Don't forget to check out www.auda.org.au/domain-news/ for an archive of the last three months of the news. And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** ICANN Highlights Domain Name System Vulnerability; Releases Tools http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-06aug08-en.htm ?20,000 grant boost for .cym domain bid http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7543956.stm N.Korea Likely to Provide Internet Service from 2009 http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200808/200808070011.html Net address bug worse than feared http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7546557.stm Kaminsky: Many ways to attack with DNS [IDG] http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/08/06/Kaminsky_Many_ways_to_attack_with_DNS_1.html Kaminsky: DNS Vulnerability Will Affect Email, Internal Systems, Too http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=161009 Email gets hit by major web security flaw [AP] http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=55&objectid=10525801 Giant cyberspace security hole getting fixed, slowly [AP] http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501832&objectid=10525623 VeriSign shares fall after 2nd-quarter report [AP] http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/08/07/ap5301246.html VeriSign Reports Second Quarter 2008 Results [news release] http://www.verisign.com/static/043991.pdf T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Down Under to Donate Profits to ICA; Discount Pass Expires Soon http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=5584 ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the EU Global Online Freedom Act EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM: More and more authoritarian states as Belarus, Burma, the People's Republic of China, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam censor the internet by blocking websites and filtering search results and intimidate internet users through 'cyber police' and obliged registration. As this constitutes a clear violation of human rights under article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, EU action needs to be undertaken, especially since European companies are cooperating with authoritarian governments to restrict the access of citizens to the provision of Internet and information society services. http://www.julesmaaten.eu/_uploads/EU%20GOFA.htm Major U.S. Internet companies agree on a code of conduct for operating in repressive countries It's been a journey longer than the meandering, months-long trip the Olympic torch is taking to Friday's opening ceremonies in Beijing. But Google, Yahoo and Microsoft said today that they were close to finishing a voluntary code of conduct for doing business in China and other countries that censor the Internet -- a project they started in January 2007. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2008/08/major-internet.html Internet firms agree to 'code of conduct' in China Just days before the Olympic torch will reach Beijing, Internet leaders Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft say they are close to an agreement on a code of conduct for doing business in China and other countries that censor the Internet. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10007122-38.html Internet Companies Agree On China Code Of Conduct U.S. technology giants Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo, in talks with other Internet companies and human-rights groups, have reached an agreement on a voluntary code of conduct for activities in China and other restrictive countries, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKBNG13395520080805 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-34833420080805 http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/policy/showArticle.jhtm?articleID=209903195 Vint Cerf calls for Internet speed limits Internet papa Vint Cerf said broadband speed limits rather than broadband data caps would be more useful in managing congested networks. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10007079-93.html Cerf totes consumer SLAs Father of the internet and Google's chief internet evangelist, Vint Cerf has waded into the debate about how broadband carriers should manage network congestion, suggesting, in effect, data rate service level agreements (SLAs) for consumers. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2223299/cerf-totes-consumer-slas Cerf?s call for simple pricing: Net Neutrality all over again Vint Cerf, one of the co-inventors of the underlying technology that makes the Web work, now Google?s Internet evangelist, has issued a call for throughput-based pricing by ISPs. This in response to the Comcast ruling by the FCC, which fined the cable carrier for capping bandwidth used by customers if they exceed what the company considers reasonable use?Comcast has called their approach, which can cap the number of bits a user sends per month ?consumption-based pricing.? http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ratcliffe/?p=358 Questioning the Coming US Internet Clog One of the nation?s top authorities on global Internet traffic growth says his latest data show no reason to fear network capacity shortages, as traffic growth may even be slightly decelerating. http://communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/110/31939 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** .ORG & NCUC Joint Letter to ICANN on Internationalized Domain Names by PIR Recently we teamed up with the Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC) to express our concern to ICANN that the rights and needs of end-users are taken into account in the discussion of Internationalized Domain Names (IDN). http://www.circleid.com/posts/88710_org_ncuc_internationalized_domain_names/ Can ICANN Manage the DNS Root Zone by Itself? "No!" Says US Department of Commerce In a recent letter, the US Department of Commerce NTIA strongly denied being engaged in discussions about a "root zone transition" from VeriSign to ICANN. The community, ICANN President Strategic Committee (PSC), and perhaps ICANN and IANA staff are suddenly informed that no transition of root zone management is going to occur. http://www.circleid.com/posts/88712_icann_manage_dns_root_zone/ ICANN Highlights Domain Name System Vulnerability; Releases Tools ICANN is raising awareness of a recently discovered vulnerability in the DNS. This includes releasing an FAQ and an online tool for domain operators to test their domains. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-06aug08-en.htm ICANN to raise awareness of domain name system vulnerability [sub req'd] http://telecom.paper.nl/news/article.aspx?id=225475 ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** Grant boost for .cym domain bid A ?20,000 grant to secure a "dot cym" internet address for Wales is to be given by the assembly government. Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said the money was to support the DotCYM campaign for a Welsh version of the .com or co.uk endings. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7543956.stm Bid for .cym for Welsh websites WELSH companies should have the right to use .cym as well as .com on their websites, Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said yesterday. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/08/07/bid-for-cym-for-welsh-websites-91466-21480320/ More options for Welsh identity on the net The campaign to allow Welsh companies to use the .cym suffix in their web addresses is almost as old as the internet itself, so it?s pleasing to see this decent idea finally take its first steps off the drawing board. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/08/07/more-options-for-welsh-identity-on-the-net-91466-21479926/ Assembly cash for dotCYM campaign DEPUTY First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones will today announce Assembly Government funding to campaign for ?full internet status for Wales?. http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2008/08/06/assembly-cash-for-dotcym-campaign-55578-21473223/ Wales applying for its own domain name The Welsh deputy first minister is backing a campaign for a Welsh internet domain name. http://www.publicservice.co.uk/news_story.asp?id=6704 DotCym campaign wins ?20k grant Wales The Welsh Assembly is to donate ?20,000 to support the campaign to secure the "dot cym" internet address for Wales. http://www.webuser.co.uk/news/news.php?id=265029 N.Korea Likely to Provide Internet Service from 2009 It seems likely that North Korea will finally join the worldwide web and provide Internet service from next year. Kim Sang-myung, the chief of the North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity, a group of former North Korean professionals, at a symposium in the National Assembly on Wednesday said, "According to the Internet Access Roadmap it launched in 2002, North Korea will begin providing Internet service for special agencies and authorized individuals as early as next year." ... It has also recently finished necessary consultations with ICANN for the Internet service in North Korea. In this situation, North Korea can begin providing Internet service any time provided equipment for server and Internet-based relay systems is supplied, Kim said. http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200808/200808070011.html 100,000 .me Domain Names Now Registered The .ME Registry announced today it has registered more than 100,000 domain names. This milestone comes a little more than two weeks after opening for live, real-time registrations by the general public and less than four months after opening its doors. http://www.nic.me/index.php?page=12&news=94 .ME Domain Crosses 100,000 Milestone New personalized domain .ME is the hot new destination for Web addresses. The milestone comes a little more than two weeks after opening for live, real-time registrations by the general public and less than four months after opening its doors. http://www.webhostdir.com/news/showNews.aspx?ID=27076 ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Net address bug worse than feared A recently found flaw in the internet's addressing system is worse than first feared, says the man who found it. Dan Kaminsky made his comments when speaking publicly for the first time about his discovery at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7546557.stm Kaminsky: Many ways to attack with DNS [IDG] There were 6 a.m. calls from Finnish certificate authorities and also some pretty harsh words from his peers in the security community, even an accidentally leaked Black Hat presentation, but after managing the response to one of the most highly publicized Internet flaws in recent memory, Dan Kaminsky said Wednesday that he'd do it all over again. http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/08/06/Kaminsky_Many_ways_to_attack_with_DNS_1.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/080608-kaminsky-many-ways-to-attack.html http://www.itworld.com/networking/54104/kaminsky-many-ways-attack-dns Kaminsky: DNS Vulnerability Will Affect Email, Internal Systems, Too After almost a month of holding back, security researcher Dan Kaminsky took off the gloves and delivered the full impact of his newly discovered Domain Name Server vulnerability to an audience of more than 2,000 security experts here. http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=161009 Kaminsky reveals 'many ways' to attack with DNS [IDG] Dan Kaminsky has revealed more details about the DNS flaw, and has said that he would do it all over again, despite receiving some harsh words from his peers in the security community. http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?NewsID=102315 Dan Kaminsky Reveals DNS Flaw At Black Hat At the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday, attendees occupied every available seat and most of the floor space to hear security researcher Dan Kaminsky finally explain the Domain Name System (DNS) vulnerability that has been the talk of the Internet security community since early July. http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/vulnerabilities/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=209903948 IOActive's Kaminsky Warns: DNS Danger Still Exists IOActive's Dan Kaminsky discovered a DNS vulnerability in July, and the attack code was released weeks later. At his Black Hat speech, Kaminsky warned that patching the DNS vulnerability is urgent. Though Kaminsky said 85 percent of Fortune 500 firms have patched their networks to fix the DNS vulnerability, too many users are still unprotected. http://www.toptechnews.com/news/Kaminsky--DNS-Danger-Still-Exists/story.xhtml?story_id=013000G4YOWK http://www.cio-today.com/news/Kaminsky--DNS-Danger-Still-Exists/story.xhtml?story_id=0130015Q09QS http://www.newsfactor.com/news/Kaminsky--DNS-Danger-Still-Exists/story.xhtml?story_id=013000G4YOWK Kaminsky Details DNS Flaw at Black Hat Talk Roughly 85 percent of Fortune 500 companies have patched their networks to fix a security flaw that lets cyber criminals redirect visitors to counterfeit or malicious Web sites, but Internet users still remain at grave risk due to the large number of infrastructure providers that have not yet addressed the issue, a prominent security researcher warned today. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/08/kaminsky_details_dns_flaw_at_b.html Email gets hit by major web security flaw [AP] A newly discovered flaw in the internet's core infrastructure not only permits hackers to force people to visit websites they didn't want to, it also allows them to intercept email messages, the researcher who discovered the bug said. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=55&objectid=10525801 http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/biztech/08/06/internet.security.ap/ http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/computersecurity/2008-08-07-internet-flaw-email_N.htm Giant cyberspace security hole getting fixed, slowly [AP] A giant vulnerability in the internet's design is allowing criminals to silently redirect traffic to websites under their control. The problem is being fixed, but its extent remains unknown and many people are still at risk. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501832&objectid=10525623 http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/08/06/1217702102160.html http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/08/06/1217702102160.html Kaminsky reveals details and extent of DNS flaw Security researcher Dan Kaminsky has given details of a fundamental flaw in the Domain Name System, and the extent of the vulnerability. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/security/0,1000000189,39458177,00.htm http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10009827-83.html Day 30: Kaminsky DNS Bug Disclosure In a highly anticipated presentation, Internet security researcher Dan Kaminsky today gave details of the much talked about Domain Name System (DNS) vulnerability issue which has been intensely covered since it was publicly announced a month ago on Jul 8th. http://www.circleid.com/posts/88670_kaminsky_dns_bug_disclosure/ Kaminsky (finally) reveals gaping hole in internet Black Hat After a four-week orgy of speculation, recrimination and warnings, Dan Kaminsky's domain-name system vulnerability has finally gone public. And boy, are we glad the net's overlords paid attention. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/06/kaminsky_black_hat/ Beijing Braces for Olympic Cyber-War - Can the world's most futuristic data center protect the Olympics' storage? With the world?s eyes firmly focused on Beijing, officials and IT staff are bracing themselves for a flood of cyber-attacks when the Olympic Games begin later this week. http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=160642 Giant online security hole getting fixed, slowly [AP] A giant vulnerability in the Internet's design is allowing criminals to silently redirect traffic to Web sites under their control. The problem is being fixed, but its extent remains unknown and many people are still at risk. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/05/AR2008080502656.html Russian Gang Hijacking PCs in Vast Scheme A criminal gang is using software tools normally reserved for computer network administrators to infect thousands of PCs in corporate and government networks with programs that steal passwords and other information, a security researcher has found. http://nytimes.com/2008/08/06/technology/06hack.html DHS: Networking security worth the money [IDG] When it comes to investing in computer security, the U.S. federal government could get a good return on investment by shoring up its networking protocols, according to the man who's been hired to coordinate computer security between federal agencies. http://www.itworld.com/security/54122/dhs-networking-security-worth-money http://www.pcworld.com/article/149554/2008/08/.html New US cyber defense coordinator hints at plans [AP] One of the United States' biggest challenges in securing government computers from foreign attacks isn't necessarily technical. The country first needs to figure out how much those networks are worth and how much the U.S. should spend on protecting them, the new Homeland Security official in charge of that effort said Thursday. http://news.smh.com.au/technology/new-us-cyber-defense-coordinator-hints-at-plans-20080808-3rvl.html http://news.theage.com.au/technology/new-us-cyber-defense-coordinator-hints-at-plans-20080808-3rvl.html ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Retailers Beware ? Recent Losses In Domain Name Decisions [reg req'd] Retailers and brands in the retail sector have recently been hit with a string of losses under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Procedure ("UDRP"), which was designed to offer brand owners a quick and relatively inexpensive way of resolving domain name disputes. http://mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=64400 us: State Fund Insurance Nailed for Reverse Domain Name Hijacking State Fund Mutual Insurance, a company providing workers? compensation insurance in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota, has been found guilty of reverse domain name hijacking in its attempt to snag SFM.com. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/08/07/state-fund-insurance-nailed-for-reverse-domain-name-hijacking/ us: SureWest critic will change Web site's address The Sacramento computer programmer and SureWest Communications shareholder who started a Web site critical of the Roseville company's move to drop its quarterly dividend plans to change the domain address. http://www.sacbee.com/102/story/1140527.html ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** DISA certifies Red Hat OS for IPv6 The Defense Information Systems Agency has certified the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) operating system as being ready for swapping Internet Protocol version 6 packets with other Defense Department servers, Red Hat announced this week. http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/46832-1.html ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** New publication on Domain Name Law A new international Handbook on Domain Name Law has been published. The ?Handbuch des Domainrechts? is an updated German version of the international Handbook ?Domain Name Law and Practice?which was published by Oxford University Press in 2005. It was edited and written by leading experts in the fields of domain name dispute resolution and trade mark law from around the world. http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/new-publication-on-domain-name-law.html VeriSign shares fall after 2nd-quarter report [AP] VeriSign Inc.'s shares fell Thursday after the Internet infrastructure company reported a wider second-quarter loss as it absorbed the costs of a major reorganization. http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/08/07/ap5301246.html VeriSign Reports Second Quarter 2008 Results [news release] VeriSign, Inc. ... reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2008. VeriSign reported revenue of $303 million for the second quarter of 2008. On a GAAP basis, VeriSign reported a net loss of $68 million and a net loss per share of $0.35. These GAAP results reflect a $92 million non-cash impairment charge on certain long-lived assets and assets held for sale. Also recorded were restructuring charges of $98 million in continuing and discontinued operations. ... VeriSign Naming Services ended the quarter with approximately 87.3 million active domain names in the adjusted zone for .com and .net, representing a 3% increase over Q1 2008 and 20% increase year over year. In June, VeriSign announced additional infrastructure deployments in Europe with new sites in France and Belgium to fortify its Internet infrastructure as part of Project Titan. http://www.verisign.com/static/043991.pdf VeriSign's Losses Widen VeriSign reported higher losses in the second quarter in part because of restructuring-related charges. The company posted net loss of $68 million, or 35 cents a share, that included a $92 million non-cash impairment charge and restructuring charges of $98 million. That compares with a net loss of $4.7 million, or 2 cents a share the year before. http://www.thestreet.com/s/verisigns-losses-widen/newsanalysis/technology-update/10432210.html VeriSign reports $68 million loss [Bloomberg] VeriSign, the biggest operator of computers that direct Internet traffic, reported a $68 million loss and projected sales that missed some estimates as growth in the number of Web sites slowed. http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_10124679 VeriSign Reports 2Q Losses VeriSign has reported a net loss of $68 million or $0.35 per share for the second quarter, despite ending the quarter with approximately 87.3 million active domain names, a 3 percent increase over Q1 and a 20 percent increase year over year. http://www.thewhir.com/marketwatch/080708_VeriSign_Reports_2Q_Losses.cfm Register.com Gives Out Free Domain Names Register.com is giving away domain names , 1 per company. There appears to be no-strings-attached to the promotion. This isn?t an affiliate link either . . . probably should be eh ? Click here to get a free domain name. http://www.domainnamenews.com/registrars/registercom-gives-out-free-domain-names/1913 Registries Must Lobby GoDaddy for Success - GoDaddy ?s power in domain registration cannot be ignored. Here?s a tip to any registries for new domains coming online in the next couple years: before you create your marketing strategy and invest in infrastructure, go cozy up with your new pal Bob Parsons at GoDaddy. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/08/05/registries-must-lobby-godaddy-for-success/ The Dutch Cable SIP Exchange Project, XConnect Global Networks and Nokia Siemens Networks Successfully Test Intelligent Network (C7) and ENUM Integration in Cable Telephony Peering Project [news release] The Dutch Cable SIP Exchange project (SIPX), an initiative of the Dutch cable industry, successfully tested interoperability between its peering system, which is provided by XConnect Global Networks, Ltd., and the Nokia Siemens Networks hiQ VoIP platform used in many of its participant networks. http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2008/08/06/3587978.htm ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Google offers deeper look into searches Google is giving everyone a chance to peek deeper into its database of search requests and discover the things that preoccupy individuals and, in aggregate, entire cities, regions or nations, at any one time. http://iht.com/articles/2008/08/06/business/adco.php New Google tool aims to provide more insight into online searches Google Inc. yesterday rolled out a new tool that it said can help marketing and advertising users better analyze Internet search patterns, while also adding new tools such as a "heat map" for graphically displaying search volumes and other data. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9111841 T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Down Under to Donate Profits to ICA; Discount Pass Expires Soon T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Down Under is happening on the Gold Coast, Australia, with Fabulous.com (Dark Blue Sea Ltd) and T.R.A.F.F.I.C. partnering to host the premiere event being held from November 18 to 20, to be held at the Sheraton Mirage Resort, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=5584 http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/08/05/traffic-down-under-to-donate-profits-to-ica/ Domain Roundtable Goes to Washington Next conference will be held in Washington D.C. June 2009. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/08/05/domain-roundtable-goes-to-washington/ au: Domain name sales dip no surprise The number of internet domain names being bought and sold has dropped off in just the second month since a rule change that allowed them to be openly trading was introduced. http://smartcompany.com.au/Free-Articles/The-Briefing/20080805-Domain-name-sales-dip-no-surprise.html Domain Trading Post takes over as Australia's largest .au aftermarket Australia's newest domain name aftermarket trading website, Domain Trading Post has quickly taken over as the premier marketplace for trading secondary .com.au domain names. http://www.domaininformer.com/news/press/080804DomainTradingPost.html OD.com Sells for $220,000 The domain name OD.com has sold for $220,000 at Sedo , according to the ?recent sales? section of the site. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/08/07/odcom-sells-for-220000/ New York TRAFFIC Auction - Open call for Domains Aftermarket logoWe are pleased to announce the launch of the first phase of Aftermarket.com. This first phase is a dual online & offline auction system using the new platform of DomainTools created specifically for the Aftermarket.com. http://blog.domaintools.com/2008/08/new-york-traffic-auction-open-call-for-domains/ ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Search closing in on e-mail as most popular online activity: report Almost half of all Internet users now use search engines on a typical day, according to a new study released Wednesday, that showed search engines are drawing ever closer to the all-time dominant Internet application -- e-mail. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9111962 Search Engine Use The percentage of internet users who use search engines on a typical day has been steadily rising from about one-third of all users in 2002, to a new high of just under one-half (49%). With this increase, the number of those using a search engine on a typical day is pulling ever closer to the 60% of internet users who use email, arguably the internet's all-time killer app, on a typical day. http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/258/report_display.asp Daily Search Engine Usage Reaching Email Usage Use of search engines on a daily bases has been steadily rising from about one-third in 2002 to current rate of just under 50% according to a recent report by Pew Internet & American Life Project. With this increase, the search engine use will soon be reaching that of email which is currently 60% of internet users. The study also points out that these "new figures propel search further out of the pack, well ahead of other popular internet activities, such as checking the news, which 39% of internet users do on a typical day, or checking the weather, which 30% do on a typical day." http://www.circleid.com/posts/88613_daily_search_usage_reaching_email/ YouTube to stream Olympics, but not in the UK YouTube will offer coverage of select Olympic events under a deal it has struck with the International Olympic Committee. As part of the deal, the video-sharing site, which is owned by Google, will stream about three hours of recorded content per day on a dedicated Olympic channel. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article4463794.ece IOC puts Beijing Games highlights on YouTube Clips and highlights of Olympic events are to be made available on the video-sharing site YouTube, owned by Google, under an agreement with the International Olympic Committee. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/05/2325161.htm http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-34837120080805 YouTube to carry Olympic videos for some countries [IDG] The Olympic video channel will be available in countries where exclusive broadcast or online rights to the Beijing games have not been sold http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/08/05/YouTube_to_carry_Olympic_videos_1.html nz: Study finds low level of Maori internet use AUT University?s Professor Allan Bell, reporting New Zealand statistics from the World Internet Project (WIP), says younger people and those identifying as Asian are the groups with the highest proportion of internet users. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/6EA74C85B0D31049CC25749A0080FE3F N.Korea Likely to Provide Internet Service from 2009 It seems likely that North Korea will finally join the worldwide web and provide Internet service from next year. http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200808/200808070011.html Spanish speakers struggle to find web content Users whose native tongue is not English are having a particularly hard time evaluating the credibility of websites, according to new research. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2223460/spanish-speakers-struggle-web Report: Only half of US Netizens use a search engine daily Believe it or not, some Internet users still don't use a search engine during the course of a typical day. That number is shrinking, however, according to new data from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Almost half of all Internet users today use a search engine on an average day?a number that has increased from only a third of Internet users in 2002. The trend may seem predictable, but it also means that there's still plenty of room for Google and its competitors to grow. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080807-report-only-half-of-us-netizens-use-a-search-engine-daily.html Firefox growth slows, IE holds steady Mozilla's Firefox fell short of breaking the 20 per cent market share bar in July, a Web metrics firm said Tuesday, as the open-source browser's growth slowed dramatically. http://computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;2098632318 http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9111678 Mozilla invites people to design Web's future [IDG] Mozilla is inviting people to take part in a new conceptual series that aims to envision the future design of Web technologies, including browser and user-interface innovations, the company said Tuesday. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/080508-mozilla-invites-people-to-design.html AOL Is Moving Closer To Jettisoning Dial-Up AOL is finally in a position to shed the dial-up-access business that once offered tens of millions of people their first glance at the Internet. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/04/AR2008080402116.html ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Hi-tech criminals target Twitter Micro blogging site Twitter is the latest target of cyber criminals who are increasingly finding fertile ground on social networks. A fake Twitter profile with a malicious payload has been spotted by security firm Kaspersky. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7543014.stm Facebook: Children evade social websites' age limits Nearly a quarter of children between the ages of eight and 12 are evading the age restrictions imposed by social networking sites Facebook, Bebo and MySpace, a poll of young people revealed last night. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/aug/07/socialnetworking.facebook Social network sites 'flout their own ban on underage users' Hundreds of thousands of children aged between 8 and 12 are using Facebook, Bebo and other social networking sites in clear breach of their age-restriction policies. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article4474087.ece ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** An Energy Diet for Power-Hungry Household PCs In its drive to go green, the technology industry has so far focused mainly on big targets like corporations and especially computer data centers, the power-hungry computing engine rooms of the Internet economy. Next come the hundreds of millions of desktop and laptop personal computers in households worldwide. http://nytimes.com/2008/08/06/technology/06green.html BT injects life into its network Insights from artificial life could soon be helping run BT's networks. The telecommunications firm wants to give its networks life-like abilities so they can self-regulate, recover from injury and respond to changing demands. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7547251.stm ********************** SPAM ********************** Spam levels continue to rise Spam sent to UK internet users has nearly quadrupled since the beginning of the year, and most of it was sent from within the UK. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2223406/spam-150bn-messages-day http://www.computeractive.co.uk/computeractive/news/2223501/spam-levels-continue-rise Spam around 150bn messages a day Although down in recent months, around 150bn spam messages are sent every day, according to the latest quarterly Secure Computing Internet Threats Report. http://itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=81987 150 Billion Spam Mails A Day A new report says that a total of 150 billion spam mails every day ? and yes, penis enlargement products are still number one. http://news.digitaltrends.com/news-article/17498/150-billion-spam-mails-a-day Spammers leverage interest in Olympics [IDG] Public interest in the Olympic Games is helping spammers, who are using text related to the games in e-mails to get users to click through to their malware and phishing Web sites, or to go to product sites, according to an executive at Symantec. http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/08/07/Spammers_leverage_interest_in_Olympics_1.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/080708-spammers-leverage-interest-in.html ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** us: E-Mail Hacking Case Could Redefine Online Privacy A federal appeals court in California is reviewing a lower court's definition of "interception" in the digital age, in a case that some legal experts say could weaken consumer privacy protections online. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/05/AR2008080503421.html U2 warn fans not to buy tickets to imaginary gigs It's a lesson for everyone - don't purchase imaginary things. Don't try to buy dreams on eBay, live unicorns by mail order, or that Radiohead/Pet Shop Boys collaboration from some shyster in Soho. These things do not exist. Nor, we are advised, do tickets to U2 concerts. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/aug/05/u2.warn.fans.fake.tickets Rumours (Unfounded) Just a note to correct reports that tickets are becoming available for planned U2 shows. The reports are mistaken, there are no tour dates for the band at the moment - so please don't buy tickets for U2 shows you see advertised. http://www.u2.com/news/index.php?mode=full&news_id=2245 uk: Internet chat more likely slander than libel, says High Court Defamation on internet bulletin boards is more like slander than libel, a High Court judge has ruled. Mr Justice Eady said that bulletin board discussions are characterised by "give and take" and should be considered in that context. http://out-law.com/page-9330 Facebook and StudiVZ battle over Germany Facebook, the American giant in social networking, tried to buy StudiVZ in an effort to crack the German market. After it was rebuffed, it sued, claiming StudiVZ had stolen its look. http://iht.com/articles/2008/08/07/technology/social.php Russian Gang Hijacking PCs in Vast Scheme A criminal gang is using software tools normally reserved for computer network administrators to infect thousands of PCs in corporate and government networks with programs that steal passwords and other information, a security researcher has found. http://nytimes.com/2008/08/06/technology/06hack.html Spanish hacker jailed for sending out ex-manager's private emails A hacker has been jailed for two years in Spain for revealing hundreds of private emails written by a former colleague. The emails, which were taken from the former manager's work computer, divulged details of his sex life. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/aug/06/hacking.email InternetNZ ACTA submission I am just reading the InternetNZ newsletter The Browser and I would like to bring attention to the InternetNZ ACTA submission. http://www.geekzone.co.nz/freitasm/5556 au: Internet crime rife, says Keelty [AAP] From Olympic ticketing scams to sophisticated operations stealing credit card details, the internet has become a place where criminals can operate undetected, according to Australian Federal Police chief Mick Keelty. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Internet-crime-rife-says-Keelty/0,130061744,339291120,00.htm au: Woman role-played kids in net porn A SYDNEY woman was high on ice and in a "fantasy world" when she play-acted the roles of children depicted in horrific pornographic images, a judge has been told. Suzanne McDonald gave evidence in the New South Wales District Court today of how she played the role of the abused children while communicating with men on internet dating sites. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24143379-5006784,00.html Ice, child porn and role play: tears in court A 40-year-old travel agent has broken down in a Sydney court as she acknowledged the devastating effect caused by her possession and distribution of child pornography. Suzanne McDonald, of Surry Hills in inner Sydney, was giving evidence in the NSW District Court at her sentencing hearing. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/08/07/1217702229338.html Woman downloaded porn to role-play with men, court told A Sydney court has heard a 40-year-old woman downloaded pornographic images of children because she was role-playing with men she met on the internet. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/07/2327982.htm Woman Sentenced for Web Site With 'obscene' Stories [IDG] A Pennsylvania woman has been sentenced to five years of probation, including six months of home detention, and forfeiture of her computer after pleading guilty Thursday to obscenity charges for running a Web site that featured text stories that were sexual and violent in nature. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/149547/woman_sentenced_for_web_site_with_obscene_stories.html Geheimniskr?merei um Anti-Piraterie-Abkommen Auch nach der zweiten Verhandlungsrunde zum geplanten internationalen Anti-Piraterie-Abkommen (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, ACTA) legen die verhandelnden Regierungen keine Details offen. ... Die neuseel?ndische Registry InternetNZ schrieb in einer Stellungnahme, konkrete Anmerkungen zu ACTA seien aufgrund der fehlenden Informationen kaum m?glich. Von Seiten der IT-Wirtschaft gibt es Kritik, dass Rechteinhaber besser informiert worden seien als etwa die betroffene IT-Branche. http://www.heise.de/newsticker/Geheimniskraemerei-um-Anti-Piraterie-Abkommen--/meldung/113843 ************************** PRIVACY ************************** au: Google Street View told: keep off, private Privacy activists and individuals have accused Google of deceiving the public by breaking its promises only to photograph public roads for its Street View mapping tool and to promptly remove images flagged as inappropriate. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/08/07/1217702214157.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/08/07/1217702214157.html US Lawmakers Seek Data On Targeted Online Ads-Panel Concerned About Privacy on Web The House Energy and Commerce Committee is expanding its inquiry into potential privacy violations of online advertising that is targeted based on consumers' Web-surfing activities. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/04/AR2008080402096.html UK questioned on online ad system The UK government has until the end of August to respond to a letter from the European Union about a controversial system which monitors web traffic. EU commissioner Viviane Reding has asked the UK government to clarify whether the Phorm system is in breach of European data laws. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7542810.stm Consumers Should Set Online Privacy Ground Rules Finding the right balance between privacy and convenience online is best left to individual consumers; they are more vested than anyone in protecting their personal information. More control will enable them to decide what information they want to share and how they want to share it. http://ecommercetimes.com/story/Consumers-Should-Set-Online-Privacy-Ground-Rules-64077.html ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** South Korea braced for web clampdown The editor-in-chief of South Korea's leading citizen-journalist-based portal, OhmyNews, believes the country's new prime minister will fail with a radical plan to introduce regulation to put the brakes on the world's most wired nation - but could smother democracy. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/aug/05/digitalmedia.korea Dick Pound slams IOC over internet censorship Dick Pound, the former anti-doping chief, has criticised the International Olympics Committee (IOC) for allowing the Chinese authorities to censor internet sites, claiming it had done considerable damage to the organisation. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4463311.ece Chaos aims to crack China's wall It was John Gilmore, founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, who said that the internet interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. For years, the Chinese authorities have done their best to prove him wrong. Now, with the Beijing Olympics upon us, a group of hackers has launched an attempt to stamp out censorship there - and they want your help to do it. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/aug/07/censorship.hacking German hackers poke hole in great firewall of China German hackers have constructed a route around the great firewall of China. The Chaos Computer Club said its technology will help athletes and journalists travelling to Beijing for the Olympic Games to circumvent censorship. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/07/torbrowser_olympics/ ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Porn sites to be filtered in Sri Lanka To protect children from internet pornography, Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed the country's Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) to immediately filter all websites containing obscene and pornography materials. http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-6990.html Two in three parents want junk food ads junked [AAP] Most Australian parents oppose the use of celebrities and toys to promote junk food to children and want to see tougher advertising regulations, a survey shows. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/articles/2008/08/05/1217702036094.html http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/4645475a7773.html http://stuff.co.nz/4645475a19716.html http://www.skynews.com.au/health/article.aspx?id=255797 Conroy's filtering plan: security worries Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has welcomed "improvements" in ISP filtering technologies, but will a broad-scale roll-out make ISPs a thief's favourite target? http://www.zdnet.com.au/blogs/securifythis/soa/Conroy-s-filtering-plan-security-worries/0,139033343,339291036,00.htm uk: ISPs must self police on content says MP's report Internet Service Providers are being urged by an influential all-party Commons committee to set up an industry-wide body to ensure service providers maintain agreed minimum standards of child safety across the internet in the UK. http://www.webactivemagazine.co.uk/computing/news/2223231/isps-self-police us: Cablevision To Block Child Porn Sites - NY AG [Dow Jones] Cablevision Systems Corp. is the latest Internet provider to reach an agreement with New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to block access to bulletin boards and Web sites that distribute child pornography. http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200808051536DOWJONESDJONLINE000457_FORTUNE5.htm ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** UK Government proposes hybrid computer game regulation The Government wants to standardise the way that computer games are classified in a bid to protect children from unsuitable material. Against the wishes of games trade body ELSPA, the Government wants film censors to have a role in classification. http://out-law.com/page-9327 ********************************* COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS ********************************* The Yahoo! Saga-Shareholders Disgusted With Yahoo! Board Did Yahoo! hide how angry its shareholders are at the company? After revealing late Tuesday that it had grossly downplayed the number of shareholder votes that opposed the re-election of Chief Executive Jerry Yang and other members to the board, Yahoo! has some serious explaining to do. http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/08/06/yahoo-yang-governance-tech-cx_wt_0806yahoo.html IBM exec predicts the future of Linux, open source With LinuxWorld showcasing the popularity of the open source operating system, and with open source in general finding its legs in the enterprise, Bob Sutor, IBM's vice president of open source and standards, made a slate of predictions for Linux and open source during his keynote address on Wednesday at the Black Hat conference. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/080708-black-hat-keynote-ibm-open-source-predictions.html ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Euro Telcos Ramp Up IPTV Subs Telco TV services are continuing to prove popular across Western Europe, according to the latest financial reports from the region's leading incumbent carriers. http://communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/110/31871 ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** WiFi Nearing Takeoff-Airlines Compete to Offer Web Surfing in the Skies Wireless Internet access is about to move out of coffee shops and airport lounges and into airplanes. After years of talking about what customers wanted and waiting for new technology, Delta Air Lines said it will begin offering broadband Internet service on domestic flights as early as October. Delta is trying to outmaneuver rival JetBlue, known for outfitting planes with satellite TV, and American Airlines, which is planning to launch Internet service later this year. Other airlines, including Continental, Southwest and Virgin America, are planning tests or have them underway. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/05/AR2008080501793.html ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN ********************************** au: FBI child porn sting snares Tassie man AN international sting involving the FBI has collared a Hobart public servant collecting child pornography in what the prosecution described as the worst case in Tasmania. http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,24141190-3462,00.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2008 --------- David Goldstein address: 4/3 Abbott Street COOGEE NSW 2034 AUSTRALIA email: Goldstein_David §yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile); +61 2 9665 5773 (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 Flannery Win a MacBook Air or iPod touch with Yahoo!7. http://au.docs.yahoo.com/homepagesetReceived on Thu Aug 07 2008 - 14:45:16 UTC
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