InternetPolicy.net

Sobig.f - "controlled experiment" by organized crime?

According to Peter Simpson, manager of ThreatLab at anti-virus firm Clearswift, the Sobig.f worm now clogging email systems around the world is "the latest in a series of forays into the digital world by organised criminals looking to make a move online." Simpson, quoted by Will Sturgeon on Silicon.com, says, 'This is the sixth in a series of controlled experiments. This isn't about some kiddy writing viruses in his bedroom - this is really a very sophisticated example of organised crime.' And he believes there may be far worse to come. Simpson explained that the purpose of getting Sobig onto the computer is not to cause damage or purely to drive wide and rapid spread, but it is to gain control of machines, by downloading a Trojan [to] gain access to information such as bank details for the purpose of fraud...'"

Recent trends in P2P music file-sharing

Tony Smith posted an interesting synopsis a few hours ago at The Register, about the measurable impact of the music industry's campaign against peer-to-peer file sharing. He cites market research by the NPD Group, claiming that "14.5 million US households downloaded music files in April. In May the figure fell to 12.7 million, and dropped to 10.4 million in June." Looking at the trend another way: "In April some 852 million songs were acquired via the Internet. Come June, the figure fell to 655 million..." Put those two sets of figures together and the result is even more interesting: "the average number of files downloaded per household grew [our emphasis] between April and June, from 59 to 63." Conclusion? Casual file-swappers are holding back while hard-core swappers are getting more active - despite the fact (reported by Smith two days earlier) that the RIAA now says it will only go after major copyright infringers, not casual file-swappers.

Australia: getting hotter

Controversy is growing around the Australian government's proposal to criminalize "offensive" Internet content. A report today by Chris Jenkins and Simon Hayes in Australian IT says that "Opposition parties have greeted the federal Government's move to outlaw internet use for 'offensive and menacing purposes' with caution, saying it could be used to crack down on legitimate protest... Democrats justice and information technology spokesman Senator Brian Greig went further: 'I question whether there isn't a hidden agenda here and what the government is really looking for is increased mechanisms for censorship...' The proposals come in the wake of legislation designed to block terrorist groups from using the internet to raise funds and spread propaganda. The Communications Legislation Amendment Bill - introduced into the Senate on Tuesday - would allow the government to cut off the phone or internet connection of anyone found to 'prejudice national security.' Electronic Frontiers Australia executive director Irene Graham said the latest proposal looked like it was aimed at restricting political speech..."

Improving Internet Access in Developing Countries

The Development Gateway has just opened a new "highlight" section devoted to Improving Internet Access in Developing Countries. It features articles written for this "highlight" as well as links to earlier online texts with relevant content. Not surprisingly, many of the articles are about radio infrastructure: wi-fi, wireless local loop, wireless broadband, satellite multicasting, etc. Particularly worth noting is "Providing Low Cost Information Technology Access to Rural Communities in Developing Countries: What Works? What Pays?" by G.Caspari and D.O'Connor (OECD, June 2003).

Australia to criminalize "offensive" Internet content

The Australian government will soon submit amendments to parliament making the use of a telecommunications service to carry "offensive" Internet content a crime punishable by two years in jail, if the content is judged "to harass or menace." ISPs would be exempt if they transmit the content without being aware of it, but hosting services could be liable. According to a report in Australia's ComputerWorld, the law would make it a crime "to advocate or facilitate violent protests.. A person who places material on the Internet that urges the commission of a criminal offence may also be caught by state and territory offences for incitement to commit a criminal offence."

Tanzania: Government policies inhibit Internet

Henry Omondi writes about the numerous burdens and restrictions that make Internet access prohibitively expensive in Tanzania. All could be fixed by changes of policy.

Hacking the intercepts

Thanks to an alert from the Foundation for Information Policy Research, we found an article posted last month by Robert X. Cringely about breaking into the computers which intercept and record digital communications for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). These computers have been installed at innumerable telephone and Internet switching centers in the US as a result of the 1994 Communications Assistance to Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). Cringely says that many of the servers are insecure - not kept in locked rooms or protected by firewalls and conveniently connected to the Internet for remote access. As a result, many have been broken into repeatedly by "Israeli companies, spies and gangsters...for fun and profit..." The article goes on to raise serious questions about similar vulnerabilities and abuses that could develop in more advanced surveillance systems, like DARPA's Total Information Awareness Program.