New Research On Computer Backdoors Reveals Disturbing Long Term Risks For All Netizens

Nov 052012
 

Research by the University of Toronto Citizen Lab shows that computer back doors are a permanent security risk to users through out the world.

Their research based on events in the middle east demonstrates readily available commercial software is being used by governments to infiltrate computers used by critics and dissidents.

Bloomberg news reported the case of Ahmed Mansoor who was sitting in “his study in Dubai and made the mistake of clicking on a Microsoft Word attachment that arrived in an e-mail, labeled “very important” in Arabic, from a sender he thought he recognized.

“With that click, the pro-democracy activist unwittingly downloaded spyware that seized on a flaw in the Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) program to take over his computer and record every keystroke. The hackers infiltrated his digital life so deeply they still accessed his personal e-mail even after he changed his password.

Since then, Mansoor, 42, an electrical engineer and father of four, says he has suffered two beatings by thugs in September during his campaign for citizens’ civil rights in the Persian Gulf federation of the United Arab Emirates. While those assailants remain unknown, researchers say they’ve figured out what was behind the virtual assault.

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Year End Round Up Of Censorship And On Line Issues In South East Asia

Jan 072011
 

Myanmar’s Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s release from house arrest and the Red Shirt protests  and ensuing political toil in Thailand were probably the top political stories of 2010 in Southeast Asia.

But as Global Voices reports in its year end analysis there was a lot more going on in the region  and very little of it was encouraging for free speech and access to information.

Below are extracts from their year end report which can be viewed in full by clicking here.

Censorship

Web and media censorship have intensified in the region. Press freedom and freedom of expression were topics which were actively written by blogger advocates in Malaysia, Singapore, and Cambodia.

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Censorship In China And SEA: Share Your Experiences

Nov 192010
 

We would like to hear from anyone who has visited China or other countries in the region and used the internet.

Can you tell us of any problems you had accessing sites, email or ID theft. Please let us know if you managed to access websites you did not think you would be able to. And please let us know of any tips you have for other travelers to region about internet usage.

Staying Anonymous On The Internet – Tips For Avoiding Unwanted Attention

Nov 102010
 

It is almost impossible to use the internet without leaving a trail behind you. And for many netizens in Asia, particularly China and Vietnam, that can lead to trouble with the authorities.

Even in countries without formal restrictions to online sources there are other dangers associated with indiscriminate internet surfing – indentity theft, spam and invasion of privacy are just a few.

But there are some simple steps that can be taken to ensure that users remain, if not totally anonymous, at least harder to find.

The Link  newspaper provides a useful guide that even the least tech savy among us will find helpful. It is reproduced below.

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Silencing The Dissenters: Internet Censorship In South East Asia and China

Oct 292010
 

Vietnam, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines are all moving towards Chinese-style internet censorship reports the Guardian newspaper in an excellent interactive analysis of the state of freedom of expression in the region.

The British newspaper, noted for its quality international coverage, provides and in depth look at the future of press freedoms in the region. It also identifies five key bloggers worth following from Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

2010 Press Freedom Index Released: Rankings Highlight The Ongoing Need For RFA And Other

Oct 202010
 

The 2010 Press Freedom Index released last night by Reporters Without Borders shows the dire need for independent information among RFA’s target audiences.

In the survey, North Korea was ranked second to last at 177 (just above Eritrea on 178); Burma, 174; China, 171; Laos, 168; and Vietnam, 165 were all near the bottom.

Since the survey began, these five countries have consistently been ranked in the bottom 10 percent in all consecutive eight indices.

In a disturbing trend Cambodia, which rose to 117 in last year’s survey, fell to the 128th place this year – its lowest rank ever.

 All six countries within RFA’s broadcast region were categorized as “Not Free” in Freedom House’s Freedom of the Press survey, which was released in April.

The full Press Index is available here.

Mekong River Commission Wants New Dam Construction Put On Hold

Jul 042010
 

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) says there should be no new dams on the river until more studies are done on their likely effects.

Vietnamese newspaper Thanh Nien reported this week that the MRC has decided there is too little known about the risks to the environment and the 60 million people who depend upon the Mekong for food, transportation and water to allow construction of the 12 proposed dams to proceed.

RFA has reported extensively on the Mekong including a comprehensive multi-part series Traveling Down the Mekong which looks at the river and its people from the source in Tibet to the outlet via the Vietnam Delta into the South China Sea. Included in the series is an in depth look at how harnessing the river’s power is leading to a variety of consequences.

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News Summary In English Of RFA Stories For The Week Ending June 30

Jul 012010
 

The following are headlines and below that area a fuller summary of stories broadcast by Radio Free Asia’s language services during the past week. These stories have been translated into English. Click on a link for the full version.

  1. Shaoguan, One Year On From Bloody Ethnic Clashes
  2. Sweatshops Have To Change In Face Of Employee Unrest
  3. Petitioners who use Maoist songs to highlight grievances are told to keep quiet.
  4. China Expands Internet Controls
  5. Urbanization is claiming Chinese farmland, but the cost is steep
  6. Tibetan Businessman Turned Activist Gets 15 Years Jail
  7. North Koreans Shun New Currency
  8. Strike Halts Toyota Plant In China
  9. Aid workers look into the case of 32 ethnic Rohingya asylum-seekers in Cambodia

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RFA English Language News Summary May 17

May 172010
 

The following are headlines and below that area a fuller summary of stories broadcast by Radio Free Asia’s language services during the past week. These stories have been translated into English. Click on a link for the full version.

  1. Women’s Advocate ‘Fears Nothing’ China’s first legal aid lawyer.
  2. Renegade Thai General Vowed ‘Civil War’ Before His Death
  3. China Reels Over Kindergarten Attacks
  4. Tibetan Villagers Renew Mine Protests
  5. Cambodian Sand Dredging Threatens Environment
  6. Chinese Quake Parents Still Protest Over 2008 School Collapses
  7. Chinese Authorities Detain Family Church Members
  8. Arsons Reported in North Korea
  9. Uyghur Journalist Held As New Provincial Boss Vows Crackdown
  10. AIDS Activist Flees China
  11. Chinese Reformist Propaganda Czar Dies  Continue reading »

RFA News Summary Thursday April 15

Apr 152010
 

This a summary of stories carried on Radio Free Asia today April 15, 2010. Please use the links to go directly to the relevant RFA language website to listen to the stories or read original language transcripts. Some items are translated into English and are available on RFA’s English language page.

If there are stories that you want to hear more about or you would like to see covered we would love to hear from you. If you have a story to tell we will listen. RFA’s main page has contact details for all the language services.

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