A worm that targets gamers is making the rounds, tapping into popular titles and peer-to-peer file sharing, a security company has warned.

The worm, Hagbard.A, tries to disguise itself on peer-to-peer networks as pirated downloads of the popular games titles “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,” “Need for Speed Underground 2″ and 400 other programs, Sophos said in an advisory released on Friday.

The downloaded program will copy itself to the file-sharing folder on the compromised PC and attempt to spread using the Windows Messenger. An instant message sent to others on the service contains a link to the worm and reads: “please download this…its only small brb.”

Source: ZDNet

Google is claiming that it has invented a unique way to distribute online advertising via syndicated news feeds–and it wants a patent for the technology.

If granted, the patent would presumably give Google the exclusive rights for “incorporating targeted ads into information in a syndicated, e.g., RSS, presentation format in an automated manner,” according to its patent application titled, “Embedding advertisements in syndicated content.”

Source: News.com

The US authorities have charged eight people in connection with the illegal trading of copyrighted films, music, games and software over the net.

The Justice Department said they were key members of online piracy networks.

They were charged following an international police operation across 15 countries.

Acting Assistant Attorney General John C Richter said the “charges strike at the top of the copyright piracy supply chain”.

The eight men were charged with copyright infringement in Charlotte, North Carolina, following two FBI investigations known as Operation FastLink and Operation Site Down.

The US-led investigation involved 15 countries - Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Portugal, the UK and the US.

The Justice Department alleged the defendants were leading members in the illegal online trade of copyrighted material known as the “warez scene”.

Source: BBC

Microsoft has demonstrated a more powerful version of its Hotmail Web-based e-mail program that is in the testing stages.

The software maker on Thursday showed a version of Hotmail that works a lot more like desktop e-mail programs such as Outlook or Outlook Express, offering options such as a preview of incoming e-mails, antiphishing features and the ability to block or unblock specific senders.

Source: News.com

Australian officials effectively banned the computer game “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” and ordered it removed from stores Friday because it contains hidden sex scenes that can be viewed with a special Internet download.

The Office of Film and Literature Classification said in a statement it had outlawed sales of the game by stripping it of its official classification after learning of the explicit content.

“Revocation of a classification means the computer game cannot be legally sold, hired, advertised or exhibited in Australia from the date the decision is made,” the statement said.

“Businesses that sell or hire computer games should remove existing stocks of this game from their shelves immediately,” said Des Clark, director of the government-funded classification board.

Source: AP

A judge has temporarily barred a former Microsoft executive hired by Google from performing any duties at the search giant similar to those he performed at Microsoft.

Washington state Superior Court Judge Steven Gonzalez on Thursday granted Microsoft’s request for a temporary restraining order to prevent Kai-Fu Lee from violating his noncompete agreement.

Google announced on July 19 that it had hired Lee to lead a new research and development center in China and serve as president of its Chinese operations. Lee was previously a vice president at Microsoft and played a key role in its operations in China. He also led development of some of its search technologies, Microsoft’s lawsuit claims.