orders Web Host to Pay Damages for Facilitating Copyright Infringement
Web hosting provider XS Networks has been ordered to pay damages to Dutch anti-piracy group BREIN after a court in the Netherlands found it guilty of facilitating copyright infringement.
http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/dutch-court-orders-web-host-pay-damages-for-facilitating-copyright-infringement

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 - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET
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Internet domain-name market in doldrums
Just like its physical counterpart, the market for Internet real estate has been in the doldrums in recent years, especially if you are trying to sell a fancy address for millions of dollars. ... So far in 2012, the biggest reported domain name sale has been only $1 million - for PersonalLoans.com. One anonymous domain name investment group is trying to change that. It's offering the domain California.com for sale and asking $3.5 million - although DomainHoldings, the company representing the owners, expects to get even more for it.
http://www.sfgate.com/technology/article/Internet-domain-name-market-in-doldrums-3988794.php

Big Week for ccTLDs as They Take Eight Places on the All Extension Top 20 Chart Including Five of the Top Ten
The .coms, as usual, took the most positions on our latest weekly all extension Top 20 Sales Chart - 11 places overall, including the top two - but the ccTLDs also enjoyed a big outing, piling up eight chart entries in one their best performances of the year.
http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2012/20121024.htm

Domain Brokers: How to Choose One and What it Takes to Be a Successful One 
The domain brokerage business is heating up as more and more domain owners turn to sales as a way to replace PPC revenues that evaporated in recent years. Those newly motivated to sell joined an already sizeable contingent of domain investors who had always put sales first, resulting in a flood of new business for experienced brokers with a track record of success. One of the most frequent inquires we get are from people asking us to recommend a broker.
http://dnjournal.com/cover/2012/august-september.htm

How Finding the Right Domain Name Niche Made All the Difference for This DNForum.com Member ? With Warrick Mulder
After a couple of years of buying, holding and renewing ?pigeon shit? domain names, Warrick Mulder realized there was a better way. So he dropped all of the .com, .net and .org domain names that didn?t earn any parking revenue or solicit any purchase offers and instead turned his attention to the TLD of his home country of South Africa: .co.za.
http://www.domainsherpa.com/warrick-mulder-coza-interview/

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INTERNET USE
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Internet traffic exchange: 2 billion users and it?s done on a handshake by Rudolf Van der Berg of the OECD?s Science, Technology and Industry Directorate
Every day one Exabyte of data is said to travel over the Internet ? enough data to fill 300,000 of the world?s biggest hard disks or 212 million DVDs. And astonishingly, according to Internet Traffic Exchange: Market Developments and Policy Challenges a new OECD report on Internet traffic exchange, most of the thousands of networks that exchange this traffic do so without a written contract or formal agreement.
http://oecdinsights.org/2012/10/22/internet-traffic-exchange-2-billion-users-and-its-done-on-a-handshake/

India among fastest growing Internet market: Study
India is among the top three fastest growing Internet markets in the world, a study by industry body Assocham and ComScore has said.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/india-among-fastest-growing-internet-market-study/302638-11.html

Kiwis least likely to slag off their workplace online
New Zealanders are the least likely to slag off their workplace online, a survey has found.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10843667

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SOCIAL MEDIA
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Report: Twitter hits half a billion tweets a day
Twitter CEO Dick Costolo told a London audience earlier this week that the microblogging service is now processing half a billion tweets a day, according to a published report.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57541566-93/report-twitter-hits-half-a-billion-tweets-a-day/

nz: Social media as a tool for learners
There's no denying social networking is growing. So how do school teachers handle their online presence and what are the dos and don'ts.
http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/news/social-media-tool-learners/1598191/

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
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The World Is Not Enough: Google and the Future of Augmented Reality
The new Google FieldTrip app probes the question: What digital information do you want to see overlaid on the physical world?
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/10/after-google-glass-the-content-of-our-augmented-reality-future/264059/

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CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY
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There?s no way to shield children from pornography
The young are getting an utterly warped understanding of sex ? so what should we do?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/sex/9633394/Theres-no-way-to-shield-children-from-pornography.html

uk: Bullying most common problem for young children, says ChildLine
Bullying is now the most common problem affecting young children, according to an analysis of calls made to the counselling service ChildLine. Last year the problem generated the largest number of calls from pre-teens, with many expressing concerns about friends they feared were being bullied. ... ChildLine said it had seen a 7% rise in the amount of counselling it was offering relating to cyberbullying. "Bullying has changed," Minto said. "Now it's online and 24/7. Twenty-five years ago children could escape, but now even if they don't go online or turn their phone off, they know when they go back on to a social network site it will be waiting for them."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/oct/28/childline-bullying-family-conflict

New social media guidelines for South Australian schools [AAP]
SCHOOLS in South Australia will be told to avoid posting online images of individual students or students in swimming gear under revised guidelines for using social media.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/new-social-media-guidelines-for-south-australian-schools/story-e6frg6nf-1226503204270

nz: ... SCREEN SCREAMS
A psychologist who specialises in dealing with screen compulsions has advice for parents getting tough on their screen-addicted children: Don't declare cyber war, because you won't win. Nathan Gaunt says parents should talk to kids about the cost of their screen behaviour in terms of lost time and withdrawal.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10842848
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/best-of-business-analysis/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501241&objectid=10842848

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ONLINE TV, MUSIC & PIRACY
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nz: Rianz drops $2700 claim under new file sharing law
The Recording Industry Association of NZ (Rianz) has dropped two of its first eight "third-strike" claims brought under the new file sharing law.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/rianz-drops-one-first-three-cases-under-new-file-sharing-law-tech-liberty

Web host for SumoTorrent site 'liable for damages'
An anti-piracy group in the Netherlands, Brein, has won a landmark case, making a file-sharing site's former web host liable for damages.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20080628

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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Data-Gathering via Apps Presents a Gray Legal Area
... While regular players are familiar with the particular destructive qualities of certain of these birds, many are unaware of one facet: The game possesses a ravenous ability to collect personal information on its users. When Jason Hong, an associate professor at the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, surveyed 40 users, all but two were unaware that the game was storing their locations so that they could later be the targets of ads.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/29/technology/mobile-apps-have-a-ravenous-ability-to-collect-personal-data.html

You Know You Can't Live Without Apple?s Latest Glass Rectangle
Philip W. Schiller, Apple?s vice president for marketing, strode across the stage of the California Theater in San Jose last week trumpeting the virtues of new Apple products. As he caressed the side of the latest iMac personal computer, he noted how thin it was ? five millimeters, 80 percent thinner than the last one. Then he said, with an air of surprise, as if he?d just thought of it: ?Isn?t it amazing how something new makes the previous thing instantly look old??
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/disruptions-you-know-you-cant-live-without-apples-latest-glass-rectangle/

Apple publishes statement over iPad design row
Apple has published a statement which admits that Samsung has not infringed its designs.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20094372

Windows 8 Success Hinges on $10 Component
The success of Microsoft Corp.'s new operating system may hinge?on hinges. Hardware companies are grappling with the fact that the Windows 8 software has a touch-oriented user interface. That means not simply adding touch screens to computers but redesigning the hinges that connect screens and keyboards to withstand new twisting, turning and poking.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204005004578080621686676956.html

Jailbreaking Tablets Deemed Illegal By The U.S. Copyright Office
Go ahead, jailbreak your cellphone. But just know that tablet computer of yours is off limits.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/27/jailbreaking-tablets-illegal_n_2024754.html

us: Industry groups issue web, mobile messaging best practices
Two industry groups, which support online and mobile messaging security, have released best practices for companies, government entities and consumers.
http://www.scmagazine.com/industry-groups-issue-web-mobile-messaging-best-practices/article/265439/

Nokia out of top 5 globally, tops in India
Nokia, which is facing a major crisis in global sales, still tops the list of mobile handset market in India even as it has been displaced from the fifth spot in global sales by the beleaguered BlackBerry maker Research in Motion.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/telecom/Nokia-out-of-top-5-globally-tops-in-India/articleshow/16982944.cms

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SPAM
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Germany gets the most malicious spam
German email users have unseated users from the US as the recipients of most malicious email messages. According to a report on September's spam by Kaspersky, Germany hit the top of the chart with 13.87% of malicious mail being directed at its users, followed by Spain (7.43%), Russia (6.85%), India (6.39%), Vietnam (5.95%), Australia (5.94%), China (5.80%) and the US (5.62%). The US had led the chart for the previous eight months.
http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Germany-gets-the-most-malicious-spam-1737717.html

Spam in September 2012: End of the Holiday Season Brings Rise in Phishing and Spam Traffic [news release]
According to Kaspersky Lab data, in September the percentage of spam in email traffic grew by 2.3 percentage points from August and averaged 72.5%. The percentage of phishing emails increased threefold compared to August and amounted to 0.03%, while the share of malicious files fell half a percentage point and stood at 3.4% of all emails.
http://www.kaspersky.com/about/news/spam/2012/Spam_in_September_2012_End_of_the_Holiday_Season_Brings_Rise_in_Phishing_and_Spam_Traffic

nz: Thousands of complaints laid under anti-spam laws
Thousands of complaints have been laid with authorities under the country's anti-spam laws, but only one's resulted in court action.
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/news/nbnat/1720647915-thousands-of-complaints-laid-under-anti-spam-laws

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DIGITAL DIVIDE
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Analysys Mason Study Demonstrates How the Fundamental Sustainability of the Internet Extends to Developing Countries [news release]
Analysys Mason?s new study published today entitled ?How the Internet continues to sustain growth and innovation? reveals how the market forces that have always ensured the sustainability of the Internet in developed countries also extend to developing countries.
http://www.internetsociety.org/news/analysys-mason-study-demonstrates-how-fundamental-sustainability-internet-extends-developing

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SECURITY
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ITU-IMPACT holds first ever pan-European cross-border cybersecurity drill
ITU and its cybersecurity executing arm, the International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Threats (IMPACT), has organized the first UN-backed cross border cyber drill for Europe and CIS countries designed to test national cyber response capabilities and improve readiness and reaction in the event of a theoretical cyber attack.
http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2012/83.aspx