US Govt and Rightsholders Want WHOIS Data Accessible Again, to Catch Pirates

Copyright holders and the US Government want ICANN to make domain WHOIS data more accessible again. They say that this information is required to track down online pirates as well as other bad actors. If progress isn’t made soon, US Congress may have to step up and pass legislation to reach the desired effect, they warn.

Source: TF, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, torrent sites and more. We also have VPN reviews, discounts, offers and coupons.

It’s been nearly a year since the EU’s new privacy regulation, the GDPR, was implemented.

The GDPR requires many online services and tools to tighten their privacy policies. This also affects domain registrars.

Faced with this new regulation, the domain registrar oversight body ICANN implemented a temporary specification. This led to restrictions in access to personal data of site owners that would previously have been available through the WHOIS system.

The change was welcomed by privacy advocates and many domain registrants, but anti-piracy groups are not happy. Industry groups such as the MPAA use WHOIS information to investigate and go after pirate sites.

The Hollywood group has been rather adamant about its need to access WHOIS data. It previously warned the US National Telecommunications and Information Administration that a more open system will increase privacy, rather than the other way around.

Since then, little has changed. However, the MPAA remains determined. In a letter (pdf) sent to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) this week, it asks the US Government agency to help out. Ideally, it wants a system where authorized organizations get easy access.

“The MPAA requests that the FTC continue urging [ICANN] to expeditiously adopt and implement an access and accreditation model restoring the availability of WHOIS information to protect consumers and legitimate commerce, including to combat copyright infringement.

“The MPAA also asks the FTC to help ensure domain name providers diligently review and grant requests for such access until the model is implemented,” the anti-piracy group adds.

The movie industry group points out that, since the founding of the commercial Internet, WHOIS information has been the starting point to combat online crime,  including identity theft, theft of intellectual property, fraud, cyber attacks, illicit sale of opioids, and human trafficking.

The temporary solution ICANN has in place now is not a good alternative, the MPAA argues, as it unnecessarily restricts access. 

The MPAA is not the only industry group complaining about WHOIS restrictions. The Copyright Alliance, Creative Future, and the Independent Film and Television Alliance also sent a letter (pdf) to the FTC highlighting the same issue.

In addition, the US Government itself has chimed in as well. Last week David J. Redl, NTIA‘s Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, sent a letter to ICANN Chair Cherine Chalaby. In the letter, Redl urges ICANN to take “swift” action.

“The WHOIS information is a critical tool that helps to keep people accountable for what they do and put online. Law enforcement uses WHOIS to shut down criminal enterprises and malicious websites,” Redl writes.

Redl notes that he was pleased to see that, with help various stakeholders, some progress had been made. However, ICANN should continue to move forward, especially since the temporary specification expires next month.

“Now its time to deliberately and swiftly create a system that allows for third parties with legitimate interests, like law enforcement, IP rights holders, and cybersecurity experts to access non-public data critical to fulfilling their missions,” Redl notes.

The letter also comes with a sting. If ICANN fails to adopt a new policy, or at least get closer to it, US lawmakers may have to step in.

“Without clear and meaningful progress, alternative solutions such as calls for domestic legislation will only intensify and be considered,” Redl writes.

This option appears to be the subject of discussion behind closed doors, as the MPAA also brought it up in its letter to the FTC.

“In the event ICANN and domain name providers fail to do so, the U.S. Congress is well within its prerogatives to pass legislation preserving access to WHOIS information to protect its citizens and promote legitimate commerce,” the MPAA writes.

“Because of the importance of continued access to WHOIS information to the FTC and others, the MPAA asks the FTC and other agencies to support legislative efforts if such circumstances come to pass.”

It’s clear that the pressure is on.

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A security researcher with a grudge is dropping Web 0days on innocent users

Exploits published over the past three weeks exposed 160,000 websites to potent attacks.

Image of ones and zeros with the word

(credit: Pixabay)

Over the past three weeks, a trio of critical zeroday vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins has exposed 160,000 websites to attacks that allow criminal hackers to redirect unwitting visitors to malicious destinations. A self-proclaimed security provider who publicly disclosed the flaws before patches were available played a key role in the debacle, although delays by plugin developers and site administrators in publishing and installing patches have also contributed.

Over the past week, zeroday vulnerabilities in both the Yuzo Related Posts and Yellow Pencil Visual Theme Customizer WordPress plugins, used by 60,000 and 30,000 websites respectively, have come under attack. Both plugins were removed from the WordPress plugin repository around the time the zeroday posts were published, leaving websites little choice than to remove the plugins. On Friday, Yellow Pencil issued a patch, three days after the vulnerability was disclosed. At the time this post was being reported Yuzo Related Posts remained closed with no patch available.

In-the-wild exploits against Social Warfare, a plugin used by 70,000 sites, started three weeks ago. Developers for that plugin quickly patched the flaw, but not before sites that used it were hacked.

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Who had the most merciful death on Game of Thrones? Science has an answer

Physicist Rebecca Thompson weighs in on all your burning science questions for GoT.

You know nothing, Jon Snow—like, maybe wear a hat when conditions are freezing in the North. Even if it musses up your luscious locks.

Enlarge / You know nothing, Jon Snow—like, maybe wear a hat when conditions are freezing in the North. Even if it musses up your luscious locks. (credit: HBO)

Warning: This story contained some mild spoilers from the first six seasons of Game of Thrones.

The world of Game of Thrones may be fictional, but that doesn't stop its fans from heatedly arguing about all the possible underlying science, because nerd-gassing about one's favorite science fiction is a time-honored tradition. Just how hot is dragon's breath? Is there a real-world equivalent of wildfire? What's the best and worst way to die? And how fast would Gendry have to run back to the wall to send a raven to King's Landing requesting help?

These and other scintillating topics are discussed in a forthcoming book by physicist (and uber-fan) Rebecca Thompson, Fire, Ice, and Physics: The Science of Game of Thrones. The book comes out in October from MIT Press, but as we gear up for the premiere of the final season Sunday night, Thompson graciously gave us a sneak preview into some of the burning science questions she investigated.

Read 15 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Who had the most merciful death on Game of Thrones? Science has an answer

Physicist Rebecca Thompson weighs in on all your burning science questions for GoT.

You know nothing, Jon Snow—like, maybe wear a hat when conditions are freezing in the North. Even if it musses up your luscious locks.

Enlarge / You know nothing, Jon Snow—like, maybe wear a hat when conditions are freezing in the North. Even if it musses up your luscious locks. (credit: HBO)

Warning: This story contained some mild spoilers from the first six seasons of Game of Thrones.

The world of Game of Thrones may be fictional, but that doesn't stop its fans from heatedly arguing about all the possible underlying science, because nerd-gassing about one's favorite science fiction is a time-honored tradition. Just how hot is dragon's breath? Is there a real-world equivalent of wildfire? What's the best and worst way to die? And how fast would Gendry have to run back to the wall to send a raven to King's Landing requesting help?

These and other scintillating topics are discussed in a forthcoming book by physicist (and uber-fan) Rebecca Thompson, Fire, Ice, and Physics: The Science of Game of Thrones. The book comes out in October from MIT Press, but as we gear up for the premiere of the final season Sunday night, Thompson graciously gave us a sneak preview into some of the burning science questions she investigated.

Read 15 remaining paragraphs | Comments

How a mobile game is reopening a hidden chapter in Taiwan’s history

Unforgivable examines Taiwan’s White Terror through a ludonarrative lens.

Some imagery from the mobile game, <em>Unforgivable</em>.

Enlarge / Some imagery from the mobile game, Unforgivable.

Thirty years ago, the grandfather of a Taiwanese-American NYPD detective named Danny Lin was thrown off a cliff in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. The killing took place during what is known today as the White Terror, a 40-year period of violent political suppression and martial law in Taiwan in the middle 20th century. The killer was never identified. Bent on solving his grandfather’s cold case and prompted by the admissions of a mysterious Japanese-Taiwanese woman in a Manhattan ramen restaurant, Lin travels to Taiwan. He knows little about the place, only that, somehow, he must find answers.

Until the last couple of decades, this kind of story, focused on Taiwan’s brutal authoritarianism under military rule, would have been a touchy topic in Taiwan. Today, though, Detective Lin’s saga is the fictional plot behind Unforgivable: Eliza, a popular augmented reality game played on a smartphone, similar to Pokemon Go. The game unfolds as a digitally enhanced tour of New York and then Taipei, with bright manga-esque presentation.

Unforgivable was penned by the Taiwanese-American crime novelist Ed Lin (Incensed, Ghost Month, One Red Bastard) and developed by Allen Yu, the 34-year-old Taiwanese founder of Flushing-based Toii Inc. For these game makers, Lin’s story has been a way to get a new generation to engage with the country’s past. Their efforts parallel a larger trend of younger Taiwanese people exploring their parents’ and grandparents’ lives under military rule.

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Amazon: Verbraucherschutzministerin fordert Abhörstopp durch Alexa

Das Abhören von Alexa-Eingaben durch Amazon-Mitarbeiter stößt weiter auf scharfe Kritik. Das Bundesinnenministerium schiebt die Verantwortung jedoch den Nutzern zu und fordert einen Ausschaltknopf. (Amazon Alexa, Google)

Das Abhören von Alexa-Eingaben durch Amazon-Mitarbeiter stößt weiter auf scharfe Kritik. Das Bundesinnenministerium schiebt die Verantwortung jedoch den Nutzern zu und fordert einen Ausschaltknopf. (Amazon Alexa, Google)

Review: Beloved board game Castles of Burgundy is now an app

“Point salad?” Maybe, but it’s still terrific in app form.

Let's get ready for some hot Renaissance action!

Enlarge / Let's get ready for some hot Renaissance action!

Welcome to Ars Cardboard, our weekend look at tabletop games! Check out our complete board gaming coverage at cardboard.arstechnica.com.

The Castles of Burgundy has long been one of my favorite strategy board games, a 90-120 minute game of tile-laying with a complex scoring system that is often derided as “point salad,” meaning you can get points from so many different paths that there might seem to be no logic to it. I mention that up front because I think it’s a fair criticism of this style of game. Still, Castles of Burgundy is the best implementation I’ve seen of that sort of scoring, especially since designer Stefan Feld, who specializes in this sort of game, connects the different tile types in multiple ways, creating a game that scratches that complex scoring itch but is also well-balanced and coherent.

Digidiced has now brought Castles of Burgundy to Steam and to mobile platforms in a great-looking app that uses new artwork and allows for quick gameplay against AI opponents. Despite a few quirks in the first release, it’s a strong introduction to the game for new users and smooth experience for local play, although I’d like to see a smarter “hard” AI opponent and perhaps a more streamlined tile-placement system. Online multiplayer games could still use some work, especially regarding how the app handles timed play and an occasional bug that occurs when switching games (which is enough of a concern that I’d suggest holding off on purchasing the app if you prefer online play versus local or solo games).

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Nahverkehr: Verkehrsverbünde wollen Ticketkäufe in ihren Apps vernetzen

Nutzer sollen künftig nicht mehr für jede Region eine eigene Nahverkehrs-App benötigen. Bislang sind bereits sechs Verkehrsverbünde an dem Projekt beteiligt und machen damit dem Handyticket Deutschland Konkurrenz. (Handyticket, Deutsche Bahn)

Nutzer sollen künftig nicht mehr für jede Region eine eigene Nahverkehrs-App benötigen. Bislang sind bereits sechs Verkehrsverbünde an dem Projekt beteiligt und machen damit dem Handyticket Deutschland Konkurrenz. (Handyticket, Deutsche Bahn)

Donald Trump: USA “müssen Rennen um 5G gewinnen”

Die USA wollen den Ausbau des Mobilfunkstandards 5G mit neuen Frequenzversteigerungen vorantreiben. Dabei setzt die FCC weiter auf hochfrequente Millimeterwellen. (5G, Technologie)

Die USA wollen den Ausbau des Mobilfunkstandards 5G mit neuen Frequenzversteigerungen vorantreiben. Dabei setzt die FCC weiter auf hochfrequente Millimeterwellen. (5G, Technologie)

Russian Ebook Pirates ‘Exploit Loophole’ in Anti-Piracy Legislation

When pirate sites are getting blocked left, right and center, those offering copied content need to get creative. According to reports in Russian media, eBook pirates are exploiting loopholes in the law to sell content to consumers, not only completely privately but without fear of criminal sanctions.

Source: TF, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, torrent sites and more. We also have VPN reviews, discounts, offers and coupons.

With many thousands of sites now blocked in Russia following allegations of copyright infringement, piracy should – at least in theory – become harder.

Many of the most stubborn sites, such as the infamous RuTracker, are now inaccessible directly via local ISPs, meaning that users must deploy countermeasures such as proxies, VPNs (where they’re still available), and other means, in order to reach their content.

There’s little doubt that piracy is now becoming harder than it once was but pirates have a tendency to be not only persistent, but also creative – even if that means resorting to technologies that are decades old.

According to local news outlet Vedomosti, people are turning the sales of pirate eBooks into a cottage industry, while exploiting a loophole in the law to avoid criminal liability.

Many of these transactions take place on Avito, Russia’s most popular classified ads site and the second largest in the world behind Craigslist. Countless ads for pirate eBooks litter the platform, offering anything from a single book to bundles of many.

This content is offered for prices ranging from just a few cents to a couple of dollars, which is many times cheaper than official offerings. However, little of this activity can land any of the sellers in trouble. The threshold for criminal liability in Russia for what are essentially counterfeit goods is 100,000 rubles (around $1,500). Individual sales tend not to meet those thresholds.

Making matters even more slippery for anti-piracy companies is that those who place the ads for pirate eBooks do not post the content online. Instead, the senders use email to transfer the eBooks to their customers. This means their ads cannot be easily be detected by anti-piracy bots and any infringing transactions remain private.

Furthermore, since there are no links to infringing content, the listings are effectively immune from Russia’s somewhat draconian anti-piracy laws. They cannot be targeted with legal action under the regime so platforms can’t be blocked in the way that normal pirate sites can.

Instead, copyright holders are reliant on platforms like Avito to help take content down. The company does remove listings, but only when they are reported as problematic. However, there are reportedly entire communities thriving on social media platforms dedicated to these sales, so tackling the problem could be time-consuming.

If nothing else, what this shows is that in the piracy world, where’s there’s a will to pirate content, there will probably be a way. And when that way is via email or other hidden techniques, there’s very little anyone can do about it – at least for now.

Source: TF, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, torrent sites and more. We also have VPN reviews, discounts, offers and coupons.