EU Officials Want to Criminalize Malicious Software

European Union policymakers said on they want to combat large-scale cyber attacks that could paralyze modern, industrialized nations that rely on computer networks. Proposals put forward by the European Commission include criminalizing the use and creation of malicious software or possession of tools such as passwords for breaking into computer systems. Read the article: Reuters

50 People Arrested in Bank Virus Scheme

More than 50 people have been charged in international schemes that used computer viruses to steal millions of dollars from bank accounts in the U.S and England, state and federal prosecutors said in New York. The cyber attacks began in Eastern Europe and included malware known as the "Zeus Trojan," which was typically sent as as an e-mail to computers at small businesses and offices in the United States.

Net Neutrality Legislation Stalls in House

Net neutrality is joining the growing list of issues Congress isn't likely to act on this year, putting new pressure on the Federal Communications Commission to take up the matter. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, failed to win support for a proposal that would have limited the FCC's power to regulate broadband traffic.

Iranian-Canadian Blogger Gets 19.5 Years in Jail

An Iranian news Web site reported that Hossein Derakhshan, an influential Iranian-Canadian blogger who was arrested two years ago when he returned from self-imposed exile to live in Iran, was sentenced to nearly two decades in prison by a court in Tehran. As Cyrus Farivar, an Iranian-American journalist, noted on his blog, Iran’s Mashregh News reported that Mr. Derakhshan sentenced to 19.5 years in jail for “conspiring with hostile governments, spreading propaganda against the Islamic system, spreading propaganda in favor of counterrevolutionary groups, blasphemy, and creating and managing obscene Web sites.”

Oracle Sues Micron, Says Sun Overcharged for Chips

Oracle Corp. sued Micron Technology Inc., alleging it overcharged Sun Microsystems Inc., which Oracle acquired, by conspiring to fix prices for computer memory chips. Micron and other makers of dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, artificially inflated the price of chips they sold to Sun, Oracle claimed in an antitrust complaint filed Sept. 24 in federal court in San Jose, California.

Internet Eavesdropping in India Called Innovation Threat

Prompted by fears of digital-era plotters, officials in India are demanding that network operators give them the ability to monitor and decrypt digital messages, whenever the Home Ministry deems the eavesdropping to be vital to national security. Critics, though, say India’s campaign to monitor data transmission within its borders will hurt another important national goal: attracting global businesses and becoming a hub for technology innovation.

Judge Denies Disclosures in "Hurt Locker" Case

A federal magistrate judge in South Dakota has denied an attempt by the producers of the Oscar-winning film "The Hurt Locker" to obtain the identities of 143 accused illegal file sharers from their Internet service provider. The judge's decision, however, likely means only a temporary delay for Voltage Pictures, the independent studio which made "The Hurt Locker."

Defendants Must Disclose Identities in Movie Download Case

A federal judge in the District of Columbia has ordered a group of anonymous defendants in a copyright lawsuit over illegally downloaded movies to disclose their identities. Earlier this month, more than 40 of the 4,577 John Doe defendants named in one of at least seven lawsuits filed by District-based US Copyright Group, a litigation outfit formed by attorneys from Dunlap, Grubb & Weaver, asked a judge to toss out a subpoena seeking their identities and dismiss the case.

Law Enforcement Wants Congress to OK Internet Wiretapping

Federal law enforcement and national security officials are preparing to seek sweeping new regulations for the Internet, arguing that their ability to wiretap criminal and terrorism suspects is "going dark" as people increasingly communicate online instead of by telephone. Essentially, officials want Congress to require all services that enable communications — including encrypted e-mail transmitters like BlackBerry, social networking Web sites like Facebook and software that allows direct "peer to peer" messaging like Skype -- to be technically capable of complying if served with a wiretap order.

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