Author Archives: Michael Froomkin

John Young runs a very useful, important, but edgy (some would say over the edge) service at Cryptome.org, which I wrote about in Cryptome: Often Heroic, but Sometimes Creepy.

Over the years he's had some DMCA notices, and takedown requests passed on from foreign intelligence services, all of which his ISP Verio/NTT has dealt with in what seemed from his account to be a reasonable manner.

Now, all of a sudden and apparently without giving any reason, John Young reports that he's gotten a letter telling him that Cryptome is to be Shutdown by Verio/NTT.

This notice of termination is surprising for Verio has been consistently supportive of freedom of information against those who wish to suppress it. Since 1999 Cryptome has received a number of e-mailed notices from Verio's legal department in response to complaints from a variety of parties, ranging from British intelligence to alleged copyright holders to persons angry that their vices have been exposed (see below). In every case Verio has heretofore accepted Cryptome's explanation for publishing material, and in some cases removal of the material, and service has continued.

In this latest instance there was no notice received from Verio describing the violation of acceptable use to justify termination of service prior to receipt of the certified letter, thus no opportunity to understand or respond to the basis for termination.

It may be wondered if Verio was threatened by an undisclosable means, say by an National Security Letter or by a confidential legal document or by a novel attack not yet aired.

Every few months our Verio service rep, Warren Gleicher, Senior Account Manager, (wgleicher[at]verio.net) writes to see if service is satifactory.

Danna and Warren: Cryptome would appreciate your telling what has led to the termination for publication. Send the information anonymously if necessary to keep your jobs.

At least they gave him two weeks notice, but still — pretty low not even to give a reason.