McAfee lists the most dangerous Web domains

Source: http://www.mcafee.com/
McAfee is releasing a list today that shows which international Web domains are the most perilous.

The anti-virus software developer analyzed more than 27 million country and generic Web domains for browser exploits, phishing, excessive pop-ups and malicious downloading.

The study found that Cameroon (.cm) has the riskiest Web domain, with 36.7% of its sites posing security risks.

"Because the domain .cm is a common typo for .com, many cybercriminals set up fake typo-squatting sites that lead to malicious downloads, spyware, adware and other potentially unwanted programs," McAfee says in a press release.

The next four most dangerous country domains are China (.cn), Samoa (.ws), the Philippines (.ph) and the former Soviet Union (.su).

In 2008, Hong Kong's domain (.hk) topped the list, but this year it came in 34th after officials there took action.

McAfee senior research analyst Shane Keats said that bad guys look for low cost, ease of registration and lack of regulation when picking a domain to exploit. He added that Hong Kong probably increased costs, demanded information (such as proof of residency, a valid phone number and address) from users and increased the take-down speed for dangerous websites.

The safest country domain, with only 0.1% of its sites posing security threats, belongs to Japan (.jp). It was followed on McAfee's list by Ireland (.ie), Croatia (.hr), Luxembourg (.lu) and Vanuatu (,vu).

The safest non-country domain is .gov. The most heavily trafficked domain, .com, is the second-most dangerous domain.

Malicious websites range in their capacity to devastate, Keats said. Some just harass you with endless pop-ups, others can infect your computer with viruses and some can compromise your identity by emulating banking websites.

RP breaks Earth Hour world record

Source: Manila Bulletin

For the second consecutive year, the Philippines broke the Earth Hour world record in terms of participation, with 1,076 towns and cities joining the 60-minute light off to save Mother Earth Saturday night.

The country was literally engulfed in darkness from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday to send a signal around the globe that the Philippines is in harmony to save Mother Earth from the effects of climate change. Last year, the Philippines also placed first in terms of town and city participation in the world, with over 10 million Filipinos participating in the activity in 647 towns and cities nationwide.

Event organizer Earth Hour Philippines, composed of the World Wide for Nature-Philippines, Department of Energy, Switch Movement, and Green Army Network, exceeded its goal of 1,000 towns and cities for the Earth Hour 2010.

The country also initiated the Earth Hour FlashMob Dance, with over a hundred individuals who danced under the heat and occasional light rains.

When the first dancer started waving an Earth Hour flag, people stopped to take notice, international conservation group World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) noted in its website.

WWF said the dances culminated in a gigantic number 60 formation to signal the 60 minutes of the Earth Hour.

A record 125 countries and territories, which is up from 88 countries in 2009, and over 4,000 cities, towns or 1,200 more than at the inaugural of Earth Hour 2009 joined the event last Saturday.

“When Earth Hour started in Sydney in 2007, never in our wildest dreams imagined it would catch on like this,” said Earth Hour founder and executive director Andy Riley said.

Australia led the Earth Hour in 2007, and in 2008, the event became a worldwide phenomenon.
At exactly 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., other countries also switched off their lights.

In China, 34 Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Dalian took part in the global Earth Hour event. The main event took place in the Forbidden City.

In Japan, the Tokyo Towers and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial plunged into darkness at 8:30 p.m. while in Nepal, local committees and authorities organized a program there where students and locals came together for a candlelight vigil by the Bouddhanath Stupa.

In India, Earth Hour reached out to schools through at least 20 WWF state offices which are directly engaging with schools through which an estimated a 100 000 youth have been introduced to the global call for action.

Earth Hour Official Video

El Niño Underscores Urgency of Earth Hour Message

Sectors and Communities Urged to Switch to More Responsible Lifestyles

With El Niño wreaking havoc on the nation’s water, food and power supply, this year’s Earth Hour has assumed special significance.

“El Niño is drying up our farms, aquifers and water reservoirs; this is a stark reminder of the perils of global warming,” explained Yeb Saño, newly-appointed Climate Change Commissioner and Earth Hour National Director. “The symbolic act of together switching off our lights for one hour signifies our potential to make a difference if we take united and sustained action in terms of best energy practices and more responsible lifestyles.”

Earth Hour, the world’s largest social mobilization event for two successive years, conveys a powerful symbolic call to action on climate change by urging individuals, corporations, institutions and communities to turn off their lights for 60 minutes. This year, from 8:30PM to 9:30PM on March 27, around one billion people across time zones all over the world are expected to take part in this massive display of solidarity for the planet.

In 2009, the Philippines ranked first among 88 nations in terms of local participation in Earth Hour. Over 10 million Filipinos in 647 cities and municipalities switched off their lights during Earth Hour, saving an estimated 611MWh of electricity – equivalent to a temporary shutdown of a dozen coal-fired power-plants. This year, the event organizers – WWF-Philippines, the Department of Energy, Green Army Network Foundation and SWITCH Movement – aim to mobilize 15 million Filipinos in 1000 towns, cities and municipalities to take a symbolic stand against climate change.

Roadshows Drum Up Support

Toward this end, Energy Secretary Angelo T. Reyes is leading an Earth Hour roadshow to tap key stakeholders and networks nationwide. In Davao, Iloilo, Cebu, Baguio, Bataan, and various various cities of Metro Manila, thousands of stakeholders, representing multi-sectoral groups, gathered to lend their collective support to Earth Hour.

“The response to our call for support has been heartwarming,” Reyes said. “Whenever the Earth Hour roadshow visits a town or city, people bring in new energy. Unique ideas are born. Support streams in. In the wake of recent natural calamities and the challenges wrought by El Niño, it is encouraging to see the Filipino spirit of Bayanihan shining through. We’d like to harness that spirit to effect massive adoption of efficient energy practices – such as switching to compact flourescent bulbs and biofuels and encouraging local investments in solar, wind, mini-hydro, biomass and other sources of renewable energy.”

Emphasizing the inter-relationshop between climate change and energy, Secretary Reyes added: “Understanding the impact of energy on climate change requires not just a review of our energy policy and programs, but also a review of how energy is used.”

The roadshow is slated to hit Ilocos Norte, Laguna, Bicol, Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Tuguegarao and Clark in the next two weeks.

Mob Dance Surprises Onlookers

To further generate interest in Earth Hour among the youth, WWF mounted the first in a series of flash mob dances along the SM Mall of Asia Baywalk in Pasay City. In twos and threes, over 100 dancers emerged from the crowd to execute a lively dance routine – to the delight of hundreds of onlookers.

The dance culminated in a gigantic ‘60’ formation – signalling the 60 minutes of Earth Hour. The video of the mob dance is now spreading rapidly through Youtube.com, Facebook.com and various social networking sites. It may be seen on Youtube.com under ‘Earth Hour Mob Dance at Mall of Asia.’ A second mob dance took place on 13 March at the Serendra High Street in Fort Bonifacio.

Massive Support From Public and Private Sector

“Every day, our roster of allies grows,” notes Green Army Secretary General Dr. René Azurin. Official Earth Hour 2010 partners include Ipanema, Motolite, the Century Pacific Group, Sustagen, Philips, Meralco, Arthaland, Shell, First Gen, Energy Development Corporation, McDonald’s, Jollibee, SM Malls, Ayala Malls, Bonifacio Global City, Shangri-La Hotels, GMA-7, ABS-CBN, Net-25, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Infinit-1 Communications, FocusMedia Audiovisuals, Leo Burnett, ECC International, Dig It All, Friendster, Discovery Channel and the National Geographic Channel.

Catherine Maceda of the SWITCH Movement says, “While the Philippines accounts for only .29% of the world’s energy-related CO2 emissions, the massive outpouring of support from all sectors of Philippine society shows that Filipinos have embraced their role as advocates in finding a global solution to the climate crisis.”

Sectoral consultations have been yielding strong commitments for more sustained efforts on climate change. Amongst the groups that have pledged commitments are the Archdiocese of Manila, University of the Philippines, Technological University of the Philippines, Manila Doctors College, Silliman University, Asian College of Science and Technology, Colegio de Santa Catalina de Alexandria, Foundation University, St. Paul University Dumaguete, REACT, Philippine Business for Social Progress, Ortigas Foundation, Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Manila Jaycees, Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines, Philippine Science Centrum, World Youth Alliance, Habitat for Humanity and Gawad Kalinga.

Other companies that have pledged support include the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Shangri-La Hotels, the Ascott Group, Dusit Thani Manila, Hilton Cebu, Robinsons Malls, Chevron, Abenson, Chowking, Unilever, Globe, PLDT, BME, PhilBIO, Piandré and Toyota.

Earth Hour Philippines (EHP) continues to call on corporations, national agencies, local government units, schools, villages and individuals to participate in the massive global event. All Filipinos are urged to register at www.wwf.org.ph/earthhour/vote and to make known how they intend to participate in Earth Hour by emailing the Earth Hour team at ehp2010secretariat@gmail.com and visiting http://www.wwf.org.ph/earthhour.

Earth Hour Photo Contest Slated

To broaden avenues for Earth Hour participation this year, organizers are launching an EHP visual documentation contest in three categories: (a) cell phone photos (b) digital camera photos, and (c) videos. The contest is open to all Filipinos aged 15 and above. All entries should capture the spirit of Earth Hour in any of the Earth Hour 2010 events nationwide.

To qualify, contestants must register via SMS through 5777. Their respective mobile numbers will serve to tag any number of entries.

Photo entries, taken with digital cameras, must be printed on an 8R template and sent with a copy in CD format. Cellphone photos must be printed on a 4R template and sent with a copy in CD format. The CD must contain the name, registered mobile number, address, email, category and signature of the contestant. Contestants may caption photos.

Video entries must be one to three minutes long and submitted as an mpeg or avi file, with live or recorded audio or music, burned into a DVD, and stored in a hard plastic DVD case. Name, registration number, address, email, mobile number, category and signature of the contestant must be written on both DVD and its case.

Photo and video entries must be submitted (or at least postmarked if sent through mail on the said date) by 31 March 2010. All entries should be addressed to the Earth Hour Secretariat, 6/F PNOC Building 6, Energy Center, Merritt Road, Ft. Bonifacio, Taguig City, Metro Manila. Winners will be notified by text and email.

---

For more information:

Naderev ‘Yeb’ Saño
Earth Hour Philippines National Director
nmsano@wwf.org.ph

Gregg Yan
Earth Hour Philippines Communications Head
gyan@wwf.org.ph

Mika Palileo
Earth Hour Philippines Secretariat
840-2134 / 789-76622 loc. 5200
ehp2010secretariat@gmail.com

Earth Hour 2010 Official video

Earth Hour

Earth Hour Wallpaper

ABOUT EARTH HOUR

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned their lights off for one hour to make their stand against climate change. Only a year later and Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating. Global landmarks such as the, Sydney Harbour Bridge, The CN Tower in Toronto, The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.
In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative.

Earth Hour 2010 takes place on Saturday 27 March at 8.30pm (local time) and is a global call to action to every individual, every business and every community throughout the world. It is a call to stand up, to take responsibility, to get involved and lead the way towards a sustainable future. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Europe to Asia to the Americas will stand in darkness. People across the world from all walks of life will turn off their lights and join together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet. So sign up now and let’s make 2010 the biggest Earth Hour yet!.

It’s Showtime! Show the world what can be done.

Earth Hour by WWF

Earth Hour is organized by WWF. With almost 5 million supporters and a global network in over 100 countries, it’s one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and build a future where people live in harmony with nature.

Earth Hour 2010

In 2009 hundreds of millions of people around the world showed their support by turning off their lights for one hour.

Earth Hour 2010 will continue to be a global call to action to every individual, every business and every community. A call to stand up, to show leadership and be responsible for our future.

Pledge your support >here and turn off your lights for one hour, Earth Hour, 8.30pm, Saturday 27th March 2010.