News Briefs

ICANN’s New Data Sharpens the Picture of DNS-abuse Enforcement

ICANN's updated DNS-abuse data distinguishes allegations from actionable complaints and malicious registrations from compromised domains, offering a clearer test of whether tougher contractual requirements are strengthening enforcement or simply generating a larger volume of reports. more

ICANN to Shut Down Open Data Platform and API September 1

ICANN will retire its Open Data Platform and API on September 1, shifting datasets to downloadable CSV files and forcing researchers, registries and domain-industry organizations to update automated workflows that rely on programmatic data access. more

UK Warns of Rising Cyberattacks on Exposed Industrial Systems

Britain's cyber agency warns that attackers are increasingly targeting internet-exposed industrial systems, routers and other edge devices, with some intrusions causing real-world disruption and highlighting the growing risks of poorly secured operational technology worldwide. more

Cable Faults Cut Vietnam’s International Internet Capacity by 30%

Four undersea cable faults are disrupting Vietnam's international internet connectivity, with operators rerouting traffic as earlier outages reduced available capacity by about 30%, highlighting concerns over network redundancy, repair delays and infrastructure resilience. more

After the Close: What the 2026 gTLD Round Has Already Revealed

ICANN's 2026 gTLD round drew more than 1,600 applications, led by ambitious portfolio investors. But scant brand disclosures and new rules banning private settlements could make contention costlier and reshape the economics of domain ownership. more

ICANN Draws More Than 1,600 Applications in New gTLD Round

ICANN has received more than 1,600 applications for new generic top-level domains, setting the stage for administrative checks, public disclosure and potentially fierce competition over sought-after additions to the internet's expanding domain-name system. more

Trump Enlists Private Firms for Offensive Cyber Operations

The Trump administration will allow vetted American companies to conduct surveillance and offensive cyber operations against foreign criminal groups, extending private-sector capabilities into cybercrime enforcement while keeping missions subject to federal approval, oversight and legal safeguards. more

ICANN’s New gTLD Application Window Set to Close, Capping a Landmark Expansion Round

ICANN's second major domain expansion round closes August 12, with costly applications, support for 27 non-Latin scripts and stricter technical vetting setting the stage for a broader, more multilingual internet naming system. more

Microsoft Launches AI Cybersecurity Model to Boost MDASH Performance and Cut Costs

Microsoft has unveiled a specialist cybersecurity AI model powering MDASH, claiming higher benchmark performance and lower costs while launching Project Perception, an agentic security platform designed to help defenders counter increasingly automated cyber threats. more

Amazon Targets Satellite-to-Phone Market With 5,105-Satellite Leo Expansion

Amazon has outlined plans for a 5,105-satellite constellation that will connect smartphones directly from space, expanding emergency and mobile services while intensifying competition in the fast-growing satellite-to-device communications market. more

The Long Wait for .web Ends

After a decade of legal disputes, Verisign has secured .web and will launch the long-awaited domain later this year, opening a new chapter in digital identity while raising fresh questions about pricing, adoption and competition. more

Community Networks Offer a Durable Route Across the Digital Divide

An ITU report finds that community-owned networks, backed by reliable technology, flexible financing and supportive regulation, can bring affordable, meaningful internet access to remote populations that traditional providers have struggled to reach at lasting scale. more

ZEGO’s Cyberattack Pushes Bavarian Textile Firm Into Insolvency

A cyberattack forced Bavarian textile specialist ZEGO into insolvency after a six-week production shutdown. The company is pursuing restructuring efforts to preserve jobs, customer relationships and its future amid growing cyber risks. more

FBI Warns of Russian Cyber Campaign Targeting Vulnerable Routers

The FBI and international partners warn that Russia's FSB Center 16 is exploiting vulnerable routers worldwide, highlighting persistent weaknesses in network security and urging organizations to adopt stronger protections to safeguard critical infrastructure against intrusion. more

UK Unveils AI Cyber Shield to Counter Machine-Speed Digital Threats

Britain is developing Cyber Shield, an AI-powered national cyber defense program designed to detect threats, automate responses and protect critical infrastructure as increasingly sophisticated attacks challenge conventional security and strain existing defensive capabilities. more