Kaspersky Withdraws EU Antitrust Complaint Against Microsoft

Kaspersky is withdrawing its European antitrust complaint against Microsoft. The software giant has agreed to make changes to the upcoming Windows 10 Fall Creators Update that have appeased Kaspersky and help its anti-virus software provide notifications and alerts to renew virus definitions. Kaspersky originally filed its complaint back in June, claiming that Microsoft disabled its anti-virus software during Windows upgrades and that the software maker was using its dominance to “fiercely promote” its own Windows Defender software.

Lawsuit Accuses Disney of Violating Child Privacy with Apps

A federal class action lawsuit filed in California alleges that the Walt Disney Company is violating privacy protection laws by collecting children’s personal information from 42 of its apps and sharing the data with advertisers without parental consent. The lawsuit targets Disney and three software companies — Upsight, Unity, and Kochava — alleging that the companies created mobile apps aimed at children that contained embedded software to track, collect, and then export their personal information along with information about their online behavior.

French Distiller Pernod Ricard Suffers Cyberattack at London Office

Pernod Ricard SA suffered a cyberattack at its London office, forcing some U.K. employees of the French distiller to turn in their computers to be checked for infection, people familiar with the matter said. While London appears to have been most affected, other sites may have been targeted as well, said one of the people, who did not want to be identified discussing private information.

Indian Government Blocks Access to Internet Archive

India’s government has blocked the Internet Archive, the free, 21-year-old online digital library that lets anyone find archived versions of millions of webpages through the Wayback Machine. The move has prompted backlash in India, particularly because the access to deleted webpages that the Internet Archive provides offers an easy way to get around government censorship.

ITC to Investigate Qualcomm's Patent Infringement Allegations Against Apple

U.S. trade officials have agreed to investigate Qualcomm Inc's allegations that Apple Inc infringed on patents with its iPhone7 and other devices, the U.S. International Trade Commission said. The ITC will make its decision "at the earliest practicable time" and will set a target date for completing its investigation within the next 45 days, the commission said in a statement.

FTC Asked to Probe VPN Provider Hotspot Shield's Privacy Practices

The free virtual private networking service Hotspot Shield has been accused of violating its own privacy policies by the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), a nonprofit advocacy group for consumer privacy rights. In a 14-page filing, the CDT has requested that the Federal Trade Commission investigate Hotspot for engaging in "unfair and deceptive trade practices" by interfering with web traffic and redirecting it to partner websites like advertising companies.

British Law Requires Social Media Giants to Delete Posts

British consumers will soon be able to request that their data is erased and force social media giants like Facebook to delete embarrassing posts under new data protection legislation. The law, which will enshrine the European Union's General Data Protection Rule (GDPR), is intended to give the public more control over what happens with their personal data -- including the "right to be forgotten."

  • Read the article: CNBC

Arrest of Cybersecurity Researcher Worries Hackers, Firms

The arrest in the U.S. on hacking-related charges of a British computer whiz hailed for slowing a massive global cyberattack in May has stunned and divided the cybersecurity community. It also shines a spotlight on a gray area in cybersecurity, the often hidden forums where experts trying to protect corporate and government interests interact clandestinely with suspected criminals.

U.S. Army Stops Using Chinese Drones, Citing Cyber Vulnerabilities

A Chinese company that is the world’s largest drone manufacturer said it is “surprised and disappointed” by reports the U.S. Army has halted use of its remote-controlled aircraft because of cyber vulnerabilities. An Army memo, obtained by sUASnews.com and viewed by Defense One said the unnamed vulnerabilities that led to the ban on the small, commercially available drones manufactured by DJI of China were outlined in a classified report in May.

Britain Requires Better Cyber Protections for Internet-Connected Cars

The British government issued new guidelines requiring manufacturers of Internet-connected vehicles to put in place tougher cyber protections to ensure they are better shielded against hackers. The government said it was concerned that smart vehicles, which allow drivers to do things such as access maps and travel information, could be targeted by hackers to access personal data, steal cars that use keyless entry systems, or take control of technology for malicious reasons.

Chinese Tech Companies Disagree Over Rights to Smartphone Data

China’s leading smartphone maker and one of its biggest Internet companies are in a showdown over user data, the big prize in the emerging era of artificial intelligence. To build its AI capability -- so that its phones can, say, make restaurant suggestions based on a user’s text messages -- Huawei Technologies Co. is collecting user-activity information on its advanced Honor Magic smartphone.

Researcher Who Stopped 'WannaCry' Ransomware Arrested by FBI

A cyber security researcher widely credited with helping to neutralize the global "WannaCry" ransomware attack earlier this year has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service said. Marcus Hutchins, a British-based malware researcher who gained attention for detecting a "kill switch" that effectively disabled the WannaCry worm in May, was detained by FBI officials in Nevada days after tens of thousands of hackers descended on Las Vegas for the annual Black Hat and Def Con security conferences, a U.S. Marshals Service spokeswoman said.

Tech Industry Criticizes Trump's Plan to Limit Number of Green Cards

With the blessings of President Donald Trump, two Senate Republicans embarked on a new effort to slash the number of green cards that the U.S. government awards to foreigners — a move that’s drawing another round of criticism from the tech industry. Under the so-called RAISE Act, unveiled by GOP Sens. Tom Cotton and David Purdue, the U.S. government would reduce legal immigration by half within 10 years of its enactment. Republicans propose to achieve that major cut in part by limiting green cards the government grants to extended family members while prioritizing applicants with high-skilled, highly paid jobs.

U.S. Trade Officials Discuss Ways to Force China to Protect Intellectual Property

The Trump administration is reportedly considering using rarely invoked U.S. trade laws to compel China to crack down on theft of copyrights, patents and other intellectual property and fend off technology-sharing demands from Beijing. The Wall Street Journal and New York Times reported that U.S. trade officials are discussing ways to counter piracy and other practices deemed harmful to American businesses.

Sex Trafficking Bill Called Risk to User-Generated Content

Internet companies are stepping up their opposition to a Senate sex trafficking bill they believe could make websites liable for what their users publish online. A coalition of tech trade associations sent a letter to Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), the leaders of the Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Investigations, sharing their concerns.

Read the article: The Hill

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.