Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Al-Qaida plans cyber war against Britain: Top UK minister

LONDON: Britain faces growing threat from the al-Qaida, which is on track to launch a cyber-warfare campaign against the country, UK's security minister has warned.

Lord West warned that al-Qaida is aiming to use the internet to launch a cyber-warfare campaign against Britain.

"We know terrorists use the internet for radicalisation and things like that at the moment, but there is a fear they will move down that path (of cyber attacks)," he was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Britain's security minister issued the warning as he published the government's new cyber security strategy to combat the cyber-warfare threats.

Published in Times of India

IT industry backs cyber-security strategy

By James Boxell and Jeremy Lemer

The IT industry welcomed the UK’s first cyber-security strategy as providing much-needed clarity about who companies should talk to in government about investment in research and development.

However, there was disappointment at defence and security companies that the broader national security strategy, also published on Thursday, did not promise similar engagement in other critical areas of homeland security, such as counter-terror and protecting critical infrastructure.


Published in www.ft.com

Cyber Cold War: U.S. Vs. Russia

June 28, 2009 - Eric Chabrow

A new Cold War, of sorts, is emerging in cyberspace between the United States and Russia over the best way to respond to the mounting assaults on information systems and the Internet.


Whether the American or Russian approach prevails ... major governments are reaching a point of no return in heading off a cyberwar arms race.

Though both nations' governments recognize the mayhem virtual assaults pose, they are at odds on how the international community should ban together to limit cyber attacks, according to an article Sunday in The New York Times:

Russia favors an international treaty along the lines of those negotiated for chemical weapons and has pushed for that approach at a series of meetings this year and in public statements by a high-ranking official.

The United States argues that a treaty is unnecessary. It instead advocates improved cooperation among international law enforcement groups. If these groups cooperate to make cyberspace more secure against criminal intrusions, their work will also make cyberspace more secure against military campaigns, American officials say.

Other points the article makes:

Russia would ban a country from secretly embedding malicious codes or circuitry that could be later activated from afar in the event of war, apply humanitarian laws banning attacks on noncombatants and a ban on deception in operations in cyberspace - an attempt to deal with the challenge of anonymous attacks, and call for broader international government oversight of the Internet.

The U.S. would resist agreements to allow governments to censor the Internet, saying they would provide cover for totalitarian regimes. American officials worry that a treaty would be ineffective because it can be almost impossible to determine if an Internet attack originated from a government, a hacker loyal to that government, or a rogue acting independently.

The article concludes:

"Whether the American or Russian approach prevails ... major governments are reaching a point of no return in heading off a cyberwar arms race."

Published in blogs.govinfosecurity.com


Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Update on Defamtion suit filed against Google in Bombay High Court, India

Google India Faces Defamation Suit

19-08-2008
Bombay High Court has ordered Google to disclose the identity of a blogger who allegedly had criticized a Mumbai based construction company. The judgment has come in pursuance of a suit filed by Mumbai-based Gremach Infrastructure Equipments & Projects Ltd. Appellant in the plea had demanded for Google’s discloser of the name of the person who had criticized them using Google's blogging service.

Now, if Google does not disclose the name, it could face the charge of defamation. Incidentally, blogger.com offers a facility to a blogger to blog without disclosing real identity. And, in the given case the blogger had used the name ‘Toxic Writer’ and had criticized the said company. Now, the Bombay High Court has asked Google to present the blog written on February 26.

The court observed that there is merit in the contention, and on the basis of the article put up by the defendant on the blog site defamation is apparent. The court further ordered to defendant to reveal the identity of the blogger within four weeks of the order. However, Google India has not yet revealed the name of the concerned blogger.

Published in www.india-server.com


Google India says it has no control over blog content
23 Jun 2009

MUMBAI: Google India said on Monday (22 Jun 2009) that it will not be able to control the publication of content on its blogging website. The company has moved the Bombay High Court over an order restraining the website from allowing the publication of defamatory blogs.


Google India’s lawyer Srikant Doijode said that it had no control over the blogging site and the same was managed by Google Inc, USA. Even if there was an order restraining such blogs, it could not do anything, Google India submitted in court.

“The blogger service is provided by Google Inc. We (Google India) are not a party to the agreement between Google Inc and those who use the blog. We have no liability or responsibility for the content of the blog,” the company argued.

Earlier, city-based cardiologist Dr Ashwin Mehta had approached the court after finding that over 20 blogs on the website were defaming him.

A single judge of the high court had ordered Google to remove those blogs and prevent such incidents in the future.

“Google only provides a platform,” argued Google India’s counsel, adding that on account of the earlier order, it (Google) will be held in contempt if there was any fresh offensive blog about Dr Mehta. Mr Doijode pointed out that if the content was defamatory and the court wanted its removal from the website, the same could be done.

Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and justice SC Dharmadhikari have posted the case for final hearing on July 7.

Published in Economic Times