Many businesses are not aware of the new class of .XXX Internet domain extensions; is yours? Beginning September 7, 2011, the first phase of registration begins for .XXX Internet domain names, including the opportunity for trademark owners to block registration of their mark with an .XXX extension. Don’t want to see your trademark used with an .XXX extension by a company in the adult entertainment industry? See our recent client alert by Kristin Herber for more information on the registration process and what you can do about it.

Recently, Golden State Bridge, Inc. was attacked by spyware designed to steal the construction company’s banking credentials.  Within hours, hackers created fraudulent payroll transactions totaling more than $750,000.  Fortunately, Golden State Bridge’s security team caught the breaches early and prevented much of the loss.  In addition, the company’s cybersecurity insurance coverage compensated it for losses that it was not able to prevent.   

“The Cloud.”  If you don’t know the term, get used to hearing it.  Today’s technology offers extensive opportunities for sharing, storing, and backing up data remotely – data sent to and stored on servers you do not own, control, or, probably, even have the ability to monitor. Where is the data?  It’s in “The Cloud.” 

In July, the Department of Justice ("DOJ") issued wide ranging regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA").  Now, the DOJ will hold public hearings on potential additional rules relating to electronic resources, such as web sites, used by places of public accommodation such as hotels, shopping centers, hospitals, and entertainment venues.

Most modern businesses have experienced the tremendous frustrations caused by spam messages.  Unsolicited emails clog inboxes, crash servers, and cost companies billions.  In 2003, Congress enacted the CAN Spam Act (the “Act”) with the goal of drastically reducing or eliminating spam.  However, the Act has been heavily criticized, and many believe it does little to eliminate the problem.  Experts argue that the Act serves as a “how to legally spam” guide for e-marketers, rather than a serious legal deterrent.  Others insist that spam has actually increased since the Act’s passage.