WikiLeaks hosts cache on Amazon

WikiLeaks is hosting its cache of confidential US Statement Department cables on US-based Amazon servers, just as it did with the classified Iraq War documents it released last month, writes The Register.

According to NetCraft's records, the whistle-blowing Web site is mirroring the diplomatic cables on Amazon's US-based EC2 service and France-based servers operated by French ISP Octopuce. The main WikiLeaks site is mirrored on Ireland-based Amazon servers.

WikiLeaks also uses a US-based domain name registrar (Dynadot) and a US-based DNS service (EveryDNS). In theory, if the US government decides WikiLeaks has broken the law in publishing federal intelligence data, it could move to have WikiLeaks booted from such US-based servers. But WikiLeaks could simply fall back on its core servers - presumably still hosted by “bulletproof” Swedish hosting outfit PRQ - and the feds would take a PR hit.

Security researcher Nitesh Dhanjani has demonstrated a method of hiding URLs on Apple's iOS, allowing users to be fooled into thinking they are visiting legitimate sites, states V3.co.uk.

In a pair of guest postings on the SANS Institute blog, Dhanjani showed how the user interface could be used to hide the true URL of an Internet page, which would make phishing attacks much easier. He demonstrated an attack on the Bank of America's iPhone Web page.

“It makes sense to point out that Bank of America (like many other institutions who are a frequent target of phishing attacks) advises their customers to watch the browser address bar,” he notes.

More than 70 sites alleged to be selling counterfeit goods or offering pirated content have been shut down by the US government, reports the BBC.

The action was taken by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, part of the US Department of Homeland Security.

Domains seized included a BitTorrent search engine, music download sites and shops selling fake designer clothing. Many of the sites which lost their domains have continued trading via alternative addresses.

O3b Networks has secured $1.2 billion of funding to support a project that will see eight satellites provide low-latency, fibre quality Internet connectivity to developing markets, according to Computing.co.uk.

Google is backing the project, which is to be funded by $770 million of debt financing and $410 million of equity investments. Other shareholders include North Bridge Venture Partners, Allen & Company, SES, Liberty Global and HSBC Principal Investments.

"We are pleased to have the new shareholders supporting this mission. The amount of new funding and the quality of the investors reflect O3b Networks' ability to balance important social goals while maintaining the required private sector returns," said John W Dick, chairman of O3b Networks.