Congressional Staffers Get Info on Secret Yahoo Order

Obama administration officials briefed key congressional staffers about a secret court order to Yahoo that prompted it to search all users’ incoming emails for a still undisclosed digital signature, but they remain reluctant to discuss the unusual case with a broader audience. Executive branch officials spoke to staff for members of the Senate and House of Representatives committees overseeing intelligence operations and the judiciary, according to people briefed on the events, which followed Reuters’ disclosure of the massive search.

Obama May Focus on Tech Industry After Leaving White House

For nearly eight years, the presidency has been Barack Obama’s science and technology playground, a place where he sought to become the advocate in chief for industries pushing advanced batteries, powerful medical devices and cutting-edge research. With less than three months left in his presidency, Mr. Obama is preparing for a life after the White House that will most likely include a close relationship with Silicon Valley.

Homeland Security Working on 'Principles' to Secure Internet Devices

Obama administration officials sought to reassure the public that it was taking steps to counter new types of cyber attacks such as the one Friday that rendered Twitter, Spotify, Netflix and dozens of other major websites unavailable. The Department of Homeland Security said it had held a conference call with 18 major communication service providers shortly after the attack began and was working to develop a new set of “strategic principles” for securing internet-connected devices.

Cardiac Implants Called Vulnerable to Hackers

Short-selling firm Muddy Waters said in a legal filing that outside experts it hired validated its claims that St. Jude Medical Inc cardiac implants are vulnerable to potentially life-threatening cyber attacks. U.S. regulators responded by reiterating previous advice that patients should keep using the devices, and a St. Jude spokeswoman said the company would respond "through appropriate legal channels."

Google Gets Another Extension to Respond to EU Advertising Complaint

Alphabet unit Google has been given an extra week to formally respond to allegations by the European Commission that it was blocking rivals in online search advertising, a move likely to delay a regulatory decision on the case until next year. The deadline has been extended to Nov. 3 from Oct. 26, European Commission spokesman Ricardo Cardoso said, making it the second extension.

Calif. Grand Jury Indicts Russian Man for Hacking LinkedIn, Others

A Russian man accused of breaking into computer systems at three internet companies in 2012 has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Oakland, Calif. Yevgeniy Aleksandrovich Nikulin, 29, was arrested this month while vacationing with his girlfriend in the Czech Republic on charges that he hacked into computer networks at LinkedIn, Dropbox and Formspring, damaged computers and conspired to traffic in stolen information.

Facebook Considers Whether Trump Posts Constitute Hate Speech

Some of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s posts on Facebook have set off an intense debate inside the social media company over the past year, with some employees arguing certain posts about banning Muslims from entering the U.S. should be removed for violating the site’s rules on hate speech, according to people familiar with the matter. The decision to allow Mr. Trump’s posts went all the way to Facebook Inc. Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, who ruled in December that it would be inappropriate to censor the candidate, according to the people familiar with the matter.

Internet-Connected Devices Used in Massive Attack on Websites

Major websites were inaccessible to people across wide swaths of the United States after a company that manages crucial parts of the internet’s infrastructure said it was under attack. And in a troubling development, the attack appears to have relied on hundreds of thousands of internet-connected devices like cameras, baby monitors and home routers that have been infected — without their owners’ knowledge — with software that allows hackers to command them to flood a target with overwhelming traffic.

Apple Sues Amazon Supplier for Selling Fake Cables, Chargers

In a federal lawsuit, Apple asserted that nearly all the iPhones, chargers and cables it surreptitiously purchased from online retailer Amazon were fakes. "As part of its ongoing brand protection efforts, [Apple] has purchased well over 100 iPhone devices, Apple power products, and Lightning cables sold as genuine by sellers on Amazon.com and delivered through Amazon's 'Fulfillment by Amazon' program," Apple's complaint said of a nine-month operation.

EU Court Adviser Says Intel Antitrust Case Should be Re-Examined

An adviser to the European Union’s highest court has thrown his weight behind Intel Corp.’s appeal against a decision by the bloc’s antitrust regulator to fine the chip maker €1.06 billion ($1.17 billion) for abusing its dominant market position. The adviser to the European Court of Justice said that a lower court erred in its 2014 judgment when it threw out the U.S.-based firm’s appeal to the decision “in its entirety.”

Dropbox Sued for Patent Infringement Over Collaboration Feature

File-hosting service Dropbox has been targeted in a patent infringement lawsuit by software company Rosebud. The claim, which was filed at the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, accuses Dropbox of infringing a patent that covers software that facilitates collaborative work between two computers operating on the same network.

Microsoft Opens Software 'Transparency Center' in Brazil

Microsoft Corp, still stung by accusations that it installed "back doors" for the U.S. government to access customers' communications, opened a center in Brazil where officials will be able to inspect its programming code, in an attempt to allay suspicions in the region that its software programs are vulnerable to spying. Behind reinforced walls and with strict security settings, the world's biggest software company showed off its fourth 'Transparency Center' in Brasilia, where experts from Latin American and Caribbean governments will be able to view the source code of its products.

Journalists Criticizing Trump Face 'Considerable' Anti-Semitic Tweets

Nearly 20,000 anti-Semitic tweets have been directed at more than 800 journalists since the 2016 presidential campaign began, often because those journalists voiced critical opinions about Donald Trump, the Anti-Defamation League said. The anti-Semitic Twitter attacks, which have increased as the campaign has gone on, represent what the ADL describes in a new report as a "disturbing" and "a" trend.

Samsung Files Take-Down Notice for Video of Phone as Weapon

Samsung apparently doesn't see much humor in a Grand Theft Auto V mod that turns the recalled, hazardous Galaxy Note 7 into an in-game weapon. In fact, the company is trying to erase it from the internet completely. Samsung has issued a DMCA takedown targeting a YouTube video that showcased the mod, which gives the Note 7 explosive, grenade-like capabilities.

T-Mobile to Pay Millions in Fines for Misleading 'Unlimited' Data Plans

Federal regulators are slapping T-Mobile with millions of dollars in fines and other requirements after consumers complained that the wireless carrier misled them with its advertising on “unlimited” data. T-Mobile has agreed to pay $7.5 million to the government and to compensate affected consumers with $35.5 million worth of additional mobile data and discounts on phone accessories.

Russian Hacker Wanted by U.S. Arrested in Czech Republic

A man identified as a Russian hacker suspected of pursuing targets in the United States has been arrested in the Czech Republic, the police announced. The suspect was captured in a raid at a hotel in central Prague on Oct. 5, about 12 hours after the authorities heard that he was in the country, where he drove around in a luxury car with his girlfriend, according to the police.

Ecuador Says It Disconnected Assange's Internet Access

The government of Ecuador disconnected the internet access of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at its Embassy in London because of his site’s publishing of documents that could affect the US presidential election, the government said in a statement. WikiLeaks announced that Assange’s internet link had been severed, saying that it had “activated the appropriate contingency plans.”

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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.