FCC Proposes More Restrictions on Chinese Telecom Equipment

The Federal Communications Commission proposed further restrictions on purchases of telecommunications equipment that pose national security risks, strengthening its opposition to Chinese providers of 5G wireless and other technologies. The F.C.C. voted unanimously to explore the proposal to ban U.S. companies from all future purchases of telecommunications equipment from companies like Huawei and ZTE of China. It also proposed the agency consider revoking prior authorizations of equipment purchases from the list of five companies deemed threats to national security.

Carnival Cruise Operator Detected Unauthorized Access to Computer Systems

Cruise operator Carnival Corp. said it had detected unauthorized access to its computer systems in March, after which it alerted regulators and hired a cybersecurity firm to investigate the breach. The company, whose shares were down over 2%, noticed the suspicious activity on March 19 and acted quickly to "to shut down the event and prevent further unauthorized access", it said in an emailed statement.

More Than 1 Billion CVS Health Records Accidentally Posted Online

More than 1 billion search records belonging to CVS Health were accidentally posted online and accessible to the public earlier this year. The database belonging to the healthcare and retail giant, which was not password protected, was discovered at the end of March by independent cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler, according to a report published by Website Planet, which conducts research into unsecured internet data.

Cook Says European Rules Would Create Security Risks for iPhones

Apple boss Tim Cook took aim at proposed European rules aimed at curbing the power of U.S. tech giants, saying they could pose security and privacy risks to iPhones. Cook, in his first public comments about the Digital Markets Act (DMA) proposed by EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager, said parts were good but others were not. He said he feared the draft rules would lead to more installing of apps that do not come via Apple's App Store, or "side-loading".

Appeals Court Revives Shareholder Suit Over Google+ Security Flaws

A U.S. appeals court revived a lawsuit in which shareholders of Google parent Alphabet Inc. accused the company of fraudulently concealing security vulnerabilities, including in its Google+ social network. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said the lawsuit raised a "strong inference" that Alphabet's then-Chief Executive Larry Page and his successor, Sundar Pichai, knew about the bugs and an internal memo on security issues but intentionally concealed the information from investors.

At Summit, Biden and Putin Agree to Address Proliferation of Cyberattacks

A highly anticipated first summit meeting between President Biden and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia was described by both sides as a series of polite but adamantly stated disagreements about which country is the greater force of global disruption. In dueling news conferences on the edge of Lake Geneva, a traditional site for two of the world’s most powerful antagonists to discuss their differences, the two leaders committed to the creation of working groups to deal with urgent issues, starting with arms control and the proliferation of cyberattacks.

Facebook Oversight Board Officials Want Company to Adopt Guidance

Facebook Oversight Board officials and outsiders say the panel’s longer-term impact will hinge more on how Facebook follows up on all the detailed recommendations and guidance the board has issued as part of its decisions. Although the board’s rulings are binding, the copious guidance that it issues with each ruling, and those recommendations, aren’t.

Study of 20,000 Health and Fitness Apps Finds Many Privacy Concerns

Health and fitness apps, which help mobile-phone users track everything from calorie intake to menstruation dates, can access and share personal data in a way that’s concerning, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. The analysis of more than 20,000 apps found that inadequate privacy disclosures for many of them prevented users from making informed choices about their data. One third could collect user email addresses and many more transmitted data to third parties such as advertisers.

Google, Amazon Defend Smart Speakers at Senate Hearing

Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Amazon.com Inc. defended their smart-speaker businesses as U.S. senators warned the grip the companies have over the market could harm competition and consumer privacy. Republicans and Democrats at a hearing raised concerns about what they said were anticompetitive practices such as selling devices below cost and promoting their own services over those of competitors on their platforms.

U.S., EU Establish Trade and Technology Council to Compete with China

The United States and the European Union (EU) formally established a Trade and Technology Council (TTC) to coordinate on critical technology issues such as developing semiconductors, researching emerging fields and securing supply chains. The TTC was established as part of the U.S.-EU summit held in Brussels and is intended to serve as a vehicle to compete with China on emerging technology issues.

Senate Bill Would Spend $40 Billion to Expand Broadband Access

Three senators plan to introduce legislation that would spend $40 billion to make broadband Internet more affordable and accessible under one of the largest bipartisan proposals to address the digital divide. The legislation, co-sponsored by Sens. Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Angus King (I-Maine), highlights the growing support in both political parties to boost federal funding to bring more Americans online.

Britain's Competition Watchdog to Investigate Apple, Google Phone Dominance

Britain’s competition watchdog said it would investigate whether Apple and Google’s dominance of mobile phone operating systems, app stores and web browsers hurt consumers, launching its latest probe into the tech giants. The Competition and Markets Authority said it would undertake a "market study" into the matter to see whether the pair's effective duopoly was stifling competition and ripping off consumers, or hurting businesses like app developers.

Microsoft President Says Tech Subpoenas Undermine Freedoms

Microsoft Corp. President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith criticized secret data subpoenas sent by the government to cloud providers like his company and Apple Inc., saying gag orders on requests for personal information undermine freedoms and are hurting U.S. technology companies in Europe. The U.S. government should change the rules so that people whose data is being demanded can be informed and choose whether to file a legal challenge to the subpoenas, Smith said.

Groups Urge Biden to Pick FCC Candidate Who Will Reinstate Net Neutrality

More than 50 advocacy groups sent a letter to President Biden urging him to nominate a candidate to fill an open seat on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The groups said it is necessary for Biden to appoint a nominee to the FCC in order to start the process to reinstate net neutrality rules rolled back under former President Trump, and underscored their push by noting the additional hurdles posed by the pandemic.

Ransomware Hackers Apparently Agree to Refrain from Attacking Russia

The ransomware hackers suspected of targeting Colonial Pipeline and other businesses around the world have a strict set of rules. First and foremost: Don’t target Russia or friendly states. It’s even hard-wired into the malware, including coding to prevent hacks on Moscow’s ally Syria, according to cybersecurity experts who have analyzed the malware’s digital fingerprints.

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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.