German Banks Warned About Cyber Security Flaws

A top cyber security researcher has warned German banks that their retail payment systems have security flaws that could allow fraudsters to steal payment card PIN codes, create fake cards or siphon funds from customer or merchant accounts. Karsten Nohl, who is credited with revealing major security threats in mobile phones, automobiles, security cards and thumb-sized USB drives, told Reuters he has found critical weaknesses in software that runs retail point-of-sale terminals in Germany.

Apple Argues Against Weaker Encryption in U.K.

With governments threatening crackdowns on encrypted communications after the jihadist-inspired attacks in San Bernardino, Calif., and Paris, Apple pushed back hard, arguing that lawmakers who talk about gaining court-ordered access to iPhone communications do not understand the technology. “The best minds in the world cannot rewrite the laws of mathematics,” the company told the British Parliament, submitting formal comments on a proposed law that would require the company to supply a way to break into the iMessage and FaceTime conversations of iPhone users.

U.S., Europe Differ on Addressing Aviation Cyberattacks

U.S. and European aviation authorities are at odds over one of the industry’s hot-button issues: devising ways to protect an array of aircraft from potential cyberattacks. Regulators and committees of experts on both sides of the Atlantic are considering beefing up standards for onboard electronics to shield airliners, business jets and small private planes from such threats.

FTC Releases Statement on Deceptive Internet Ads

The Federal Trade Commission unveiled its rules for how native advertising on the Internet has to look, spelling out what qualifies as deceptive and what doesn’t. The FTC’s “Enforcement Policy Statement on Deceptively Formatted Advertisements” is a wonky 16-page document that fundamentally affirms what the FTC has already said about deceptive advertising more generally.

Oracle Settles with FTC Over Notifications About Hacking

Oracle Corp has settled allegations by the Federal Trade Commission that it failed to notify customers about unaddressed hacking dangers when it released security updates for the estimated 850 million U.S. computers with Java SE software, the agency said. The FTC alleged that Oracle promised consumers that its updates would make the software "safe and secure."

Jack Daniel's Sued for Using 'Fireball' in Google Ads

Sazerac — the spirit maker behind the long-standing Fireball Cinnamon Whisky — has filed a lawsuit against Jack Daniel's in Louisville's District Court, claiming the company's use of the term "Fireball" in Google advertisements for its Tennessee Fire whiskey has infringed upon Sazerac's trademark rights. Sazerac Brands of Louisville and its parent company — Sazarac Company, Inc. — are demanding that Jack Daniel's, a division of Louisville, Kentucky,-based Brown-Forman, be enjoined from using the term in any of its marketing, distribution or sales.

Iranian Hackers Reportedly Infiltrated New York Dam Systems

Iranian hackers infiltrated the control system of a small dam less than 20 miles from New York City two years ago, sparking concerns that reached to the White House, according to former and current U.S. officials and experts familiar with the previously undisclosed incident. The breach came amid attacks by hackers linked to Iran’s government against the websites of U.S. banks, and just a few years after American spies had damaged an Iranian nuclear facility with a sophisticated computer worm called Stuxnet.

Database of 3.3 Million Hello Kitty Customers Leaked Online

The identities and personal details of 3.3 million Hello Kitty customers have leaked online, including names, email addresses, dates of births and passwords, which are encrypted but would be relatively easy for an attacker to crack. The huge database of customer details was uncovered by security researcher Chris Vickery who shared details with security blog Salted Hash over the weekend but to date the company behind the anthropomorphized character, Sanrio, has not confirmed the breach.

Ericsson Signs Patent Licensing Agreement with Apple

Swedish mobile telecom gear maker Ericsson said it had signed a patent license deal with Apple Inc over technology that helps smartphones and tablets connect to mobile networks, sending its shares up much as 8 percent. The deal ends a year-long dispute with Apple, one of the biggest legal battles in mobile technology and Ericson said it would pave the way for cooperation between the companies on future technologies.

Banks Take Steps to Protect Employees Against Hacking

Banks fear a growing number of employees are unwittingly exposing valuable information to hackers or in some cases leaving digital clues that make a breach possible. To boost their defenses, firms are banning workers from using portable devices such as USB drives, warning employees to be careful what they post on social media and even discouraging workers from posting “out-of-office” replies on their emails.

FBI Probes Foreign Gov't Link to Major Hacking at ISP

A major breach at computer network company Juniper Networks has U.S. officials worried that hackers working for a foreign government were able to spy on the encrypted communications of the U.S. government and private companies for the past three years. The FBI is investigating the breach, which involved hackers installing a back door on computer equipment, U.S. officials told CNN.

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BMG Wins $25 Million Verdict Against Cox in Piracy Case

A federal jury in Virginia delivered a $25 million verdict in favor of BMG Rights Management against Cox Communications in a landmark piracy case that tested an internet service provider's responsibilities for the copyright infringing actions of its users. The verdict came after a week-long trial set in motion after U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady denied summary judgment for Cox, ruling in November that the ISP's failure to reasonably implement a repeat-infringer policy meant it couldn't have safe harbor under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

FCC Seeks Net Neutrality Meetings with T-Mobile, AT&T, Comcast

Federal regulators are looking into new offerings, such as T-Mobile's Binge On, that exempt video and other services from data caps to determine whether they violate new rules for Internet traffic. Tom Wheeler, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said the agency sent letters to T-Mobile, AT&T and Comcast asking for informal meetings to discuss "some of the innovative things they are doing."

New EU Data Law Creates Hurdles for U.S. Tech Companies

The sweeping new digital-privacy regime that European Union officials agreed to runs counter to practices that have become commonplace in the U.S., according to several American corporations. The combination of stiff penalties and ambiguously worded provisions in the new EU-wide data-protection law, which would replace a patchwork of 28 national laws, raises daunting prospects for companies operating in Europe.

Congress Appears Likely to Approve Cybersecurity Legislation

Congress is poised to pass a cybersecurity measure aimed at prompting businesses to share information on online threats, as lawmakers inserted the measure into a broad spending package expected to pass. The move came after legislators and the White House reached agreement on the proposal, which removes legal barriers to companies cooperating more closely with the government and each other in fighting online threats.

Judge Orders 48-Hour-Ban on WhatsApp Lifted in Brazil

A Brazilian judge ordered the lifting of a 48-hour suspension of the services in Brazil of Facebook Inc.'s WhatsApp phone-messaging application, overturning an order from a lower court. The interruption of WhatsApp's text message and Internet telephone service caused outrage in Latin America's largest country, where the company estimates it has 100 million personal users, and led to angry exchanges on the floor of Congress.

Copyright Royalty Board Increases Rates for Webcasters

A panel of federal judges increased the royalty that free Internet radio services like Pandora will pay record companies for the next five years, a decision that has been closely watched in the music industry and on Wall Street. According to a summary of the decision posted by the panel, the Copyright Royalty Board, Pandora and other webcasters like it will have to pay record companies 17 cents for every 100 times they play a song when they stream music to listeners who do not pay for subscriptions. The current rate is 14 cents.

Social Media Services Plan to Delete Hate, Germany Says

Germany said that Facebook, Google and Twitter have agreed to delete hate speech from their websites within 24 hours, a new step in the fight against rising online racism following the refugee crisis. The government has been trying to get social platforms to crack down on the rise in anti-foreigner comments in German on the web as the country struggles to cope with an influx of more than 1 million refugees this year.

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The GigaLaw Firm helps companies of all sizes protect their brands online, using domain name dispute policies – such as the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) – and other legal tools available to copyright and trademark owners on the Internet.