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 *************************************************** Rod Beckstrom Named ICANN CEO http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-26jun09-en.htm Ex-DHS Cyber Chief Tapped as President of ICANN http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/06/ex-dhs_cyber_chief_tapped_as_p.html New ICANN director snubs EC calls for changes http://sofiaecho.com/2009/06/27/745225_new-icann-director-snubs-ec-calls-for-changes New Top-Level Domains and Software Implications by Patrick Vande Walle http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090625_new_top_level_domains_software_implications/ Aussie Internet turns 20 - Internet speeds swell from 56Kbps to 100Mpbs http://computerworld.com.au/article/308840/ .Eu Web addresses can be written in Cyrillic, Greek letters [IDG] http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062609-eu-web-addresses-can-be.html U.S. and Russia Differ on a Treaty for Cyberspace http://nytimes.com/2009/06/28/world/28cyber.html The war of the cyberworlds is coming, and we'd better be ready http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jun/28/cyber-warfare-internet-attacks GCHQ to get cyber defence squad to protect British computers http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article6575522.ece Registrars under fire in domain disputes http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9134610 Domain-name Wars: Rise of the Cybersquatters http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9134605 7 Ways to Protect Your Brand From Cybersquatters http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9134654 ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** EC calls for one world internet governance The European Commission is once again calling for the United States to let go of ICANN and place it under international supervision. http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=14090 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN SYDNEY ********************** Rod Beckstrom Named ICANN CEO Internet founders and leaders are joining industry executives and government officials in praising the selection of Rod Beckstrom as the new Chief Executive Officer and President of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-26jun09-en.htm Ex-DHS Cyber Chief Tapped as President of ICANN Former Department of Homeland Security cyber chief Rod A. Beckstrom has been tapped to be the new president of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the California based non-profit, which oversees the Internet's address system. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/06/ex-dhs_cyber_chief_tapped_as_p.html Ex-cyber security czar to head Icann The board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, better known as Icann, announced late Thursday that it had picked Rod Beckstrom as the non-profit group?s chief executive. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/abc0466c-61ef-11de-9e03-00144feabdc0.html ICANN hires former cybersecurity chief as new CEO [AP] The Internet agency with key oversight of the monikers behind every Web site, e-mail address and Twitter post named former U.S. cybersecurity chief Rod Beckstrom Friday as its next chief executive. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/06/25/financial/f205604D59.DTL http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D992CEFG1.htm http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/67453.html ICANN hires superhero to resolve its political problems by Brenden Kuerbis ICANN was formed as an innovative governance organization and today it lived up to that reputation, announcing that it had hired a superhero as its new CEO. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2009/6/25/4233237.html Beckstrom appointed new ICANN head The global Internet domain name rule-making body has appointed former U.S. National Cybersecurity Center (NCSC) director Rod Beckstrom as its new CEO. http://computerworld.com.au/article/309059/ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062609-beckstrom-appointed-new-icann.html Beckstrom to head ICANN The world's internet domain name regulator has formally chosen IT security guru Rod Beckstrom as its new chief executive to replace the retiring Paul Twomey. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25693561-15306,00.html Rod Beckstrom confirmed to lead ICANN At its 35th international meeting today in Sydney the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers confirmed the appointment of Rod Beckstrom as its chief executive officer and president. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/148630,rod-beckstrom-confirmed-to-lead-icann.aspx Beckstrom Selected As ICANN Chief It's official! Former Homeland Security Department National Cybersecurity Center Director Rod Beckstrom will become the new president and CEO of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, a nonprofit group that oversees the Internet address system. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/06/beckstrom-chosen-as-icann-pres.php Ex-DHS Cyber Exec to Head ICANN Rod Beckstrom, a top Homeland Security cybersecurity leader who quit in a huff in March, will be the new chief executive of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, ICANN announced Friday. http://www.govinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=1578 ICANN names new CEO Former U.S. cybersecurity official Rod Beckstrom has been named the new CEO and president of ICANN. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10273668-38.html Rod Beckstrom Confirmed to Head ?Beautifully Complex? ICANN Rod Beckstrom was confirmed on Friday as the head of ICANN at the board meeting that concluded the week-long meeting. In his acceptance speech thanking the board for their appointment, Beckstrom described the organisation as ?beautifully complex?, while he also described the position as CEO and president as ?massively complex?. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=8503 http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/06/26/rod-beckstrom-confirmed-to-head-beautifully-complex-icann/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/rod-beckstrom-confirmed-to-head-beautifully-complex-icann.html New ICANN director snubs EC calls for changes Newly appointed ICANN director Rod Beckstrom did not waste any time in replying to European Union pressure to cut ties between ICANN and the US government. http://sofiaecho.com/2009/06/27/745225_new-icann-director-snubs-ec-calls-for-changes Icann appoints new head honcho Internet governance body the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) has appointed the former director of the US National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), Rod Beckstrom, as its new chief executive. http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2244913/icann-appoints-head-honcho ICANN: New domains coming in 2010 Internet policymakers are forging ahead with a controversial plan to introduce hundreds of generic top-level domains -- such as .nyc, .sport and .food -- next year. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062409-icann-new-domains.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/167306/.html http://computerworld.com.au/article/308802/ New Flood of Top-Level Domains Could Spell Chaos I'm sorry. Were you looking for CocaCola.com, CocaCola.food or CocaCola.beverage? Cocacola.Sydney, perhaps? CocaCola.NewYork? On the new Web you may not know where you're going anymore. http://blogs.computerworld.com/will_the_real_coca_cola_please_stand_up http://www.pcworld.com/article/167409/.html ICANN: New domains coming in 2010 Internet policymakers are forging ahead with a controversial plan to introduce hundreds of generic top-level domains -- such as .nyc, .sport and .food -- next year. http://computerworld.com.au/article/308802/ New Domains Coming in 2010, Says ICANN ICANN will start taking applications for hundreds of generic top-level domains in the first quarter of 2010, reports Computerworld. Some groups have already announced plans to apply for generic terms like .food and .wine, while others are planning to apply for regions (.africa) and charities (.green). http://www.itbusinessedge.com/cm/community/news/gov/blog/new-domains-coming-in-2010-says-icann/?cs=33655 Report from the Sydney ICANN Meeting ? IRT Report and Geo Name Issues Rise to the Fore ICANN?s Sydney, Australia meeting kicked off to an official start on Monday, June 22. However, smaller pre-meeting sessions of its Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) policy-making body, as well as other parts of the multifaceted organization, began early on Saturday -- and ICA was in place then and speaking out on behalf of its members. http://www.internetcommerce.org/node/195 Sources: Ex-cyberchief is top pick to head ICANN [AP] Rod Beckstrom, the former U.S. cybersecurity chief who resigned in March amid persistent turf battles, is the leading candidate to run an international organization with oversight of the monikers behind every Web site and e-mail address, The Associated Press has learned. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/06/24/financial/f155315D25.DTL http://www.thestate.com/technology/story/839653.html ICANN finds new chief The world's peak internet authority has chosen security expert Rod Beckstrom as its preferred candidate to take over the role of chief executive and president of the organisation. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,,25687661-15335,00.html ********************** - ICANN ********************** New Top-Level Domains and Software Implications by Patrick Vande Walle Many software applications rely on validation routines to check the validity of domain names. By validation, I mean here to test the string submitted by the user and see if it matches a pre-defined pattern. A typical example are web forms that need to validate e-mail addresses. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090625_new_top_level_domains_software_implications/ RIPE NCC and ICANN Commit to Ongoing DNS Root Name Service Coordination Dr. Paul Twomey, CEO of ICANN, has posted an open letter to Axel Pawlik, Managing Director of the RIPE NCC, noting ICANN's appreciation of the role RIPE NCC plays as operator of k.root-servers.net, or simply K-root, one of the 13 Internet root name servers. http://ripe.net/news/root-server-icann-response.html ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** Aussie Internet turns 20 - Internet speeds swell from 56Kbps to 100Mpbs This week marked 20 years since Robert Elz and Torben Neilsen completed the first circuit that brought the Internet to Australia. More than 12 million Australians users have been connected to the Internet since the first 56kbps satellite circuit was created, according to the International Telecommunications Union. http://computerworld.com.au/article/308840/ http://www.cio.com.au/article/308840/ http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/308840/ Exclusive: Big Room joins race for .eco control Vancouver-based startup Big Room will tomorrow formally announce its bid for control of the planned .eco domain name at a meeting in Sydney of internet oversight body ICANN. http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2244781/exclusive-big-room-joins-race EC adopts IDN amendments to .eu regulation Today the European Commission adopted the amendments to the EC regulation 874/2004, which lays down the public policy rules concerning the implementation and function of the .eu TLD. http://www.eurid.eu/en/content/ec-adopts-idn-amendments-eu-regulation '.eu' internet domain to be available also in Cyrillic and Greek alphabets [news release] Speakers of Bulgarian and Greek will soon be able to have .eu websites in their own languages. The European Commission today adopted new EU rules to make it possible for internet users and businesses to register domain names under .eu using the characters of all the 23 official languages of the European Union, now including Cyrillic and Greek scripts. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1044 http://euroalert.net/en/news.aspx?idn=8896 .Eu Web addresses can be written in Cyrillic, Greek letters [IDG] The .eu TLD (top-level domain name) for Web sites allows non-ASCII characters in its Web addresses, after it opened up the TLD to addresses written in Cyrillic and Greek letters, the European Commission said Friday. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062609-eu-web-addresses-can-be.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/167457/.html We?ll be able to register www.????????.eu soon Websites addresses ending with .eu could pretty soon be written in Cyrillic, Trud Daily reports. The European Commission (EC) is expected to adopt regulations, allowing domains of this type to be written in one of the 23 official languages of the EU. Greece and Cyprus will also benefit from the new rule. http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n185484 Registration of domain names in Bulgarian and Greek to be made possible The European Commission (EC) announced on June 26 that it had adopted new rules for the registration of .eu domain names, which would make it possible to use the characters of all 23 official languages of the European Union. http://www.sofiaecho.com/2009/06/27/745315_registration-of-domain-names-in-bulgarian-and-greek-to-be-made-possible Wolfgang Puck Wants to Serve .food [Corrected] If celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck has his way, anyone wanting to end a Web address with ?.food? will have to go through him and his partners. http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2009/06/23/wolfgang-puck-wants-to-own-food/ Wolfgang Puck's .food Domain Name Money Grab Wolfgang Puck is in Australia lobbying ICANN (the Internet Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers) to register ".food" as a new TLD (top-level domain) ? think websites addresses like "www.wolfgangpuck.food". http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/06/wolfgang-pucks-food-domain-name-money-grab-the-internet/ uk: Voting starts in non-executive director election We are pleased to announce that voting papers for our non-executive director election, together with a letter from our Chairman, have been posted or emailed to members. In addition we have also sent a reminder about attending the AGM. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=6604 September sees the end of .yu domain names From September, all .yu domains will stop working, regardless of their renewal date, Google has warned. http://www.globalgold.co.uk/web-hosting-news/domains-news/september-sees-the-end-of-yu-domain-names-19236274.html ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** U.S. and Russia Differ on a Treaty for Cyberspace The United States and Russia are locked in a fundamental dispute over how to counter the growing threat of cyberwar attacks that could wreak havoc on computer systems and the Internet. Both nations agree that cyberspace is an emerging battleground. http://nytimes.com/2009/06/28/world/28cyber.html The war of the cyberworlds is coming, and we'd better be ready Last Wednesday, the American secretary of defence, Robert Gates, announced the US was finally getting its act together on cyberwarfare. After a couple of false starts and a good deal of bureaucratic infighting, the Pentagon is setting up a unified US Cyber Command to oversee protection of military networks against cyber threats. It will be called USCybercom and will be led by the director of the National Security Agency, Lt Gen Keith Alexander. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jun/28/cyber-warfare-internet-attacks Cyber Command creation leaves key details to be addressed Defense Secretary Robert Gates' memo Tuesday creating a Cyber Command sets high-level policy goals, but leaves key budget and operational issues to be worked out in the coming months. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090624_6400.php Al-Qaeda, China and Russia 'pose cyber war threat to Britain', warns Lord West Al-Qaeda is intent on waging cyber-warfare against Britain and new defences will be built against such attacks from China and Russia, Lord West, the Security Minister, has said. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/5634820/Al-Qaeda-China-and-Russia-pose-cyber-war-threat-to-Britain-warns-Lord-West.html GCHQ to get cyber defence squad to protect British computers The ?cyber forensics? squad will monitor, analyse and counter hostile computer-based assaults. Based at GCHQ, the Government?s communications network at Cheltenham, the Cyber Security Operations Centre is part of a new government strategy on cyber security. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article6575522.ece British intelligence agencies to step up security over cyber-attack threats Intelligence agencies led by GCHQ, the government's electronic spy centre, are to step up operations against a growing threat of cyber-attacks, the government announced today as part of an updated "national security strategy". http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jun/25/cyber-crime-hacking-gchq-security COMMENT: Cyber armies are gearing up in the cold war of the web A major online attack could bring a country to its knees. Nato's hawks back a strategy that threatens cybergeddon http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/25/cybercrime-nato-cold-war Network Shutdown Bill Faces Changes, Aide Says A bill in the U.S. Senate that would allow President Barack Obama to shut down parts of the Internet during a cybersecurity crisis will likely be rewritten and needs input from private businesses, said a congressional staff member associated with the legislation. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/167474/.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062609-network-shutdown-bill-faces-changes.html Security Experts Visualize Botnets With an Eye Toward Defense Not all botnets are organized in the same way. That's the conclusion of a report from Damballa which seeks to categorize the dominate structures. It attempts to explain why certain types of blocking and filtering will work against some botnets, and not for others. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/blogs/bizfeed/167492/.html ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Registrars under fire in domain disputes Sarah Deutsche is on a crusade against cybersquatters. As vice president and associate general counsel at Verizon Communications Inc., she has sued many businesses involved in the illicit activity. Along the way she has recovered thousands of domain names that play off of Verizon's brands. But what really irritates her, she says, is who the perpetrators are. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9134610 http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062509-registrars-under-fire-in-domain.html http://www.infoworld.com/t/e-commerce/registrars-under-fire-in-domain-disputes-011 Domain-name Wars: Rise of the Cybersquatters When the Web site FreeLegoPorn.com began publishing pornographic images created with Lego toys, trademark owner Lego Juris AS, which sells the popular plastic building blocks for children, acted quickly. "The content available on the site consisted of animated mini-figures doing very explicit things. We were not amused," says Peter Kjaer, an attorney for Billund, Denmark-based Lego. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9134605 http://www.pcworld.com/article/167347/.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062509-domain-name-wars-rise-of-the.html Image gallery: Spotting the cybersquatters Not all of the sites shown here have been judged to be cybersquatting sites -- but they fit the profile. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9134658 7 Ways to Protect Your Brand From Cybersquatters Cybersquatters are siphoning away increasing numbers of users from the Web sites of businesses large and small. Using variations on trademarked names, cybersquatters may lure prospective customers to pornographic Web sites, malware sites, sites hawking counterfeit goods, or pay-per-click advertising sites, some of which lead viewers to competitors' products and services. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9134654 http://www.cio.com/article/495878/_Ways_to_Protect_Your_Brand_From_Cybersquatters http://www.infoworld.com/t/e-commerce/7-ways-protect-your-brand-cybersquatters-012 Crushing cybersquatters - fighting those who abuse your brand online Cybersquatting sites can damage a company's brand reputation and result in substantial business losses. And the most popular brands are their victims. Here are some effective steps companies have taken to defend themselves. http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/home/News.asp?id=53682 ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** IPv6: Taking the right steps Although he acknowledges businesses have yet to embrace IPv6, security guru, Scott Hogg, says that doesn?t mean IT executives can ignore the security problems that the next generation Internet protocol can present. http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/309177/ ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Three of the Year's Four Biggest ccTLD Sales (Including a New #1) Headline a Solid Week of Domain Sales ... Leading the charge is a new 2009 country code king of the hill, Spel.se ("games" in Swedish), a name that changed hands for a whopping ?190,000 ($266,000) at Sedo.com. A knowledgeable Swedish domainer told me this is the biggest sale ever publicly reported for a .se domain (Sweden's country code). http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2009/06-23-09.htm Coming Out Party for Country Code Domains: ccTLDs Get Their Turn on Center Stage Everything about the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. ccTLDs conference in Amsterdam June 1-4 was fresh - fresh faces, fresh content and a fresh venue. As closely as I have followed this industry for the past seven years there was still a lot about ccTLDs that I didn't know. So, like everyone else who made the trip to the Netherlands, I got a valuable education and came back with a much greater appreciation for the mind share country codes have among Internet users outside the U.S. (a group that is growing much faster than the user base in the mature American market). http://dnjournal.com/cover/2009/june.htm ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Web slows after Jackson's death The internet suffered a number of slowdowns as people the world over rushed to verify accounts of Michael Jackson's death. Search giant Google confirmed to the BBC that when the news first broke it feared it was under attack. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8120324.stm Web struggles to cope as Michael Jackson news spreads The death of Michael Jackson became the biggest story yet to hit the internet, as leading websites struggled to cope with a deluge of traffic from people wanting to find out the latest news. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article6582885.ece Jackson queries cause Google meltdown [AFP] A deluge of search queries for Michael Jackson led Google News, the news aggregator of web search engine Google, to initially believe it was under attack, the internet giant said. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/jackson-queries-cause-google-meltdown-20090627-d06w.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/jackson-queries-cause-google-meltdown-20090627-d06w.html News sites faltered in traffic spikes after Jackson's death [IDG] Michael Jackson's death on Thursday caused a spike in visits to news Web sites that affected the performance and availability of some of the biggest ones, according to Web monitoring company Keynote Systems. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9134889 Debate: Can the Internet handle big breaking news? It happens time and time again: when news breaks, the Internet slows. It's quite obvious at this point that the Internet has muscled its way into the lives of anyone who needs information. And Michael Jackson's death Thursday had as great an impact on the Internet as anything in the history of the medium that didn't involve the World Trade Center. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10273854-93.html Twitter breaks into web Top 40 as UK's fastest growing website Twitter is the UK?s fastest growing website, breaking into the top 40 most visited sites in Britain for the first time. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article6575477.ece Bild.de is Germany?s Most Popular Online Newspaper With Nearly 5 Million Visitors in April 2009 comScore ... released a study of the habits of online newspaper readers in Germany, based on data from the comScore World Metrix audience measurement service. 12.9 million German Internet users viewed a total of 611 million pages of online newspaper content in April 2009, averaging 47 pages per person. http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2009/6/Germany_s_Most_Popular_Online_Newspaper ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** nz: Social networks can expose the human side of govt ?Trust? has been the mantra for the relationship between New Zealanders and their government. ... A social network, properly implemented can lead to a new more flexible and trusting style of interaction, both among the people within a government agency and between the agency and its customer base, Vale suggests. Government staff become less ?faceless?. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/0A0283319B49C7B9CC2575E1007FB4A9 EU privacy regulators eye online social networks Tagging photos on social networking websites may soon become an ordeal for aficionados of Facebook, MySpace and the like, as EU privacy regulators recommended imposing strict rules on users uploading pictures of other individuals on their personal pages. http://euractiv.com/en/infosociety/eu-privacy-regulators-eye-online-social-networks/article-183486 ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Developing Countries at Risk From Dumped PCs Developing countries are risk of becoming a dumping ground for e-waste unless there are effective controls in place to stop Western countries from "passing the toxic buck." http://www.techworld.com/green-it/news/index.cfm?newsid=118029 http://www.pcworld.com/article/167512/.html ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ 80% of parents don't turn on parental control software Four out of five parents that use parental control software don't turn it on, despite being concerned about their children's online safety, says McAfee. http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=117952 http://www.pcworld.com/article/167514/.html Cyberbullying Legislation: Why Education is Preferable to Regulation Abstract: Cyberbullying is a rising online safety concern. Compared to previous fears about online predation, which have been greatly overblown, concerns about cyberbullying are more well-founded. Evidence suggests that cyberbullying is on the rise and can have profoundly damaging consequences for children. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1422577 The sexting timebomb A girl, 16, wakes after a drunken night at a party. She is naked on a strange bed and written in Texta on her stomach are the words: "Soon to be seen on (Yo)u-tube". She has no memory of the night before and the incident, which happened in Melbourne last year, has terrified the teenager who lives in fear of what photos or video might appear at any time. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25699559-662,00.html au: Web filters to censor video games The Federal Government has now set its sights on gamers, promising to use its internet censorship regime to block websites hosting and selling video games that are not suitable for 15 year olds. http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/games/web-filters-to-censor-video-games-20090625-cxrx.html http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/games/web-filters-to-censor-video-games-20090625-cxrx.html Classification stall puts gamers on edge The release date of a government discussion paper on content classification could create a watershed for Australian gamers who are set to suffer under the national Internet filtering scheme. http://computerworld.com.au/article/309045/ http://www.cio.com.au/article/309045/ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062609-classification-stall-puts-gamers-on.html Plan to censor online video games The Australian Federal Government has turned the eye of its proposed ISP web filter towards a current classification loophole, online video games and their import sites. http://www.itwire.com/content/view/25935/1092/ Aussie Web filter to cover games content Australian federal government planning to block Web sites offering or selling banned games. http://au.gamespot.com/news/6212530.html?part=tag=gs_news&subj=6212530 Australian 'Net filter to block video games, too Australia's controversial Internet filter, now in testing, would block all material that has been "refused classification" by the government. Because the highest rating available to video games is MA 15+, any game intended for people over 15 will be blocked. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/06/australian-net-filter-to-block-video-games-too.ars Report: Australia To Block Web Access To Mature-Deemed Games The Australian federal government plans to block internet access to sites pertaining to video games not rated MA15+ or below, according to a report by Melbourne's The Age. http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24215 us: Survey: Teens "sext" and post personal info An Internet safety study just released by Cox Communications shows that teens may be a bit more safety conscious than previously thought. http://news.cnet.com/8301-19518_3-10272311-238.html http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/24/scitech/pcanswer/main5111304.shtml Australia Set to Begin Filtering Online Games Australia plans to filter internet sites offering games and online gaming content that exceed the MA15+ age rating, including downloadable and Flash games as well as sites that sell retail games online. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/92669 Free parental control software for games launched Gaming service Metaboli has unveiled free parental control software that can help parents ensure children don't play games featuring inappropriate content. http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=118048& http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062509-free-parental-control-software-for.html Teens and sexting According to CNN news, one in five teenagers has sexted. Sexting is sending a sexual text message that may or may not include nude or suggestive poses. According to a recent study at least 65% of kids practice sexting. Sixty percent of these teens send sext messages to boyfriends or girlfriends. Another 11% admit to having sent sext messages to strangers. Why is this happening and can we stop this madness? http://www.examiner.com/x-10937-Miami-Parenting-Teens-Examiner~y2009m6d24-Teens-and-sexting ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Pirate Bay retrial denied; judge declared "unbiased" A Swedish court ruled today that the judge overseeing The Pirate Bay trial earlier this year was not biased by belonging to various pro-copyright organizations. The unanimous decision (Swedish) means that there will be no retrial; the defendants must hope for a successful appeal instead. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/06/pirate-bay-retrial-denied-judge-declared-unbiased.ars Pirate Bay retrial call rejected A Swedish court has thrown out a request for a retrial by the four men behind The Pirate Bay website. The four were found guilty of promoting copyright infringement in April and face jail sentences and hefty claims for damages. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8121680.stm Movie pirates funding terrorists Rampant movie piracy is costing the Australian film industry more than $233 million a year and affects at least 50,000 workers. Many people who download films from illegal file-sharing websites believe the practice is a victimless crime. http://www.smh.com.au/national/movie-pirates-funding-terrorists-20090627-d0gm.html http://www.theage.com.au/national/movie-pirates-funding-terrorists-20090627-d0gm.html French Govt Reworks 'Three-Strikes' Law The "three-strikes" saga continues in France following the Constitutional Council's recent decision canceling the sanction side of the bill (Billboard.biz, June 10), with the government attempting to find a way around the legal ruling. http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3ied6fab8616f8c1a1c127e7fb5c29205f ********************** SPAM ********************** Michael Jackson spam spreads, malware attacks likely Within hours of the death of pop star Michael Jackson, spam trading on his demise hit inboxes, a security firm said today as it warned that more was in the offing. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9134895 http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062609-michael-jackson-spam-spreads-malware.html Celebrity deaths touch off spam frenzy Security experts are warning users to brace for a flood of spam regarding the deaths of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2244952/celebrity-deaths-touch-spam Sophos warns of Michael Jackson spam emails Hackers are using Michael Jackson's death to try and trick people into disclosing personal details, says Sophos. http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=118132 http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062609-sophos-warns-of-michael-jackson.html http://computerworld.com.au/article/309082/ Michael Jackson Death Spurs Spam, Viruses Less than 24 hours after Michael Jackson's death, fraudsters are exploiting public interest with their attempts to spread spam and malware. Security researchers say they've observed hundreds of cases of malicious messages masquerading as information about Jackson's death. Some of them, they say, popped up within minutes of the news. http://www.pcworld.com/article/167479/.html Jackson, Fawcett deaths exploited for Web scams The cybersecurity arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warned on Friday that Web scammers were seeking to take advantage of the deaths of Michael Jackson and Farah Fawcett. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/jackson-fawcett-deaths-exploited-for-web-scams-20090627-d03z.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/jackson-fawcett-deaths-exploited-for-web-scams-20090627-d03z.html China Remains Spam Haven Due to 'bulletproof' Hosting [IDG] An overwhelming majority of Web sites promoted through spam are hosted in China at service providers that many times choose to ignore complaints and allow illegal activity, according to research from the University of Alabama. http://www.pcworld.com/article/167452/.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062609-china-remains-spam-haven-due.html Booming Underground Economy Makes Spam A Hot Commodity, Expert Says The rapid growth of cybercrime markets is making spam an even more attractive proposition than it has been in the past, according to a well-known researcher. http://www.darkreading.com/security/antivirus/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=218101457 ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Network Shutdown Bill Faces Changes, Aide Says A bill in the U.S. Senate that would allow President Barack Obama to shut down parts of the Internet during a cybersecurity crisis will likely be rewritten and needs input from private businesses, said a congressional staff member associated with the legislation. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/167474/.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062609-network-shutdown-bill-faces-changes.html U.S. and Russia Differ on a Treaty for Cyberspace The United States and Russia are locked in a fundamental dispute over how to counter the growing threat of cyberwar attacks that could wreak havoc on computer systems and the Internet. Both nations agree that cyberspace is an emerging battleground. http://nytimes.com/2009/06/28/world/28cyber.html The war of the cyberworlds is coming, and we'd better be ready Last Wednesday, the American secretary of defence, Robert Gates, announced the US was finally getting its act together on cyberwarfare. After a couple of false starts and a good deal of bureaucratic infighting, the Pentagon is setting up a unified US Cyber Command to oversee protection of military networks against cyber threats. It will be called USCybercom and will be led by the director of the National Security Agency, Lt Gen Keith Alexander. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jun/28/cyber-warfare-internet-attacks Cyber Command creation leaves key details to be addressed Defense Secretary Robert Gates' memo Tuesday creating a Cyber Command sets high-level policy goals, but leaves key budget and operational issues to be worked out in the coming months. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090624_6400.php Al-Qaeda, China and Russia 'pose cyber war threat to Britain', warns Lord West Al-Qaeda is intent on waging cyber-warfare against Britain and new defences will be built against such attacks from China and Russia, Lord West, the Security Minister, has said. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/5634820/Al-Qaeda-China-and-Russia-pose-cyber-war-threat-to-Britain-warns-Lord-West.html GCHQ to get cyber defence squad to protect British computers The ?cyber forensics? squad will monitor, analyse and counter hostile computer-based assaults. Based at GCHQ, the Government?s communications network at Cheltenham, the Cyber Security Operations Centre is part of a new government strategy on cyber security. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article6575522.ece British intelligence agencies to step up security over cyber-attack threats Intelligence agencies led by GCHQ, the government's electronic spy centre, are to step up operations against a growing threat of cyber-attacks, the government announced today as part of an updated "national security strategy". http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jun/25/cyber-crime-hacking-gchq-security COMMENT: Cyber armies are gearing up in the cold war of the web A major online attack could bring a country to its knees. Nato's hawks back a strategy that threatens cybergeddon http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/25/cybercrime-nato-cold-war U.K. Hires Hackers to Secure Cyberspace Britain is hiring former computer hackers to join a new security unit aimed at protecting cyberspace from foreign spies, thieves and terrorists, the country's terrorism minister said. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124592308973152825.html Net nasties caught in AUSTRAC web Online dating scams, auction website rip-offs, drug trafficking, tax evasion, illegal immigrants and large-scale identity fraud are among a raft of crimes detected during routine anti-money laundering monitoring over the past year. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25689374-15306,00.html Microsoft Debuts Free Antivirus Software Beta Microsoft on Tuesday released a beta version of its new free anti-virus offering, Microsoft Security Essentials (a.k.a "Morro"). My review, in short: the program is a fast, easy to use and unobtrusive new addition to the stable of free anti-virus options available today. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/06/microsoft_debuts_free_antiviru.html To track a threat: Inside the FBI Internet Tip Line [news release] Tip number 2136079 flashed on one of our Submit a Crime Tip computer screens January 12, 2009, eight days before the inauguration of Barack Obama: ?I?m going to assassinate the new president of the United States of America,? the message said in all capital letters, followed by hundreds of exclamation marks. And there was a P.S.: ?YOU HAVE 48 HOURS TO STOP IT FROM HAPPENING?.? http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june09/tips_062609.html ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Facebook puts privacy controls in users' hands Facebook Inc. yesterday moved to give its users more control over who can see their postings on the site. The social networking powerhouse launched a beta version of its updated Facebook Publisher tool, which adds a privacy control feature designed to let users pick and choose who can see their posts. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9134824 http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/308976/ Facebook hires lobbyists to push privacy agenda Facebook is hiring lobbyists to push its agenda on internet privacy and data sharing in Brussels and Washington, as the social networking site attempts to increase its influence with authorities around the world. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jun/26/facebook-lobby-privacy ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** China's internet censors: Dammed if you do The internet is full of stuff of which China?s government disapproves. Yet there are 300m Chinese internet-users. Keeping the two apart has embroiled the Chinese authorities in a long cat-and-mouse struggle. Service-providers and internet caf?s are closely supervised, and a wide array of filtering mechanisms already overlays the national internet architecture. A fresh initiative goes one step further. From July 1st every personal computer sold in China will have to come with new filtering software called Green Dam Youth Escort. http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13917484 China's Internet filter rules draw WTO complaints Countries at the World Trade Organisation complained on Friday about China's proposed Internet filter rules which the United States deemed "draconian" and the European Union urged it to scrap. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE55P4K720090627 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-40631020090626 Companies Appeal to China to Drop Web Filter Plan [AP] Global business groups have made an unusual direct appeal to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to scrap an order for PC makers to supply controversial Internet filtering software, citing security and privacy concerns. http://nytimes.com/aponline/2009/06/27/business/AP-AS-China-Internet.html Big Business Groups Complain to China's Premier An international group of business associations that includes most of the world's major technology companies submitted a letter to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao urging the government to scrap a requirement that personal computers come with Internet-filtering software. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124599434995459155.html China Expands Clampdown Online The Chinese Health Ministry ordered sharp restrictions Thursday on Internet access to medical research papers on sexual subjects, the latest move in what it calls an anti-pornography campaign that many China experts see as a harbinger of a broader crackdown on freedom of expression and dissent. http://nytimes.com/2009/06/26/world/asia/26china.html U.S. Trade Officials Urge China to Revoke PC Rule U.S. trade officials called on China to revoke an order for personal computers to be shipped with Web-filtering software, the highest-level U.S. complaint yet against the rule, as the two superpowers spar over a host of trade and security issues. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124584251393346953.html U.S. Objects to China's Web Filtering The Obama administration lodged a formal protest on Wednesday with the Chinese government over its plan to force all computers sold in China to come with software that blocks access to certain Web sites. http://nytimes.com/2009/06/25/world/asia/25censor.html Report: Threats made to maker of China filtering [AP] The Chinese manufacturer of Internet-filtering software that must be distributed with all new computers next week has received death threats, state media said Wednesday. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/06/24/financial/f075348D03.DTL Google chief: Iran can't control the net The Google chief executive, Eric Schmidt, said today that he hopes that clips of the Iranian election protests posted on YouTube, allowing people in other countries to keep up with developments despite the government's media censorship, have helped to lessen the retribution meted out by the authorities. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jun/26/google-iran-eric-schmidt U.S. Senators Push Digital Code of Conduct In the wake of the disputed Iranian election, American Internet companies including Facebook and Twitter have given Iranians an avenue to voice their opinions and to break through the wall of censorship their embattled government has built around the country's traditional media. Now those companies --or others aspiring to help--may be given a boost from Uncle Sam. http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/25/digital-code-iran-technology-business-mccain.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Australian broadband law may hit utility companies Energy, telecommunications and water companies could be forced to hand over confidential information to the Federal Government under the first piece of legislation in the national broadband network process. http://business.theage.com.au/business/broadband-law-may-hit-utility-companies-20090626-d014.html http://business.smh.com.au/business/broadband-rules-revised-20090626-czty.html US Senators Target Iran With Tech Bills Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will soon introduce legislation to sanction any company that sells sensitive technology aiding the Iranian regime in monitoring or blocking the Internet connections or cellular phone conversations of protesters. The bill, which will be filed in the coming days, would require the Obama administration to identify foreign firms that export certain equipment to Iran and those companies would be barred from applying for contracts with the U.S. government, or renewing expiring ones, unless they first terminated those exports. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/06/senators-target-iran-with-tech.php ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* The greening of tech packaging Before Microsoft announced Windows 7 pricing, the company detailed earlier this week how it plans to package the operating system. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10273088-17.html ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** ACMA: Who says Aussie comms services are bad? Most Australians are satisfied with their communications services, said the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). http://www.crn.com.au/News/148628,acma-who-says-aussie-comms-services-are-bad.aspx ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN ********************************** Tennessee man charged in 'virtual pornography' case A Tennessee man is facing charges of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor for what authorities say are three pictures -- none of them featuring an actual child's body. http://edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/24/virtual.child.porn/ Man found with millions of child porn images [AFP] A Canadian suspected of heading a North American paedophilia ring has been arrested in Mexico in possession of four million photographs and videos of children shown naked or striking suggestive poses. http://www.smh.com.au/world/man-found-with-millions-of-child-porn-images-20090627-d07v.html au: Five charged over internet child porn [AAP] Five men have been charged with child pornography related offences following raids in central Queensland. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/five-charged-over-internet-child-porn-20090626-czow.html Greece arrests 20 for online child pornography Police have arrested 20 people suspected of spreading child pornography via the internet, authorities announced on Wednesday (June 24th). http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/06/25/nb-08 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2009 --------- David Goldstein email: goldstein_david§yahoo.com.au web: http://davidgoldstein.tel/ http://goldsteinreport.com/ phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 5773 - office/home 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 ____________________________________________________________________________________ Access Yahoo!7 Mail on your mobile. Anytime. Anywhere. Show me how: http://au.mobile.yahoo.com/mailReceived on Sun Jun 28 2009 - 13:14:23 UTC
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