Internet Providers To Start Warning Customers About Illegal Downloads

October 23, 2012 by

Internet Providers To Start Warning Customers About Illegal DownloadsIt is about to get a bit more difficult to illegally download TV shows, movies or music online. The Copyright Alert System was announced last July and has been four years in the making.

‘Spot Illegal Downloading’

If you use AT&T, Cablevision, Comcast, Time Warner, or Verizon as your Internet service provider, you could receive the first of one of these notes starting in the next two months. The Internet provider is delivering the message, but the legwork is being done by the copyright owners, which will monitor peer-to-peer networks such as BitTorrent.

They use a service called MarkMonitor, which uses a combination of people and automated systems to spot illegal downloading. It will collect the IP addresses of offenders, but no personal information. The IP addresses are turned over to the Internet providers, which will match up the address with the right customer and send the notification.


‘Mild punishments’

The warning system is described as a graduated response. First the Internet provider will let the customer know that their Internet connection is being used do download content illegally. The note will include information to steer them away from their life of crime, including tips on how they can download content legally. There will also be tips on securing Internet connections, just in case you were unaware that your neighbor was downloading season three of “Dexter” using your unprotected wireless network.

After the educational phase, the customers will be asked to acknowledge that they received the warning. If they continue to download content illegally, the alerts will threaten mild punishments, such as forcing the copyright violator to read “educational materials,” or throttling their Internet connection so that it is slow, making it harder to download large files. If a customer feels they are being wrongly accused, they can ask for a review, which will cost them $35 according to the Verge.

Are you in favor of the Copyright Alert System? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions about this topic!

Source: CNN

Image: DW-World

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FBI: ‘Internet Doomsday’ Virus Could Black Out Thousands

July 9, 2012 by

Thousands of computer users may lose Internet access on Monday, when the deadline for a temporary fix to a malicious software scam shut down by the FBI last year expires.

Millions of computers were infected with the so-called “Internet Doomsday” virus used in the hacking scam, which redirected Internet searches through DNS servers used by the scammers. (Who, in turn, allegedly netted $14 million in bogus advertising revenue.) After U.S. and Estonian authorities busted the malware ring last November, a federal judge ordered that the FBI use temporary servers while the malware victims’ PCs were repaired. The temporary servers will shut down at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Monday, meaning anyone using a computer still infected with the virus will likely lose Internet access.


“Connectivity will be lost to the Internet PERIOD,” Symantec, the online security firm, said in a blog post. “If your computer is still using DNS entries that are pointing to the FBI servers on July 9, you will lose TOTAL access to the Internet. No connecting to the office from home, no updating Facebook, nothing until the DNS settings are fixed.”

It’s unclear how widespread the “blackout” will be. According to a working group set up by security experts, more than 300,000 computers remained infected as of June 11, including 69,000 in the United States. Last week, 245,000 computers were said to be still infected with the so-called Alureon virus, according online security firm Deteque, including 45,355 U.S. machines.

According to Reuters, U.S. Internet providers including AT&T and Time Warner Cable “have made temporary arrangements so that their customers will be able to access the Internet using the address of the rogue DNS servers.” And the problem, security experts say, is relatively easy to fix.

Have you been affected with the Internet Blackout? What tools did you use to diagnose your PC of the “Internet Doomsday” virus?

Source: Yahoo News

Image: 5 News Online

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