Verizon Vs. Cybersquatters : Intellectual Property Case

Domain name booking and cyber-squatting is a creating a new legal problem as the web has crossed any country's limit.

Keeping the legal control over the un-lawful activities over the web, most of the countries are modifying the IT laws including India, US and the European union.

Here is a recent IPR (intellectual Property Rights) case of domain name booking by cybersquatters against the popular telecom service Verizon and the trademarks registered by the company.

Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is taking it to cybersquatters, and the telecom said it has been awarded $33.2 million from a company trying to intentionally confuse Web users.

The ruling, which the telecom said is the largest-ever cybersquatting judgment, said OnlineNIC "unlawfully registered at least 663 domain names that were either identical or confusingly similar to Verizon's trademarks." The telecom was awarded $50,000 per domain name, which included the likes of iphonefromverizon.com and treoverizon.com.

OnlineNIC is a San Francisco-based domain registrar, and no representatives showed up to court. The company also faces similar lawsuits from Microsoft and Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO)

Source : InformationWeek

I would suggest to check the brand names and trademarks before you register a domain and avoid committing such activities.

Serious Security flaw in Microsoft IE 7

So far Firefox (FF) is considered as a secure browser, here is one more feather in the cap of FF.

As per wikipedia, here is a market share comparison among web browsers -

Internet Explorer: 70.72%
Firefox: 20.27%
Safari: 6.77%
Chrome: 0.78%
Opera: 0.73%
Netscape: 0.48%
Other: 0.24%

Adding to the security woes, CNN reports a serious vulnerability in Microsoft IE.

Here is the news:

NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- Users of Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) Internet Explorer Web browser could be open to attacks from criminals hoping to glean passwords and financial information as the software giant works to fix a security flaw.

"Microsoft is continuing its investigation of public reports of attacks against a new vulnerability in Internet Explorer," said the company in a release on its Web site.

The attack on Internet Explorer differs from many in the past that were successful only when users downloaded attachments that could exploit security cracks in the browser. In this case, victims' computers could be taken over simply by going to an infected Web site.

"This type of attack has been happening for a while, what's new is the unpatched IE tips off and draws attention that this sort of attack is working," said Cross Research analyst Richard Williams. "Ordinarily, by the time the news hits, the flaw has been fixed."

Microsoft said it is only aware of attacks on the Windows Internet Explorer 7 version of the browser, though all versions of the world's most popular program for surfing the Web are potentially vulnerable.

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Microsoft released an urgent security update today for Internet Explorer on all currently supported versions of Windows.

How to get the updates
If you are using Windows Vista you can manage your updates through the control panel. For more information, see Windows Vista: How to update your operating system.

To manually download available updates, go to Microsoft Update or in Windows Vista go to your control panel. After your computer has been scanned to see which updates it needs, click the Custom button to find and choose the update you want to install. We recommend you install all High-Priority Security and Critical updates immediately.

Microsoft Update is a new service that brings you all the features and benefits of Windows Update plus downloads for other Microsoft applications including Office.

As per the official site, there are much benefits to use Microsoft Update plus downloads,

Benefits :

Improve your computer’s health and security.
Regularly update your computer with the latest software from Microsoft to boost the security and reliability of your Windows PC.

Easy and flexible.
Microsoft Update is easy to set up and use. Download and install updates automatically, or customize the choices that are right for you.

New features, better performance.
Every month, Microsoft releases new drivers and software that increase the performance and functionality of your Windows-based computer. Get enhancements as soon as they are available using Microsoft Update.

The below URL can help you find your appropriate service packs and updates from Microsoft :

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms08-078.mspx

Latest news about Search Engines | GYM

Blogger lands Google India in courtroom for defamation

The search firm Google India may trigger some new developments in the cyber law of India. The Mumbai based Gremach Infrastructure Equipments & Projects, which provides construction machineries to medium and large construction companies, has filed a defamation case against Google India for hosting a series of articles on its blogging site, campaigning against its mines in Mozambique. The Bombay High Court has asked the search firm to furnish information about the blogger in an interim order, reported The Economic Times.

Gremach, in its petition, said that a series of articles that amounted to a 'hate campaign' against the company were posted on Google's blogging site with a title 'Toxic Writer' between January and February.

read the full story here : SiliconIndia

T-Mobile to launch Google phone in October

San Francisco: T-Mobile is to launch the first phone based on Google's Android design Sep 17, in hopes that the new device will compete with Apple's iPhone, Wired magazine reported Friday.

The smartphone will be manufactured by Taiwan-based High Tech Computer, and will have a large touch screen that slides out to reveal a five-row QWERTY keyboard. The device, which will be called the G1, will sell for $150 to T-Mobile customers in the first week of launch before it is offered to other customers at a higher price.

Google developed the Android design to help it expand its successful advertising business into the increasingly lucrative mobile market. It released the parameters to an alliance of mobile phone carriers, developers and manufacturers earlier in the year.


read the full story here : SiliconIndia


Microsoft, Google and Yahoo sued for foetus sex selection ads
Published Friday 15th August 2008 09:02 GMT

The Supreme Court of India has issued notices against Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! for advertising products to select the sex of foetuses.

Sabu Mathew George filed the complaint against the three firms. He told the New York Times that the ads deliberately targeted Indian users. He told the paper 900,000 female foetuses are aborted every year in India. Modern techniques for checking the sex of foetuses, like ultrasound, are increasingly available to all classes in India.

read the full story here : TheRegister UK

Us is facing Biggest Identity theft in the world!!

US was rocked with the biggest Identity theft ( Credit Card Scam) till date where credit and debit card details of about 40 million people were allegedly stolen for mis-use.

The biggest source of the information was from Shops and Bank computer systems, and the information was hacked using softwares.

This did not stop there, the stolen numbers were sold on the internet, making a mockery of the IT security and online surveillence mechanism. Showing some stringent control over personal data security and anonymity. There is a high need to educate the credit card holders who use un-secure ways to transact ( online or offline). Some guidlines issued by the government and the public displays would certainly help in this regard.

11 people in connection with the theft are been charged till now by the US autorities.

CNN reports :
An international group of hackers is accused of breaking into nine retailers' networks and stealing more than 40 million credit and debit card numbers.

Eleven people, including three U.S. citizens, were indicted Tuesday on a number of charges in connection with the hacking of nine major U.S. retailers and the theft and sale of more than 40 million credit and debit card numbers, federal authorities said.

Blu - Ray site Hacked!!

Competition and use of black hat techniques by someone (nothing proved yet so no blame game) but the fact is Blu-Ray website was hacked and it was re-directing to HD DVD site.

Tech2 news suggests:
The war between Blu-Ray and HD DVD has been carrying on in full swing this entire year. There have been a lot of charges traded and numbers proclaimed, about who is winning the format war. Carrying the war to the next level, an HD DVD enthusiast hacked the Blu-Ray website and re-directed it to the HD DVD website.

Cybercrime - Phishing - Latest India Case

Cybercrimes and phishing are the latest in the world and specially countries like India have to be ready of such hacking activities for the sole purpose of getting rich quickly. Well its good to get money but the way to get it will take you behind bars if its not legal.Many half-learnt and brilliant people who lack integrity for nation and human values happen to be at the receiving end when cyber cops take action.

A news says:
In a major breakthrough, Karnataka's Cyber Crime police of the Corps of Detectives arrested seven people, who allegedly hacked various bank accounts on Internet and siphoned off close to Rs 12 lakhs (Rs 1.2 million).
The kingpin of the racket, Joseph, an unemployed techie hailing from Virudunagar in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu, was nabbed from a cyber cafe in Mahadevapura near Whitefield by the police on November 29. Six of his associates have also been nabbed.
The police tracked the accused by tracing the IP address of the PC from where the accounts were hacked.

Read the whole story here.

2008 : Top Online Security Concerns

The 2008 Olympics is likely to spur a flurry of hacker activity, says Websense Inc, which specializes in web filtering and security software, releasing the top ten computer security threats for 2008.

The top 10 security threats are:

1. Olympics: New cyber attacks, phishing and fraud
2. Malicious spam invades blogs, search engines, forums and Web sites
3. Attackers use Web's 'weakest links' to launch attacks
4. Number of compromised Web sites will surpass number of created malicious sites
5. Cross-platform Web attacks: Mac, iPhone popularity spurs increase
6. Rise in targeted Web 2.0 special interest attacks: Hackers targeting specific groups of people based on interests and profile
7. Morphing JavaScript to evade anti-virus scanners
8. Data concealment methods increase in sophistication
9. Global law enforcement will crack down on key hacker groups and individuals
10. Vishing and voice spam will combine and increase

Source: Rediff News


The second point shows there is a lot to be done for the search engine companies like yahoo, google, msn etc.
Webmasters have to check the site too often for malicious attempts and hacking threats.

One more Indian Government site Hacked by an anti-US

Another Hacking activity detected on one of the Government site, causing the hosting providers and the webmasters to re-think on the security issues.

New Delhi: The Goa government was in for an online shock on Saturday when its Information and Publicity Department’s website was hacked allegedly by a Turkish group that posted anti-America slogans on it.The website, which was designed to display information on the details of Goa administration and related information and government schemes was flooded with graphic images of executions and arms seizure.State Information Secretary in-charge J P Singh was quoted as saying by PTI that the matter was a serious one and will be looked into.According to Government watchdog CERTIN, close to 3,000 Indian websites have been hacked this year, 140 in October alone. In September, Google mail accounts of key government officials were tampered with and earlier, passwords and login names of the National Defence Academy and key Indian embassies were splashed by a hacker on this website. Goa police say the alleged hacker Huseyingazi has cross-linked the website to www.turkmilliyetcileri.net which flashes anti-America slogans, police said. One of the comments reads, "United States of America which is feeding on and strengthening behind close doors the universal terrorists is the greatest terrorist country."

Full Story here

Hacking in Video Games

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters Life!) - Family groups renewed calls on Friday to clamp down on video game "Manhunt 2" after hackers accessed scenes of bloody killings that were scaled back to let the game go on sale in the United States.
The feat involves modifying Sony Corp's PlayStation Portable device to run an altered version of "Manhunt 2" and led to calls for a more restrictive rating on the game.
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board, the U.S. industry group that polices game content, on Friday defended its decision to give "Manhunt 2" a "Mature" rating, meaning it is suitable for players 17 years and older.
"'Manhunt 2's' rating makes it unmistakable that the game is intended for an older audience. The unauthorized hacking into the code of this game doesn't change that basic fact," ESRB President Patricia Vance said in a statement.

More info here

Yahoo Domainkeys Improved

According to a latest news from the IT world, Yahoo!, eBay, and PayPal launched a collective operation to combat fake emails menace. Using the DomainKeys Option, the trio is expecting a larger blockage of fraudulent emails and phishing attacks giving a better experience for the mail users and in one way trace the cyber-criminals if any email-based crimes occur from those emai ids.

DomainKeys email authentication technology can detect the pc ( IP) using its patented technology and any fake, malicious messages which have a Call-to-Action like " Asking for username/passwords, credit card details or submit any private info" can be traced out and help in providing justice.

Just wait for some time to see the Standard DomainKeys functioning for you!

Monster.com Hacking Incident

Are you aware of the new interest hackers are having?

May not be a political one but certainly something to think about.

According to SMH.com ;
Monster.com waited five days to tell users its system had been hacked, in a security breach that resulted in the theft of confidential information for more than a million users, a company executive told Reuters on Thursday.
By the time the US job-matching website shut down the illegal operation, run from two server computers at a Web-hosting company in Ukraine, the names and confidential contact information of some 1.3 million job seekers had been stolen,

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Internet security is a concern for all now!!

Blogging and Sexual Violence acts

Many bloggers see non-related content on blogs. It seems the ethics are over and now blogs are just made to do something like spam, illegal and un-professional activities.

The article from CIO.com helps to let us know more:

Anyone who has participated in the blogosphere in the past two months knows the troubling story of Kathy Sierra, a prominent blogger who was the victim of online threats that included violent sexual acts and murder ("Death threats force woman to suspend blog, cancel talk at O'Reilly conference"). When the harassment spread beyond her own blog to two others that were affiliated with other prominent bloggers, Sierra became so terrified that she canceled an upcoming speaking engagement and took a hiatus from blogging.

Read the full story here

DOS Attack on Estonia

First ever incident of Cyber Attack on a Baltic Country of Estonia was witnessed over 3 weeks when a Denial of Service ( DOS) attacks from cyber criminals made surfing impossible. Estonia is a country of 1.4 million people,

NATO has shown seriousness by dispatching cyber-terrorism experts to investigate the incident.According to Jaak Aaviksoo (Estonian Defence Minister) "At present, NATO does not define cyber-attacks as a clear military action" .

Russia's ambassador in Brussels, Vladimir Chizhov, said: "If you are implying [the attacks] came from Russia or the Russian Government, it's a serious allegation that has to be substantiated. Cyberspace is everywhere."