Don't forget to check out www.auda.org.au/domain-news/ for today's edition of the complete domain news, already online! And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** Protect the web, says Sir Tim http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jul/09/web.sirtim What is the future of the internet? http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7496000/7496976.stm Call for web to stay open for all by Berners-Lee http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7493859.stm ICANN blames June site hijack on registrar http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9107258 Why New TLDs Don't Matter by John Levine http://www.circleid.com/posts/89710_why_new_tlds_dont_matter/ New Generic Top-Level Domains and Internet Standards by Patrick Vande Walle http://www.circleid.com/posts/new_top_level_domains_internet_standards/ One Million .ES Domains http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=5400 Big change in Internet could see Maori names [news release] http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0807/S00012.htm nz: Race begins for .wellington web address http://stuff.co.nz/4610286a28.html uk: Firms in Wellington web fight http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/07/08/firms-braced-for-wellington-web-fight/ Massive, coordinated DNS patch released http://news.cnet.com/8301-10789_3-9985618-57.html Details on Tuesday's DNS cache poisoning announcement http://news.cnet.com/8301-10789_3-9985815-57.html Patched Flaw Could Have Broken Internet Backbone http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/63738.html Major DNS flaw could disrupt the Internet http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/070808-dns-flaw-disrupts-internet.html ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** Protect the web, says Sir Tim Researchers have a "duty" to protect the future of the world wide web, according to its inventor. Speaking at the launch of a new research programme yesterday, Sir Tim Berners-Lee ? the British computer scientist who came up with the idea of the web 19 years ago ? said it was vital that scientists and engineers worked harder to understand how the web works, in order to keep it evolving. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jul/09/web.sirtim What is the future of the internet? The pioneer of the world wide web is now looking ahead to a new and more sophisticated way of using the internet known as the semantic web. Sir Tim Berners-Lee explains in this BBC Radio 4 Today programme interview. http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7496000/7496976.stm Call for web to stay open for all by Berners-Lee Governments, scientists and businesses must do more to ensure the web stays open for all, says Sir Tim Berners-Lee. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7493859.stm ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** ICANN blames June site hijack on registrar The international organization that oversees the Web's top-level domain naming system said that the hijacking last month of several of its domains was the result of a security breach at the registrar that manages those URLs. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9107258 http://computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;80100572 http://nytimes.com/idg/IDG_852573C4006938800025747F006D6964.html http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?NewsID=102101 Why New TLDs Don't Matter by John Levine Lost amid the furor about ICANN's rule change that may (or may not) lead to a flood of TLDs is the uncomfortable fact that almost without exception, the new TLDs created since 2000 have been utter failures. Other than perhaps .cat and .mobi, they've missed their estimates of the number of registrations by orders of magnitude, and they haven't gotten mindshare in the target community. So what went wrong? Users stopped caring about TLDs. http://www.circleid.com/posts/89710_why_new_tlds_dont_matter/ New Generic Top-Level Domains and Internet Standards by Patrick Vande Walle The recent decision by ICANN to start a new round of applications for new gTLDs is launching a round of questions on the IETF side about its consequences. http://www.circleid.com/posts/new_top_level_domains_internet_standards/ Yes, Domain Tasting Will End After years of complaints ICANN has finally done something about domain tasting, but some are confused over exactly what they have done. http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Yes-Domain-Tasting-Will-End/ New Domain Names May Lead to Suits Intellectual property lawyers and industry groups say a global Internet body's decision to allow more generic top-level domain names will boost cybersquatting and related arbitration and litigation. http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202422805309 Sweeping Changes To The Internet On The Horizon [reg req'd] The phenomenal success of the Internet has lead to increasing pressures upon the domain naming system, and even rumours that the Internet was in danger of running out of addresses. http://mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=62778 Icann opens things up Icann's recent decision to effectively relax the rules on registering domain names has again highlighted the importance of choosing the right suffix to represent your organisation on the web. Although it is often relegated behind web site design and content management issues, domain name management is now crucial to the success of a business or the effectiveness of a public sector organisation online. http://blog.iwr.co.uk/2008/07/icann-opens-thi.html ICAAN ? Preventing Hatred v. Censorship of TLD Applications With all the excitement over expansion of IP addresses to be expanded from 4-string to 6-string format, little has been reported on the current and proposed regulations to restrict new domain registration. Watchdogs are deeply concerned over censorship. http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/257005 New International Policy to Change the Face of the Internet ICANN announced recently that they will allow individuals and organizations to apply for their own TLDs. The decision was made at a meeting in Paris, France on June 26. This policy has been in the works since late 2007. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/859651/new_international_policy_to_change.html The billion-dollar domain babies The latest ICANN plan to allow the global populace to assemble an entire domain name like www.yourname.yourname as their free-choice is a revolutionary and timely decision. This now open doors to cyber-brands such as my.ibm, hotel.chicago, it.jobs, play.poker, fly.usa or go.dell and applicants will submit a non-refundable fee of US$100 - 500 000 for each name idea and the businesses are already jumping to get started. http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/16/26138.html ICANN downplays site hacks ICANN is speaking out about a recent round of attacks perpetrated against its sites. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2220990/icann-downplays-site-hacks http://itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=79932 http://www.infomaticsonline.co.uk/vnunet/news/2220990/icann-downplays-site-hacks ICANN Domain Names Attacked ICANN says that it has been the recent target of online attacks. http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2008/07/07/icann-domain-names-attacked Chinese, Arabic and Hindi domain names to go up for sale ? finally! At its recent meeting in Paris, ICANN made a number of announcements. The one that received the most press was the revelation that there would be new gTLDs available in 2009. http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/07/08/chinese-arabic-and-hindi-domain-names-go-sale-finally The Billion-Dollar Domain Babies The latest ICANN plan to allow the global populace to assemble an entire domain name like www.yourname.yourname as their free-choice is a revolutionary and timely decision. This now open doors to cyber-brands such as my.ibm, hotel.chicago, it.jobs, play.poker, fly.usa or go.dell and applicants will submit a non-refundable fee of US$100 - 500 000 for each name idea and the businesses are already jumping to get started. http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/16/26138.html http://allafrica.com/stories/200807071638.html ICANN says hijacking attack due to breach at their registrar As we commented on, ICANN, the group that manages TLD naming systems for the web, recently had several of its domains hijacked by a Turkish hacking group. ICANN has now commented that the hijacking was due to a security breach at the registrar that manages those URLs. http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=1454 ICANN says registrar was hacked Two weeks after ICANN?s own domains were hijacked by Turkish hackers, the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers says it was its registrar ? not ICANN?s servers themselves ? that were attacked. http://government.zdnet.com/?p=3882 Internet To Change Radically Soon The Internet will change beyond recognition by as early as next year if a vote to relax domain name rules is approved. Wide Web will decide at a meeting in Paris whether it should open up the strict rules governing top-level domains, the technical term for the suffixes that appear at the end of internet addresses such as ?.org? and ?.com?. http://www.thelinkpaper.ca/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1215448605&archive=&start_from=&ucat=2&cat=2 Speed-dating the new gTLD registry operators - Part 1 Starting a new gTLD? Are you going to start your own registry, or outsource? It?s a critical choice, because with ?stability of the Internet? as the watchword of the day, you want to make double-sure that your application isn?t torpedoed on technical grounds. Unless you?re very sure of what you?re doing, it makes a lot of sense to find a partner who can pass all of ICANN?s tests. http://www.namesatwork.com/blog/2008/07/07/speed-dating-the-new-gtld-registry-operators-part-1 ICANN Blames Register.com for Hack Searching for explanations for last month's high-profile hack, a ICANN spokesperson said that the site hijacking of several of its domains was due to a security leak at the registrar that manages those sites - identified as Register.com. http://www.thewhir.com/marketwatch/070808_ICANN_Blames_Register_com_for_Hack.cfm ICANN Not Enforcing Rules Against Registrar Warehousing Because There Are No Rules One of the leading domain attorneys we all know and love sent me an e-mail today about my Post the other day concerning Domain Registrars which warehouse expired domains of their customers instead of releasing them into a drop or auction. http://www.thedomains.com/2008/07/06/icann-not-enforcing-rules-against-registrar-warehousing-because-there-are-no-rules/ NIG applauds ICANN over approval of new TLDs The Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) has applauded the management of ICANN over the approval of the new TLDs. http://itrealms.blogspot.com/2008/07/nig-applauds-icann-over-approval-of-new.html Domain name move could trigger flood of disputes Businesses will soon no longer be limited to .com and the other 20 top-level domains when choosing how best to represent themselves on the internet. http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2008/07/09/231429/domain-name-move-could-trigger-flood-of-disputes.htm ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** The .cn Surpasses .de: Buy .cn Domains Today China?s .cn now stands alone atop the list of the largest ccTLDs in the world. http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=1775 One Million .ES Domains Spain?s ccTLD, .es, passed the one million mark reports Sedo. The passing of the milestone occurred much more rapidly following liberalisation of the registration rules in the .es name space two years ago. http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=5400 http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/07/07/one-million-es-domains/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/one-million-.es-domains.html One million .ES domains registered Spanish Minister for commerce will attend a ceremony celebrating this milestone for Spain's Internet next week, in Madrid. http://domainesinfo.fr/english/216/one-million-es-domains-registered.php IE Domain registry agency makes more than ?500,000 profit THE AGENCY responsible for managing the Irish IE internet domain registry, made more than ?500,000 in profits last year. The IE Domain Registry (IEDR) reported yesterday that new registrations rose 29 per cent net in 2007 to 90,000 individual domains. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/0709/1215537641158.html http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2008/0709/1215537642145.html Profits decline at ie domain registry The ie domain registry has issued its annual report for 2007. It says that its pre-tax profits dipped more than ?200,000 to ?607,000 due to higher administration expenses. Last year the registry more than doubled its staff pension contribution to more than ?50,000 for its 12 staff. http://www.rte.ie/business/2008/0708/ie.html Big rise in .ie domain names The IE Domain Registry (IEDR), which manages .ie web domain names for Ireland, said that registrations rose 29pc in 2007. http://www.independent.ie/business/world/in-brief-big-rise-in-ie-domain-names-1430019.html Big change in Internet could see Maori names [news release] ICANN the oversight organisation for the Internet, relaxed rules in Paris this week to permit the introduction of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of new Internet domain names to join ".com," making the first sweeping changes in the network's 25-year-old address system. The new additions will include non English characters. Ross Himona pioneer Maori on the Internet and Kaumatua of NZMIS regarded this as step forward. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0807/S00012.htm nz: Race begins for .wellington web address The New Zealand capital could face competition for the right to manage ".wellington" internet addresses. http://stuff.co.nz/4610286a28.html uk: Firms in Wellington web fight Last year?s Wellington Carnival in ShropshireBusiness leaders in Shropshire are bracing themselves for a battle with their New Zealand counterparts over the right to use the name Wellington in website addresses. http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/07/08/firms-braced-for-wellington-web-fight/ Regulator cools attempt to control Uganda domain name [IDG] The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has cooled its interest in taking control of the Uganda country code, .ug. The country code is registered to and controlled by Charles Musisi, an Internet entrepreneur who has managed Uganda domain names over the past 12 years. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/070808-regulator-cools-attempt-to-control.html ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Massive, coordinated DNS patch released A security researcher has responsibly disclosed a fundamental flaw within the Domain Name System (DNS), the addressing scheme behind the common names used on the Internet. Currently, it may be possible to guess these transaction ID values in advance and assert a malicious server as the authoritative DNS server for a popular bank or e-commerce site. http://news.cnet.com/8301-10789_3-9985618-57.html http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Massive-coordinated-DNS-patch-released/0,130061744,339290456,00.htm Details on Tuesday's DNS cache poisoning announcement On Tuesday, security researcher Dan Kaminsky of IO Active calmly explained in a conference call with security reporters how he first stumbled upon a pervasive flaw deep within the Domain Name System (DNS), a series of servers used to translate common Internet names to IP addresses. Kaminsky said he wasn't even looking for a security vulnerability. What he found, however, could explain how criminal hackers have been able to redirect DNS queries recently. http://news.cnet.com/8301-10789_3-9985815-57.html DNS hole prompts synchronized patching effort by IT vendors In a rare synchronized security move, Microsoft Corp., Cisco Systems Inc. and other IT vendors today released software patches aimed at addressing a fundamental design flaw in the Domain Name System (DNS) protocol used to direct traffic on the Internet. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9107978 Leading vendors team up to squash DNS bug [IDG] Leading vendors have teamed up to release a patch to fix a serious bug that has affected the DNS protocol that underlies the entire Internet. Microsoft, Cisco, Red Hat, Sun Microsystems and the Internet Software Consortium, makers of the most widely used DNS server software, have all updated their software to address the vulnerability http://techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?newsid=102110 Patched Flaw Could Have Broken Internet Backbone A flaw in the domain name system -- which manages traffic over the Web -- could have allowed hackers unprecedented ability to redirect traffic had it not been kept secret while vendors developed patches for it. Microsoft and others released the patches Thursday. http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/63738.html Shocker DNS spoofing vuln discovered three years ago by a student A flaw in how the internet's addressing system works that sparked a patching frenzy on Tuesday night may has first been uncovered by a student as long as three years ago. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/09/dns_bug_student_discovery/ Security flaw prompts major web alert A major flaw in the way the internet works could lead to millions of people being targeted by criminals and has prompted the "largest security update" in web history, according to a leading security researcher. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jul/09/internet.digitalmedia Major DNS flaw could disrupt the Internet A fundamental flaw in the Domain Name System protocol that would allow an attacker to massively disrupt the Internet has been discovered by a researcher, prompting CERT to issue an alert and major DNS software vendors to issue patches today. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/070808-dns-flaw-disrupts-internet.html Fix found for net security flaw Computer experts have released software to tackle a security glitch in the internet's addressing system. The flaw, discovered by accident, would allow criminals to redirect users to fake webpages, even if they typed the correct address into a browser. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7496735.stm DNS management becoming critical to businesses but poorly understood Experts are asking whether it's time to shine a bright light on the "black art" of Domain Name System (DNS) management. "DNS is one of those topic areas that I've always called a black art," said Robert Whiteley, senior analyst at Forrester Research. "It is very poorly understood, relative to how important it is." http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid7_gci1319998,00.html Internet flaw could let hackers take over the Web [AFP] Computer industry heavyweights are hustling to fix a flaw in the foundation of the Internet that would let hackers control traffic on the World Wide Web. http://news.theage.com.au/technology/internet-flaw-could-let-hackers-take-over-the-web-20080709-3c5x.html http://news.smh.com.au/technology/internet-flaw-could-let-hackers-take-over-the-web-20080709-3c5x.html http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23992587-5005361,00.html http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23992587-5006506,00.html Security flaw warning for internet An internet security expert in the US says he has found a gaping hole in the World Wide Web. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/09/2298937.htm The Internet Gets a Patch, as DNS Bug Is Fixed [IDG] Makers of the software used to connect computers on the Internet collectively released software updates Tuesday to patch a serious bug in one of the Internet's underlying protocols, the Domain Name System (DNS). http://www.pcworld.com/article/148095/the_internet_gets_a_patch_as_dns_bug_is_fixed.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/070808-the-internet-gets-a-patch.html Cybercriminals reinventing atack methods Trend Micro Inc. reported that cybercriminals are not only leveraging new technologies to propagate cybercrime, but are also reinventing forms of social engineering to cleverly ensnare both consumers and businesses, according to the "Trend Micro Threat Roundup and Forecast 1H 2008" report. As a result, the last six months saw an upswing in Web threats, but steady decreases in adware and spyware that are generated by outdated technical methods and can no longer compete with high-level security solutions. http://www.ciol.com/Technology/Security/News-Reports/Cybercriminals-reinventing-atack-methods/8708107745/0/ The credibility of the domain auction system was impeached GoDaddy VP of TDNAM Adam Dicker was caught bidding against customers at the company?s auctions and wining some of the domains he bid for. The story raised questions about unethical business practices and conflict of interests which hurt the credibility of the whole auction system. http://www.domaininformer.com/news/editors/080707Thecredibilityofthedomainauctionsystemwasimpeached.html au: Federal review of e-security THE federal Government is set to overhaul the digital security framework that protects government and business from electronic attacks. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,,23982429-24169,00.html Cyber-criminals move with the times Cyber-crooks are using new technologies and reinventing forms of social engineering to ensnare consumers and businesses, security experts warn. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2221007/cyber-criminals-move-times Lithuania Attacked by Russian Hacktivists, 300 Sites Defaced Last week's mass defacement of over 300 Lithuanian sites hosted on the same ISP, an upcoming attack that was largely anticipated due to the on purposely escalated online tensions out of Lithuan's accepted legislation banning communist symbols across the country, once again demonstrates information warfare building capabilities in action. http://www.circleid.com/posts/87870_lithuania_internet_attack_russian_hacktivists/ ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Forget the domain name hype; just protect your name Last week the proposal to allow a new breed of internet domains triggered talk of another ?internet gold rush?. I?m not sure this is going to happen, however it is a timely reminder of the importance of protecting your own business name. http://smartcompany.com.au/Blog/Paul-Wallbank/20080707-Forget-the-domain-name-hype-just-protect-your-name.html Ticketmaster Trademark Dispute A United States District Court in North Carolina recently granted Ticketmaster, the plaintiff, a default judgment http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=1774 ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** In Three Years, the Internet Hits a Brick Wall In an estimated three years or so, the Internet will run out of the IPv4 addresses that it is currently based upon, forcing a transition over to a next-generation IPv6 address scheme ? or a halt to all new domains. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2325024,00.asp?kc=PCRSS03069TX1K0001121 What's Next for IPv6 in the U.S.? The U.S. government operates one of the largest technology infrastructures on Earth, and it's all supposed to be IPv6-ready. At least, that was the plan. http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/netsys/article.php/3757541/Whats+Next+for+IPv6+in+the+U.S.?.htm ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Choosing the Right Registrar: If domain names were considered food, then registrars would be comparable to restaurants If domain names were considered food, then registrars would be comparable to restaurants in which domainers dine. A domain name registrar is a company accredited to register domain names by ICANN and/or by a national country code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD). There are literally thousands of registrars to choose from when starting out in assembling a domain name portfolio, so how does one distinguish between them? In my opinion, there are a few factors that should be considered when deciphering which registrars would be considered a worthwhile dining experience: http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=1776 ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Monte Cahn Leads Aftermarket Business at Oversee.net Moniker CEO Monte Cahn has expanded his role after his company was acquired by Oversee.net. Cahn is now spearheading the Aftermarket & Registrar business division at Oversee.net. I recently caught up with Cahn and Oversee.net to understand what this division entails and what?s in store for the future. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/07/08/monte-cahn-leads-aftermarket-business-at-overseenet/ Zimbabwe.com: An Opportunity to Do Good The 2008 GeoDomain Expo kicks off Thursday night in Chicago. Moniker will hold a live auction Saturday evening with geo gems such as SanMateo.com and Yemen.com. But one domain draws special attention and an opportunity for a wealthy domain investor: Zimbabwe.com. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/07/08/zimbabwecom-an-opportunity-to-do-good/ Google Releases ?Overture Score?-Like Tool Enhancement to keyword tool provides domainers with more accurate tool to forecast domain traffic. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/07/09/google-releases-overture-score-like-tool/ ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Whichever screen, people are watching Somehow, despite more distractions than ever, we're finding even more time to plant ourselves in front of screens. The first in a series of new "three-screen" reports by the Nielsen Company shows an emerging shift toward a more video-centric use of the Internet, but not at the expense of television viewing. The report, an initial effort by Nielsen to "follow the video" as consumer viewing habits shift, is scheduled to be released Tuesday. http://iht.com/articles/2008/07/08/business/08adco.php au: ACCC still has its eye on eBay EBAY Australia is still under the competition watchdog's microscope despite last week's decision by the online auction giant to drop its case for PayPal exclusivity. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23984661-15306,00.html Press the panic button - newspapers and the effect of the internet Major newspaper publishers are reporting significant falls in ad revenue and the internet is gobbling up classified. So can print media bounce back from this downturn? Advertising is often described as the canary in the economic coal mine, an early warning of bleak times ahead. If last week's announcements by several newspaper groups are anything to go by, the coming collapse could be grim. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jul/07/pressandpublishing.advertising How the Google generation thinks differently Digital-age kids process information differently from parents. Our writer admits misjudging how her son was learning http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article4295414.ece Report: Mobile Internet use has reached "critical mass" Use of the Internet from mobile devices has reached a critical mass and can now support more mobile marketing efforts, says Nielsen Mobile. Surprisingly, the US leads the pack in terms of how many mobile subscribers surf the web from their devices too. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080709-report-mobile-internet-use-has-reached-critical-mass.html Mobile Internet Not Enough For U.S. Cell Phone Users U.S. cell phone subscribers are the most active users of the mobile Web, but they yearn for unlimited data packages and longer battery life for their devices, according to a report issued Wednesday from the Nielsen Company. http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/business/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=208806608 Even the Luddites will switch to IPTV I HAVE a friend who reads some of this column some of the time. If I use technical words - anything containing kilo, mega, or giga, whether they be hertz, bytes or half a pound of butter - his eyes glaze, he adopts the trance-like position of a monk, and his mind wanders back to the third Test at Headingley in 1981. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23995493-5013458,00.html XXXChurch: Make love, not war, on porn If Craig Gross considers Jesus Christ his best friend, why is his arm around porn?s leading man? ?We are the world. We are the children,? Ron Jeremy sings as he and Gross draw a circus crowd at the Adult Entertainment Expo here. During the past few years, the two ? a conservative Christian who considers masturbation a sin and a secular Jew who has performed in 1,900 porn flicks ? have grown close and, despite diametric career choices, have come to respect and appreciate each other. http://www.jewishjournal.com/thegodblog/item/xxxchurch_make_love_not_war_on_porn/ ********************** SPAM ********************** Botnets winning spam wars, says report The world?s anti-spam systems are fighting a furious but hopeless battle against botnet spam, a new threat analysis from Commtouch has claimed. http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?NewsID=102108 http://techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?newsID=102108 http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/scrt/B97BD7FDE802D274CC2574810072ACE8 http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/07/09/Botnets_winning_spam_wars_1.html http://www.commtouch.com/documents/Commtouch_Q208_Email_Trends.pdf ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** 'Public' online spaces don't carry speech, rights [AP] Rant all you want in a public park. A police officer generally won't eject you for your remarks alone, however unpopular or provocative. http://news.theage.com.au/technology/public-online-spaces-dont-carry-speech-rights-20080707-32py.html http://news.smh.com.au/technology/public-online-spaces-dont-carry-speech-rights-20080707-32py.html http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10520354 French ruling on counterfeit goods could have far-reaching effects for eBay If a French court ruling against eBay Inc. for allowing the sale of counterfeit goods on its Web site is upheld, it could have far-reaching effects for the way the online auction company does business. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9106618 The dangers of cloud computing The idea of cloud computing -- designed around an architecture whose natural state is a shared pool outside the enterprise -- has gained momentum in recent months as a way to reduce cost and improve IT flexibility. But the use of cloud computing also carries with it security risks, including perils related to compliance, availability, and data integrity. http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/07/07/28NF-cloud-computing-security_1.html au: eBay scam: accused bailed An alleged eBay scammer has been granted bail, despite police telling a court he was suspected of stealing $150,000 from 90 other victims. Chun Fai Tsang, 26, appeared in Hornsby Local Court today charged with two counts of obtaining a benefit by deception. http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/ebay-scam-cardweller-wins-bail/2008/07/09/1215282906733.html http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/ebay-scam-cardweller-wins-bail/2008/07/09/1215282906733.html Sydney man arrested for eBay fraud The New South Wales Police Force has confirmed a Sydney man will face court after being charged over internet fraud allegedly committed last month. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Sydney-man-arrested-for-eBay-fraud/0,139023166,339290454,00.htm INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION OF WELL-KNOWN TRADEMARK IN THE WORLD AND ARGENTINA Globalization, and Internet in particular, makes it more than ever before, those trademarks that are renowned and established in a region or in a country to be also recognized in other places of the world where they have not been directly commercialized or used yet. http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=articles&id=2003F07D-1CEF-4829-89F4-A8070E5B09F4 ************************** PRIVACY ************************** YouTube's Legal Fig Leaf Privacy advocates have been dreading the day when Google's massive store of personal information, collected from its search engine, video sites and e-mail service, somehow spills into the public domain. But whether that privacy doomsday arrived this week is a question that's still wrapped in legal red tape. http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/07/03/youtube-google-viacom-tech-security-cx_ag_0703youtube.html Don't give Google a free pass on data collection, privacy advocates say after YouTube ruling A judge's order that Google turn over YouTube user data to Viacom is raising privacy concerns. But some privacy advocates question why Google is collecting the data in the first place. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9107438 YouTube data to be released, but Google keeps technology secret Users of YouTube will have their access details handed over to entertainment giant Viacom and the English football Premier League after a US judge ordered the disclosure of a 12 terabyte database. http://out-law.com/page-9238 Google defends Street View tool in UK Google has defended its controversial Street View photo-mapping tool, saying it will meet local privacy laws in European countries at launch. The tool, which matches real world photos to mapped locations, has drawn fire from some privacy campaigners. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7492844.stm us: Senators Weigh Possible Rules for Advertising and Online Privacy The Senate Commerce Committee began Wednesday to look at how online companies collect and use data about Internet users for advertising, and was told by several big Internet companies that it needs to pass a new law to enforce privacy standards for a range of online and offline activites. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/senators-weigh-possible-rules-for-advertising-and-online-privacy/ ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Raging Against Rising Internet Repression: Online Censorship Has Become A Cause With Global Relevance by Antony Loewenstein. During the Harvard University and Google sponsored Global Voices Citizen Media Summit 2008 in Budapest, Hungary in late June, attended by over 200 bloggers, human rights activists, writers, journalists, hackers and IT experts from every corner of the globe, one participant joked that it was worthwhile buying domain names for dissidents likely to be imprisoned. "Just get them with 'Free (insert name here).com'," he said. http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080721/loewenstein http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/08/opinion/main4241131.shtml Iran considering banning filthy bloggers from meatspace Blogging about the wrong topics in Iran won't just get you censored; it could get you killed. Iran's parliament voted last week to discuss a draft bill that would "toughen punishment" for a number of crimes that it believes to be detrimental to society by making them subject to the death penalty. This list already includes crimes like armed robbery, rape, and leaving the religion of Islam (apostasy), but running a blog or website that promotes corruption, prostitution, or apostasy may soon be added. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080707-iran-considering-banning-filthy-bloggers-from-meatspace.html Russian blogger sentenced for "extremist" post A Russian man who described local police as "scum" in an Internet posting was given a suspended jail sentence on Monday for extremism, prompting bloggers to warn of a crackdown on free speech online. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKL0757687320080707 ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Child porn sale, circulation soars: study The production, sale and circulation of child pornography is increasing at a worrying rate. New US research shows Internet circulation has grown 400 percent, and the children being featured are getting younger. http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20080708060403695C387026 'Child porn difficult to monitor' South African courts are battling to comprehend the magnitude of child pornography even though the country has specific anti-pornography legislation. This is what emerged at a seminar on the amended Film and Publications Act in Durban on Monday. http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20080708130019270C505448 Online bullying affects 1 in 3 children A third of all internet-surfing kids will suffer from cyber-bullying and many are leaving themselves vulnerable to identity theft and other online abuse, an e-learning expert says. Dr Martyn Wild, a cyber-safety advocate and honorary professor at La Trobe University in Melbourne, is in New Zealand to present free seminars to parents on internet safety for their tech-savvy children. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=137&objectid=10520847 nz: TelstraClear in effort to reduce cyber bullying New Zealand ISP TelstraClear has joined with an international e-learning expert and cyber safety advocate to launch a program to assist parents in ensuring their children are less vulnerable while online. http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=7838 Divide on UK games industry ratings A row has broken out between the games industry and the UK's content classifiers over who should regulate video games in the future. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7496327.stm au: Schoolyard cyber-bullies A VIDEO showing a Hobart high school student savagely attacking another boy as he lies on the ground was posted on the popular website YouTube and transmitted to other students via mobile phone. http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,23976571-3462,00.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** uk: Peers call for cybercrime shakeup (again) Peers are calling for a reversal of rules that stop UK victims reporting cybercrimes directly to the police. The House of Lords science committee is also encouraging the government to introduce a data breach notification law. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/08/peers_cybercrime_shakeup/ http://out-law.com/page-9245 us: Senate Backs Wiretap Bill to Shield Phone Companies More than two and a half years after the disclosure of President?s Bush?s domestic eavesdropping program set off a furious national debate, the Senate gave final approval on Wednesday afternoon to broadening the government?s spy powers and providing legal immunity for the phone companies that took part in the wiretapping program. http://nytimes.com/2008/07/10/washington/10fisa.html Senate keeps telecom immunity in surveillance bill [IDG] The U.S. Senate has defeated three amendments that would have removed or weakened lawsuit immunity provisions for telecommunication carriers that allegedly participated in a controversial U.S. National Security Agency surveillance program dating back to 2001. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/070908-senate-keeps-telecom-immunity-in.html us: The new FISA compromise: it's worse than you think Last month, the House of Representatives passed the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, Congress's latest response to President Bush's demands for expanded eavesdropping authority. The Democratic leadership, seemingly intent on avoiding real debate on the proposal, scheduled the final vote just a day after the bill was introduced in the House. Touted by Democratic leaders as a "compromise," it was supported almost unanimously by House Republicans and opposed by a majority of Democrats. http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/fisa-compromise.ars EU accidentally orders ISPs to become copyright police Part of the EU Telecommunications Package, agreed by MEPs on Monday, could be interpreted to endorse cutting off P2P users after a written warning or two, even though the author claims that was not the intention. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/09/eu_telecommunications_legislation/ eu: MEPs back contested telecoms plan European politicians have voted in favour of amendments to telecoms law which campaigners say could be used to curb privacy online and file-sharing. Digital rights groups in Europe have formed a loose coalition to highlight their opposition to the amendments. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7495085.stm Europe votes on anti-piracy laws Europeans suspected of putting movies and music on file-sharing networks could be thrown off the web under proposals before Brussels. The powers are in a raft of laws that aim to harmonise the regulations governing Europe's telecom markets. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7492907.stm Europe drafts law to disconnect suspected filesharers France has suggested an amendment to the pan-European Telecoms Package, which would bar broadband access to anyone who persists in illegally downloading music or films. http://out-law.com/page-9236 MEPs propose Europe-wide telecoms regulator An organisation encompassing Europe's national telecommunications regulators should be set up to ensure the harmonisation of spectrum use and other telecoms issues across the continent, the European Parliament's industry committee has said. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,39444970,00.htm ********************************* COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS ********************************* Google, Zen Master of the Market Bill Gates, who walked away from full-time work at Microsoft last month, was perhaps the foremost applied economist of the second half of the 20th century. Mr. Gates and Microsoft fundamentally shaped how people think about the behavior of modern markets in which technology plays a central role. Under Mr. Gates, Microsoft also challenged the conventional wisdom about competition, business strategy and even antitrust law. Now, in the early years of the 21st century, Google is the company prompting a rethinking of assumptions. http://nytimes.com/2008/07/07/technology/07google.html Microsoft will talk to Yahoo 'if it replaces board' Microsoft said yesterday it is willing to re-enter takeover talks with Yahoo, but only if the internet firm is under new management - providing a major boost to the campaign waged by American activist investor Carl Icahn to oust the board. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jul/08/microsoft.yahoo ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** au: Will the NBN be fast enough? In April the OECD cited a study which predicted that by 2011 the downstream requirements of European households would peak at around 50Mbps. The federal government's aim for a national broadband network with a minimum speed of 12Mbps - comparable with the current potential of ADSL2+ - is leaving some questioning whether the costly NBN will be fast enough and future proof to see Australia through the next two decades. http://computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;178463646 http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;178463646 Analyst warns against Telstra separation [AAP] A SEPARATION of Telstra's network and retail businesses could cause serious damage to Australia's telecommunications industry, a leading independent analyst has warned. The majority of submissions on the Federal Government's plans for a national broadband network have demanded that the company that wins the rights to the project has separate network and retail businesses. http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,23636,23981076-14334,00.html InternetNZ aims for 100Mbit/s broadband InternetNZ is asking for help in clarifying the strengths and weaknesses of strategies for an improved New Zealand broadband infrastructure. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/1B51FB3C5A638A52CC25747F0017D712 Internet-led demand puts cable-laying at top of list The world's biggest telecoms companies are rushing to add capacity on inter-continental routes, to keep up with booming demand fuelled in part by consumers downloading bandwidth-hungry video content from YouTube, iTunes and other sites over broadband networks. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1d549774-4c89-11dd-96bb-000077b07658.html ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** nz: Kiwis to get high-speed net VODAFONE Group, the world's biggest mobile phone company by revenue, is upgrading its New Zealand network so that 97 per cent of the population can access high-speed internet on their wireless devices. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23984964-5013041,00.html ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN ********************************** au: Naracoorte man 'had 100,000 child porn images' THE first South Australian to face court charged over a worldwide internet child pornography sting appeared before a magistrate today. http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23993194-5006301,00.html au: Pensioner jailed in child porn SMS first A far north Queensland pensioner has become the first person in Australia to be convicted under federal laws for sending child pornography in an SMS message on a mobile phone. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/09/2298858.htm au: Child porn operation nets 100th arrest The number of arrests from a nationwide police operation against child pornography has reached 100, and police say they are working to apprehend the ringleaders of online networks. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/09/2298524.htm nz: Remorse from jailed child porn offender A 28-year-old man has been jailed for two years and three months for repeat offending accessing child pornography on the internet. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=30&objectid=10520752 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (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 Start at the new Yahoo!7 for a better online experience. www.yahoo7.com.auReceived on Wed Jul 09 2008 - 17:04:11 UTC
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