Archive for 2010/12/03

Feisty antitrust litigator Gary Reback today called for President Obama to order Christine Varney, the head of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, to launch a formal investigation of Google’s business practices, as Europe has just done.

“It is so troubling that we have to go to Europe to ask them to protect American consumers from manipulated search results, it’s so disconcerting,” said Reback, speaking at the Future of Online Consumer Protections conference in Washington DC.

Reback pointed out laudatory remarks President Obama made about Google at a Google-sponsored fund raising event during the 2008 presidential race. He suggested that President Obama could swiftly put to rest any hint of favoring Google. “All you need to do is pick up the telephone, call Christine Varney, and order her to do an investigation like the EU is doing.”

More: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2010/12/antitrust-litigator-gary-reback-calls-for-obama-to-order-us-probe-of-google/1

The world’s dominate Internet search engine occupies about 20 percent of the 2.95 million square foot building, which is owned by Taconic Investment Partners, the New York State Common Retirement Fund and German investment group Jamestown Properties.

It was originally developed as the headquarters of the Port Authority of New York and occupies an entire square block between Eighth and Ninth avenues and 15th and 16th Streets. It is the second largest building in New York City.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=12308810

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Hey Hollywood, Google can protect your content
Widevine’s customers come from film studios, cable systems and Web TV, Google said today on the company’s blog.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20024614-261.html

Although thousands of leaked cables are freely available on the GuardianNew York Times and other newspaper websites, as well as the WikiLeaks site, the Obama administration insists they are still classified and, as such, have to be protected.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/03/wikileaks-cables-blocks-access-federal

At least two of WikiLeaks’ servers are hosted by Bahnhof, the Swedish Internet carrier that runs a data center in a an underground, granite-housed World-War-II era bunker in downtown Stockholm. And Jon Karlung, Bahnhof’s chief executive, says that despite reported political pressure in the U.S. and France, his company won’t touch those servers until they’re proven to be breaking Swedish law, which hasn’t happened. “Swedish laws apply in Sweden. Only the proper authorities can shut this down. There have been no such claims,” Karlung says. “We’re confident that we can continue to operate the servers.”

http://blogs.forbes.com/andygreenberg/2010/12/03/despite-attacks-wikileaks-swedish-host-wont-budge/

Their idea allows web browsers to send a message that Internet users don’t want to be tracked as they go from site to site.

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2010/december/do-not-track-120210.html

http://techcrunch.com/2010/12/02/meet-cloud-picker-googles-stealthy-new-storage-product/

To date, Netflix has only spent $350 million on gaining rights to TV shows and movies.

http://gizmodo.com/5704469/netflix-willing-to-pay-100000-per-episode-for-new-tv-episodes

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-20024449-265.html

First, it appears the a “cloud-first” directive has been issued to government agencies, seen as a way to better reign in its $80-billion annual IT budget.  Second, an analysis of US agency security spending plans indicates that the feds will be spending more than $13 billion a year for security within the the next five years.

More: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/service-oriented/government-20-cloud-first-13-billion-for-cybersecurity/6220

would expand the Espionage Act to make it a criminal act if you publish the name of a US intelligence source

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101202/16091112095/lieberman-introduces-new-censorship-bill-kneejerk-response-to-wikileaks.shtml

A pair of Germans allegedly used malware to break into computers used by managers and agents of more than 50 music stars including Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake.

The two as yet unnamed hackers – a 17-year-old from Duisburg and a 23-year-old from Wessel, both in the Ruhr Area of Western Germany – used unspecified malware to spy on email, private photos and early copies of unreleased songs.

Much more: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/12/03/german_bootleg_music_blackmail_scam/

Bent bank insiders braceleted in Arctic busts

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/12/03/russian_atm_malware_scam/

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/12/limewire-may-have-lost-zest-for-legal-music-downloads-too.ars

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/12/calm-act-passed-will-quiet-loud-tv-commercials-within-a-year.ars

Chiu moved to dismiss the case, conceding that the government had made errors in its prosecution.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/12/prosecutors-dismiss-xbox-modding-case-mid-trial.ars

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/12/did-the-fcc-just-bless-a-capped-two-tier-internet.ars

Spectacular server hall is located in nuclear bomb shelter built during cold war under 30 meters of rock mountain. Questions ? mail jann@lipka.se

Panoramic pictures: http://360.fotograf.nu/bahnhof/

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WikiLeaks directed readers to a web address in Switzerland on Friday after two U.S. Internet providers ditched it in the space of two days, and Paris tried to ban French servers from hosting its trove of leaked data.

The Internet publisher directed users to http://www.wikileaks.ch after the wikileaks.org site on which it had published classified U.S. government information vanished from view for about six hours.

A Dutch- and a German-based site, http://www.wikileaks.nl and http://www.wikileaks.de , were also giving readers access to the leaked documents.

(Wikileaks.fi also active)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE6B21L920101203

and:

Where’s WikiLeaks? The “infowar” is on as site hops servers
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/12/wheres-wikileaks-the-infowar-is-on-as-site-hops-servers.ars

Domain : “anydomain”-com 
Date : 03/12/2010 
years : 1 
Domain Date : 03/12/2010 
Expiry date : 03/12/2011 
($USD) : 0.00  
Status : Confirmed – Free

6. RENEWALS

6.1. The Customer shall pay the Fees in respect to the renewal to the Company on or before the Renewal Date in respect of all domains.

and:

Why do I need update my browser to view these domains?

The update installs a small piece of freely available software, to upgrade internet browsers to recognise DASHWORLDS domain names. DASHWORLDS are also looking to partner with leading Internet Service Providers to activate these domain names automatically at network level.

http://dashworlds.com/src/faq.php?P=faq

and

DASHWORLDS free software plug-in automatically configures your browser to view the entire Internet, including DASHWORLDS domains.

4. Automatic Update Feature.

The Product may automatically communicate with DASHWORLDS’, or third party’s, servers on the Internet to check for and install updates to the Product, such as bug fixes, patches, enhanced functions, and new versions. You consent to your receipt and installation of all of the foregoing and agree that all of the foregoing shall be governed by this Agreement, unless other terms are provided with the update.

5. Content.

You understand that all content, including, without limitation all data, links, articles, graphic or video messages and all information, text, software, music, sound, graphics or other materials (“Content”) made available through the Product, whether publicly posted or privately transmitted, are the sole responsibility of the person from which such Content originated. You understand and agree that by using the Product you may be exposed to Content that is offensive, indecent or objectionable. You agree that you must evaluate and bear all risks associated with the use of any Content, including any reliance on the accuracy or completeness of such Content. Under no circumstances will DASHWORLDS be liable in any way for any Content, including, but not limited to, for any errors or omissions in any Content, or for loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any Content posted or transmitted via the Product.

6. Privacy.

DASHWORLDS does not collect any Personally Identifiable Information about you via the Product. “Personally Identifiable Information” means information that would allow the collector to determine, without reference to any other information, your name, address or telephone number. However, DASHWORLDS may collect non-personally identifiable technical or distribution information that may include, without limitation, information regarding your Internet service provider, the IP address or other source from which the Product was downloaded or installed, and certain operating metrics such as which Product number belongs to your Product.

http://dashworlds.com/src/certify.php?P=certify

A transformation in the DNS structure means that DOTCOM has become DASHCOM. Simply select any two words and separate them with a dash. For example, take “music” and “com” to create the website “music-com” (you no longer need “www”). Try any combination (in any language). Use “foot” and “ball” to create the website “foot-ball.”

DASHCOM websites are springing up all over the world. An extra dimension has been added to the Internet that anyone can use virtually without restriction. This really is not ICANN, instead think of a Private Global Network fully integrated into the current system. These new domain names offer almost unlimited possibilities for all those wanting personalization and easy-to-remember options. Dashworlds.com, who are currently giving away these domains free, have been inundated as Internet users continue to grab the most memorable, distinctive and potentially valuable names.

More: http://www.pr.com/press-release/281512

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The Pirate Bay trial may currently not be going alright, but Peter Sunde, Swedish co-founder of The Pirate Bay, is already working on his next project. Surely spurred by the recent seizures of domains by Big Content the US government, Sunde has unveiled he’s working on an open, distributed alternative to ICANN’s root server.

More: http://www.osnews.com/story/24079/Sunde_To_Launch_Open_Distributed_Alternative_to_ICANN

Take out the files, not the websites

http://www.futureofcopyright.com/index.php?page=news&id=1450

Previous posts on Deep Packet Inspection: http://vrritti.com/?s=deep+packet+inspection

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1334899/Scotland-Yard-arrest-wanted-WikiLeaks-boss-today.html

Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari, president Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina, president Ellen Johnson Sirlef of Liberia, China state councilor Dai Bingguo, Canada foreign minister Lawrence Cannon, Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi, German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle, new French foreign minister Michelle Alliot-Marie, British foreign secretary William Hague and Saudi foreign minister Saud Al-Faisal.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Hillary-Clinton-calls-world-leaders-to-express-regret-on-WikiLeaks/articleshow/7033623.cms

There have been reports that a government inquiry prompted us not to serve WikiLeaks any longer. That is inaccurate.

There have also been reports that it was prompted by massive DDOS attacks. That too is inaccurate. There were indeed large-scale DDOS attacks, but they were successfully defended against.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) rents computer infrastructure on a self-service basis. AWS does not pre-screen its customers, but it does have terms of service that must be followed. WikiLeaks was not following them. There were several parts they were violating. For example, our terms of service state that “you represent and warrant that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to the content… that use of the content you supply does not violate this policy and will not cause injury to any person or entity.” It’s clear that WikiLeaks doesn’t own or otherwise control all the rights to this classified content.

More: http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/12/02/5570297-amazon-booted-wikileaks-due-to-copyright-ownership-violation

Wikileaks confirmed the news tonight on its Twitter account:

“WikiLeaks,org domain killed by US everydns.net after claimed mass attacks KEEP US STRONG https://donations.datacell.com/”

EveryDNS.net serves about 500,000 Web sites that could be in jeopardy due to the continuous DDOS attacks on the Wikileaks site. They say the attacks threaten the stability of the EveryDNS.net infrastructure.

More: http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2010/12/wikileaks-loses-its-dns-servic.php

The site is now hosted partly in France by Internet service provider OVH, as well as in Sweden, a traceback of the site via the Internet showed. This was confirmed by a source close to WikiLeaks who cautioned it might not last long. OVH declined to confirm that WikiLeaks was on its servers when asked by AFP

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/TechandScience/Story/STIStory_609957.html