Ransomware Attacks Skyrocket: Median Cost Doubles to $26,000, Representing a Quarter of All Breaches, Reports Verizon

A report from Verizon Business's 16th annual Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) reveals a startling surge in the frequency and cost of cyberattacks. It analyzed 16,312 security incidents and 5,199 breaches, showing a sharp uptick in the cost of ransomware.  more

The Global Digital Compact and the Future of Digital Governance

The unveiling of the Global Digital Compact's (GDC) zero draft on April 1, 2024, heralds a critical juncture in the quest to frame a digital future that is equitable, secure, and human-centered. Orchestrated under the leadership of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the initiative endeavors to forge a consensus-driven framework for global digital cooperation. more

Quantifying the Homework Gap – Finally a Definitive Study

The Quello Center that is part of the Department of Media and Information at Michigan State University just released a definitive study that looks at the impact of lack of broadband on students. The study was done in conjunction with Merit Networks, the organization that acts as the ISP for schools in Michigan. I describe the study as definitive because it used study techniques that isolate the impact of broadband from other factors such as sex, race, and family income. more

ISOC and the PIR Sale: Lessons Being Learned

The PIR/.ORG transaction is a watershed moment for ISOC. What had once seemed (at least to ISOC and its Board) to be ISOC's chance to transform its finances now seems to many to be a threat to ISOC's essence, and even its very existence. From the ISOC-NY perspective, this entire affair points out the paucity of community-involved multistakeholder participation in ISOC's critical decision-making processes (and other processes, too). more

Over $31 Million Stolen by Hackers from Russian Central Bank

Hackers have stolen over 2 billion rubles ($31 million) from correspondent accounts at the Russian central bank, the bank reported today. more

Freedom to Connect

Over the last ten years, Andrew Odlyzko has been writing about a pricing algorithm that would assure reasonable service levels at reasonable prices. If you're going to F2C, you might want to read that brief article or this slightly more complex one to learn (or refresh your sense of) PMP -- Paris Metro Pricing models to deal with network congestion. You'll also get a sense of why throwing bandwidth at the network will not be sufficient. Here's a great article from 1995... more

Limiting Large Network Outages

As telecom networks grow more interconnected, local outages can now trigger regional or national disruptions. A recent article by Ookla outlines five critical steps operators must follow to prevent small faults from cascading into systemic failures. more

Global Satellite Surge Intensifies Competition for Low-Orbit Broadband

The City of Shanghai entered the low-orbit broadband satellite market. Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST) launched 18 satellites in August and a second batch of 18 satellites in October. The satellites are being branded as Qianfan, or 'Thousand Sails.' SSST satellites are being launched by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) using the Long March 6A rocket. more

ISOC Will Not Participate in NETmundial Initiative

The Internet Society Board of Trustees has issued an announcement stating that it cannot agree to participate in or endorse the Coordination Council for the NETmundial Initiative. "We are concerned that the way in which the NETmundial Initiative is being formed does not appear to be consistent with the Internet Society’s longstanding principles," says the statement released today. more

Brand Abuse and IP Infringements – Part 2: Enforcement and Return on Investment

In the first article in this two-part series, we looked at the impact of brand abuse and infringements against intellectual property (IP) on an organization's brand value. In this second article, we delve into how action against enforceable infringements can deliver tangible return on investment (ROI) for a brand, and demonstrate the importance of a robust brand protection program. more

FCC Chairman: It’s Time to Settle Net Neutrality Questions

Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Chairman, Tom Wheeler, today in an open letter in the Wired Magazine writes: "After more than a decade of debate and a record-setting proceeding that attracted nearly 4 million public comments, the time to settle the Net Neutrality question has arrived..." more

ICANN Cancels Jordan Meeting Due to Middle East Turmoil

Following reports by various sources yesterday, ICANN today has officially announced that it will not hold its Jun 20-24 Public Meeting in Amman, Jordan. ICANN's Board of Directors made the decision in light of recent developments in the Middle East. "The Board reluctantly made its decision after closely monitoring the rapidly changing developments affecting the Middle East. The decision reflects the Board’s view that regional developments could have a negative impact on attendance at the meeting," says ICANN's via a blog post today. more

A Call to Action for an Inclusive WSIS+20 Review

Last week, GPD, together with 114 organisations and 57 individual experts from civil society, the technical community, industry and academia, presented a set of cross-stakeholder community recommendations aimed at operationalising the modalities for the twenty-year review of the WSIS (WSIS+20). The open letter responds to the adoption on 25 March of a UN General Assembly resolution on WSIS+20 modalities, advocating for a transparent and inclusive review process that meaningfully engages all relevant stakeholders. more

Cybersecurity Standards Competition

The conventional wisdom in the world of legacy standards-making is that monolithic standards produce, if not accelerate, better products and services. Conformance, certification, and associated labelling schemes to implement those standards were believed essential to trust. Although competition law seems now evolving in the other direction, regulatory standards-making bodies themselves have been accorded considerable anticompetitive cartel liability protection. more

Several Models of Android Devices Discovered Collecting and Transmitting Sensitive Personal Data

Several models of Android mobile devices discovered containing firmware that collect sensitive personal data about their users and transmitted this sensitive data to third-party servers without disclosure or the users' consent. more