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 *************************************************** AuDA Refuses Settlement with Bottle Domains Following Accreditation Termination http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=7999 MarkMonitor Makes Wild Claims NZ Registry Provides Calm Response http://www.isquattedyour.eu/2009/04/26/markmonitor-makes-wild-claims-nz-registry-pro/ Nominet given three months to live http://kierenmccarthy.com/2009/04/30/nominet-given-three-months-to-live/ Cybersecurity Review Sets Turf Battle http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124113159891774733.html au: ACT Libs defend Jon Stanhope website http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/01/2558289.htm ARIN again warns of IPv4 address depletion, encourages IPv6 adoption http://www.gcn.com/Articles/2009/04/30/IPv4-address-depletion.aspx Depletion of IPv4 Addresses Concerns ARIN http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=7998 ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** 3rd European Summer School on Internet Governance Applications are being called for people interested in attending the third European School on Internet Governance (Euro-SSIG ) with applications closing on May 15, 2009. This year?s course is scheduled to run from July 26 to August 1 and will be held in Meissen (near Dresden), Germany. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=7990 http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/30/3rd-european-summer-school-on-internet-governance/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/3rd-european-summer-school-on-internet-governance.html ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Meeting the Russians in Germany Since signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Institute for Information Security Issues (IISI) last year, the relationship between ICANN and Russia continues to strengthen. Soldatov,Twomey,Sherstyuk,BelokurovAt a meeting in Garmisch, Germany, Russian high-level officials dedicated a whole day to relations with ICANN. http://blog.icann.org/2009/04/icann-meets-russia-in-garmisch-germany/ Governments want extra protection for geographic names In a letter dated April 24 and sent to ICANN CEO Paul Twomey, GAC (Governmental Advisory Committee) Chairman Janis Karklins requests increased protection for geographic names under ICANN's new gTLD program. http://www.domainesinfo.fr/english/271/governments-want-extra-protection-for-geographic-names.php Blame Yourself, Not ICANN Domain name owners have traditionally complained that ICANN does not listen to us, and there is indeed plenty of evidence demonstrating the group's obliviousness to community input [PDF]. Nevertheless, as domain owners, we need to begin giving ourselves a share of blame too. It's time to reflect on our failures so we can come up with an actionable solution. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090430_blame_yourself_not_icann/ ".Pol", a ".Com" for Political Candidates by Matthew T. Sanderson In the coming months, ICANN will ambitiously expand the number of top-level domains (TLDs). ICANN could add ".movie" and ".paris", among others, to the existing ranks of ".com", ".org", ".gov", and ".edu". Here's another they should consider: a new ".pol" TLD that is reserved exclusively for political candidates and entities. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090501_pol_domain_for_candidates/ ASO AC Selects Ray Plzak to Serve on Seat 9 of ICANN Board of Directors The ASO is pleased to announce that the ASO Address Council has selected Ray Plzak to serve for a three-year term on Seat 9 of the ICANN Board of Directors. Mr Plzak's term will begin on 7 May 2009. http://nro.net/news/asoac-selects-ray-plzak.html ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** AuDA Refuses Settlement with Bottle Domains Following Accreditation Termination According to a report in IT News, the Australian domain name regulator has refused to settle with Bottle Domains in their case where auDA initially terminated Bottle Domains? accreditation. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=7999 http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/05/01/auda-refuses-settlement-bottle-domains/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/auda-refuses-settlement-with-bottle-domains-following-accreditation-termination.html au: Bottle Domains settlement talk scuttled as damages loom The Australian domain name regulator has ruled out an out-of-court settlement in its spat with Bottle Domains amid speculation that a loss could bankrupt the organisation. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=102141 eu: Test of Business Continuity Plan successfully completed Today at 14:30 we successfully completed the switch of our registration systems from the main site to the mirror site (and back), as part of an in depth test of our business continuity plan. While running on the mirror site, more than 10000 transactions were successfully handled by the system. http://www.eurid.eu/en/content/test-business-continuity-plan-successfully-completed .my DOMAIN REGISTRY to transfer domain name technology knowledge to people in Sabah & Sarawak [news release] .my DOMAIN REGISTRY announced that it will be conducting awareness training seminars on domain name technologies with the title, Integration of DNS (Domain Name System) with IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) and Securing DNS with DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) in the states of Sabah and Sarawak in the month of April. http://domainregistry.my/readnews.php?id=77 MarkMonitor Makes Wild Claims NZ Registry Provides Calm Response A recent post on MarkMonitor's corporate blog, which was also published on Circleid, dealt with the recent issues affecting several prominent .nz domains. http://www.isquattedyour.eu/2009/04/26/markmonitor-makes-wild-claims-nz-registry-pro/ rs: Price-list changes At its 51st session, the Managing Board of RNIDS brought a Decision on amendments and additions to the Decision on the Price-list of RNIDS, thus reducing prices for registering .rs domains. At the same session, the Managing Board decided to launch a promotional campaign for registering in.rs domains. The campaign will last from 1 June 2009 to 31 August 2009 and during this period the registration of in.rs domains will cost 150 RSD. http://rnids.rs/en/node/67?lang=en .tel shortlisted for InfoCommerce Model of Excellence Award Telnic Limited announced that it had been shortlisted by InfoCommerce Group (www.infocommercegroup.com) for its 2009 Model of Excellence Awards. http://telnic.com/downloads/InfocommerceModelofExcellence.pdf GoDaddy Tells Us Not to Buy .TV Domains Because Tuvalu Is Sinking? According to GoDaddy, you should maybe stop buying .tv domains because Tuvalu, who owns all such domain names, is currently sinking underwater. Once Tuvalu no longer exists as a nation, the domains will also disappear. http://gizmodo.com/5235114/godaddy-tells-us-not-to-buy-tv-domains-because-tuvalu-is-sinking GoDaddy Disses .TV and What it Says About the Echo Chamber GoDaddy is taking its diss of the .tv domain name a step further. How people are reacting to and writing about it shows that it?s hard to know who the ?authoritative source? is. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/30/godaddy-disses-tv-and-what-it-says-about-the-echo-chamber/ Nominet given three months to live For the past year, the company that runs the UK?s Internet registry has been the unlikely location for a corporate soap opera, complete with scandals, villains, twists and turns, allegations of corruption, resignations, grand plans thwarted at the last minute and some nasty in-fighting that has left people alternatively amazed, entertained and worried. http://kierenmccarthy.com/2009/04/30/nominet-given-three-months-to-live/ Nominet Trust pledges ?5m to worthy web projects Internet education charity the Nominet Trust has announced the first six grants to support various projects designed to drive education, inclusion and safety on the internet. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2241489/nominet-trust-pledges-towards Negroponte praises Nominet grants for moral net development Internet guru Nicholas Negroponte, founder and chairman of One Laptop per Child, has praised the Nominet Trust for providing six grants to help society through the development of the internet. http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2009/04/30/235857/negroponte-praises-nominet-grants-for-moral-net-development.htm Nominet Trust announces grants for new Internet projects from ?5m fund and continues search for more initiatives [news release] Nominet Trust, a charitable organisation that funds Internet education, inclusion and safety initiatives, announces today its first six grants for a range of innovative projects that will make a positive difference to society through the development of the Internet. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/releases/?contentId=6400 Nominet Trust announces grants for new Internet projects [news release] We are pleased to advise you that Nominet Trust, (the working name of the Nominet Charitable Foundation) today announces its first six grants for a range of innovative projects that will make a positive difference to society through the development of the Internet. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=6401 Domain Availability Checker update [news release] Following feedback from our registrars and the PAB we have reviewed the proposed changes to the domain availability checker. Based on this feedback we are going to make a number of changes to the DAC to ensure that we continue to provide a robust service for checking the availability of domain names for the purpose of making new registrations. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=6376 ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Experts Chart Spike in Cyber Sieges Cyber attacks with enough firepower to knock entire countries off the Internet have spiked in recent months, raising fresh concerns within the security community about weaknesses in the Internet infrastructure that help create such weapons of mass disruption. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/01/AR2009050101593.html Cybersecurity Review Sets Turf Battle President Barack Obama's cybersecurity review has ignited turf battles inside the White House, with economic adviser Lawrence Summers weighing in to prevent what he sees as a potential threat to economic growth, according to people familiar with the deliberations. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124113159891774733.html Time for US to adopt formal, explicit cyberwarfare policy? The US' ability to engage in cyberwarfare is quickly outstripping its ability to determine when it's appropriate to do so. That's the conclusion of a report by the National Academies of Science, which evaluated the nation's cyberwarfare capacity. The report suggests that, although international law provides some rough guidelines about when it may be appropriate to loose the virtual weaponry, offensive computer weapons have properties that make them distinct from those of traditional warfare, and the US hasn't engaged in any sort of national debate or set a coherent policy that would regulate their use. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/04/national-academies-call-for-formal-cyberwarfare-policy.ars Report: U.S. needs 'transparent' policies for carrying out cyberattacks The notion that the federal government needs to create an arsenal of cyberattack capabilities to help defend U.S. interests in cyberspace is gaining considerable support as concerns heighten about online security threats aimed at critical infrastructure targets. But the U.S. has no clear legal or policy framework governing the development and use of such capabilities, the National Research Council warned in a report released yesterday. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132393 Cyber chief needs to be "in White House" The cybersecurity chief named to battle Internet viruses and larger challenges facing the information technology networks used by U.S. companies and national defence should be based in the White House, experts told a congressional panel on Friday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE5406U320090501 Expert: Cybersecurity incentives, not mandates, needed [IDG] The U.S. Congress should look to provide incentives for private businesses to adopt stronger cybersecurity practices instead of creating new mandates, one information security expert told a congressional subcommittee Friday. http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/05/01/expert-cybersecurity-incentives-not-mandates-needed http://webwereld.nl/internationaal-nieuws/57708/expert--cybersecurity-incentives--not-mandates--needed.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/050109-expert-cybersecurity-incentives-not-mandates.html http://computerworld.com.au/article/301745/ Senators aim to protect electric grid from hackers In the wake of recent reports describing the electric grid's vulnerabilities to hackers, two members of the U.S. Congress have introduced legislation giving federal regulators more authority to combat that possible threat. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10231504-38.html Another Attack, Another Reason for the Urgency of DNSSEC Adoption News broke this week about an attack in Puerto Rico that caused the local websites of Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Coca-Cola, PayPal, Nike, Dell and Nokia to be redirected for a few hours to a phony website. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090501_another_attack_another_reason_for_dnssec/ ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** us: Minnesota orders ISPs to blacklist gambling sites The state of Minnesota has handed Internet providers a 7-page blacklist of gambling Web sites that they're supposed to prevent customers from accessing, a move that raises First Amendment and technical concerns. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10231683-38.html Minnesota Orders Telcos and ISPs to Block State Residents From Gambling Sites The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division (AGED) today announced that it has instructed 11 national and regional telephone and Internet service providers (ISPs) to prohibit access by Minnesota-based computers to nearly 200 online gambling Web sites. http://www.govtech.com/gt/650936 au: ACT Libs defend Jon Stanhope website The ACT Liberal Party has defended the registration of an internet page with the name of the Chief Minister. The official register for Australian domain names shows the site www.jonstanhope.com.au was bought by the ACT Division of the Liberal Party in June last year. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/01/2558289.htm Refreshing Discourse from a Domain Name Arbitrator A recent WIPO domain name dispute for RuggedSwitch.com was found in favor of the complainant. But one of the three arbitrators on the case ?Diane Cabell ? dissented, and her dissent puts into words the frustrations many people have about how UDRP cases are being handled: http://domainnamewire.com/2009/05/01/refreshing-discourse-from-a-domain-name-arbitrator/ ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** ARIN again warns of IPv4 address depletion, encourages IPv6 adoption The American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) has issued another warning regarding IPv4 address depletion and the need for members of its community to begin planning and adopting IPv6 as soon as possible. http://www.gcn.com/Articles/2009/04/30/IPv4-address-depletion.aspx Depletion of IPv4 Addresses Concerns ARIN The American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN), who manages internet number resources in North America and many Caribbean and North Atlantic islands, has written to all CEO?s of organisations holding Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) addresses in the Americas to raise awareness of the depletion of IPv4 addresses and to encourage the active adoption of IPv6 addresses. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=7998 http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/05/01/depletion-of-ipv4-addresses-concerns-arin/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/depletion-of-ipv4-addresses-concerns-arin.html Agency tightens IPv4 address procedure [IDG] The organization that assigns Internet addresses in the U.S. plans to raise the bar for getting them as the supply of IPv4 (Internet Protocol, version 4) addresses nears exhaustion, raising the specter of aggressive speculation on a soon-to-be-rare resource. http://www.itworld.com/internet/67285/agency-tightens-ipv4-address-procedure http://computerworld.com.au/article/301589/ http://www.cio.com/article/491414/Agency_Tightens_IPv_Address_Procedure http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/043009-agency-tightens-ipv4-address.html http://techworld.com.au/article/301589/ http://computerworld.com.au/article/301589/ http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/301589/ ARIN heads off IP address land grab Older types of internet protocol addresses are about to get harder to come by - at least in North America. Starting in mid May, the non-profit group that allocates IP numbers in the US, Canada, and surrounding areas will require customers to submit an "attestation of accuracy" when applying for older, version 4 forms of addresses. The document is designed to ensure that the few remaining IPv4 numbers go to those who truly need them. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/30/ipv4_depletion/ Warnings sounded over IP address shortage A shortage of new IP addresses could arise in the coming years, according to a recent report. Research firm Nemertes predicted in a recent report that by 2012, the Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) system will run out of new addresses, and companies will begin opting for private 'overlay' networks rather than public internet domains. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2241523/warnings-sounded-ip-address ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** A Brief History of SwineFlu.com When the media started shouting about swine flu, I knew it was only a matter of time before people would start snapping up swine flu-related domain names. But the most popular domain ? SwineFlu.com ? was registered all the way back in 2000. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/05/01/a-brief-history-of-swineflucom/ Unknown internet 1: Who controls the internet? The official answer is no one, but it is a half-truth that few swallow. If all nations are equal online, the US is more equal than others. http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227062.000 http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2009/04/30/235865/who-controls-the-internet.htm Afilias Joins MAAWG as First Domain Name Registry Member [news release] Afilias announced that it has joined the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG) as part of its ongoing domain name anti-abuse efforts. Afilias is the first domain name registry operator to become a member. MAAWG is the premiere global organization focusing on protecting electronic messaging from online exploits and abuse, with the goal of enhancing user trust and confidence. http://www.afilias.info/news/2009/04/28/afilias-joins-maawg-first-domain-name-registry-member http://info.info/news/2009/04/27/afilias-joins-maawg-first-domain-name-registry-member Network Solutions Settles Class Action Law Suit Front Running? Or protection against Front Running. That was the argument in this issue of Network Solutions registering every domain name searched by customers for availability on NetSol?s WHOIS database. http://www.namesmash.com/?p=277 ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Ad.com Sells for $1.4m at T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Silicon Valley The T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Silicon Valley Moniker auction ended yesterday with the big seller being ad.com, selling for US$1.4 million, being far the biggest seller for the three-day auction. The next biggest seller was BottledWater.com which sold for $45,000 then athletic.com which sold for $40,000. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=7997 http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/05/01/adcom-sells-for-14m-at-traffic-silicon-valley/ Ad.com Sells For $1.4 Million The domain Ad.com sold for $1.4 million yesterday at domain name registration company Moniker?s TRAFFIC conference in Silicon Valley. The winning bidder was Divyank Turakhia of Directi.com and CEO of Skenzo, a domain parking company. http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/30/adcom-sells-for-14-million/ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/30/AR2009043003046.html 90.com Sedo's biggest seller for the week A mediocre sales week for Sedo in the week to April 27 with 90.com the biggest seller, selling for ?56,000 (US$74,350) followed by concept.com (?40,000/$53,100) and teamfeed.com ($35,000). In the ccTLD sales, the highest seller was pizzeria.at, the first time a .at name has topped this chart to memory. The domain name sold for ?17,000 ($22,550). LoanModification.net was the highest non.com gTLD sale, selling for $10,000. http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/05/03/90com-sedos-biggest-seller-for-the-week/ Sedo Takes the Top Five Spots on This Week's Top 20 Domain Sales Chart With a Six-Figure Sale Leading The Charge Sedo.com was firing on all cylinders this week, sweeping the first five spots on our new Top 20 sales chart. They went on to claim seven of the first ten entries and 13 of 20 overall. LiveStream.com led the charge at $100,000, followed by Jeddah.com ($58,050) and LevelUp.com ($50,000). http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2009/04-28-09.htm LiveStream.com Breaks Six-Figures in Week?s Biggest Sale LiveStream.com was the only reported domain name sale to break six-figures in the week to April 19 according to Domain Name Journal, selling for US$100,000. Other notable sales were Jeddah.com ($58,050) and LevelUp.com ($50,000). http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=8018 http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/05/03/livestreamcom-breaks-six-figures-in-weeks-biggest-sale/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/livestream.com-breaks-six-figures-in-week-s-biggest-sale.html Parked.com Purchases WhyPark Parked.com, a leading domain parking company, announced today it has acquired WhyPark, a domain development company. The purchase creates synergies between the two companies by combining WhyPark's strength in developing traffic with Parked.com's competitive advantage in monetizing traffic. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. http://www.domainnews.com/en/domain-parking-company-parked.com-purchases-whypark.html http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/30/domain-parking-company-parkedcom-purchases-whypark/ Sedo.com/Adult Launches - Your Source for the Best Adult Domains If you?re searching for a sexy domain, chances are someone else is too. That?s why Sedo is announcing a new portal, www.Sedo.com/Adult, a showcase of the best adult domain names available in our marketplace. http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=2382 http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=2381 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Web providers must limit internet's carbon footprint, say experts The internet's increasing appetite for electricity poses a major threat to companies such as Google, according to scientists and industry executives. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/may/03/internet-carbon-footprint Controversial Web ?Framing? Makes a Comeback When Digg introduced a new toolbar in early April that added a thin strip ? known as a ?frame? - to the top of pages submitted to Digg, a publisher outcry forced the social media aggregator back down. It modified the new DiggBar so that only logged in users would view submitted stories within a Digg frame and Web address, and also offered them the option to turn off the toolbar altogether. http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/05/01/controversial-web-framing-makes-a-comeback/ Google becomes world's first $100 billion brand Google has become the world's first $100 billion (?68billion) brand, a business survey has found. The search engine giant is worth almost 25 per cent more than its rival, computing corporation Microsoft, according to the annual BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Brands report. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/google/5248698/Google-becomes-worlds-first-100-billion-dollar-brand.html All hail brave new world of Web 2.0 by Nicholas Gruen, chief executive of Lateral Economics History plays tricks on us. The real internet revolution picked up after the internet bubble burst. And the economist whose framework helps most in thinking about the internet revolution is none other than Adam Smith, who kicked off economics over 200 years ago. http://business.smh.com.au/business/all-hail-brave-new-world-of-web-20-20090501-aq7p.html http://business.theage.com.au/business/all-hail-brave-new-world-of-web-20-20090501-aq7p.html An invention that could change the internet for ever Revolutionary new web software could put giants such as Google in the shade when it comes out later this month. The biggest internet revolution for a generation will be unveiled this month with the launch of software that will understand questions and give specific, tailored answers in a way that the web has never managed before. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/an-invention-that-could-change-the-internet-for-ever-1678109.html Wolfram Alpha: A web tool 'as important as Google' A web tool that "could be as important as Google", according to some experts, has been shown off to the public. Wolfram Alpha is the brainchild of British-born physicist Stephen Wolfram. The free program aims to answer questions directly, rather than display web pages in response to a query like a search engine. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8026331.stm WolframAlpha Search Engine Seen As Important As Google A new Web tool that provides direct answers to people's questions is scheduled to launch next month, and at least one expert says the new "knowledge engine" could one day prove as important asGoogle. http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/search/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217201039 Microsoft Encarta's Demise: Encyclopedic Knowledge, Then vs. Now This is the end of the line for Encarta, the encyclopedia that Microsoft introduced in 1993 and still describes boastfully on its Web site as ?the No. 1 best-selling encyclopedia software brand for the past eight years.? Microsoft recently announced that sales would soon cease and that the Encarta Web site, supported by advertising, would be shut down later this year. http://nytimes.com/2009/05/03/business/03digi.html Mexican Internet Audience Grows 10 Percent During [news release] comScore, Inc. released results of a study of Internet usage in Mexico, based on data from the comScore World Metrix audience measurement service. In March, nearly 13 million people age 15 and older in Mexico accessed the Internet from a home or work computer, making an average 41.4 online visits per visitor and viewing an average of 1,612 pages of content during the month. http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2789 ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Facebook hit by phishing attack A scam that tries to steal people's Facebook password details ? using a website that mimics Facebook's login page ? is spreading rapidly through the social networking site. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/30/facebook-phishing-scam Phishers Target Facebook Again A number of phishing attacks that have struck Facebook users in the past two days have put the social networking site and its users on the defense. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/043009-facebook-phishing.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/164212/.html Facebook Expands Security Tools While Combating Phishing Attack Facebook will expand its use of MarkMonitor AntiFraud Solutions to fight phishing attacks, the companies announced as the site was under attack. http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/social_network/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217201167 Go Phish! How to Guard Your Privacy on Facebook Facebook users who are concerned about keeping control of their information should get themselves over to the social network's Privacy Settings page without delay. http://www.pcworld.com/article/164236/.html Hacker breaks into Twitter accounts of Britney Spears and Ashton Kutcher A hacker going by the name of Hacker Croll has apparently gained access to an administrator account at the micro-blogging service Twitter. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article6205367.ece ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Nearly half of Kiwi teens post sensitive info online Latest findings from internet safety watchdog NetSafe has found that a disturbing number of New Zealand teenagers post sensitive information about themselves online. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10570301 Internet not safe for children Leaving children unsupervised on the internet is like giving them the keys to a Porsche and letting them loose on the motorway, Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff says. http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/2381126/Internet-not-safe-for-children Half of Kiwi teens post sensitive info in public places online [news release] New NetSafe research indicates that half of NZ teenagers post sensitive information about themselves on publically available webpages and mobile phone chat rooms. http://privacy.org.nz/media-release-by-netsafe-preliminary-findings-from-the-netsafe-convergence-generation-research-project/ How to manage your digital footprint: Use the privacy settings of your social networking pages to hide your sensitive information from public view. Search on your name (try putting your first and last names in quotation marks) and your phone numbers and see what comes up. Remove any other examples of sensitive information about you that have been posted online. nz: Teens too candid online New Zealand teenagers aren?t as aware as they should be, of the risks of posting personal information online. That conclusion comes from New NetSafe research, which indicates that half of NZ teenagers post sensitive information about themselves on publically available Web pages and mobile phone chat rooms. http://www.netguide.co.nz/200905041002/teens-too-candid-online.php au: NSW parents get sext message Parents will be urged to snoop on their children in a bid to halt an alarming rise in the number of teenagers sending sexual images of themselves via mobile phone. http://www.smh.com.au/national/parents-get-sext-message-20090502-aqrm.html http://www.theage.com.au/national/parents-get-sext-message-20090502-aqrm.html NSW schools to get 'sexting' fact sheets The New South Wales Government has launched a campaign to warn parents and children about the dangers of sending suggestive or sexual images on mobile phones. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/03/2559287.htm nz: Txt blys rly suk: Technology gives bullies new edge One in four young Kiwi mobile phone users is estimated to have received offensive, pornographic or harassing messages. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-news/news/125191/Txt-blys-rly-suk au: Explicit teen sex text messages sent on student mobiles Police are investigating two incidents of teenagers featuring in pornography, which is spreading across the state on students' mobile phones. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25419118-2862,00.html ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Once Again, France Will Vote on Piracy A French ?three strikes? plan for digital piracy is getting its second chance. As expected, the government of President Nicolas Sarkozy last week revived a proposal to crack down on online piracy by cutting off the Internet connections of people who ignored two warnings to stop unauthorized downloads of copyrighted movies and music. http://nytimes.com/2009/05/04/technology/internet/04iht-net.html OPINION: The Pirate Bay trial just growing pains With news that four Swedes are heading to the clink for running The Pirate Bay website, IT journalist Patrick Gray looks back at 10 years of illegal file sharing. In June, Internet piracy as we know it turns 10. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/04/2559710.htm Pirate Bay Verdict Gives Urgency to Italian Case [IDG] Italian antipiracy campaigners have welcomed the recent Stockholm court verdict on the founders of The Pirate Bay Web site, saying it should clear the way for a similar case under the Italian justice system. http://www.cio.com/article/491266/Pirate_Bay_Verdict_Gives_Urgency_to_Italian_Case Next up for Pirate Bay defendants: Italian trial? Having just made it through a high-profile trial in their native Sweden, four men closely associated with The Pirate Bay may now have to face justice in Italy. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10232384-93.html http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044908,62053738,00.htm Five things New Zealand's copyright law rewrite must cover After the disastrous attempt to graft a "graduated response" Internet disconnection policy onto its existing copyright law, New Zealand's new government first pulled the plug on the idea and has now decided to rewrite the entire copyright act. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/05/nz-to-toss-copyright-law-start-from-scratch.ars Lime Wire tells Congress its P2P software is safe now In response to the reopening of an investigation into inadvertent file sharing with peer-to-peer software, an executive for Lime Wire told Congress in a letter on Friday that the new version of the program is "the most secure file-sharing software available." http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10232079-93.html What Disney-Hulu Means for Apple When Walt Disney said it would start streaming shows via online video site Hulu, attention immediately turned to what the deal means for Hulu rival YouTube as well as for CBS, the only major network outside Hulu's orbit. http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2009/tc20090430_237972.htm ABC to Add Its Shows to Videos on Hulu Under a deal unveiled Thursday with the Walt Disney Company, Hulu says it will add ABC shows like ?Desperate Housewives? to its Web site by late summer, pending regulatory approval. http://nytimes.com/2009/05/01/business/media/01hulu.html eu: Copyright deal ends telecoms package scramble The EU institutions yesterday (29 April) reached a political deal on provisions to counter piracy over the Internet, which had been the last outstanding obstacle to the final adoption of the telecoms package. http://euractiv.com/en/infosociety/copyright-deal-ends-telecoms-package-scramble/article-181854 Music copyright still divisive, despite MEPs? backing The European Parliament last week backed an increase in copyright protection for musicians from 50 to 70 years, in a move aimed at ensuring longer royalties for artists and record companies. But the move caused concern among consumer and green groups, who called on member states to reject the proposal. http://euractiv.com/en/innovation/music-copyright-divisive-despite-meps-backing/article-181703 Mixed Review Of Swedish Pirate Bay Jail Sentences While rightsholders hailed a ?landmark? recent high-profile verdict against the operators of Swedish online file-sharing site The Pirate Bay (TPB), legal and digital rights analysts say it was no surprise. While the law of secondary liability for copyright infringement is by no means settled everywhere, TPB?s attitude toward intellectual property protections means the same decision could have happened in other countries as well, they said. http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2009/04/26/mixed-review-of-swedish-pirate-bay-jail-sentences/ ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Sound familiar? Apple launches a revolution - and then gets overtaken It happened when the Mac bought a mouse to every desktop. Now, with the iPhone, it's happening again: When a black-jumpered Steve Jobs bounded on to a San Francisco stage just over two years ago to give the keynote speech at the annual gathering of the Apple faithful known as Macworld, he made his intentions very plain. "Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything," he said, to whoops and cheers. "Today Apple is going to reinvent the phone." http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/may/03/apple-iphone-technology-market Mobile sales 'in record decline' Mobile phone sales have plummeted by a record amount in the first quarter of 2009 as the global financial crisis sapped demand, a research firm said. The number of phones shipped worldwide in the first three months of the year dropped by 13% to 245 million units from the same period last year. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8027098.stm ********************** SPAM ********************** Cyber crooks churning out trick flu emails [AFP] Cyber crooks are capitalizing on influenza fears with torrents of email promising "swine flu" news but delivering malware or dubious offers for potency drugs or penis enlargement. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/cyber-crooks-churning-out-trick-flu-emails-20090501-aq4m.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/cyber-crooks-churning-out-trick-flu-emails-20090501-aq4m.html Spam to go - the UK's new mobile menace One in eight mobile phone users receive text "spam" each month and it's costing them 10p a time to stop the messages, Cash has learned. http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/may/03/mobile-phones-text-spam Beware Swine Flu Spam [Computerworld Canada] Swine flu spam is spreading like a virus of its own and recently turned malicious. Spam campaigns often start with harmless e-mail messages and slowly build into more serious threats, according to Stephan Chenette, manager of security research at Websense Inc. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/164211/.html ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Internet home to growing number of fraudsters A rise in pyramid and Ponzi fraud schemes in Britain and the United States is being spurred by the power of the internet, consumer and business groups fear, with old-fashioned cons repackaged as marketing enterprises backed by advertisements on Google, videos on YouTube and enticing websites. It is, they say, a fraud for the digital age. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/article6216304.ece Viral trends infect the internet Swine flu has infected the internet even faster than it has spread across the globe, writes David Gelles in San Francisco. Just a week after the virus emerged from Mexico, the swine flu idea is inspiring everything from altruistic online research to iPhone applications and spam. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6355c4a6-36b1-11de-af40-00144feabdc0.html Cybercrooks exploit swine flu hysteria Cybercriminals are exploiting the worldwide hysteria over swine flu to peddle fake drugs and steal credit card details, security experts warn. "The scare has spawned a spamming frenzy, like sharks smelling blood in the water," Symantec's Mayur Kulkarni wrote in a blog post http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/30/1240982319722.html http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/04/30/1240982319722.html Experts Chart Spike in Cyber Sieges Cyber attacks with enough firepower to knock entire countries off the Internet have spiked in recent months, raising fresh concerns within the security community about weaknesses in the Internet infrastructure that help create such weapons of mass disruption. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/01/AR2009050101593.html Cybersecurity Review Sets Turf Battle President Barack Obama's cybersecurity review has ignited turf battles inside the White House, with economic adviser Lawrence Summers weighing in to prevent what he sees as a potential threat to economic growth, according to people familiar with the deliberations. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124113159891774733.html Time for US to adopt formal, explicit cyberwarfare policy? The US' ability to engage in cyberwarfare is quickly outstripping its ability to determine when it's appropriate to do so. That's the conclusion of a report by the National Academies of Science, which evaluated the nation's cyberwarfare capacity. The report suggests that, although international law provides some rough guidelines about when it may be appropriate to loose the virtual weaponry, offensive computer weapons have properties that make them distinct from those of traditional warfare, and the US hasn't engaged in any sort of national debate or set a coherent policy that would regulate their use. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/04/national-academies-call-for-formal-cyberwarfare-policy.ars Report: U.S. needs 'transparent' policies for carrying out cyberattacks The notion that the federal government needs to create an arsenal of cyberattack capabilities to help defend U.S. interests in cyberspace is gaining considerable support as concerns heighten about online security threats aimed at critical infrastructure targets. But the U.S. has no clear legal or policy framework governing the development and use of such capabilities, the National Research Council warned in a report released yesterday. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132393 Cyber chief needs to be "in White House" The cybersecurity chief named to battle Internet viruses and larger challenges facing the information technology networks used by U.S. companies and national defence should be based in the White House, experts told a congressional panel on Friday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE5406U320090501 Expert: Cybersecurity incentives, not mandates, needed [IDG] The U.S. Congress should look to provide incentives for private businesses to adopt stronger cybersecurity practices instead of creating new mandates, one information security expert told a congressional subcommittee Friday. http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/05/01/expert-cybersecurity-incentives-not-mandates-needed http://webwereld.nl/internationaal-nieuws/57708/expert--cybersecurity-incentives--not-mandates--needed.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/050109-expert-cybersecurity-incentives-not-mandates.html http://computerworld.com.au/article/301745/ Senators aim to protect electric grid from hackers In the wake of recent reports describing the electric grid's vulnerabilities to hackers, two members of the U.S. Congress have introduced legislation giving federal regulators more authority to combat that possible threat. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10231504-38.html Another Attack, Another Reason for the Urgency of DNSSEC Adoption News broke this week about an attack in Puerto Rico that caused the local websites of Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Coca-Cola, PayPal, Nike, Dell and Nokia to be redirected for a few hours to a phony website. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090501_another_attack_another_reason_for_dnssec/ ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Canadians concerned corporate cost cutting could affect their privacy: poll [news release] Canadians are worried their privacy rights could suffer because of corporate cost-cutting during the economic downturn, a new poll for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has found. http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2009/nr-c_090427_e.cfm ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** With New Software, Iranians and Others Outwit Net Censors The Iranian government, more than almost any other, censors what citizens can read online, using elaborate technology to block millions of Web sites offering news, commentary, videos, music and, until recently, Facebook and YouTube. Search for ?women? in Persian and you?re told, ?Dear Subscriber, access to this site is not possible.? http://nytimes.com/2009/05/01/technology/01filter.html New Study: Global Press Freedom Declines in Every Region for First Time Israel, Italy and Hong Kong Lose Free Status [news release] Journalists faced an increasingly grim working environment in 2008, with global press freedom declining for a seventh straight year and deterioration occurring for the first time in every region, according to Freedom House's annual media study. The rollback was not confined to traditionally authoritarian states; with Israel, Italy and Hong Kong slipping from the study's Free category to Partly Free status. http://freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=70&release=811 Freedom of the Press 2009 Survey Release Freedom of the Press 2009 identifies the greatest threats to independent media in 195 countries and territories. Released in advance of World Press Freedom Day May 3, the report shows a seventh straight year of decline in global media freedom, with twice as many losses than gains. There are particularly worrisome trends in East Asia, the former Soviet Union and the Middle East and North Africa. Given an economic climate that is certain to further strain media sustainability and diversity in rich and poor countries alike, pressures on media freedom are increasingly threatening the considerable gains of the past quarter century. Below are several critical tools to highlight data from the annual survey of global press freedom, and to help explain the newest findings in their historical context. http://freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=470 Press freedom declining around the world: study [AFP] Press freedom declined around the world last year, deteriorating for the first time in every region, according to a study released on Thursday by Freedom House. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/press-freedom-declining-around-the-world-study-20090501-ap6y.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/press-freedom-declining-around-the-world-study-20090501-ap6y.html Burma worst for blogger bans Burma has been judged the worst country in the world for online restrictions in a report looking at the repression faced by bloggers. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/03/burma-restrictions-blogging ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** British home secretary's secret plan to carry on snooping Spy chiefs are pressing ahead with secret plans to monitor all internet use and telephone calls in Britain despite an announcement by Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, of a ministerial climbdown over public surveillance. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6211101.ece Jacqui's secret plan to 'Master the Internet' Spy chiefs are already spending hundreds of millions of pounds on a mass internet surveillance system, despite Jacqui Smith's announcement earlier this week that proposals for a central warehouse of communications data had been dumped on privacy grounds. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/03/gchq_mti/ nz: Work continues on Copyright Act A spokesman in Commerce Minister Simon Power?s office denies government has called a moratorium on further amendments to the Copyright Act. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/593AE7BB01CE30EBCC2575AB0077BDC2 The EFF digs deep into the FBI's "everything bucket" A new EFF report pulls together everything that's now known about the FBI's monster internal records system. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/04/the-eff-digs-deep-into-the-fbis-everything-bucket.ars Gaming giant flouts Australian laws An international gaming company that wants to bid for Victoria's lucrative wagering licence is breaking the law by encouraging Australians to gamble on the internet. http://www.theage.com.au/national/gaming-giant-flouts-australian-laws-20090502-aqvc.html http://www.watoday.com.au/national/gaming-giant-flouts-australian-laws-20090502-aqvc.html http://www.smh.com.au/national/gaming-giant-flouts-australian-laws-20090502-aqvc.html Loophole for Online Poker in Australia Down Under as it is called by many in Australia is still having it's fair share of legal troubles when it comes to the fast evolving online gambling industry. The big British online wagering company Ladbrokes is offering Australian players a go at it's internet poker tables that are based in Gibraltar. This action is illegal according to the laws of Australia. http://www.online-casinos.com/news/news8565.asp ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Court finds Telstra misused Optus customer data Optus has won a Federal Court ruling against Telstra in which it was alleged that Australia?s dominant telco misused Optus' confidential information for its own marketing gains in the 1990s. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25414690-15306,00.html Telstra goes down for leaking secret Optus business The Federal Court yesterday ruled that Telstra has breached the provisions of the access agreement it has with Optus by misusing Optus? confidential information. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/301667/telstra_goes_down_leaking_secret_optus_business?fp=2&fpid=1 ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN ********************************** nz: Former ACT candidate guilty on child porn charges A 61-year-old former teacher and parliamentary hopeful was jailed for two-and-half years today on child pornography charges. http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/53611/former-act-candidate-guilty-child-porn-charges +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2009 --------- David Goldstein email: david§goldsteinreport.com web: http://davidgoldstein.tel/ http://goldsteinreport.com/ phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 5773 - office/home mail: 4/3 Abbott Street COOGEE NSW 2034 AUSTRALIA "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 Enjoy a safer web experience. Upgrade to the new Internet Explorer 8 optimised for Yahoo!7. Get it now.Received on Sun May 03 2009 - 21:23:47 UTC
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