 | INTERNET LAW - Bosnia & Herzegovina Protection of Personal Data |
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| | IBLS Editorial Department
Sunday, September 20, 2009
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| | Concerns about cybercrime and identity theft lead to the enactment of Bosnia and Herzegovina Law on the Protection of Personal Data 2006, which intends to protect citizens’ right to privacy. The law provides for the establishment of an Agency for Protection of Personal Data, which is still in the process of being formed. In the interim, the Ministry of Justice regulates data access control and transfer. This article provides a synopsis of this privacy law. [More...] |
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| INTERNET LAW - NATO Agrees to Create Cyber Defence Management Authority |
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| | IBLS Editor
Thursday, May 15, 2008
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| | The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation has finally gotten around to finalizing plans for fighting cyber-attacks against its members. It has committed to creating a cyber-defence command to shield allies against crippling online assaults on national infrastructures. This group is named the Cyber Defence Management Authority and will function by co-ordinating NATO member defenses from a central command, according to the NATO summit in Bucharest. Leading the new cadre will be Major General Georges D'hollander, already chief of the NATO agency of cyber-defence. This move shifts strategy away from NATO's normal policy of stressing defense of its own internal systems, by employing the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) unit.
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| INTERNET LAW - Damages and Losses Under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act |
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| | IBLS Editorial Department
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
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| | The United States (“US”) Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA’), 18 U.S.C. Sec 1030 et. seq., is the US federal statutory law typifying illegal activities in connection with computers. The statute typifies as illegal intentional and unauthorized access to computers and data. Yet, does a cause of action under CFAA require proving both damages and losses? This article answers the question of damages and losses under CFAA. [More...] |
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| INTERNET LAW - IRS Warns of Tax Rebate Phishing Scam |
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| | Kelly O'Connell, IBLS Editor
Monday, February 11, 2008
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| | The Internal Revenue Service is warning taxpayers that a clever new email and phone scam has been hatched to defraud those looking for the tax rebate that President Bush has been promoting as part of an emergency stimulus package to battle the recent U.S. economic downturn. The fraudsters are trying to take advantage of a rebate that the Government has yet to enact that would direct the IRS to refund tax payments. The con artists are also using other tactics to gain access to victim accounts, which are listed below.
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| INTERNET LAW - Beware Chatters: Net-Crooks Have Your Number |
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| | Kelly O'Connell, IBLS Editor
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
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| | Next time you are relaxing with a cup of java and Internet messaging a friend, beware that cyber-crooks could be using your spontaneous recreation as an opportunity to breach your security and launch an attack, according to a new study. Instant message users reported many attack incidents, with the assaults broken down as: 19% on the AOL Instant Messenger network, 45% on MSN Messenger and 20% on Yahoo Instant Messenger, with the rest occurring on all other IM networks. Even private networks are not safe, as these attacks have doubles since 2003. The Internet phone network Skype is also vulnerable. The study of the safety of so-called "Greynets" was conducted by analysts at FaceTime.com.
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| INTERNET LAW - Internet Disclosure of Civil Court Records: State Public Records Laws v. Privacy? |
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| | Martha L. Arias, IBLS Director
Monday, January 21, 2008
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| | Very simple; defrauders, including businesses, can easily, and at no cost, use Internet published civil court records to supply their 'data collection.' In other words, some state public records laws have become accomplice of defrauders who use ‘this mandated service" to obtain people’s financial and other private information for the defrauders’ gloomy purpose. State public records acts order disclosure of court records. Yes, these laws have been in place for many years; but before, court records were kept in paper form. Thus, access to court records implied personally going to the court, showing some type of identification, and knowing exactly what you were looking for. Nowadays, court records are making transition from paper-based to electronic-based systems. Hence, facilitating access to them, promoting illegal use and violating privacy rights in civil proceedings. Are state legislators taking some action to upgrade their public records acts? Probably not; they are too busy. And so are defrauders.
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| INTERNET LAW - Study Reveals Large Holes in NYC Retailer Wireless Security |
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| | Kelly O'Connell, IBLS Editor
Monday, January 21, 2008
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| | The recent National Retail Federation trade show in New York City had a surprise that shocked many small business owners when WLAN wireless defense company AirDefense announced it had tested wireless business security in Gotham and found it at an appallingly bad level. The study was conducted just before the show and the specific results then disclosed to attendees, taken from an under-cover four-day scan of local retailers' wireless nets. The search of almost 800 stores in the five NYC boroughs was conducted between Thursday, Jan. 10th and Sunday, Jan. 13th. The show was held January 14-16, 2008, at the Javits Center, 655 West 34th Street, New York City.
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| INTERNET LAW - New Boeing 787 Dreamliner May Be Vulnerable to a Cyber-Hjacking |
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| | Kelly O'Connell, IBLS Editor
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
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| | Completing the greatest year in the history of aviation marketing with sales of over 800 units, upon the development of its new gas-efficient airplane the "Dreamliner," Boeing is currently riding high. Yet a new report by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) claims the plane may be at risk for hacking into its on-board computer system, with possible disastrous consequences. The flaw might allow passengers to access the plane's control systems, according to the report titled "Special Conditions: Boeing Model 787-8 Airplane; Systems and Data Networks Security--Isolation or Protection From Unauthorized Passenger Domain Systems Access."
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| INTERNET LAW - Continuing Data Loss Debacle Creates UK Government IT Circus |
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| | Kelly O'Connell, IBLS Editor
Monday, December 24, 2007
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| | In a seeming unending series of lost data blunders creating the distinct impression of British Government technological incompetence, analysts are now debating methods to stop the private information hemorrhage. In late 2007, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs admitted to losing the private ID and financial details of 25 million individuals. Another information loss was revealed soon after, coming in December that the Government did not alert the public when three million files were misplaced by Britain's Driving Standards Agency, angering the public and suggesting a cover-up may have been afoot. This news comes on the heels of other significant data disasters, such as the recent disappearance of pensioner information and the cyber-attack upon the Land Registry that ended in millions of pounds of thefts and lost properties, just to mention the most recent private data exposure scandals. Labor's Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling has been ridiculed as incompetent while the Government has been accused of reckless disregard and refusing to properly protect the private information of its citizens.
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| INTERNET LAW - The FTC’s Website Privacy and Security Rules for Every Business |
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| | IBLS Contributor: Mark F. Foley, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP
Monday, November 19, 2007
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| | The Federal Trade Commission ("FTC”) has authority under the Federal Trade Commission Act to bring enforcement actions to stop “unfair and deceptive acts or practices.” Through the filing, or the threat of filing, just 20 administrative and civil complaints, the FTC has used this power to establish minimum requirements for data privacy and security practices for the online world. This article explores the scope and content of these rules as they affect entities engaged in internet commerce.
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| INTERNET LAW - Computer and Data Security Breaches |
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| | Martha L. Arias, IBLS Director
Monday, September 17, 2007
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| | Due to the predominance of Internet transactions computer and data security is becoming a busy area of law. Many are the parties interested in computer and data security braches; consumers, government agencies, companies holding vast databases, and law enforcement authorities. But, how are the government agencies handling computer and data security breaches? The US Federal Trade Commission- FTC- is the federal agency investigating and charging companies that breach computer security responsibilities. This article provides examples of how the FTC has handled computer and data security breaches in the United States.
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| INTERNET LAW - Identifying Malicious Software |
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| | IBLS Editorial Staff
Monday, April 30, 2007
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| | Malicious software is one of the greatest threats to Internet security. Spyware, also known as adware, creates pop-up ads and may be deposited on a computer by an e-mail attachment or as a Website download and it is very difficult to be removed. Along with viruses, malware is another big threat to computer users on the Internet and Web users are usually unaware that spyware has been downloaded onto their computers.
Initially, viruses were more or less, the only type of malware. Now, however, the threat has expanded to include network-aware worms, trojans, spyware, adware, etc. The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) in August 2006 released a survey of state and federal law enforcement efforts to track spyware and nuisance adware distributors. Utah was the first state to pass anti-spyware legislation called the Spyware Control Act which became effective May 3, 2004. In the United States, new spyware related bills have been introduced both in the House and the Senate (Internet Spyware (I-Spy) Prevention act of 2005).
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| INTERNET LAW - Identity Theft topped the FTC complaints during 2005 |
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| | Martha L. Arias, LL.B., J.D., LL.M.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
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| | Accounting for 225.000 cases (37%) out of 686.000 complaints filed with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) during the year 2005, according to the agency report released in 2006. Internet-related complaints accounted for 46% of the total complains received by this agency during 2005. Complaints before the FTC may be filed online or by a toll-free number provided to consumers and is shared with Federal, state and local law enforcement offices and consumer protection agencies in Canada and Australia. [More...] |
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| INTERNET LAW - Online social networks may pose risks for the youth |
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| | Martha L. Arias, LL.B., J.D., LL.M.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
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| | It was wide-spread news last month, a United States 16-year-old girl met a Middle East 20-year-old man in MySpace.com, a United States (US) top online social network mostly used by teenagers, and traveled all the way to Jordan to personally meet this stranger. Luckily for this girl and her family, she safely returned to the United States after the Jordan authorities persuaded her to come back. The Federal Trade Commission –FTC- and other United States crime prevention authorities warn parents and teenagers of the danger these social networks may post. [More...] |
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| INTERNET LAW - Data Protection Law in Philippines’ Business Process Outsourcing Industry |
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| | Martha L. Arias, IBLS Director.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
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| | Offshore Business Process Outsourcing (“BPO”) is a growing industry in Eastern Europe and Asia countries. Typical BPO include customer and support call centers, payroll, and medical transcripts centers. Philippines ranked second, to India, in business process outsourcing for the year 2005, by producing $1 billion revenue through BPO contracts (compared to $800 million in 2004). Philippines BPO is particularly interesting for United States (“US”) business due to its strong English-speaking ability, capable workforce availability, IT infrastructure, and cultural skills to interact with US citizens and other Western cultures (including Spanish-speakers). Yet, is Philippines ready for data protection in the offshore outsourcing industry?
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| INTERNET LAW - Security & Privacy- Made Simpler: New Tool by the BBB to Help Small Companies Protect Private Information. |
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| | Martha L. Arias, IBLS Director.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
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| | The United States (U.S.) Better Business Bureau (BBB) has published a comprehensive guide to help small and middle size companies on the enormous job of protecting their clients’ and employers’ private information. The program is called Security & Privacy- Made Simpler and is the result of the BBB partnership with security and privacy experts who not only considered their expertise but also responded to vastly formulated privacy questions from small businesses. “The objective is to demystify the complexities of data security and give small businesses a non-technical roadmap to securing their customer data, and their employees' data, too,” BBB notes. [More...] |
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| INTERNET LAW - The EU spends millions to boost its classified telecom network |
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| | Editor, Maricelle Ruiz, IBLS Director -- Europe
Monday, November 13, 2006
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| | The European Union is spending more than 200 million euros to protect its confidential communication network against hackers and use this critical tool to fight illegal immigration and terrorism. [More...] |
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| INTERNET LAW - World Cup triggers Internet security threats; Checklist issued to protect companies from legal liability |
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| | Editor, Maricelle Ruiz, IBLS Director -- Europe
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
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| | The 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany brings to the forefront more than superb football champions. It creates Internet security problems for worldwide companies, where employees fervently follow the sport. To deal with these issues employers are advised to follow a checklist of policies to avoid legal liability. [More...] |
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| INTERNET LAW - Cyber Sleuths Call For New 'Smart Swarms' |
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| | Internet News.com (Tim Scannell)
Thursday, May 18, 2006
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| INTERNET LAW - Cooperation Agreement between Europol and Croatia signed in Vienna |
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| | Europol
Thursday, May 04, 2006
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