June 2013

Hackers are increasingly targeting Android devices, McAfee warns

The volume of malware targeted at mobile devices surged nearly 40% in the first quarter of 2013, according to researchers at security solutions provider McAfee.

Although the growth rate dropped slightly from the previous two quarters, McAfee researchers said the number of mobile attacks remained on course to top 2012 numbers. The company’s quarterly threat report also noted that mobile malware had spread to countries such as South Korea and India. South Koreans were targeted by an app that forwarded and deleted text messages. It was disguised as an app to receive mobile coupons for a coffee chain. Overall malware growth across all computing devices totaled about 15 million new pieces of malicious attacks entering McAfee’s “zoo” in the first three months of 2013.

South Carolina Republican Legislators Ask FCC to Stick to Repacking Budget

South Carolina Republican legislators -- Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott and Reps. Joe Wilson, Jeff Duncan, Trey Gowdy, Mick Mulvaney and Tom Rice -- have written to Acting Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn to say that the FCC should be able to repack TV stations after the incentive auctions using the $1.75 billion set aside for the move by Congress.

Broadcasters are concerned that rather than budgeting the money to cover all the moves, the FCC might run out and then put the cost on broadcasters. "The $1.75 billion figure should give the Commission all the flexibility it needs to repack hundreds of stations, if necessary, while working with those broadcasters who elect to continue to serve their local communities, especially outlying rural areas. The FCC is targeting urban areas where spectrum is in greater demand, so rural areas are more likely not be asked -- or allowed, in some cases -- to put up spectrum for auction," the legislators said. The legislators also asked the FCC to limit the number of stations repacked and perhaps even save excess money from that $1.75 billion to return to the Federal Treasury.

NCTA, CEA Say DOE Should Pause Set-Top Regulation Effort

If the Department of Energy insists on regulating set-top box energy efficiency standards, it would foreclose innovation and "sabotage" a voluntary agreement among equipment manufacturers and the top pay-TV operators.

In a joint Consumer Electronics Association/National Cable and Telecommunications Association letter, the two lobbying groups point out that while they continue to fight each other over set-tops at the FCC (the CableCARD vs. downloadable security issue notably), they were speaking with one voice on the issue of DOE, and that was a request that it put its regulatory proceeding on pause once again to see how the industry pledge to adhere to Energy Star ratings played out.

Jordan Blocks Local Access to 300 News Web Sites

The Jordanian government has blocked local access to about 300 news Web sites under a new law that the sites’ editors and international journalism experts have derided as dangerous censorship aimed at quelling criticism of King Abdullah II.

The law, enacted last September as the opposition to King Abdullah grew more outspoken, requires news sites in the country to register with the government, pay $1,400 in licensing fees and hire unionized journalists as editors, steps that the site operators say they cannot afford. The law also makes editors legally responsible not only for the content of articles they publish but also for comments posted by readers, many of them anonymous. Access to roughly 300 sites was blocked starting on June 2, when Jordanian news outlets were highlighting a paper issued by the king titled “Towards Democratic Empowerment and Active Citizenship.” About 80 people demonstrated in protest outside the journalists’ union on June 3, carrying signs saying, “No to the muzzling of online media.” There were plans for another demonstration outside Parliament on June 6.

France removes Internet cut-off threat from its anti-piracy law

France finally put an end to the most extreme measure of its famous “three strikes” anti-piracy regime: no one will face being cut off from the Internet.

The law is better known by its French acronym, Hadopi. In the last few years under the law, the Hadopi agency famously set up a system with graduating levels of warnings and fines. The threat of being cut off entirely from the Internet was the highest degree, but that penalty was never actually put into place. “Getting rid of the cut-offs and those damned winged elephants is a good thing. They're very costly,” said Joe McNamee of European Digital Rights.

Sprint Questions Dish-Clearwire Bid

Sprint Nextel raised objections over Dish Network's tender offer to acquire Clearwire, saying the bid is "not actionable", continuing the complicated drama over control of the mobile broadband provider that is majority-owned by Sprint.

In a letter to Clearwire's board, Sprint said Dish's bid of $4.40 a share for Clearwire last week—made just before a planned shareholder vote on a buyout by Sprint—isn't workable without Sprint's approval. Sprint, which has had disagreements with network partner Clearwire, says that Dish is requesting certain governance rights from Clearwire that can't be legally handed over without consent of Sprint and some other shareholders. "Sprint will enforce its legal and contractual rights. Thus, the Dish proposal is not actionable," the letter, signed by Sprint Chief Executive Dan Hesse, says. A Clearwire spokeswoman said a special committee of the company's board is continuing its review of the Dish bid and hasn't yet made a determination to change its recommendation for the Sprint deal. Clearwire won't make further comments until the review is complete, she said. In its letter, Sprint seemed to be reminding Clearwire of their relationship, noting that Clearwire cannot "simply take away those rights when convenient to benefit a minority stockholder that finds such bargained-for rights inconvenient or limiting to its desire to extract extra gain."

Apple e-book trial: 5 things to watch for

Apple’s showdown with the Justice Department on alleged price-fixing of e-books begins June 3, in a case closely watched across media and entertainment industries grappling with their transitions to digital businesses.

It is rare for a Justice antitrust suit to go to court; the five major publishing houses that were sued along with Apple have all settled with the government. The government’s suit, filed one year ago, has not significantly altered prices of e-books for consumers so far. But analysts say the case is significant because it shows federal officials are stepping up their patrol of the largely unregulated digital economy. As opening arguments take place in the no-technology Manhattan courtroom of the U.S. District Court, here are five key things to watch from the first day of trial: Witnesses, Apple on Amazon, Schedule and more witnesses, Dirty laundry and secrets, and Future.

Genachowski: Mistake to slow down regulations

Julius Genachowski, the former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, believes his agency should not back down from regulating new technologies.

"The world isn't slowing down and waiting for debates about authority to get resolved," Genachowski said on an episode of C-SPAN's "The Communicators" over the weekend. "I think it would be a mistake for the U.S. economy, a mistake for our global competitiveness, for the FCC to slow down."

Comcast: Crucial for Government to Free Up More Unlicensed Wireless

Comcast senior VP Thomas Nagel plans to tell a Senate Communications Subcommittee panel that getting more unlicensed spectrum is crucial to cable and the country.

"Further growth in data consumption via unlicensed technologies simply cannot occur unless service providers have access to more unlicensed spectrum," he says, according to a copy of his testimony for a June 4 hearing on the State of Wireless Communications. Nagel argues that setting aside more unlicensed wireless or loosening the regulations on unlicensed "does not mean undermining licensed technologies." He praises the Federal Communications Commission's proposals to make it easier to deploy next-generation unlicensed technology in the 5 GHz band, and the incentive auction proposal that includes unlicensed set-asides.

16 BTOP Projects Honored as Broadband “Heroes”

Sixteen projects funded through NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) will be honored tonight for being selected as 2013 Computerworld Honor Laureates.

In its 25th year, the Computerworld Honors Program recognizes achievements in 11 award categories. The Recovery Act-funded BTOP and State Broadband Initiative (SBI) grant recipients selected as Laureates are honored in seven of these categories: Collaboration, Economic Development, Emerging Technology, Human Services, Innovation, Mobile Access, and Philanthropy. This year, 22 judges selected 269 Laureates from more than 700 nominations, representing 29 countries. Recognition by the Computerworld Honors Program emphasizes the impact NTIA’s broadband programs are already having in communities across the country. Our award recipients are bridging the digital divide and their long-term impacts are undeniable. It is our hope that the grants will continue to empower and enable our recipients to move broadband forward through increased access to computers and broadband services.

Benton

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