McAfee, Inc. (NYSE: MFE), today announced the results and availability of the McAfee(R) Virtual Criminology Report (pdf), which examines how a new class of criminals are using the Internet in new, systematic and professional ways to commit illegal acts. According to the findings, information theft is the most damaging category of Internet crime, while viruses have been the most costly for businesses.

The report, commissioned by McAfee, discusses how organized crime and cybercrime are developing, and looks at the future threat this activity could pose to home computers, government computer networks, and to computer systems in the business sector. The report reveals a hierarchy of cybercriminals, discussing the recent evolution of the amateur cyber delinquent to the professional cyber gang.

“As companies and consumers continue to move towards a networked and information economy, more opportunity exists for cybercriminals to take advantage of vulnerabilities on networks and computers,” said Chris Christiansen, program vice president, IDC. “Understanding who these criminals are and how they attack provide great insight into implementing and practicing good security hygiene.”

Prior to 2000, cybercriminals acting alone committed the majority of cybercrimes, usually in an attempt to attain notoriety within the cyber world. However, in recent years, a shift has occurred as criminals and not just amateurs are committing cybercrimes. This is due in large part to the potentially huge financial gains that can be made from the Internet with relatively little risk. The report goes on to examine the different tactics and tools used by these cybercriminals, and future areas of attack.

Some of the report’s most compelling highlights include:

• The FBI estimates that cybercrime cost about $400 billion in 2004.
• In an investigation, codenamed “Operation Firewall,” U.S. and Canadian authorities announced the arrest of 28 people from six countries involved in a global organized cybercrime ring. They operated Websites to buy and sell credit card information and false identities. They bought and sold almost 1.7 million stolen credit card numbers. Of these stolen credit cards, financial institutions have estimated their losses to be $4.3 million.
• The use of pseudonyms or online identities provides an anonymity that is attractive to criminals. Sources estimate that perhaps only 5% of cybercriminals are ever caught or convicted.

In addition to the obvious with the IE Skype Toolbar, you’ll be able to view your SkypeOut credits status directly from the Toolbar, as well as change your Online status.

From the Outlook Skype Toolbar, you will be able to import contacts directly to Skype from Outlook, automatically add Skype callto signatures to your outgoing email messages, as well as automatically open your Outlook’s contact function when you get an incoming call.

Skype’s IE toolbar works in all versions of IE 5+ and higher. Skype’s Outlook toolbar will work in all versions of Outlook from 2000.

Source: ZDNet

Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) today launched Microsoft(R) Digital Image Suite 2006, a powerful package of easy-to-use tools designed to help consumers organize, enhance and share their rising number of digital memories. The new digital imaging software helps consumers, from the novice to the sophisticated photographer, easily find their favorite snapshots and video clips and do more with them in just a few clicks.

Microsoft Digital Image Suite 2006 makes it easy to find, view and organize photos and videos with the following new tools:Hierarchical Keywords and Labels, Hover Thumbnail enlarges thumbnail images whenever a mouse hovers above them, Video support offers consumers the option to view and organize their videos in the same place as their photos, RAW Support for Canon and Nikon cameras, Black & White Effects, Intuitive Crop, Photo Story 3.1 allows anyone to create a photo show with voice narration, Sharing Disc allows consumers to easily burn photo CDs, Device Sync Support makes it easy to share photos and videos with mobile devices.

Microsoft’s 2006 line of digital imaging products, including Digital Image Suite 2006 and Digital Image Standard 2006, is available today. Microsoft Digital Image Suite 2006 offers more robust organization and editing features for an estimated retail price of $99.95 (U.S.), with a $30 mail-in rebate open to all consumers and an additional $10 digital camera mail-in rebate (if consumers purchase any digital camera within 30 days of acquiring the software).(1) In addition, Digital Image Standard 2006, designed for first-time digital photographers, is available for an estimated retail price of $49.95 (U.S.).

According to a message at the Googlebar mailing list archive, Google is preparing to release a Firefox version of its popular toolbar.

The posting says the Firefox version of the Google toolbar will be released on July 7th. The toolbar will work with Windows 2000 and Windows XP, as well as MacOS X 10.2, and Linux 8.0+. With the exception of a pop-up blocker, it’s expected the Firefox version will have the same features as the IE version.

Source: Neowin

Music fans in 19 countries are clicking their way to 500 million downloads on the iTunes Music Store. To celebrate, the purchaser of every 100,000th song until the 500 million mark will receive an iPod mini and a 50-song gift card. If you’re the one, you get to choose the color. (And the 50 songs.)

Source: Apple

A 22-year-old man has become the first person in the UK to be convicted for modifying a video games console.

The Cambridge graduate was sentenced at Caerphilly Magistrates Court to 140 hours of community service.

The man had been selling modified Xbox consoles which he fitted with a big hard drive containing 80 games.

The conviction is the first of its kind in the UK, where the modification of video games consoles has been an illegal practice since October 2003, when the UK enacted the EU Copyright Directive.

Under that directive, it is illegal to circumvent copy protection systems.

Consoles such as the Xbox and PlayStation 2 can be modified by chips that are soldered to a console’s main circuit board to bypass copyright controls.

The chips allow people to play games purchased legitimately in other countries, as well as running backup copies or bootleg discs.

Source: BBC

Today at Tech Ed 2005 Europe, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) continued to disclose details surrounding the launch of Microsoft(R) SQL Server(TM) 2005, Visual Studio(R) 2005 and BizTalk(R) Server 2006. As part of his keynote address, Andy Lees, corporate vice president of Server and Tools Marketing and Solutions, announced that these products would launch on Monday, Nov. 7 in San Francisco.

As part of the announcement, Microsoft revealed that throughout November there would be more than 90 launch events spanning 50 countries. The worldwide launch of SQL Server 2005, Visual Studio 2005 and BizTalk Server 2006 offers significant advancements in interoperability, developer productivity and mission-critical support. The launch furthers Microsoft’s commitment to delivering the next-generation platform for connected systems to advance business decision-making through greater insight, visibility and alignment across software development and business processes.