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Posts tagged UK
Apple remove unofficial WikiLeaks iPhone app from App Store, claim it is “harmful”
Dec 22nd
A developer who created an unofficial app that accessed content from the controversial whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks has had their app removed the iOS App Store by Apple. The cheeky developer was charging $1.99 for access to the US embassy cables being issued by WikiLeaks, which can be accessed free of charge online through various ‘mirror’ sites.
Apple have released a statement saying the app was pulled for not complying with local laws and not ensuring that individuals and groups were kept out of “harm’s way”, possibly referencing allegations by the US government that the leaks are endangering American diplomats and military services around the world.
This move comes after PayPal, everyDNS, Bank of America and Amazon have all terminated services they provide to WikiLeaks, prompting controversial online organisation ‘Anonymous’ to mount DDoS cyber-attacks against some of their websites.
Julian Assange, the leader and founder of WikiLeaks, is on bail in the UK and appealing against extradition to Sweden for rape allegations. You can find out more about the story so far in the special report on the BBC News website. See our other posts about WikiLeaks here.
WikiLeaks under virtual fire
Nov 30th
The controversial international whistleblower website WikiLeaks has been suffering large scale Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks as it releases controversial leaks pertaining to American military and embassy communications around the world.
A DDoS attack involves attacking a web server so as to make the website or application it provides inaccessible. This is usually done by directing a large amount of traffic towards it, such that the server becomes saturated and unable to respond to legitimate web requests.
WikiLeaks has posted on it’s social networking profile on Twitter that the “DDOS attack [is] now exceeding 10 Gigabits a second.” A hacker called ‘the Jester’ has claimed responsibility for a previous attack on Sunday, though it is doubtful that these large scale attacks are the work of one person. There is also a strong possibility that governmental forces are at work in the background. This comes to light as the UK and US make defences against ‘cyber warfare’ a high priority.
Areatrade work hard to ensure that the servers holding your website are secure against such attacks and from vulnerabilities. What do you think about the changing face of the web and the growing importance of cyber security? Let us know in the comments below.
More >Google significantly breached UK Data Protection Act
Nov 3rd
The search engine technology company Google has found to be in ‘significant breach’ of UK laws regarding data protection and privacy.
Whilst collecting images for its ‘Street View’ service last year, Google supposedly inadvertently collected ‘payload data’ from unsecured wireless networks as part of its efforts to improve location services that work off of nearby wi-fi hotspots.
‘Payload data’ contains snippets of data transferred over unsecured wireless networks. This may include snapshots of email addresses, passwords and other such data.
Google claims the code was left in the software accidentally and has promised to dispose of the data as soon as legally possible. It has consulted local governments everywhere that it has contravened the law to ensure the legality of such an action.
The ICO had previously ruled that no breach had occurred but the rulings in other countries such as Canada have prompted a U-turn. The Information Commissioner says no charges will be pressed but the data protection practices at Google will be audited.
Google has since appointed a ‘Head of Privacy’ to enforce better practice across engineering teams within the company.
Do you have a wireless network? Google may not be the only one listening in. Your network is secured if you have to type More >