Quickly after its firstrow.tv, firstrowsports.tv, firstrowsports.net and firstrowsports.com domains were seized, the service was operating as normal under a new domain – Firstrowsports.eu. Talking to TorrentFreak, one of the owners said that the US has stepped out of line by simply taking away their property.
http://torrentfreak.com/seized-sports-streaming-site-makes-a-blazing-comeback-120203/
Half of all Fortune 500 companies and major U.S. government agencies own computers infected with the “DNS Changer” malware that redirects users to fake websites and puts organizations at risk of information theft, a security company said today.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223941/Half_of_Fortune_500_firms_infected_with_DNS_Changer
A 28-year old man from Comstock Park, Michigan, has been arrested and charged with criminal copyright infringement. Yonjo Quiroa is the alleged operator of nine of the sixteen streaming related domain names that were seized a few hours ago as part of ‘Operation Fake Sweep’.
http://torrentfreak.com/feds-arrest-streaming-site-operator120202/
Source, Dutch language news article:
http://www.security.nl/artikel/40184/1/Anonymous_lekt_FBI_conference_call.html
Previously:
FBI says that Anonymous has intercepted a sensitive conference call between the FBI and Scotland Yard cybercrime investigators
http://vrritti.com/2012/02/03/fbi-says-that-anonymous-has-intercepted-a-sensitive-conference-call-between-the-fbi-and-scotland-yard-cybercrime-investigators/
The loose-knit hacking collective known as Anonymous released a roughly 15-minute-long recording of what appears to be a conference call devoted to tracking and prosecuting members of the group.
The FBI said in a statement Friday that the information “was intended for law enforcement officers only and was illegally obtained.”
The bureau said it was hunting those responsible.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HACKING_FBI?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
“We are expecting big help from our comrades in the USA. We are also in talks with Anonymous. They are busy ‘working’ in Poland at the moment, and as far as I know they are screwing up things for PayPal. But we hope they can back us. We are also hoping to receive support from colleagues in Turkey”
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s cyber security service says it is monitoring the hacking activities and collecting the IP addresses of users who took part in the attack, which it said could be considered a breach of the national criminal code.
The police believe that Dotcom has access to bank accounts that authorities were unable to freeze, along with credit cards and passports in different names.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/292456/20120203/police-kicked-punched-megaupload-kim-dotcom.htm
Lawyers representing the US authorities also said that a man with a history of making fake travel documents had unsuccessfully asked to visit Mr Dotcom following his arrest.
Mr Dotcom’s said he had no intention of running away. He said he wanted to be with his pregnant wife and fight to get his assets unfrozen. He also denied all knowledge of the rejected visitor.
“If people were to approach me and to offer such a service, I would tell them to go to hell,” Mr Dotcom said.
He added that he had also been contacted by a man claiming to be a prosecutor, who had said he could organise a favourable bail hearing in return for a payment.
He also complained that he had been sent letters from female prison inmates asking to become his pen pals.
Mr Dotcom’s next court appearance is scheduled for 22 February, when his extradition hearing is planned.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16869788
See also:
Mystery and mayhem surrounding MegaUpload (roundup)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57362515-83/mystery-and-mayhem-surrounding-megaupload-roundup/
The EU approach to Cybersecurity and Cybercrime
Ralf Bendrath Policy advisor to Jan Philipp Albrecht MEP, Greens/EFA
ISODARCO.it, 12 January 2012
Issues
No real coordination • Addressing symptoms • Public-private partnership ideology • Shying away from hard measures • Border control ideology • Typical for EU and for “cyber” policies: We try to fix what we can.
New Cyber-Attacks Directive
• Higher penalties (up to 5 years instead 3) • „Illegal interception“ criminalised • Hacker „devices“ criminalised • More aggravating circumstances – before: only when organised crime – now: when using stolen identity or botnets • 24/7 contact points • reporting / statistics
Our response
• Who believes penalties have any effect? • hacker „devices“ – WTF? • Don‘t criminalise using neighbour‘s wifi • ID theft should be left to other instruments • Protect benign hackers as immune system • In general, strengthen prevention • extenuating / alleviating circumstances • Liability for operators / vendors
Our tactics
• Bring in the hackers! • LIBE committee hearing, 4th October 2010 – CCC member “Scusi” presented – first contact with hacker for many officials – He is now in high demand • Quite successful • But: – Nobody willing to address liability issue – Malmström: “afraid of Microsoft”
More:
http://www.isodarco.it/courses/andalo12/paper/ISO12_Bendrath_EU-approach.pdf
