<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Lol. My bet is that the \u201cDistributed Denial of Service (DDOS)\u201d was just normal filers filing in a volume the system can\u2019t handle \u2013 no malicious intent.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Sandra<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#003572'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#16095A'> ______________________</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#16095A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#16095A'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#16095A'> Sandra L Etherton</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#16095A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#16095A'> Registered U.S. Patent Attorney</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#16095A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><img width=135 height=34 id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image003.jpg@01DA4963.B998F4D0"></span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'> P.O. Box 13808 | Scottsdale, AZ 85267<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'> tel: (602) 681-3331 | fax: (602) 681-3339 </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'> email: </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#003572'><a href="mailto:sandra@ethertonlaw.com"><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue'>sandra@ethertonlaw.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> Patentcenter [mailto:patentcenter-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Daniel Feigelson via Patentcenter<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 17, 2024 4:21 PM<br><b>To:</b> For bug reports, feature requests, and tips and tricks about Patent Center. <patentcenter@oppedahl-lists.com><br><b>Cc:</b> Daniel Feigelson <djf@4d-ip.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Patentcenter] Is Patent Center down? (Wednesday, January 17, 2024 -- 11:55 AM ET)? Can we not pay fees?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><img border=0 width=1 height=1 id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://gcfagjf.r.af.d.sendibt2.com/tr/op/NNzsMFjm0RgAaQY8z82s96pV2dFXsbGQPhcV8Obynf60ZUQBXX0XTyiuZXPGYcII4cYbPdbLgdBMbdEw8SAMdX20eUcQyRIwXlA_Z21EyuZB0Ttty7FiXWo8bqA2FLE6e4ai0L1X4s_8K9VRNTseqpdSw3qbf7v_UkQZ4YZm-kTHaDeBdj5ae-46z6j6yDQEkCJI9b-ejjv_6W-7I_2r6nN6kt0ddfjCxg"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>From an email I just got from the USPTO:<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>"The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) experienced a Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attack impacting the accessibility of our systems. Though all our systems remained online, many external customers and employees experienced interruptions of service. Our teams have worked diligently to address the impact of the attack, and all of our systems, including Patent Center, Trademark Systems, MyUSPTO, and other USPTO-specific services are now fully accessible.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>We are continuing to investigate this issue and reviewing additional ways to help prevent it in the future. We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience. "<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>Yeah, what about giving everyone extensions b/c your systems weren't working properly?<o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>