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

 

The domain name news is supported by auDA

 

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

 

 

NTIA: Report on the Transition of the Stewardship of the IANA Functions

< <http://www.ntia.doc.gov/report/2015/report-transition-stewardship-internet-assigned-numbers-authority-iana-functions> http://www.ntia.doc.gov/report/2015/report-transition-stewardship-internet-assigned-numbers-authority-iana-functions>

 

Internet Society Board of Trustees Encourages Continued Trust in the Multistakeholder Process for IANA Transition

< <http://www.internetsociety.org/news/internet-society-board-trustees-encourages-continued-trust-multistakeholder-process-iana> http://www.internetsociety.org/news/internet-society-board-trustees-encourages-continued-trust-multistakeholder-process-iana>

 

ICANN 52 Board Statement on ICANN Sending IANA Stewardship Transition and Enhancing ICANN Accountability Proposals to NTIA

< <https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-3-2015-02-12-en> https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-3-2015-02-12-en>

 

ICANN 52 Closing Interview

< <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZG-h6xETFM> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZG-h6xETFM>

 

A new, free-to-view guide to protecting your brand online now available

< <http://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/Blog/detail.aspx?g=3e4d32f1-e53b-4527-94c0-0464e13a8f60> http://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/Blog/detail.aspx?g=3e4d32f1-e53b-4527-94c0-0464e13a8f60>

 

So who just bought the rights to .blog for $30m? A chap living in Panama

< <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/02/13/who_just_bought_dotblog_for_30m/> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/02/13/who_just_bought_dotblog_for_30m/>

 

ICANN's Auction Piggy Bank Just Got Twice As Big by John Levine

< <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150215_icanns_auction_piggy_bank_just_got_twice_as_big/> http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150215_icanns_auction_piggy_bank_just_got_twice_as_big/>

 

Existing v new gTLDs: report says domain abuse lower in new suffixes

< <http://www.trademarksandbrandsonline.com/news/existing-v-new-gtlds-report-says-domain-abuse-lower-in-new-suffixes-4258> http://www.trademarksandbrandsonline.com/news/existing-v-new-gtlds-report-says-domain-abuse-lower-in-new-suffixes-4258>

 

Dot Sydney set for launch [AAP]

< <http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/dot-sydney-set-for-launch/story-e6frfkur-1227221252988> http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/dot-sydney-set-for-launch/story-e6frfkur-1227221252988>

 

PIPCU suspends more than 2,000 illegal websites since New Year

< <https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/advice-and-support/fraud-and-economic-crime/pipcu/pipcu-news/Pages/PIPCU-suspends-more-than-2,000-illegal-websites-.aspx> https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/advice-and-support/fraud-and-economic-crime/pipcu/pipcu-news/Pages/PIPCU-suspends-more-than-2,000-illegal-websites-.aspx>

 

 

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

GOVERNANCE

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

Report on the Transition of the Stewardship of the IANA Functions

The attached report provides background on the Internet DNS and NTIA?s role, the IANA functions, NTIA?s call for a transition proposal, status of the multi-stakeholder community?s efforts in response, and next steps. The report covers activities through January 31, 2015. NTIA will update this report on a quarterly basis.

< <http://www.ntia.doc.gov/report/2015/report-transition-stewardship-internet-assigned-numbers-authority-iana-functions> http://www.ntia.doc.gov/report/2015/report-transition-stewardship-internet-assigned-numbers-authority-iana-functions>

 

Professor to discuss multi-stakeholder Internet governance at AAAS

It's taken just a few decades for the Internet to sweep the globe as an economic, cultural, and political force. The question now is how and by whom should this border-spanning technology be governed. John Savage, professor of computer science at Brown University, will address the issue of Internet governance at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Jose.

< <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-02/bu-ptd020915.php> http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-02/bu-ptd020915.php>

 

The last third: Why the IANA transition for names is hard by Brenden Kuerbis

It is asserted that ICANN was ?purpose-built? to operate the IANA functions. This is only partly true. ICANN?s original design, in which the IANA functions were a central aspect, was abandoned very quickly between 1999 and 2002. ICANN?s first bylaws tried to create three Supporting Organizations, one for domains (DNSO), one for addresses (ASO) and one for protocols (PSO). The intention was that these SOs would be the interface between ICANN?s Board and the relevant policy development communities.

< <http://www.internetgovernance.org/2015/02/10/the-last-third-why-the-iana-transition-for-names-is-hard/> http://www.internetgovernance.org/2015/02/10/the-last-third-why-the-iana-transition-for-names-is-hard/>

 

The siren song of ?simplicity? by Milton Mueller

The sirens, if you recall your Greek mythology, used their beautiful voices to lure passing sailors eager to listen to them into rough waters and rocky reefs that destroyed their ships and drowned the men. A similar phenomenon is occurring now with the IANA transition. (The voices are not the lithe and lovely daughters of the river god Achelous, alas, but current and former ICANN board members.)

< <http://www.internetgovernance.org/2015/02/09/the-siren-song-of-simplicity/> http://www.internetgovernance.org/2015/02/09/the-siren-song-of-simplicity/>

 

Two-thirds done: The IANA transition in Singapore by Milton Mueller

The Singapore ICANN meeting (ICANN #52) is an inflection point in the IANA stewardship transition. The numbers and protocols processes have proceeded relatively smoothly, though not without minor hiccups, and reasonable proposals have been developed and are being reviewed. The names process, predictably, is taking longer.

< <http://www.internetgovernance.org/2015/02/07/two-thirds-done-the-iana-transition-in-singapore/> http://www.internetgovernance.org/2015/02/07/two-thirds-done-the-iana-transition-in-singapore/>

 

Internet Society Board of Trustees Encourages Continued Trust in the Multistakeholder Process for IANA Transition

The Internet Society Board of Trustees, during its Board meeting 14-15 February, applauded the progress made by the global Internet community on the IANA stewardship transition and encouraged continued momentum to ensure a robust and successful proposal that leads to globalization. Acknowledging the milestones that have been reached to date, the Board stressed that a successful transition will reinforce the value of the collaborative, multistakeholder model.

< <http://www.internetsociety.org/news/internet-society-board-trustees-encourages-continued-trust-multistakeholder-process-iana> http://www.internetsociety.org/news/internet-society-board-trustees-encourages-continued-trust-multistakeholder-process-iana>

 

Turnbull bolsters Australian ICT with international dialogue

Communications minister Malcolm Turnbull has met with Japanese officials to discuss policy co-operation between the two nations on information and communication technology. ... The dialogue also discussed international cooperation on internet governance; the use of ICTs in health, aged care, disaster risk reduction and critical infrastructure protection; privacy and data protection.

< <http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/566297/turnbull-bolsters-australian-ict-international-dialogue/> http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/566297/turnbull-bolsters-australian-ict-international-dialogue/>

 

NETmundial Initiative ? Why not add your voice?

2014 was a quite big pivot year for the APNIC community. One of the important happenings was that NTIA announced in March its intent for the ?IANA stewardship transition?. Since then the IP Numbers Community, as well as others for Protocol Parameters and Domain Names, have been discussing the new IANA stewardship arrangements.

< <http://blog.apnic.net/2015/02/13/netmundial-initiative-why-not-add-your-voice/> http://blog.apnic.net/2015/02/13/netmundial-initiative-why-not-add-your-voice/>

 

CENTR supports resolution on Internet Governance

CENTR, together with a group of stakeholders involved in wider internet issues (CCIA, EDRi, access and cdt) issued a statement supporting the messages and efforts put forward in a resolution of the European Parliament on internet governance.

< <https://centr.org/news/european-parliament-internet-governance/02-12-2015/3932/centr-supports-resolution-internet-gove> https://centr.org/news/european-parliament-internet-governance/02-12-2015/3932/centr-supports-resolution-internet-gove>

 

Innovations in Global Governance: Toward a Distributed Internet Governance Ecosystem by Stefaan Verhulst, Beth Simone Noveck, Jillian M Raines & Antony Declerq [Global Commission on Internet Governance Working Paper No. 5]

Abstract: The growth and globalization of the Internet over the past 40 years has been nothing short of remarkable. Virtually all sectors, from development to healthcare to education to politics, have been transformed. Yet developments in how the Internet is governed have not kept pace with this rapid technological innovation. Figuring out how to evolve the Internet?s governance in ways that are effective and legitimate is essential to ensure its continued potential.

< <http://ssrn.com/abstract=2563810> http://ssrn.com/abstract=2563810>

 

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

DOMAIN NAMES

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

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

- ICANN

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

ICANN 52 Board Statement on ICANN Sending IANA Stewardship Transition and Enhancing ICANN Accountability Proposals to NTIA

We have received several questions requesting clarification as to how ICANN will handle receipt of the proposal from the ICG and the Work Stream 1 proposal from the CCWG. We hope the following will be helpful.

< <https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-3-2015-02-12-en> https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-3-2015-02-12-en>

 

ICANN and APTLD Signs Memorandum of Understanding to Promote Regional Collaboration

ICANN and the APTLD today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to forge an alliance to foster and promote regional collaboration.

< <https://www.icann.org/resources/press-material/release-2015-02-12-en> https://www.icann.org/resources/press-material/release-2015-02-12-en>

 

ICANN 52 Closing Interview

Brad White interviews Fadi Chehad? and Steve Crocker at the close of ICANN's 52nd public meeting in Singapore.

< <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZG-h6xETFM> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZG-h6xETFM>

 

CWG-Stewardship Chairs' Statement - Summary of ICANN 52 Meeting | Lise Fuhr & Jonathan Robinson

The Cross Community Working Group (CWG) on Naming Related Functions held two sessions at the ICANN 52 Meeting in Singapore (8-12 February 2015): a two-hour working session on Wednesday, and a questions and answers session on Thursday.

< <https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-4-2015-02-12-en> https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-4-2015-02-12-en>

 

GAC Communiqu? ? Singapore

GAC Communiqu?                

< <https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/correspondence/gac-to-board-11feb15-en.pdf> https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/correspondence/gac-to-board-11feb15-en.pdf>

 

Carmen A. Catizone, Executive Director/Secretary | National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, to the Economist Intelligence Unit, CPE Panel

Community Priority Evaluation for .MED

< <https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/correspondence/catizone-to-eiu-10feb15-en.pdf> https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/correspondence/catizone-to-eiu-10feb15-en.pdf>

 

Jordyn Buchanan, Edmon Chung et al, Universal Access Workshop Team, to Steve Crocker

Call to ICANN Community to form the Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG)

< <https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/correspondence/universal-access-workshop-team-to-crocker-09feb15-en.pdf> https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/correspondence/universal-access-workshop-team-to-crocker-09feb15-en.pdf>

 

Comment Phase Open For 2015 ICANN Board Seat 9 Election

Consistent with the ASO Memorandum of Understanding and ICANN Bylaws, the Address Supporting Organization Address Council (ASO AC) is responsible for the appointment of a representative to serve on Seat Number 9 of the ICANN Board.

< <https://www.nro.net/news/comment-phase-open-for-2015-icann-board-seat-9-election> https://www.nro.net/news/comment-phase-open-for-2015-icann-board-seat-9-election>

 

ICANN, APTLD strike regional cooperation agreement

Icann and the APTLD have signed a MoU to forge an alliance to foster and promote regional collaboration.

< <http://www.telecompaper.com/news/icann-aptld-strike-regional-cooperation-agreement--1065043> http://www.telecompaper.com/news/icann-aptld-strike-regional-cooperation-agreement--1065043>



52nd ICANN meeting opens in Singapore

52nd meeting of ICANN corporation officially opened today in Singapore. More than 1200 delegates from over 100 countries of the world including delegation of the Coordination Center for TLD RU/?? will participate in its work.

< <http://cctld.ru/en/news/news_detail.php?ID=6470> http://cctld.ru/en/news/news_detail.php?ID=6470>

 

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

- ccTLD & gTLD NEWS

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

Court rules that ccTLDs are not attachable property [subscription]

In July 2014 ICANN filed motions to quash with the District Court for the District of Columbia in the context of various federal court judgments obtained against the Iranian, Syrian and North Korean governments by the victims of terrorist attacks.

< <http://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/Daily/Detail.aspx?g=2d94bab8-0952-4cb9-914b-9b52ea218b04> http://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/Daily/Detail.aspx?g=2d94bab8-0952-4cb9-914b-9b52ea218b04>

 

High renewal rates continue for .eu in Q4 2014

The latest progress report from the .eu registry EURid has shown that for eight consecutive years? .eu has maintained its high renewal rate. During the last quarter of 2014, on average 79% of .eu domain names were renewed.

< <http://www.eurid.eu/en/news/feb-2015/high-renewal-rates-continue-eu-q4-2014> http://www.eurid.eu/en/news/feb-2015/high-renewal-rates-continue-eu-q4-2014>

 

High renewal rates continue for .eu in Q4 2014

Eurid announced that on average 79 percent of .eu domain names were renewed during the last quarter of 2014. The TLD finished the quarter, and the year, with an annual growth of 5.3 percent representing a total of 197,715 new registrations.

< <http://www.telecompaper.com/news/high-renewal-rates-continue-for-eu-in-q4-2014--1064921> http://www.telecompaper.com/news/high-renewal-rates-continue-for-eu-in-q4-2014--1064921>

 

Registry Analytics by Afnic: the solution for managing your registry business

Afnic has further expanded its service offering for domain name operators and registries with a tool for analyzing their business activities.

< <http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/8760/show/registry-analytics-by-afnic-the-solution-for-managing-your-registry-business-1.html> http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/8760/show/registry-analytics-by-afnic-the-solution-for-managing-your-registry-business-1.html>

 

Short .fr domain names : Phase 2, opening to the general public on 02/16/2015

On February 16, 2015, Afnic is extending the registration of domain names under the .fr TLD consisting of only one or two character(s) to the general public.

< <http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/8756/show/short-fr-domain-names-phase-2-opening-to-the-general-public-on-02-16-2015-2.html> http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/8756/show/short-fr-domain-names-phase-2-opening-to-the-general-public-on-02-16-2015-2.html>

 

You can now have a website with the .GW trusted brand more quickly and effectively

DNS.pt is responsible for all the management, maintenance and registration of the .GW domains, making the registration process quicker.

< <http://www.dns.pt/en/news/you-can-now-have-a-website-with-the-gw-trusted-brand-more-quickly-and-effectively/> http://www.dns.pt/en/news/you-can-now-have-a-website-with-the-gw-trusted-brand-more-quickly-and-effectively/>

 

Internet body registers 1,542 .ng domain names

Mary Uduma, the President of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association, has said that 1,542 .ng domain names were registered in the month of January.

< <http://theeagleonline.com.ng/internet-body-registers-1542-ng-domain-names/> http://theeagleonline.com.ng/internet-body-registers-1542-ng-domain-names/>

< <http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/news/national-news/198061-internet-body-registers-1-542-ng-domain-names> http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/news/national-news/198061-internet-body-registers-1-542-ng-domain-names>

 

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

- NEW TLDS

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

A new, free-to-view guide to protecting your brand online now available

This week we have been reporting on breaking developments at the ICANN meeting in Singapore, which serves to illustrate how quickly things can change in the online world.

< <http://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/Blog/detail.aspx?g=3e4d32f1-e53b-4527-94c0-0464e13a8f60> http://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/Blog/detail.aspx?g=3e4d32f1-e53b-4527-94c0-0464e13a8f60>

 

In A Band? Now Your Website Can End In .BAND

New domain extensions (the ending part of the website?think .com, .org, .biz, etc.) are popping up rapidly, and necessarily. As the internet becomes an increasingly crowded place, the need for new kinds of websites for every different person and all forms of business are needed, and now the music industry has a new one all it?s own.

< <http://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2015/02/13/in-a-band-now-your-website-can-end-in-band/> http://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2015/02/13/in-a-band-now-your-website-can-end-in-band/>

 

TheDNA: February 2015 State of the Domains Report is Now Available [pdf]

< <http://www.thedna.org/documents/DNA_State_of_the_Industry_2_NewsLetter_Final_2015-2-04-1.pdf> http://www.thedna.org/documents/DNA_State_of_the_Industry_2_NewsLetter_Final_2015-2-04-1.pdf>

 

So who just bought the rights to .blog for $30m? A chap living in Panama

The rights to sell .blog domains ? one of the most sought after new dot-word gTLDs ? have been won at auction by an unknown Colombian working out of Panama.

< <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/02/13/who_just_bought_dotblog_for_30m/> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/02/13/who_just_bought_dotblog_for_30m/>

 

ICANN's Auction Piggy Bank Just Got Twice As Big by John Levine

Kieren McCarthy reports in The Register that an obscure Panamanian company paid $30 million for .BLOG in the January 21 domain auction. ICANN's web site confirms that the domain did go to the Panamanian company. It doesn't report the amount, but Kieren's sources are usually correct. If so, the auction proceeds piggy bank just doubled from $30M to $60M dollars, and ICANN still has no idea what to do with it.

< <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150215_icanns_auction_piggy_bank_just_got_twice_as_big/> http://www.circleid.com/posts/20150215_icanns_auction_piggy_bank_just_got_twice_as_big/>

 

New gTLD abuse yet to spike

New gTLDs faced a quarter of the level of abuse found in established domain name endings, according to research from Architelos.

< <http://ipprotheinternet.com/ipprotheinternetnews/article.php?article_id=4238> http://ipprotheinternet.com/ipprotheinternetnews/article.php?article_id=4238>

 

Existing v new gTLDs: report says domain abuse lower in new suffixes

Architelos has claimed that the number of ?abusive? registrations in the new gTLDs last year was much lower than in existing TLDs.

< <http://www.trademarksandbrandsonline.com/news/existing-v-new-gtlds-report-says-domain-abuse-lower-in-new-suffixes-4258> http://www.trademarksandbrandsonline.com/news/existing-v-new-gtlds-report-says-domain-abuse-lower-in-new-suffixes-4258>

 

Dot Sydney set for launch [AAP]

Dot Melbourne was the first, but dot Sydney will be a lot bigger.

< <http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/02/16/dot-sydney-set-launch> http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/02/16/dot-sydney-set-launch>

< <http://www.couriermail.com.au/business/breaking-news/dot-sydney-set-for-launch/story-fnihsevj-1227221252988> http://www.couriermail.com.au/business/breaking-news/dot-sydney-set-for-launch/story-fnihsevj-1227221252988>

< <http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/dot-sydney-set-for-launch/story-e6frfkur-1227221252988> http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/dot-sydney-set-for-launch/story-e6frfkur-1227221252988>

 

.lgbt ? Internet?s first TLD for the LGBT community launches

The internet?s first TLD, dedicated to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community ? .lgbt ? launched this week.

< <http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2015/02/lgbt-internets-first-top-level-domain-for-the-lgbt-community-launches/> http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2015/02/lgbt-internets-first-top-level-domain-for-the-lgbt-community-launches/>

 

The first websites ending with the domain name .lgbt go online

The first site to have the address was OutNow Consulting, a company which help organisations on diversity marketing and research.

< <http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/31437842> http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/31437842>

 

Finally, the Internet has an Eco-Friendly Domain

The new ?top-level domain," dot-green, is being used to create a common piece of Internet real estate for environmentally minded groups with a commitment to sustainability.
< <http://www.govtech.com/internet/Finally-the-Internet-has-an-Eco-Friendly-Domain.html> http://www.govtech.com/internet/Finally-the-Internet-has-an-Eco-Friendly-Domain.html>

 

500+ New gTLDs Introduced to the Internet

A milestone has been reached in ICANN's controversial and ambitious gTLD program.

< <http://www.natlawreview.com/article/icann-news-500-new-gtlds-introduced-to-internet> http://www.natlawreview.com/article/icann-news-500-new-gtlds-introduced-to-internet>

 

34 new TLDs meet their fate in the next 45 days

Winners and losers will be made in the new TLD program over the next 45 days as 34 domain names reach their deadline for contention set resolution.

< <http://domainnamewire.com/2015/02/13/34-new-top-level-domains-meet-their-fate-in-the-next-45-days/> http://domainnamewire.com/2015/02/13/34-new-top-level-domains-meet-their-fate-in-the-next-45-days/>

 

Auction and Sales Channel Update

Minds + Machines Group Limited ... is delighted to announce that following the recent series of private auctions, the Company has secured the uncontested application rights to .dds and, in aggregate, gained net proceeds of US$3.4 million (approximately ?2.3 million) for withdrawing its applications for .blog and .store.

< <http://investors.mindsandmachines.com/2015/02/auction-and-sales-channel-update-2/> http://investors.mindsandmachines.com/2015/02/auction-and-sales-channel-update-2/>

 

Minds + Machines gets .DDS, pockets millions from .store and .blog

New TLD company Minds + Machines announced today that it has won the contention set for the .dds domain name, beating Google.

< <http://domainnamewire.com/2015/02/13/minds-machines-gets-dds-pockets-millions-from-store-and-blog/> http://domainnamewire.com/2015/02/13/minds-machines-gets-dds-pockets-millions-from-store-and-blog/>

 

10 domain names for your Valentine

If you want to make it a Valentine.wales for the one you love, there is a list of hundreds of .cymru and .wales domain names you could get your hands on this weekend.

< <http://www.walesonline.co.uk/special-features/10-domain-names-your-valentine-8642085> http://www.walesonline.co.uk/special-features/10-domain-names-your-valentine-8642085>

 

Globerunner Releases Updated .COM Vs. New gTLD Google Marketing Test Results and the Winner Is...

Last summer we told you about an interesting .COM Vs. New gTLD marketing test conducted by Bill Hartzer, the Senior SEO Strategist at Globerunner.com. Hartzer's results, detailed in a 27-page white paper, led him to conclude that .com did not have the superiority in a Google.

< <http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2015/dailyposts/20150213.htm> http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2015/dailyposts/20150213.htm>

 

Donuts Beats Google, Uniregistry and Afilias to Operate The New Domain Extension .Team

Donuts has won another private auction beating Uniregistry and Afilias to operate the new gTLD extension .Team.

< <http://www.thedomains.com/2015/02/15/donuts-beats-google-uniregistry-and-afilias-to-operate-the-new-domain-extension-team/> http://www.thedomains.com/2015/02/15/donuts-beats-google-uniregistry-and-afilias-to-operate-the-new-domain-extension-team/>

 

Radix Wins Rights To New Domain Extension .Store Beating Amazon & Google + 4 More

Radix has won the rights to operate the new gTLD .Store, beating 6 other applicants including Amazon and Google.

< <http://www.thedomains.com/2015/02/15/radix-wins-rights-to-new-domain-extension-store-beating-amazon-google-4-more/> http://www.thedomains.com/2015/02/15/radix-wins-rights-to-new-domain-extension-store-beating-amazon-google-4-more/>

 

The .Show Goes On As Donuts Wins Rights to New gTLD Beating Google & Amazon

The old saying is the .show must go on and Donuts has won the rights to operate the new gTLD .Show beating out Google and Amazon.

< <http://www.thedomains.com/2015/02/15/the-show-goes-on-as-donuts-wins-rights-to-new-gtld-beating-google-amazon/> http://www.thedomains.com/2015/02/15/the-show-goes-on-as-donuts-wins-rights-to-new-gtld-beating-google-amazon/>

 

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

- DNS SECURITY

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

Help Ensure the Availability and Security of Your Enterprise DNS with Verisign Recursive DNS

At Verisign, we?ve made the Domain Name System (DNS) our business for more than 17 years. We support the availability of critical Internet infrastructure like .com and .net TLDs and the A and J Internet Root Servers, and we provide critical Managed DNS services that ensure the availability of externally facing websites to customers around the world.

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

 

Verisign iDefense 2015 Cyber-Threats and Trends

The mission of defending an enterprise or organization today is a complex and challenging task. Our personal and professional attack surfaces have never been greater and they are only expected to grow as organizations and individuals continue to increase their reliance on the connected digital world for a variety of tasks.

< <http://blogs.verisigninc.com/blog/entry/verisign_idefense_2015_cyber_threats> http://blogs.verisigninc.com/blog/entry/verisign_idefense_2015_cyber_threats>

 

ru: Security threats to the DNS root infrastructure were discussed at Cyber Security Forum-2015

Coordination Center for TLD RU/?? participated in Cyber Security Forum-2015, that took place in the multimedia center of Russia Today agency. During the panel discussion ?Safety of the Runet root infrastructure? guests discussed which threats do critically important systems of the Russian segment of the Internet face.

< <http://cctld.ru/en/news/news_detail.php?ID=6476> http://cctld.ru/en/news/news_detail.php?ID=6476>

 

Obama Calls for New Cooperation to Wrangle the ?Wild West? Internet

Declaring that the Internet has become the ?Wild Wild West? with consumers and industries as top targets, President Obama on Friday called for a new era of cooperation between the government and the private sector to defeat a range of fast-evolving online threats.

< <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/14/business/obama-urges-tech-companies-to-cooperate-on-internet-security.html> http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/14/business/obama-urges-tech-companies-to-cooperate-on-internet-security.html>

 

President Obama Speaks at the White House Summit on Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection

Earlier this afternoon, the President visited Stanford University to speak at the White House Summit on Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection. Today's summit brought together leaders from a number of areas -- Congress, industry, tech companies, law enforcement, students, and others -- to work together and explore partnerships that will help develop the best ways to bolster our cybersecurity.

< <http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/02/13/president-obama-speaks-white-house-summit-cybersecurity-and-consumer-protection> http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/02/13/president-obama-speaks-white-house-summit-cybersecurity-and-consumer-protection>

 

White House Cybersecurity Event to Draw Top Tech, Wall Street Execs

President Barack Obama will convene top executives from Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and a number of other industries on Friday in a first-of-its kind cybersecurity ?summit? taking place as the government and corporate executives each struggle to adjust to persistent and sophisticated breaches.

< <http://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-cybersecurity-event-to-draw-top-tech-wall-street-execs-1423659629> http://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-cybersecurity-event-to-draw-top-tech-wall-street-execs-1423659629>

 

Obama Heads to Security Talks Amid Tensions

President Obama will meet here on Friday with the nation?s top technologists on a host of cybersecurity issues and the threats posed by increasingly sophisticated hackers. But nowhere on the agenda is the real issue for the chief executives and tech company officials who will gather on the Stanford campus: the deepening estrangement between Silicon Valley and the government.

< <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/13/business/obama-heads-to-security-talks-amid-tensions.html> http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/13/business/obama-heads-to-security-talks-amid-tensions.html>

 

Obama to discuss cybersecurity with tech bosses

US President Barack Obama and Apple's Tim Cook are among the speakers at a cybersecurity summit on Friday.

< <http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-31440978> http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-31440978>

 

FACT SHEET: White House Summit on Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection

As a nation, the United States has become highly digitally dependent. Our economy, national security, educational systems, and social lives have all become deeply reliant on cyberspace. Our use of digital networks provides a platform for innovation and prosperity and a means to improve general welfare around the country and around the globe, driving unparalleled growth. But this dependency also creates risks that threaten national security, private enterprises and individual rights. It is a threat not just here in the United States, but one that everyone, everywhere who is connected to cyberspace faces.

< <http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/02/13/fact-sheet-white-house-summit-cybersecurity-and-consumer-protection> http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/02/13/fact-sheet-white-house-summit-cybersecurity-and-consumer-protection>

 

Obama pushes for more cyberthreat information sharing [IDG]

U.S. businesses and government agencies need to work more closely together to combat the growing threat of cyberattacks, President Barack Obama said Friday.

< <http://www.computerworld.co.nz/article/566342/obama-pushes-more-cyberthreat-information-sharing/> http://www.computerworld.co.nz/article/566342/obama-pushes-more-cyberthreat-information-sharing/>

 

Facebook, Twitter and other web firms battle botnets with ThreatExchange

Facebook has teamed up with a group of other internet firms to launch ThreatExchange, a way to share information on cyber-attacks and other online security threats.

< <http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/12/facebook-twitter-web-botnets-threatexchange> http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/12/facebook-twitter-web-botnets-threatexchange>

 

Facebook ThreatExchange Looks To Pose Threat To Corporate Hackers And Boost Cybersecurity

Facebook has built a social network for companies of security professionals, including itself, seeking to share information about cyber threats. The new platform, known as the ThreatExchange, enables software engineers from member companies to query information about threat and piece together the big picture.

< <http://www.techtimes.com/articles/32406/20150212/facebook-threatexchange-looks-to-pose-threat-to-corporate-hackers-and-boost-cybersecurity.htm> http://www.techtimes.com/articles/32406/20150212/facebook-threatexchange-looks-to-pose-threat-to-corporate-hackers-and-boost-cybersecurity.htm>

 

Facebook asks companies to share information on cyber threats

Facebook has created a test platform for companies to share data about cyberattacks and improve communication among security teams, the company said this week.

< <http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/facebook-asks-companies-to-share-information-on-cyber-threats/2015/02/12/5be87bd8-b2dd-11e4-854b-a38d13486ba1_story.html> http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/facebook-asks-companies-to-share-information-on-cyber-threats/2015/02/12/5be87bd8-b2dd-11e4-854b-a38d13486ba1_story.html>

 

Are Smart Homes Cyber-Security smart?

ENISA published the Threat Landscape and Good Practice Guide for Smart Home and Converged Media today, a contribution towards the achievement of the EU Cyber Security Strategy objectives. The study aims to identify both the security risks and challenges as well as the countermeasures required for emerging technologies in smart homes, providing a specific and focused approach, with an overview of the current state of cyber security in this emerging domain.

< <http://www.enisa.europa.eu/media/press-releases/are-smart-homes-cyber-security-smart> http://www.enisa.europa.eu/media/press-releases/are-smart-homes-cyber-security-smart>

 

European Cyber Security Month - Deployment report

ECSM is an EU advocacy campaign that promotes cyber security among citizens and advocates for change in the perception of cyber-threats by promoting data and information security, education, sharing of good practices and competitions.

< <http://www.enisa.europa.eu/activities/stakeholder-relations/nis-brokerage-1/european-cyber-security-month-advocacy-campaign/2014/ecsm-deployment-report> http://www.enisa.europa.eu/activities/stakeholder-relations/nis-brokerage-1/european-cyber-security-month-advocacy-campaign/2014/ecsm-deployment-report>

 

Bank Hackers Steal Millions via Malware

In late 2013, an A.T.M. in Kiev started dispensing cash at seemingly random times of day. No one had put in a card or touched a button. Cameras showed that the piles of money had been swept up by customers who appeared lucky to be there at the right moment.

< <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/world/bank-hackers-steal-millions-via-malware.html> http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/world/bank-hackers-steal-millions-via-malware.html>

 

Carbanak Ring Steals $1 Billion from Banks

Hackers in Eastern Europe are bleeding banks dry of tens of millions of dollars, stealing as much as $1 billion from more than 30 financial institutions in a string of attacks that borrow heavily from targeted attacks against sensitive government and industrial targets.

< <http://threatpost.com/carbanak-ring-steals-1-billion-from-banks/111054> http://threatpost.com/carbanak-ring-steals-1-billion-from-banks/111054>

 

Government Sites at Dutch Web Host Prolocation Taken Offline by DDoS Attack

Government sites in the Netherlands were taken offline by a DDoS attack on Tuesday. Unfortunately for the Dutch government, backup plans were ineffective and members of parliament and government were forced offline. Police, healthcare and other services are on a separate system.

< <http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/government-sites-dutch-web-host-prolocation-taken-offline-ddos-attack> http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/government-sites-dutch-web-host-prolocation-taken-offline-ddos-attack>

 

North Korean websites still barely reachable since Christmas

North Korea's presence on the internet has remained extremely patchy for more than a month, with little improvement since a suspected DDoS attack that took place just before Christmas.

< <http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2015/02/10/north-korean-websites-still-barely-reachable-since-christmas.html> http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2015/02/10/north-korean-websites-still-barely-reachable-since-christmas.html>

 

1 Billion Data Records Stolen in 2014, Says Gemalto

Data breaches increased 49% with almost 1 billion data records compromised in 1,500 attacks in 2014 ? a 78% increase in the number of data records either lost or stolen in 2013, a new report by digital security firm Gemalto said. The Netherlands-based firm said about 575 million records were compromised in 2013.

< <http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/02/12/1-billion-data-records-stolen-in-2014-says-gemalto/> http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/02/12/1-billion-data-records-stolen-in-2014-says-gemalto/>

 

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

- DOMAIN DISPUTES & SEIZURES

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

Fake luxury goods online sites closed by police

Two thousand websites selling fake luxury goods have been removed since the start of the year, UK police say.

< <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-31454822> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-31454822>

 

PIPCU suspends more than 2,000 illegal websites since New Year

The Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) has suspended more than 2,000 websites selling fake luxury goods since the New Year.

< <https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/advice-and-support/fraud-and-economic-crime/pipcu/pipcu-news/Pages/PIPCU-suspends-more-than-2,000-illegal-websites-.aspx> https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/advice-and-support/fraud-and-economic-crime/pipcu/pipcu-news/Pages/PIPCU-suspends-more-than-2,000-illegal-websites-.aspx>

 

Revealed: PIPCU has suspended 2,000 sites selling fakes this year

The Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) has revealed that it has suspended more than 2,000 websites selling counterfeit goods this year.

< <http://www.trademarksandbrandsonline.com/news/revealed-pipcu-has-suspended-2-000-sites-selling-fakes-this-year-4260> http://www.trademarksandbrandsonline.com/news/revealed-pipcu-has-suspended-2-000-sites-selling-fakes-this-year-4260>

 

Yahoo Sues Dutch Porn Cybersquatters

Yahoo! Inc. filed a cybersquatting claim on Friday, accusing the owner of three adult dating websites of creating domain names too similar to its brands. The sites use the name of Yahoo-owned sites like Flickr and Tumblr in their domain names, which redirect to other dating sites owned by a Dutch company.

< <http://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/other/yahoo-sues-dutch-porn-cybersquatters/ar-AA9pBBb> http://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/other/yahoo-sues-dutch-porn-cybersquatters/ar-AA9pBBb>

 

EURid Suspends TorrentShack Domain Name After Complaint

The popular private BitTorrent tracker TorrentShack has lost its .eu domain. The EURid registry suspended the domain following a complaint from a third-party over invalid WHOIS details. The complainnt most likely came from an entertainment industry group, but this hasn't yet been officially confirmed.

< <http://torrentfreak.com/eurid-suspends-torrentshack-domain-name-after-complaint-150213/> http://torrentfreak.com/eurid-suspends-torrentshack-domain-name-after-complaint-150213/>

 

Taylor Swift Buys ?ITaughtTaylorSwiftHowToGiveHead.com?

Earlier this week, there was a bit of a kerfuffle going on with Taylor Swift and her old guitar teacher, who had registered the domain name ITaughtTaylorSwift.com. ... Aaaaaanyway, due to all that madness, Team TaySwift is now just buying up every conceivable Taylor Swift-related domain name. Including, apparently, ITaughtTaylorSwiftHowToGiveHead.com.

< <http://www.thefrisky.com/2015-02-12/taylor-swift-buys-itaughttaylorswifthowtogivehead-com/> http://www.thefrisky.com/2015-02-12/taylor-swift-buys-itaughttaylorswifthowtogivehead-com/>

 

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

- MISCELLANEOUS

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

Notes from NANOG 63 by Geoff Huston

The following is a selected summary of the recent NANOG 63 meeting, held in early February, with some personal views and opinions thrown in!

< <http://www.potaroo.net/ispcol/2015-02/nanog63.html> http://www.potaroo.net/ispcol/2015-02/nanog63.html>

 

Domain names and search engines

We are often asked how a domain name or extension can help make a site easier to find with a search engine. Making a site easier to find is known in the internet industry as search engine optimization (SEO). This blog outlines the main things to consider when looking for a domain name that will help make your website easy to find.

< <https://www.sidn.nl/a/about-sidn/domain-names-and-search-engines> https://www.sidn.nl/a/about-sidn/domain-names-and-search-engines>

 

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

- WEBHOSTING

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

Web Host SingleHop Launches Premium Security Service to Combat DDoS Attacks

Hosted private cloud and managed hosting provider SingleHop has launched a new set of premium security features designed to help enterprises identify and combat online threats including Distributed Denial of Service attacks.

< <http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/web-host-singlehop-launches-premium-security-service-combat-ddos-attacks> http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/web-host-singlehop-launches-premium-security-service-combat-ddos-attacks>

 

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

- DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET

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

Amazing Week! We Saw the Biggest Sale in 5 Years, Another That May Turn Out to Be Highest Ever Reported + Five More That Hit 6 Figures! 

Well, this year has certainly gotten off on the right foot. In fact, this past week was probably the most remarkable one we've ever seen for domain sales. Rick Schwartz made sure it would be something special when he announced he sold Porno.com for a whopping $8,888,888! That is the highest sale reported since 2010 when the biggest cash sale ever reported - Sex.com at $13 million - was logged.

< <http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2015/20150211.htm> http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2015/20150211.htm>

 

A recap of NameJet?s record month

NameJet set a record during January with the most sales over $2k it has ever reported ? 148 domain auctions in all. Its previous record was 131 sales back in December 2013. To put that in perspective, NameJet?s top month during all of 2014 scored only 105 sales; and its 2014 monthly mean was 78. Just 8 more sales, and the market place would have doubled last year?s average.

< <http://domainnamewire.com/2015/02/13/a-recap-of-namejets-record-month/> http://domainnamewire.com/2015/02/13/a-recap-of-namejets-record-month/>

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

INTERNET USE

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

Google's Vint Cerf warns of 'digital Dark Age'

Vint Cerf, a "father of the internet", says he is worried that all the images and documents we have been saving on computers will eventually be lost. Currently a Google vice-president, he believes this could occur as hardware and software become obsolete.

< <http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31450389> http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31450389>

 

What is 'bit rot' and is Vint Cerf right to be worried?

Vint Cerf, Google?s vice-president and one of the fathers of the internet, has warned that ?bit rot? could lead to a ?forgotten century? as our masses of digital files are lost to progress and become unreadable as technology evolves.

< <http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/13/what-is-bit-rot-and-is-vint-cerf-right-to-be-worried> http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/13/what-is-bit-rot-and-is-vint-cerf-right-to-be-worried>

 

Vint Cerf worries about a 'digital dark age,' and your data could be at risk [IDG]

In this era of the all-pervasive cloud, it?s easy to assume that the data we store will somehow be preserved forever. The only thing to fret about from a posterity perspective, we might think, is the analog information from days gone by?all the stuff on papers, tapes and other pre-digital formats that haven?t been explicitly converted. Vinton Cerf, often called ?the father of the Internet,? has other ideas.

< <http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/566352/vint-cerf-worries-about-digital-dark-age-your-data-could-risk/> http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/566352/vint-cerf-worries-about-digital-dark-age-your-data-could-risk/>

< <http://www.computerworld.co.nz/article/566352/vint-cerf-worries-about-digital-dark-age-your-data-could-risk/> http://www.computerworld.co.nz/article/566352/vint-cerf-worries-about-digital-dark-age-your-data-could-risk/>

 

Why the ?Father of the Internet? Thinks You Should Print Out Your Photos

You know how all your photos and documents and videos and virtually every facet of your life seems to be online? Maybe it?s time to start making hard copies.

< <http://time.com/3710227/google-vint-cerf-digital-dark-age/> http://time.com/3710227/google-vint-cerf-digital-dark-age/>

 

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

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

us: New setting will let you select who will take over your Facebook account if you die

On Thursday Facebook introduced a new feature ? not a new timeline to infuriate users, or an advertising gimmick that infringes on privacy. Facebook now allows users to select a ?legacy contact,? which is almost like a last will and testament for your social media presence.

< <http://www.salon.com/2015/02/12/new_setting_will_let_you_select_who_will_take_over_your_facebook_account_if_you_die/> http://www.salon.com/2015/02/12/new_setting_will_let_you_select_who_will_take_over_your_facebook_account_if_you_die/>

 

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

CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY

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

Australian Federal Police and CommBank ink Internet safety agreement

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Commonwealth Bank volunteers nationwide are stepping up the fight against online bullying and child exploitation by educating parents, teachers and community members about cyber safety for kids.

< <http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/566291/australian-federal-police-comm-bank-ink-internet-safety-agreement/> http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/566291/australian-federal-police-comm-bank-ink-internet-safety-agreement/>

 

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

GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY

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

Go to Prison for File Sharing? That's What Hollywood Wants in the Secret TPP Deal

The Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP) poses massive threats to users in a dizzying number of ways. It will force other TPP signatories to accept the United States' excessive copyright terms of a minimum of life of the author plus 70 years, while locking the US to the same lengths so it will be harder to shorten them in the future. It contains DRM anti-circumvention provisions that will make it a crime to tinker with, hack, re-sell, preserve, and otherwise control any number of digital files and devices that you own.

< <https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/02/go-prison-sharing-files-thats-what-hollywood-wants-secret-tpp-deal> https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/02/go-prison-sharing-files-thats-what-hollywood-wants-secret-tpp-deal>

 

A Few Global Cultural Treasures We Will Lose For 20 Years Under the TPP

What do Japan's Blue Sky Library, Malaysia's answer to John Wayne, and the first recorded composer from New Zealand, all have in common? They could all disappear from their countries' public domain for the next 20 years, if the current agreement on copyright term extension in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) holds.

< <https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/02/few-global-cultural-treasures-lose-20-years-under-tpp> https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/02/few-global-cultural-treasures-lose-20-years-under-tpp>

 

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

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

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

au: NBN: The good, the bad and the downright unfair by Mark Gregory

At the end of last year the fanfare surrounding the signing of the revised Definitive Agreements between NBN Co and Telstra overshadowed the release of NBN Co?s Fibre to the Basement (FTTB) product technical specification.

< <http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2015/2/16/technology/nbn-good-bad-and-downright-unfair> http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2015/2/16/technology/nbn-good-bad-and-downright-unfair>

 

 

 

------

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

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.cynosure.com.au/mailman/private/dns/attachments/20150216/3f1444b5/attachment-0001.html>