16 Aug
2005

















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     ISPs, domains and security

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released its latest Internet Activity Survey (IAS) report.

The IAS is a census covering aspects of internet access services provided by Australian internet service providers. The latest report contains results from all ISPs identified by the ABS as operating in Australia as at 31 March 2005. The report suggests that the total number of internet subscribers in at that time was 5.98 million, an increase of 239,000 (4%) from the end of September 2004.

The increase in overall subscriber numbers was attributable to growth in "non dial-up" - broadband - subscribers, up 39% from 1.3 million in September 2004 to 1.8 million at the end of March 2005. Non dial-up subscribers represented 30% of total internet subscribers in Australia at the end of March 2005.

Most of the growth for non dial-up was in the household subscriber sector, with a 42% increase in household broadband subscribers since the end of September 2004 (to around 1.4 million). The overall number of dial-up subscribers continued to decline, down to 4.2 million.

Continuing volatility among ISPs - the ABS recognises 689 ISPs supplying internet connectivity to 5.98 million active subscribers - saw a 5% increase in the number of 'Very Small' ISPs, those ISPs with fewer than 101 subscribers. The category accounted for only 0.1% of total subscribers (and 0.4% of total data downloaded). Many of those entities are 'virtual' ISPs, using infrastructure and services provided by the dominant players, whose market share continues to increase.

Ongoing consolidation and departures saw further decreases in the number of 'Small' (up to 1,000 subscribers) and 'Large' (up to 100,000 subscribers) ISPs. There were 10 ISPs with over 100,000 subscribers at the end of the 2005 March quarter. Around 550 ISPs provided connectivity using Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technology.

Data downloading by subscribers during the quarter continued to increase, up 28% to 14,124 million MBs. Broadband subscribers accounted for almost 87% of the total data downloaded. The ABS notes that growth slowed from the 72% increase experienced during the 2004 September quarter. DSL remained the predominant technology used for non dial-up services, accounting for around 70% of broadband subscribers being connected using this means. at the end of March 2005.

     dot-au rules

auDA, the body responsible for management of the dot-au domain name space, is seeking public submissions as part of its current review of the dot-au WHOIS Policy 2003-08 and the Domain Name Password Policy 2002-29. The closing date is Wednesday 31 August 2005.

Consultation reflects auDAs emphasis on community involvement and best practice. It also reflects recent criticisms, some unsubstantiated, in online fora such as the dot-au DNS List.

The WHOIS policy deals with collection, disclosure and use of WHOIS data in the 'open' dot-au second level domains (ie asn.au, com.au, id.au, net.au and org.au).

auDA's Registry Licence Agreement and Registrar Agreement impose conditions on registry operator and registrars in relation to the collection and use of WHOIS data, which allows users to query a domain name to find out basic identity and contact details of the domain name registrant.

auDA has sought to achieve an acceptable balance between the rights of registrants regarding how their personal information is handled, the organisation's role in promoting a competitive and efficient domain name industry and the interests of law enforcement agencies in accessing information about domain names for consumer protection and other purposes.

The Password policy is concerned with allocation, use and retrieval of domain name passwords in those 2LDs. The password is required for transfers - a registrar must obtain the password from the domain name registrant when control of the name moves from one registrar to another - and may also be used by a registrar to authenticate communications with the registrant (eg updating contact details or changing nameserver information).

     security

Last night's Four Corners program echoed past revelations that staff in offshore call centres are selling credit card and other data. (Presumably they are also independently misusing the data.)

The program somewhat breathlessly noted

the potential for terrorists to accumulate funds through cyber-theft. One of the convicted Bali bombers has already written a how-to guide for young jihadists. Can cyber-theft be countered? Experts who police the net are pessimistic, not least because so much personal data now exists in insecure data banks around the world. Recently the Sun newspaper in the UK exposed a data-selling racket by employees of Indian call centres that service large global companies. Now Four Corners has obtained evidence that individual Australians’ private data is for sale on the international market to anyone who is willing to pay for it. If, like many Australians, you’re in the habit of giving out information to perfect strangers, this report will make you think again.

It is unclear whether thinking will be matched by action on the part of consumers, data custodians such as banks and retailers, and legislators.

In practice it is difficult not to provide information to custodians. Consumers should thus be able to expect that custodians will not recurrently lose computer tapes or otherwise place them at risk.

     US confidence surveys

The news will reinforce consumer concerns highlighted in a new - and alas thin - survey report by US Informa Research Services, claiming "a significant change from the upward trend of consumer confidence toward Internet based banking transactions".

The report claims an 11% decrease in the number of US consumers who "completely or strongly agreed" with the statement "Internet based transactions handled by financial institutions are safe and secure", now down to 59% from 70% in 2003. There was a 9% decline in the number of consumers who regarded net-based financial transactions as more secure than telephone banking, down to 38%.

Concerns about the "architecture of vulnerability" are not reflected in a move away from internet banking, with Informa indicating that the number of consumers who reported having used the net for a financial transaction in the past six months rose 15% from 2003. That is consistent with other US surveys.

The June 2005 Consumer Internet Barometer report by market researcher TNS NFO indicates that 54% of its US online consumers say they are more concerned today about the security of their personal information on the net than a year ago. 42% report that their level of concern has not changed; 4% report that they are now less concerned. Supposedly they are most wary of online 'financial transactions', followed by wariness about online purchases.

Over 50% of the online consumers reported that their level of concern had grown over the past year, resulted in changes to the way they use the net and 41% are purchasing less online. Around 70% of respondents have installed "additional security software" on their PCs. The effectiveness of that software is unclear; a potential concern if the individual is adding a new padlock to the front door while the back door swings inviting open in the breeze.

54% report opting-out of special offers. 27% report that they have read online privacy statements [!]. 21% report using multiple email addresses, a figure that seems lower than past studies.

The Barometer report highlights age variations: around two-thirds of users in the 54+ age cohort indicate that they are more concerned (63% are "extremely concerned" about security in conducting financial transactions). 40% of respondents under age 35 are more apprehensive.