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The domain name news is supported by auDA

 

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China seeks to export its vision of the Internet

< <http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/china-seeks-to-export-its-vision-of-the-internet/article22269080/> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/china-seeks-to-export-its-vision-of-the-internet/article22269080/>

 

Editorial: Protect the Internet: Keep the contract with ICANN

< <http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/protect-the-internet-keep-the-contract-with-icann/2015/01/04/b1ff61c2-7bff-11e4-9a27-6fdbc612bff8_story.html> http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/protect-the-internet-keep-the-contract-with-icann/2015/01/04/b1ff61c2-7bff-11e4-9a27-6fdbc612bff8_story.html>

 

Internet governance group pushes on without, er, internet organizations

< <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/24/internet_governance_group_pushes_forward_without_internet_organizations/> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/24/internet_governance_group_pushes_forward_without_internet_organizations/>

 

Internet community split on who should run IANA

< <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/24/internet_community_split_on_who_should_run_iana/> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/24/internet_community_split_on_who_should_run_iana/>

 

Internet Governance Outlook 2015: Two Processes, Many Venues, Four Baskets by Wolfgang Kleinw?chter

< <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150103_internet_governance_outlook_2015_2_processes_many_venues_4_baskets/> http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150103_internet_governance_outlook_2015_2_processes_many_venues_4_baskets/>

 

ICANN's technical competence queried by Verisign report

< <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/24/icanns_technical_competence_questioned_by_verisign/> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/24/icanns_technical_competence_questioned_by_verisign/>

 

.uk suspension problems worse than I thought

< <http://domainincite.com/17818-uk-suspension-problems-worse-than-i-thought> http://domainincite.com/17818-uk-suspension-problems-worse-than-i-thought>

 

Are Existing gTLD Registrations Suffering From New gTLDs?

< <http://www.domainpulse.com/2015/01/02/gtld-registrations-suffering-from-new-gtlds/> http://www.domainpulse.com/2015/01/02/gtld-registrations-suffering-from-new-gtlds/>

 

New Year?s Expert Roundup : What?s in the DNA of a successful gTLD?

< <http://blog.europeandomaincentre.com/new-years-expert-roundup-whats-in-the-dna-of-a-successful-gtld/> http://blog.europeandomaincentre.com/new-years-expert-roundup-whats-in-the-dna-of-a-successful-gtld/>

 

Search-Driven Microsites in Brand gTLDs ? Top Trend for 2015 by Jennifer Wolfe

< <http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2387456/search-driven-microsites-in-brand-gtlds-top-trend-for-2015> http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2387456/search-driven-microsites-in-brand-gtlds-top-trend-for-2015>

 

Civil Society Cautions Against ICANN Proposal to Give Governments a Veto Over New Domains Using ?Geographic Names?

< <http://ipjustice.org/wp/2014/12/31/civil-society-cautions-against-icann-proposal-to-give-governments-a-veto-over-new-domains-using-geographic-names/> http://ipjustice.org/wp/2014/12/31/civil-society-cautions-against-icann-proposal-to-give-governments-a-veto-over-new-domains-using-geographic-names/>

 

What?s Really New in the New gTLD Space?

< <http://blogs.verisigninc.com/blog/entry/what_s_really_new_in> http://blogs.verisigninc.com/blog/entry/what_s_really_new_in>

 

jp: Major firms to use names as website domain suffixes

< <http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001834570> http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001834570>

 

.Melbourne Domains Are Pretty Popular Already

< <http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/12/melbourne-domains-are-pretty-popular-already/> http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/12/melbourne-domains-are-pretty-popular-already/>

 

 

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REPORTS & RESEARCH PAPERS

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Defining Domain: Higher Education's Battles for Cyberspace by Jacob H. Rooksby [Brooklyn Law Review / Duquesne University School of Law Research Paper]

Abstract: Internet domain names in the .EDU extension are special because not just anyone can own one. Given higher education?s unique purpose and historical detachment from the market, early architects of the Internet deemed it important for colleges and universities to have their own online space, reflected in a domain-name extension that could at once convey authenticity and legitimacy. That space was the .EDU.

< <http://ssrn.com/abstract=2542255> http://ssrn.com/abstract=2542255>

 

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GOVERNANCE

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China seeks to export its vision of the Internet

It has been the strangest kind of charm offensive. China, the country that perfected breaking the Internet, has of late been on a campaign to convince the rest of the world that its approach to digital networks is worth spreading. It?s an effort led by Lu Wei, the man whose chief responsibilities include overseeing the Great Firewall of China, whose heavy veil of censorship is responsible for the damage China has done to the Internet inside its borders.

< <http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/china-seeks-to-export-its-vision-of-the-internet/article22269080/> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/china-seeks-to-export-its-vision-of-the-internet/article22269080/>

 

Editorial: Protect the Internet: Keep the contract with ICANN

LAST MONTH, China hosted the first World Internet Conference and gave everyone reason to worry. At the last minute, Chinese officials tried to ram through a declaration calling for governments to exert greater control over the fastest and freest communications tool the world has ever seen, using the chilling concept of ?Internet sovereignty? to justify it. Russia, meanwhile, has crushed its most prominent Internet entrepreneur ? Pavel Durov, the founder of a major Facebook-like application ? after he refused to cooperate with the Kremlin.

< <http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/protect-the-internet-keep-the-contract-with-icann/2015/01/04/b1ff61c2-7bff-11e4-9a27-6fdbc612bff8_story.html> http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/protect-the-internet-keep-the-contract-with-icann/2015/01/04/b1ff61c2-7bff-11e4-9a27-6fdbc612bff8_story.html>

 

Internet governance group pushes on without, er, internet organizations

The controversial internet governance group NetMundial has rejected calls to delay the creation of its "coordination council" ? and launched without the support of the technical community nor the International Chamber of Commerce.

< <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/24/internet_governance_group_pushes_forward_without_internet_organizations/> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/24/internet_governance_group_pushes_forward_without_internet_organizations/>

 

Internet community split on who should run IANA

The internet community is split when it comes to who should be given the right to run the critical IANA functions. ... It is also telling who sits on the sides of the divide. Opposing the independent contracting party is the ICANN Board, Google and AuDA, the Australian domain administration.

< <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/24/internet_community_split_on_who_should_run_iana/> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/24/internet_community_split_on_who_should_run_iana/>

 

Internet Governance Outlook 2015: Two Processes, Many Venues, Four Baskets by Wolfgang Kleinw?chter

2015 has just started, but the calendar of events related to Internet Governance is already fully packed until the end of the year. The list of issues under discussion gets longer and longer and more and more people expect concrete results from the numerous meetings. Whether we will see the next stumbling step forward on the long march through the Internet Governance Ecosystem will depend to a high degree from the outcomes of two different, but interrelated processes which will overshadow the Internet discussion in 2015.

< <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150103_internet_governance_outlook_2015_2_processes_many_venues_4_baskets/> http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150103_internet_governance_outlook_2015_2_processes_many_venues_4_baskets/>

 

Happy New Year, Happy New IANA by Milton Mueller

As the new year dawns a new IANA is emerging, but the outlines are still blurry. IGP has reviewed all the public comments submitted in response to the CWG?s draft proposal. The results can be seen directly here. Two-thirds (67%) of the comments directly addressing the issue supported the core ideas behind the draft: that the IANA functions operator should be separable from ICANN, and that there should be an external oversight entity with the authority to award the IANA functions contract on a periodic basis, just as the NTIA did before. But there were many concerns raised about the details of the proposal, especially the composition of the so-called Multistakeholder Review Team (MRT) and the jurisdiction of the contracting entity.

< <http://www.internetgovernance.org/2015/01/01/happy-new-year-happy-new-iana/> http://www.internetgovernance.org/2015/01/01/happy-new-year-happy-new-iana/>

 

The Top Five Cyber Policy Developments of 2014: The IANA Transition

Over the past few days, Net Politics has been examining the top five developments in cyber policy of 2014. Each cyber policy event has its own post, explaining what happened, what it all means, and its impact on cyber policy for 2015. In this post, the IANA transition.

< <http://blogs.cfr.org/cyber/2015/01/06/the-top-five-cyber-policy-developments-of-2014-the-iana-transition/> http://blogs.cfr.org/cyber/2015/01/06/the-top-five-cyber-policy-developments-of-2014-the-iana-transition/>

 

Haste Makes Waste: Comments on ICANN CWG IANA Transition Proposal Indicate Serious Process Problems by Philip S. Corwin

On December 1, 2014 the Cross Community Working Group (CWG) on Naming Related Functions published a Draft Transition Proposal. The comment period on the Proposal extended for twenty-one days; due to a requirement imposed by the separate IANA Coordination Group (ICG) that a final proposal be received by mid-January, there was no provision for a follow-up reply comment period as is standard ICANN Practice for issues of far less consequence.

< <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150105_haste_makes_waste_icann_on_cwg_iana_transition_proposal_problems/> http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150105_haste_makes_waste_icann_on_cwg_iana_transition_proposal_problems/>

 

CENTR Board Statement on Draft IANA Transition Proposal

The CENTR Board of Directors has submitted a statement in response to the public consultation on the Draft Transiton Proposal by the Cros Community Working Group on Naming Related Functions.

< <https://centr.org/news/iana/12-23-2014/centr-board-statement-draft-iana-transition-proposal> https://centr.org/news/iana/12-23-2014/centr-board-statement-draft-iana-transition-proposal>

 

Congress Will Oversight ICANN: And You Can Take That to the Bank by Sophia Bekele

Even though ICANN plays a very important role in the global Internet ecosystem, its activities are not frequently mentioned in the mainstream international media; that is, until ICANN's name is mentioned alongside that of the US Congress in a US$1.1 trillion Omnibus spending bill. Since the bill was passed by the House of Representatives, the issue of ICANN has assumed a certain topicality and has attracted commentary from many pundits.

< <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150105_congress_will_oversight_icann_and_you_can_take_that_to_the_bank/> http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150105_congress_will_oversight_icann_and_you_can_take_that_to_the_bank/>

 

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DOMAIN NAMES

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- ICANN

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Upcoming Webinars - Post Contracting Process

ICANN will host a Webinar on the topic of Post Contracting Process on 15 January 2015 at 16:00 UTC. The webinar will provide an overview of milestones that will be instituted along with expected timelines to reach these milestones between the point of contract execution and delegation. There will also be a Question and Answer session.

< <http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/webinars> http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/webinars>

 

A New L-Root Instance Established with ICANN and China's ZDNS Cooperation

A new L-Root instance has been installed in China, increasing the Domain Name System's (DNS) overall fault tolerance and its resilience against certain types of cyber threats, such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

< <https://www.icann.org/resources/press-material/release-2014-12-22-en> https://www.icann.org/resources/press-material/release-2014-12-22-en>

 

Enhancing The NextGen at ICANN Program by ora Abusitta, VP Development and Public Responsibility Programs

As part of the Development and Public Responsibility Department's (DPRD) ongoing work to support the next generation of Internet users, the NextGen at ICANN program has been formalized as a staple DPRD initiative to engage regionally based undergraduate and graduate students at ICANN meetings, and introduce them to ICANN through guided programming. The NextGen at ICANN program was initially organized at ICANN 49 in Singapore with DotAsia and NetMission, and has been successfully replicated at both ICANN 50 in London and ICANN 51 in Los Angeles by our Department.

< <https://www.icann.org/news/blog/enhancing-the-nextgen-icann-program> https://www.icann.org/news/blog/enhancing-the-nextgen-icann-program>

 

ICANN's technical competence queried by Verisign report

A review of the globe's DNS security, stability and resiliency by dot-com registry and root server operator Verisign has called into question the technical competence of domain name overseer ICANN.

< <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/24/icanns_technical_competence_questioned_by_verisign/> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/24/icanns_technical_competence_questioned_by_verisign/>

 

What you need to know about IANA

A helpful video on 'What You Need to Know About IANA' brought to you by LACNIC and ICANN.

< <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk5j25nmZKY> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk5j25nmZKY>

 

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- ccTLD & gTLD NEWS

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Over 1,300 Local Domains Migrated to .bn Registry

Some one thousand and three hundred existing .bn domain names have successfully been migrated to the national .bn registry operated by Brunei Darussalam Network Information Centre Sdn Bhd (BNNIC), according to the Authority for Info-Communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI).

< <http://www.brudirect.com/0-national/national/national-local/item/15676-over-1-300-local-domains-migrated-to-bn-registry> http://www.brudirect.com/0-national/national/national-local/item/15676-over-1-300-local-domains-migrated-to-bn-registry>

 

EURid compensates its CO2 emissions in conjunction with FAPAS

During the month of December 2014, EURid teamed up with the Spanish non-profit organisation FAPAS, known for its numerous activities relating to nature conservation, in order to cap its CO2 emissions.

< <http://www.eurid.eu/en/news/dec-2014/eurid-compensates-its-co2-emissions-conjunction-fapas> http://www.eurid.eu/en/news/dec-2014/eurid-compensates-its-co2-emissions-conjunction-fapas>

 

A very special Christmas for two .eu registrants

The EURid Christmas competition drew to a close on 23 December 2014 at midnight. The morning after EURid contacted the two lucky registrants who submitted a valid competition entry, answered the first question correctly (the residents of 31 countries are eligible to register a .eu domain name: 28 EU Countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and provided (or were closest to) the exact number as a response to the tie-breaker question.

< <http://www.eurid.eu/en/news/dec-2014/very-special-christmas-two-eu-registrants> http://www.eurid.eu/en/news/dec-2014/very-special-christmas-two-eu-registrants>

 

rs: RNIDS - Annual Report for 2013

RNIDS is continuing with good practice of European national registers who publish their regular annual publications for the purpose of informing the public about their activities.

< <http://rnids.rs/en/what-s-new/rnids--annual-report-for-2013/id/5925> http://rnids.rs/en/what-s-new/rnids--annual-report-for-2013/id/5925>

 

sg: Special names for a limited period! Grab it now!

>From 2 January 2015 to 30 January 2015, a selected group of Premium Domain Names (?PDNs?) will be released for application at a base price ranging from $642 to $21,400 (including GST). If the name has multiple applications, it will be allocated to the applicant with the highest bid.

< <http://nic.net.sg/news/special-names-limited-period-grab-it-now-14> http://nic.net.sg/news/special-names-limited-period-grab-it-now-14>

 

.uk suspension problems worse than I thought

Problems validating the addresses of .uk domain registrants, which caused one registrar to dump the TLD entirely, are broader than I reported yesterday.

< <http://domainincite.com/17818-uk-suspension-problems-worse-than-i-thought> http://domainincite.com/17818-uk-suspension-problems-worse-than-i-thought>

 

Big registrar dumps .uk ? a glimpse of Christmas future?

German registrar Cronon, which retails domains under the Strato brand, has stopped carrying .uk domains due to what it says are onerous Whois validation rules.

< <http://domainincite.com/17811-big-registrar-dumps-uk-a-glimpse-of-christmas-future> http://domainincite.com/17811-big-registrar-dumps-uk-a-glimpse-of-christmas-future>

 

German Registrar Pulls .Uk Domains

STRATO Logo RGBStrato (Cronon AG), which is one of the larger German registrars, has pulled *.uk domain names from its offerings. The company made the announcement via a blog post (in German) where they outlined the reasons for their decision.

< <http://www.internetnews.me/2014/12/27/german-registrar-pulls-uk-domains/> http://www.internetnews.me/2014/12/27/german-registrar-pulls-uk-domains/>

 

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- NEW TLDS

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Are Existing gTLD Registrations Suffering From New gTLDs?

Could .net be one of a number of gTLDs suffering from the success of new gTLDs? As of 30 June 2014, Verisign noted in their Domain Name Industry Brief there were 15.2 million .net domains under management (DUM). But according to the latest figures provided by RegistrarStats, there are now 14,998,404 DUMs.

< <http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=23342> http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=23342>

< <http://www.domainpulse.com/2015/01/02/gtld-registrations-suffering-from-new-gtlds/> http://www.domainpulse.com/2015/01/02/gtld-registrations-suffering-from-new-gtlds/>

< <http://www.domainnews.com/are-existing-gtld-registrations-suffering-from-new-gtlds.html> http://www.domainnews.com/are-existing-gtld-registrations-suffering-from-new-gtlds.html>

 

New gTLDs pummel .net below 15 million domains

Verisign?s .net gTLD has had a disappointing start to 2015, as its zone file dipped below 15 million domains for the first time since achieving the milestone.

< <http://domainincite.com/17823-new-gtlds-pummel-net-below-15-million-domains> http://domainincite.com/17823-new-gtlds-pummel-net-below-15-million-domains>

 

New Year?s Expert Roundup : What?s in the DNA of a successful gTLD?

2014 was an exciting year in the domain name industry. We saw an explosion of new gTLD launches. It took 30 years to launch the first 315 TLDs. In 2014 alone 420 new extensions saw the light of day.

< <http://blog.europeandomaincentre.com/new-years-expert-roundup-whats-in-the-dna-of-a-successful-gtld/> http://blog.europeandomaincentre.com/new-years-expert-roundup-whats-in-the-dna-of-a-successful-gtld/>

 

Search-Driven Microsites in Brand gTLDs ? Top Trend for 2015 by Jennifer Wolfe

As gTLDs begin to take hold, we'll likely see brands introducing microsites before attempting to migrate their entire homepages over to the new domains.

< <http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2387456/search-driven-microsites-in-brand-gtlds-top-trend-for-2015> http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2387456/search-driven-microsites-in-brand-gtlds-top-trend-for-2015>

 

Civil Society Cautions Against ICANN Proposal to Give Governments a Veto Over New Domains Using ?Geographic Names?

A group of twenty-four civil society organizations and individuals today submitted a joint statement regarding a proposal from an ICANN GAC sub-group on the use of geographic names in TLDs. The joint civil society statement cautioned against the adoption of the GAC proposal that would give governments veto power on domains that use geographic names. The submission stated that the proposal would threaten to chill freedom of expression and other lawful rights to use words in domain names, stifle innovation, and undermine the multi-stakeholder model for Internet governance.

< <http://ipjustice.org/wp/2014/12/31/civil-society-cautions-against-icann-proposal-to-give-governments-a-veto-over-new-domains-using-geographic-names/> http://ipjustice.org/wp/2014/12/31/civil-society-cautions-against-icann-proposal-to-give-governments-a-veto-over-new-domains-using-geographic-names/>

 

What?s Really New in the New gTLD Space?

As someone who has long studied trends in the domain name industry, the opening of hundreds of new gTLDs has intrigued me for quite some time on many levels. One question I found myself pondering was: Will new gTLDs create ?new? naming trends or redundant domains across many TLDs? With more than 3 million domains delegated in the new TLD space there is now a corpus to study to answer this question.

< <http://blogs.verisigninc.com/blog/entry/what_s_really_new_in> http://blogs.verisigninc.com/blog/entry/what_s_really_new_in>

 

jp: Major firms to use names as website domain suffixes

Many major companies, such as Hitachi, Toyota and Sony, are considering using their company or brand names for their website domain suffixes, instead of ?.jp? and ?.com? this year.

< <http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001834570> http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001834570>

< <http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/major-firms-use-names-website-domain-suffixes> http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/major-firms-use-names-website-domain-suffixes>

 

An overview of ICANN?s gTLD Programme: what do sports brands need to consider to protect their brand?

How do you calculate the market potential for a sports domain such as .CRICKET, .FOOTBALL, .RUGBY, .BASKETBALL, etc? According to one of the operators of these newly launched gTLDs calculating the market potential for sports gTLDs is never easy and can be very subjective.

< <http://www.lawinsport.com/sports/item/an-overview-of-icann-s-gtld-programme-what-do-sports-brands-need-to-consider-to-protect-their-brand?category_id=152> http://www.lawinsport.com/sports/item/an-overview-of-icann-s-gtld-programme-what-do-sports-brands-need-to-consider-to-protect-their-brand?category_id=152>

 

Schilling laughing as Uniregistry beats Google to .lol

Uniregistry?s portfolio of quirky new gTLDs grew today. The company seems to have beaten Google to .lol in a private deal.

< <http://domainincite.com/17832-schilling-laughing-as-uniregistry-beats-google-to-lol> http://domainincite.com/17832-schilling-laughing-as-uniregistry-beats-google-to-lol>

 

Go Only for Big Bang gTLD Rebranding by Alex Tajirian

If you're considering rebranding under a new gTLD, go with a comprehensive big bang. A recent study by professors Dale Miller, Bill Merrilees, and Raisa Yakimova ("Corporate Rebranding: An Integrative Review of Major Enablers and Barriers to the Rebranding Process") finds that success comes when senior management makes an unweaving commitment based on proactive analyses of the entire value-chain, with buy-in and input from employees and suppliers.

< <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150105_go_only_for_big_bang_gtld_rebranding/> http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150105_go_only_for_big_bang_gtld_rebranding/>

 

2014: Here is Our Thoughts On The New gTLD Program & Some Predictions for 2015

The new gTLD's were certain the talk of the domain industry in 2014. I thought it would be a good time to take a look at where the program is in our opinion and make a few predictions for 2015.

< <http://www.thedomains.com/2015/01/05/2014-here-is-our-thoughts-on-the-new-gtld-program-some-predictions-for-2015/> http://www.thedomains.com/2015/01/05/2014-here-is-our-thoughts-on-the-new-gtld-program-some-predictions-for-2015/>

 

Time to bid.wales ? .cymru and .wales are open to everyone from today

>From today, anyone can apply for .cymru and .wales domain names. So if you?re proud about being Welsh, or the Welsh connection is important to your business, now you can celebrate that by giving your website a name that ends in .cymru or .wales. If more than one person wants to register a domain, an auction will determine who will win the registration.

< <http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/time-bidwales-?-cymru-and-wales-are-open-everyone-today> http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/time-bidwales-?-cymru-and-wales-are-open-everyone-today>

 

.paris, mainly French

The December 2014 edition of the Afnic Industry Report on Domain Names focuses on the launch of .paris and reveals the first trends of this new TLD.

< <http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/8624/show/paris-mainly-french.html> http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/8624/show/paris-mainly-french.html>

 

.Melbourne Domains Are Pretty Popular Already

The .melbourne domain name suffix launched in November, and since then there have been over 4000 applications for the city-level domain definer. Some of those registrations are inventive, to say the least.

< <http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/12/melbourne-domains-are-pretty-popular-already/> http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/12/melbourne-domains-are-pretty-popular-already/>

 

This week?s 5 new TLD launches

It?s the first full week of the new year, and that means a handful of TLD companies are releasing domain names.

< <http://domainnamewire.com/2015/01/05/this-weeks-5-new-top-level-domain-name-launches/> http://domainnamewire.com/2015/01/05/this-weeks-5-new-top-level-domain-name-launches/>

 

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- DNS SECURITY

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Bad, bad Internet news: Internet Systems Consortium site hacked

The ISC site, home to the world's most popular Domain Name System program BIND, appears to have been infected with malware.

< <http://www.zdnet.com/article/internet-systems-consortium-site-hacked/> http://www.zdnet.com/article/internet-systems-consortium-site-hacked/>

 

Internet Systems Consortium Site Redirects to Angler Exploit

The Internet Systems Consortium website is offline today after the non-profit domain name service maintainer announced its website had possibly become infected with malware.

< <https://threatpost.com/internet-systems-consortium-site-redirects-to-angler-exploit/110131> https://threatpost.com/internet-systems-consortium-site-redirects-to-angler-exploit/110131>

 

ISC.org website hacked: Scan your PC for malware if you stopped by

The website for the Internet Systems Consortium, which develops the BIND DNS and ISC DHCP tools, has been hacked.

< <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/26/isc_org_hacked/> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/26/isc_org_hacked/>

 

Multiple vulnerabilities in several DNS products

A serious DNS security vulnerability was published on Monday, December 8, 2014 by ANSSI.

< <http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/8632/show/multiple-vulnerabilities-in-several-dns-products-3.html> http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/8632/show/multiple-vulnerabilities-in-several-dns-products-3.html>

 

How DDoS Attacks Work, And Why They're So Hard To Stop

Last week, eager Christmas celebrators across the world hooked up their brand new Xboxes and PlayStations only to find that both online networks were down, leaving countless new games astotally unplayable.

< <http://www.kotaku.com.au/2014/12/how-ddos-attacks-work-and-why-theyre-so-hard-to-stop/> http://www.kotaku.com.au/2014/12/how-ddos-attacks-work-and-why-theyre-so-hard-to-stop/>

 

A Hacker's Hit List of American Infrastructure

On Friday, December 19, the FBI officially named North Korea as the party responsible for a cyber attack and email theft against Sony Pictures. The Sony hack saw many studio executives?s sensitive and embarrassing emails leaked online. The hackers threatened to attack theaters on the opening day of the offending film, The Interview, and Sony pulled the plug on the movie, effectively censoring a major Hollywood studio. (Sony partially reversed course, allowing the movie to show in 331 independent theaters on Christmas Day, and to be streamed online.)

< <http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/01/a-hackers-hit-list-of-american-infrastructure/384166/> http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/01/a-hackers-hit-list-of-american-infrastructure/384166/>

 

Spamhaus Botnet Summary 2014

As 2014 ends, Spamhaus reviews the botnet threats that it detected in the past year, and provides facts and useful suggestions for ISPs and web hosts on the front lines of the battle against cybercrime. To nobody's surprise, botnet activity appears to be increasing. The majority of detected botnets are targeted at obtaining and exploiting banking and financial information. Botnet controllers (C&Cs) are hosted disproportionately on ISPs with understaffed abuse departments, inadequate abuse policies, or inefficient abuse detection and shutdown processes. Botnet C&C domains are registered disproportionately with registrars in locations that have lax laws or inadequate enforcement against cybercrime.

< <http://www.spamhaus.org/news/article/720/spamhaus-botnet-summary-2014> http://www.spamhaus.org/news/article/720/spamhaus-botnet-summary-2014>

 

Spamhaus tells us that botnets are getting worse

The Spamhaus Project just published a long article about the botnets they've been watching during 2014. As this chart shows, we're not making any progress.

< <http://jl.ly/Internet/sh2014.html> http://jl.ly/Internet/sh2014.html>

 

Long-Running Cyberattacks Become The Norm

Many companies are so focused on the perimeter that they have little idea what's going on inside the network.

< <http://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/long-running-cyberattacks-become-the-norm/d/d-id/1318392> http://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/long-running-cyberattacks-become-the-norm/d/d-id/1318392>

 

Seven Things to Watch for in 2015

P4ssw0rds got you down? POODLEs Bashing you over the head giving you Heartbleed? Well, bad puns aside, 2014 was a rough year and you can surely expect more of the same in 2015?with a few new twists. Hackers will still chase credit card numbers and point-of-sale systems, but they?ve got their eye on health care data and you can bet on more commodity cybercrime tools showing up in APT attacks. Your best response? Encrypt everything, win with privacy?and for heaven?s sake, stop shaming victims. Here?s a look at seven things to watch in 2015:

< <http://threatpost.com/109921/109921> http://threatpost.com/109921/109921>

 

New Study May Add to Skepticism Among Security Experts That North Korea Was Behind Sony Hack

A number of private security researchers are increasingly voicing doubts that the hack of Sony?s computer systems was the work of North Korea.

< <http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/24/new-study-adds-to-skepticism-among-security-experts-that-north-korea-was-behind-sony-hack/> http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/24/new-study-adds-to-skepticism-among-security-experts-that-north-korea-was-behind-sony-hack/>

 

North Korea boosted 'cyber forces' to 6,000 troops, South says

North Korean military's "cyber army" has boosted its numbers to 6,000 troops, the South Korean Defence Ministry said on Tuesday, double Seoul's estimate for the force in 2013, and is working to cause "physical and psychological paralysis" in the South.

< <http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/01/07/uk-northkorea-southkorea-idUKKBN0KG05B20150107> http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/01/07/uk-northkorea-southkorea-idUKKBN0KG05B20150107>

< <http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/01/07/northkorea-southkorea-idINKBN0KG04D20150107> http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/01/07/northkorea-southkorea-idINKBN0KG04D20150107>

 

North Korea Accuses U.S. of Staging Internet Failure

North Korea lashed out at the United States on Saturday, blaming it for disruptions that cut off the nation?s already limited connections to the Internet, while once again rejecting American accusations that it was behind the hacking of Sony Pictures.

< <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/28/world/asia/north-korea-sony-hacking-the-interview.html> http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/28/world/asia/north-korea-sony-hacking-the-interview.html>

 

Is Kim Jong Un innocent? America was too quick to blame North Korea for the hack attack on Sony

North Korea made no secret of its delight when hackers attacked Sony Pictures Entertainment, the studio behind ?The Interview?, a film that lampoons Kim Jong Un, the world?s youngest and worst head of state. The regime?s propaganda arm crowed that a blow had been struck against the ?ill-famed cesspool of injustice? [ie, America], and added that North Korea ?highly estimates the righteous action taken by the ?Guardians of Peace? [as the hackers styled themselves], though it is not aware of their residence.?

< <http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21637402-america-was-too-quick-blame-north-korea-hack-attack-sony-kim-jong-un> http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21637402-america-was-too-quick-blame-north-korea-hack-attack-sony-kim-jong-un>

 

North Korea blames US for internet shutdown

North Korea accused the US on Saturday of being responsible for internet outages it has experienced in recent days amid a confrontation between them over the hacking of the film studio Sony Pictures.

< <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/27/north-korea-blames-us-for-internet-shutdown> http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/27/north-korea-blames-us-for-internet-shutdown>

 

Countering Cyberattacks Without a Playbook

For years now, the Obama administration has warned of the risks of a ?cyber-Pearl Harbor,? a nightmare attack that takes out America?s power grids and cellphone networks and looks like the opening battle in a full-scale digital war.

< <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/24/world/asia/countering-cyberattacks-without-a-playbook.html> http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/24/world/asia/countering-cyberattacks-without-a-playbook.html>

 

Sony Hacking Attack, First a Nuisance, Swiftly Grew Into a Firestorm

It was three days before Thanksgiving, the beginning of a quiet week for Sony Pictures. But Michael Lynton, the studio?s chief executive, was nonetheless driving his Volkswagen GTI toward Sony?s lot at 6 a.m. Final planning for corporate meetings in Tokyo was on his agenda ? at least until his cellphone rang.

< <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/31/business/media/sony-attack-first-a-nuisance-swiftly-grew-into-a-firestorm-.html> http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/31/business/media/sony-attack-first-a-nuisance-swiftly-grew-into-a-firestorm-.html>

 

Editorial: Deterring Cyberattacks From North Korea

The recent cyberattack on Sony Pictures, which the Obama administration said was committed by North Korea, shows how far the United States still has to go to deter such intrusions, despite warnings by officials and experts about cybersecurity dangers. Countless assaults on America?s computer networks by China and other foreign governments, hackers and criminals have demonstrated the urgent need for safeguards.

< <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/30/opinion/deterring-cyberattacks-from-north-korea.html> http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/30/opinion/deterring-cyberattacks-from-north-korea.html>

 

When Does a Cyberattack Warrant a Military Response?

President Obama said that the United States would ?respond proportionally? against North Korea for its cyberattack against Sony, calling it an act of ?cybervandalism.? Senator John McCain disagreed with the president, telling CNN that the hacking was ?a manifestation of a new form of warfare? and advocated for reacting ?vigorously.?

< <http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/12/23/when-does-a-cyberattack-warrant-a-military-response> http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/12/23/when-does-a-cyberattack-warrant-a-military-response>

 

Japan boosts cyberdefenses ahead of feared attack -- report

Japan is boosting its online defenses for fear of becoming the next victim of a North Korean cyberattack, according to a new report.

< <http://www.cnet.com/news/japan-boosts-cyber-defenses-ahead-of-feared-attack-report/> http://www.cnet.com/news/japan-boosts-cyber-defenses-ahead-of-feared-attack-report/>

 

Man 'linked to Lizard Squad hack' arrested over 2013-14 cyber-fraud

A 22-year-old man arrested by police investigating cyber-fraud offences in 2013-14 has been linked to the Lizard Squad hacking group thought to be behind the attacks on Sony?s PlayStation Network and Microsoft?s Xbox Live gaming services over Christmas.

< <http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jan/01/man-linked-to-lizard-squad-hack-arrested-over-2013-14-cyber-fraud> http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jan/01/man-linked-to-lizard-squad-hack-arrested-over-2013-14-cyber-fraud>

 

Proxy auto-config attacks defeat 2-factor auth, hide using country specific content

Fraudsters have been using proxy auto-config (PAC) scripts to steal online banking credentials for several years, but as with most phishing techniques, it is inevitable for these attacks to evolve and become more effective. The latest spate of PAC attacks has achieved this by using geolocation technology to evade detection and select which targets to attack.

< <http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2014/12/18/proxy-auto-config-attacks-defeat-2-factor-auth-hide-using-country-specific-content.html> http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2014/12/18/proxy-auto-config-attacks-defeat-2-factor-auth-hide-using-country-specific-content.html>

 

nz: Hackers cost TAB, frustrate punters

First it was multinational giants Sony and Microsoft - now the New Zealand TAB has come under attack by cyber hackers. ... Martin Cocker, executive director of Netsafe NZ which promotes web security, said the most lasting effect of the cyber attack was likely to be on users' confidence.

< <http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/64513129/Hackers-cost-TAB-frustrate-punters> http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/64513129/Hackers-cost-TAB-frustrate-punters>

 

**********************

- DOMAIN DISPUTES & SEIZURES

**********************

Surge in illegal sales of drugs as gangs exploit ?phenomenal market? online

The rise of social media and greater internet access through smartphones are factors behind a huge rise in illicit sales of pharmaceuticals, according to the chief enforcement official at Britain?s medicines regulator. ... In Britain, the MHRA works with internet domain registries, credit card companies, Interpol and sites such as YouTube, Amazon and eBay to identify rogue traders, take down their websites and close their accounts.

< <http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/28/drugs-medicines-sold-illegally-online-internet> http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/28/drugs-medicines-sold-illegally-online-internet>

 

Top 10 Domains Hit By Google Piracy Takedowns 2014

During 2014, copyright holders all around the globe stepped on the gas when it came to sending DMCA notices to Google. Today we take a look at the top 10 domains Google has been asked to delist from search in the past 12 months. Perhaps surprisingly they don't include a single torrent site.

< <http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-domains-hit-by-google-piracy-takedowns-2014-141230/> http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-domains-hit-by-google-piracy-takedowns-2014-141230/>

 

au: Christine Schrammek Kosmetik GmbH & Co. KG v. Advanced Laser Therapy Clinics Australia Pty Ltd - Case No. DAU2014-0034

1. The Parties: The Complainant is Christine Schrammek Kosmetik GmbH & Co. KG of Essen, Germany, represented by Spruson&Ferguson Lawyers, Australia. The Respondent is Advanced Laser Therapy Clinics Australia Pty Ltd of Earlville, Queensland, Australia, represented by Murray & Lyons, Australia. 2. The Domain Name and Registrar: The disputed domain name <greenpeel.com.au> is registered with TPP Domains Pty Ltd. dba TPP Internet.

< <http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=DAU2014-0034> http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=DAU2014-0034>

 

**********************

- IPv4/IPv6

**********************

Are Enterprises Ready for Billions of Devices to Join the Internet?

There are currently more devices connected to the Internet than there are people in the world. The Internet now connects a staggering 10 billion devices today. And this number will continue to grow, as more devices gain the ability to directly interface with the Internet or become physical representations of data accessible via Internet systems. This trend toward interactive device independence is collectively described as the Internet of Things (IoT).

< <http://www.wired.com/2014/12/enterprises-billions-of-devices-internet/> http://www.wired.com/2014/12/enterprises-billions-of-devices-internet/>

 

IPV6 Offers New Global Opportunity for Business

AIPv6 has presented a new global opportunity for business enhancement. On February 3, 2011 the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), the world governing body for IP addresses, declared an exhaustion of the global IPv4 address space. The announcement sparked an increase in demand for IPv6 addresses around the world. ISPs and large enterprises in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia dramatically accelerated efforts at transforming their networks to support both the IPv4 and IPv6 protocol stacks. Africa has not been left behind, although the pace has been a lot slower.

< <http://allafrica.com/stories/201412240265.html> http://allafrica.com/stories/201412240265.html>

 

**********************

- MISCELLANEOUS

**********************

UKIP's website restored after disappearing for several hours

"Technical" issues which caused UKIP's official website to disappear for several hours have been fixed.

< <http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-30695618> http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-30695618>

 

Ukip website down: Political party are 'aware of the problem'

Ukip's website is still down, and the problem appears to lie in Deutschland, Europe.

< <http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ukip-website-down-political-party-are-aware-of-the-problem-9959922.html> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ukip-website-down-political-party-are-aware-of-the-problem-9959922.html>

 

Afilias cancels $100m London IPO

Afilias has cancelled its planned London Stock Exchange IPO due to ?market conditions?.

< <http://domainincite.com/17831-afilias-cancels-100m-london-ipo> http://domainincite.com/17831-afilias-cancels-100m-london-ipo>

 

One company now owns almost a third of all registrars

TurnCommerce acquired another 299 registrar accreditations from ICANN over Christmas week.

< <http://domainincite.com/17807-one-company-now-owns-almost-a-third-of-all-registrars> http://domainincite.com/17807-one-company-now-owns-almost-a-third-of-all-registrars>

 

NamesCon 2015 bigger, longer and more popular

NamesCon 2015 is due to kick of in Las Vegas this coming weekend with about 50% more attendees that its inaugural outing last year.

< <http://domainincite.com/17826-namescon-2015-bigger-longer-and-more-popular> http://domainincite.com/17826-namescon-2015-bigger-longer-and-more-popular>

 

**********************

- WEBHOSTING

**********************

Netcraft: Most Reliable Hosting Company Sites in December 2014

Qube Managed Services had the most reliable hosting company website in December, with just two failed requests. London-based Qube has been in the top 10 for all but one month in 2014, and reached first place six times. Qube offers a range of managed services, including colocation, cloud hosting and dedicated servers. It has data centres in London, New York and Zurich and focuses on providing reliable and high-quality solutions to its clients.

< <http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2015/01/02/most-reliable-hosting-company-sites-in-december-2014.html> http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2015/01/02/most-reliable-hosting-company-sites-in-december-2014.html>

 

**********************

- DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET

**********************

TrafficZ Shutting down operations on Dec 31st, 2014

According to an email sent out by TrafficZ, it will cease it operations after Dec 31st, 2014, which is a relatively short notice.

< <http://www.domainnamenews.com/ppc-industry/trafficz-shutting-down-operations-on-dec-31st-2014/24173> http://www.domainnamenews.com/ppc-industry/trafficz-shutting-down-operations-on-dec-31st-2014/24173>

 

2015 Domain Sales Season Off to a Good Start - 345.com Sold for $800,000 by MostWantedDomains

The domain aftermarket staged a strong rebound in 2014 (4Q results will be released in our next newsletter but results from the first three quarters have already made a positive outcome clear). With momentum at its back, we expect (as I noted in my final post of 2014) that the aftermarket will continue its comeback in 2015 with short .coms leading the way.

< <http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2014/dailyposts/20150105.htm> http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2014/dailyposts/20150105.htm>

 

2014 in Review: Short .com domain names worth big money

.Com domain names continue to sell for big bucks. Especially the short ones.

< <http://domainnamewire.com/2015/01/05/2014-in-review-short-com-domain-names-worth-big-money/> http://domainnamewire.com/2015/01/05/2014-in-review-short-com-domain-names-worth-big-money/>

 

**********************

NEW TECHNOLOGIES

**********************

Ebooks at night won?t help you sleep tight, US study finds

Reading a light-emitting ebook before bed is bad for your health, according to a new US study. It warned that use of the devices affected both sleep at night and alertness the following morning.

< <http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/dec/23/ebooks-affect-sleep-alertness-harvard-study> http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/dec/23/ebooks-affect-sleep-alertness-harvard-study>

 

*********************************

CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY

*********************************

Over 80 Percent of Dark-Web Visits Relate to Pedophilia, Study Finds

The mysterious corner of the Internet known as the Dark Web is designed to defy all attempts to identify its inhabitants. But one group of researchers has attempted to shed new light on what those users are doing under the cover of anonymity. Their findings indicate that an overwhelming majority of their traffic is driven by the Dark Web?s darkest activity: the sexual abuse of children.

< <http://www.wired.com/2014/12/80-percent-dark-web-visits-relate-pedophilia-study-finds/> http://www.wired.com/2014/12/80-percent-dark-web-visits-relate-pedophilia-study-finds/>

 

**********************

ONLINE CRIME & LEGAL

**********************

Surge in illegal sales of drugs as gangs exploit ?phenomenal market? online

The rise of social media and greater internet access through smartphones are factors behind a huge rise in illicit sales of pharmaceuticals, according to the chief enforcement official at Britain?s medicines regulator.

< <http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/28/drugs-medicines-sold-illegally-online-internet> http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/28/drugs-medicines-sold-illegally-online-internet>

 

au: Facebook defamation: man wins lawsuit over estranged wife's domestic violence post

A West Australian man has successfully sued his estranged wife for defamation over a Facebook post that suggested she was the victim of domestic violence, after a Perth court found she could not prove the statement was true.

< <http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jan/02/facebook-defamation-man-wins-lawsuit-over-estranged-wifes-domestic-violence-post> http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jan/02/facebook-defamation-man-wins-lawsuit-over-estranged-wifes-domestic-violence-post>

 

**********************

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

**********************

Heat blamed for Australian internet failure

Extreme heat in the Australian city of Perth has forced one ISP to shut down servers in its data centre.

< <http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-30695534> http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-30695534>

 

------

David Goldstein

 

email:  <mailto:david at goldsteinreport.com> david at goldsteinreport.com

 

web:    <http://goldsteinreport.com/> http://goldsteinreport.com/ /  <http://davidgoldstein.tel/> http://davidgoldstein.tel/

Twitter:  <https://twitter.com/goldsteinreport> https://twitter.com/goldsteinreport

 

phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9663 3430 - office/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

 

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