Seized | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Fri, 26 Aug 2016 11:35:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png Seized | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 MegaUpload website now advertising cams and dating ads https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/megaupload-website-now-advertising-cams-and-dating-ads/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/megaupload-website-now-advertising-cams-and-dating-ads/#comments Fri, 26 Aug 2016 11:35:08 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=304301 When Kim Dotcom was arrested in 2012, his assets seized along with his website, MegaUpload.org, all of the servers and their files, the associated services and the data of many millions of users, it shut it down with the purpose of preventing what it saw as further piracy. But nobody expected the site to eventually be used …

The post MegaUpload website now advertising cams and dating ads first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
When Kim Dotcom was arrested in 2012, his assets seized along with his website, MegaUpload.org, all of the servers and their files, the associated services and the data of many millions of users, it shut it down with the purpose of preventing what it saw as further piracy. But nobody expected the site to eventually be used by advertisers.

While Dotcom continues to battle his extradition and a return of his assets, the website MegaUpload.org does indeed appear to have been taking over. Visiting it is probably NSFW, so be careful, but if you do, you'll see a number of scantily clad ladies, along with links to cam sites, adult dating and personal sites and hook up services.

megauploadsite

But surely the FBI still maintains ownership of the site, since it was seized?

As TorrentFreak explains, this is actually something that has happened before. All MegaUpload domains are still owned by the FBI, but they point to name servers which occasionally expire and the federal authority isn't particularly great at remembering to update them.

So when they expire, occasionally someone catches on and takes ownership, therefore making it possible to put adverts on any seized sites that point to that particular name server. Sites like MegaUpload.org.

Of course these defunct, seized and shut down domains don't exactly generate a lot of traffic, so it's not like the people who have taken control are going to generate much income from them. However it does make the FBI look rather unprofessional, especially considering Dotcom hasn't been to trial for his criminal charges as of yet, which means his property was not only seized, but is now in control by someone else, completely unrelated to his trial.

And they're making money from it, no matter how miniscule.

KitGuru Says: As much as you can see this as a simple mistake or lapse in concentration from the FBI's part – it certainly has better things to do than maintain one domain – but considering when seized, these domains should remain in its control, it does throw a bit of egg on its face. 

The post MegaUpload website now advertising cams and dating ads first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/megaupload-website-now-advertising-cams-and-dating-ads/feed/ 1
FBI seized MegaUpload domains hijacked and linked to malware https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/fbi-seized-megaupload-domains-hijacked-and-linked-to-malware/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/fbi-seized-megaupload-domains-hijacked-and-linked-to-malware/#respond Thu, 28 May 2015 10:29:46 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=251505 When the Megaupload domain names were seized back in January 2012, they were some of the most visited on the internet, with the site's promotional material suggesting as many as 50 million people a day used them and their services. However those days are long gone, but that doesn't mean they receive no traffic at …

The post FBI seized MegaUpload domains hijacked and linked to malware first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
When the Megaupload domain names were seized back in January 2012, they were some of the most visited on the internet, with the site's promotional material suggesting as many as 50 million people a day used them and their services. However those days are long gone, but that doesn't mean they receive no traffic at all. In-fact, visitors from the past few days have found that despite the US authorities supposedly controlling them, someone has hijacked them and begun redirecting those that do visit to malware and scam sites.

Until recently, domains like MegaUpload and MegaVideo contained merely a large image that says that sites have been seized by the authorities and that the visitor's IP may be tracked too. However attempting to visit either at the time of writing sees the URL quickly redirect to a random ad-filled page, with some like TorrentFreak even suggesting that malware attempted to hijack their browser upon the transition.

megaupload22
Many of the redirects try to trick people with the chance to win or buy iPhones for cheap

Clearly the US' Department of Justice (DOJ) has lost control of the domains some how, as if you look at the WHOIS information for the URLs, they list “PLEASEDROPTHISHOST15525.CIRFU.BIZ” as their name server. That could well mean that the domain server used by the DOJ has itself been hijacked.

Considering that organisation is supposed to house some of the best cyber crime fighters in the world, that's quite a lot of egg on the DOJ's face.

Kim Dotcom, founder of the Megaupload file locker said in a statement that: “With U.S. Assistant Attorney Jay Prabhu the DOJ in Virginia employs a guy who doesn’t know the difference between civil & criminal law. And after this recent abuse of our seized Mega domains I wonder how this guy was appointed Chief of the Cybercrime Unit when he can’t even do the basics like safeguard the domains he has seized.”

Megaupload isn't even the only domain affected, as a number of other seized URLs are also pointing to the malicious sites.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: This is a pretty poor show that even a few hours after this was discovered it still hasn't been fixed. It goes without saying that we wouldn't recommend visiting any of the mentioned URLs, as there is a very real chance of you being hit with some nasty malware. 

The post FBI seized MegaUpload domains hijacked and linked to malware first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/fbi-seized-megaupload-domains-hijacked-and-linked-to-malware/feed/ 0
US government seizes Dotcom’s millions again https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/us-government-seizes-dotcoms-millions-again/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/us-government-seizes-dotcoms-millions-again/#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2015 11:59:24 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=242306 Kim Dotcom has been legally embattled with US and New Zealand authorities for over three years. During that time he's launched services and political entities and even found time to rank as one of the best FPS players in the world, but it hasn't been all smooth sailing. One of the most persistent problems for …

The post US government seizes Dotcom’s millions again first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Kim Dotcom has been legally embattled with US and New Zealand authorities for over three years. During that time he's launched services and political entities and even found time to rank as one of the best FPS players in the world, but it hasn't been all smooth sailing. One of the most persistent problems for the German entrepreneur has been that his money keeps being taken away and it's happened again. Following a ruling by a US district court judge, over $67 million worth of assets, liquid and otherwise, have now been seized by the US.

While Dotcom's legal defence contested the ruling, they were shot down as the he was deemed a fugitive and therefore has no right to his financial assets. Understandably, Dotcom plans to appeal the procedure. In the mean time though, he's likely to be relieved that earlier this month he was granted access to some of his funds by another judge entirely. It will be interesting to see if this latest ruling affects that.

dotcom
Despite his fugitive status, Dotcom has become somewhat of a folk hero

The judge that made this latest move against Dotcom cited much of his original criticisms as part of it, stating that he stood accused of using MegaUpload as a way to make money from piracy and was therefore not entitled to his earnings. Dotcom refutes these claims, calling them baseless and highlights the fact that MegaUpload operated to the letter of the law, much like other file lockers. It also had official take down tools for movie studios to use almost with impunity.

“The default judgement is so thick with DOJ and Hollywood nonsense that one might think they drafted it,” Dotcom said of the news (via TorrentFreak).

All of this will come to a head in June this year however, when Kim Dotcom and his fellow defendants will face their extradition trial. Dotcom's lawyers attempted to delay it again earlier this week, but were denied.

KitGuru Says: Even if Kim Dotcom's extradition trial outcome isn't certain, I wonder why the continued delaying tactics when his funds are running so low?

The post US government seizes Dotcom’s millions again first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/us-government-seizes-dotcoms-millions-again/feed/ 4
Court decides Dotcom can’t have his money after all https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/court-decides-dotcom-cant-have-his-money-after-all/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/court-decides-dotcom-cant-have-his-money-after-all/#respond Thu, 21 Aug 2014 09:17:02 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=208223 Its difficult to imagine a court case with more retractions, delays and turnarounds without contemplating some sort of lawyer heaven, thank Kim Dotcom's, as it looks like the internet entrepreneur's personal finances and assets, will not be returned to him after all. The original orders allowing the authorities to retain Dotcom's assets pending his extradition …

The post Court decides Dotcom can’t have his money after all first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Its difficult to imagine a court case with more retractions, delays and turnarounds without contemplating some sort of lawyer heaven, thank Kim Dotcom's, as it looks like the internet entrepreneur's personal finances and assets, will not be returned to him after all.

The original orders allowing the authorities to retain Dotcom's assets pending his extradition trial have been in effect since 2012, but expired in April this year. At that point, the New Zealand police force and government attempted to have that order extended, but the High Court turned them down. Not to be dejected at the first hurdle though, the authorities continued pushing and appealed the decision. It's taken until now for the Appeals Court to make its decision and it's overturned the original ruling, meaning Dotcom will not get his assets back after all.

kimdotcom
Kim might not have his custom track cars back, but that hasn't stopped him expanding the fleet in their absence

Dotcom filed a counter appeal, but it was dismissed in full. His ex-wife, Mona Dotcom also attempted to have her own personal finances separated from her ex-husbands, but that too was denied and her assets have also been frozen.

Mr Dotcom's only comment on the matter came via his Twitter account, where he suggested that the relationship between the High Court and Appeals Court must be strained, since the latter keeps overturning the former's decisions.

“I wonder how much respect Auckland High Court judges have for the Appeal judges in Wellington. Almost all rulings in my case were overturned,” he said.

KitGuru Says: It's amazing how long this case has gone on for and how back and forth it's been. Dotcom was originally arrested in January 2012 and we won't be seeing the extradition trial take place until at leas next year now and the criminal cases beyond that.

[Thanks TorrentFreak]

The post Court decides Dotcom can’t have his money after all first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/court-decides-dotcom-cant-have-his-money-after-all/feed/ 0