Michael McKinnon, Security Advisor at AVG (AU/NZ) speaks at Inaugural Cyber Crime Symposium

SYDNEY 1 March 2012 – Speaking at the Inaugural Cyber Crime Symposium* today, Michael McKinnon, Security Advisor at AVG (AU/NZ) told delegates that cyber crime is here to stay and that protection will only come from a strong, unified community response.

The Symposium is being staged in recognition of the impact of cyber crime which, according to the Symposium website, is estimated to cost Australia as much as $1.8 billion and another $2.8 billion in time spent resolving cybercrime issues – more than the traditional crimes of burglary ($2.2 billion annually) and assault ($1.4 billion).

McKinnon sees that: “Only the combined vigilance of government, law enforcement agencies, business, social communities and individual actions will raise the standards of protection and reduce cyber crime’s unfettered expansion.

“As we built the Neighbourhood Watch concept of education, involvement and care for our physical world, we all need to be constantly aware and take steps to protect our online lives.”

From fraud and identity theft at its most serious to the inconvenience of infected PCs, smartphones and tablets at the lower end of the spectrum, cybercrime impacts us all: personally and through lost business productivity; and vulnerable children and older citizens, and even the tech savvy.”

As an example of the creativity of cyber criminals, McKinnon outlined how AVG (AU/NZ)’s local support team rate fake anti-virus software as the Top 4 scam issues currently facing Australian Internet users. With scammers persistently sending pop-ups to infected computers, unwary surfers are being alerted to non-existent viruses and directed to pay for ‘clean up services’ at cyber crime sites such as Security Shield, SystemFix or XP Anti Virus Pro.

McKinnon said: “Our best protection is to take the time to monitor what is happening in the ether and to secure all Internet enabled devices. We should all take individual responsibility for maintaining our systems and online gadgets with the most recent versions; installing the latest, always-on, automatically updating anti-virus and Internet security technologies; scheduling backups; and regularly changing passwords.”

McKinnon’s understanding of the current situation and emerging trends is supported by the quarterly “AVG Community Powered Threat Reports” that analyse input from AVG’s customers worldwide and provide insight, background and analysis of the developments in the global online security threat landscape. The most recent Report quantified the proliferation of QR code infections, stolen digital certificates bypassing security on mobile phones, and the persistence of rootkits. And, as mobile phone functionality converges with computers, cyber criminals are now targeting iPhones and Android devices with new malware.

The AVG Community Protection Network also focuses on building communities that help millions of online participants support each other on computer security issues and actively contributes to AVG’s research efforts.

Full Q4 Threat Report: AVG_Community_Powered_Threat_Report_Q4_2011 (http://www.avg.com.au/files/media/avg_threat_report_2011-q4.pdf)

*Inaugural Cyber Crime Symposium http://www.informa.com.au/conferences/information-technology/cybercrime-symposium

For the series of informative security tips, how-to and fact sheets see:

www.avg.com.au/resources/security-tips/. For video tips from AVG (AU/NZ), see: www.youtube.com/user/avgaunz

Keep in touch with AVG (AU/NZ)

• For breaking news, follow AVG (AU/NZ) on Twitter at twitter.com/avgaunz
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• For security trends, analysis, follow the AVG (AU/NZ) blog at resources.avg.com.au

Hamburg, February 29, 2012. Today, InnoGames released an update for its Sci-Fi MMO Bounty Hounds Online (BHO), which is currently in beta Status. The updated version contains, among a number of additional features and bug fixes, four new instances for players to explore. The various and challenging settings can be admired in the instances’ announcement-trailer. Players eager to check out the game prior to its official release can register and participate in the Beta on www.bountyhounds.com

The instances, designed for players with medium-high character levels significantly differ in their visual appearance. Angelina’s Guest House is a modern and mysterious hideout, accommodating a number of high-ranking officials and VIPs. The Abandoned Irrigation Canals and Emergency Exit lead players deep underground, one into wet and muddy sewers, the other into a system of natural caves, providing the only escape route for the inmates of Nightmare Prison. Smuggler’s Lair, however, is an island area full of submerged reefs and whirlpools. Dangerous smugglers and poisonous insects wait for brave adventurers in the lush vegetation of this region. All four instances are full of intriguing loot for treasure hunters, providing material to create rare objects including armor sets with added stat bonuses.

Set in a distant future, the game sends players as mercenaries to Clear Sky Planet, mankind’s retreat after a huge galactic war against extraterrestrial units, trying to keep the fragile peace between different factions. In order to enter the battlefield, players choose one of five unique mercenary classes to obtain specific skills and weapons.

InnoGames has developed major browser game titles like Tribal Wars, The West and Grepolis. With more than 75 million registered users, the German company ranks amongst the biggest developers and publishers of online games.

Retro-styled indie game puts a humorous spin on the weird and wacky world of professional wrestling

NEW YORK – February 29, 2012 – Celebrate leap year the old-school way with Da New Guys: Day of the Jackass, a retro-styled point and click adventure just released by Wadjet Eye Games. A unique comedy game created by UK-based independent developer Chris Burton, Da New Guys can be downloaded for only $9.99 from http://www.danewguys.com.

With traditional adventure gameplay reminiscent of the LucasArts classics and the fast-paced humor of a Saturday morning cartoon, Da New Guys puts players in the shoes of three questionable wrestlers: Brain (the clueless one), Defender (the intellectual), and Simon (the meathead). When Brain wins the Wrestle Zone’s title belt — quite by accident — and is promptly kidnapped by a jealous rival, his reluctant teammates set out to save his hide. The quirky adventure that follows features a humorous storyline with an unusual cast of characters, dozens of creative puzzles to solve, and the chance to play as all three New Guys at various points. And don’t be fooled by the stylized cartoon artwork: this high-quality indie production also has professional voice acting, an original soundtrack, and in-game achievements linked to unlockable bonus content.

“Wrestling is all about these crazy, larger than life characters, but who are they when the cameras are off? With Da New Guys, I wanted to capture the over-the-top theatrics we see on TV, and then take the wrestlers out of the ring and into the real world,” says Chris Burton, the game’s indie developer. “These guys are used to solving problems with their fists (and nearby pieces of furniture), but now it’s time to use their heads, and sometimes the results are even funnier. Da New Guys is the Saturday morning cartoon that never was — if you grew up watching TV in the 80s, like I did, you’ll feel right at home.”

For one more week, Wadjet Eye Games is offering a CD version of the game for $19.99. This limited edition disc release includes a Da New Guys cartoon short, exclusive trading cards, and free shipping within North America(international shipping is just $0.99). Those who order the CD can also download the game for free. After this offer ends on March 7, Da New Guys: Day of the Jackass will only be offered in downloadable format. For more details, visit http://www.danewguys.com/order.

A playable demo that features the first several scenes of the adventure can be downloaded from http://www.danewguys.com/demo.

About Chris Burton

Chris Burton is an award-winning animator and filmmaker with four short films and two independent games under his belt. He has a strong interest in visual storytelling, and has taught himself animation in order to express his ideas and entertain. In 2004 he released the original Da New Guys, a freeware adventure game, and in 2008 he produced the follow-up short film, Da New Guys: For The Winnings. Since then he has been honing his skills, and is proud to finally be releasing Da New Guys: Day of the Jackass as a commercial project. His personal website is http://www.iceboxstudios.co.uk.

About Wadjet Eye Games

Founded in 2006, Wadjet Eye Games has developed a reputation for producing award winning and critically acclaimed adventure games for the PC. Committed to creating unique character-driven game experiences around recognizable brands, Wadjet Eye has recently expanded to support and publish games by other independent developers. The company’s award-winning portfolio includes The Shivah and the Blackwell series, both of which have garnered Game Developers Choice nominations, Puzzle Bots, which was selected for the Penny Arcade Expo’s PAX 10 showcase, and IGF Student Showcase winner Gemini Rue. For more information, visit http://www.wadjeteyegames.com.

Headline: Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3’s Content Season for Call of Duty® Elite Premium Members on the PlayStation® Network kicked-off with yesterday’s release of Liberation and Piazza

We’re excited to announce the start of the Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3’s Content Season for Call of Duty® Elite Premium Members on the PlayStation®Network with today’s release of the first two content drops – Liberation and Piazza.

Call of Duty Elite Drop 1: Liberation, a militarized Central Park in the heart of NYC, features a vast landscape ripe for long-range sniper and LMG kills. Mounted turrets on opposing ends of the map offer overwhelming firepower to anyone brave enough to man them. Elite Drop 2: Piazza, set in an idyllic Italian seaside village getaway gone rogue, offers blind corners and a complex network of branching pathways that pose danger at every turn. Visceral close-quarters combat dominates in Piazza, and attacks from above and below are an ever-constant threat.

Liberation and Piazza are the first two content drops in the nine-month Content Season that will include more than 20 pieces of brand new content. The next Call of Duty Elite Content Drop for Premium Members on the PlayStation Network is scheduled to land on March 29 with the release of Overwatch, a multiplayer map that drops players into a construction site atop a New York City skyscraper.

The Modern Warfare 3 Content Season is co-developed by Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is rated “MA15+” (Strong Violence) by the Australian Classification Board. For more information on the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 content drops, season of content, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty Elite visit www.callofduty.com/mw3 and www.callofduty.com/elite.

March 01, 2012 – EA SPORTS^TM announced today that a demo of FIFA Street is available now for the PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system at the PLAYSTATION Store, and for the Xbox 360^® videogame and entertainment system from Xbox Live Marketplace. Free your game by using tricks, flicks and flair to roast opponents in the first authentic street football videogame that replicates the way the game is played around the world.

Players will compete in a 5-a-side match at the iconic Amsterdam Square stadium with four unique teams: English Premier League giants Manchester City, defending Italian champions AC Milan, a team of real-life street football stars, and an adidas^TM all-star team featuring Barcelona and Argentina superstar Lionel Messi and 12 of the most skillful superstars in the world. Using the groundbreaking new Street Ball Control that delivers the highest fidelity of touch on the ball and responsiveness ever developed by the FIFA franchise, fans can experience the authentic one-on-one battle and variety of gameplay that FIFA Street delivers.

In the demo, the journey to street football glory begins in the World Tour story mode where players create themselves and their squad in-game, upgrade attributes, and unlock some of the 50 new skill moves and authentic street dribbling styles available. Players can then pull their progression from the demo into the full game version of FIFA Street that will be in stores March 15^th in Australia and March 16^th in New Zealand. In addition, gamers who download their friends’ created players onto their own squad will unlock the Freestyle Challenge tournament on the Shanghai Rooftop. Plus, the in-game social network in FIFA Street kicks off as players view friends’ stats and accomplishments, share videos, and connect in the FIFA Street Network*.

Fans who pre-order FIFA Street from leading retailers around the world will receive exclusive in-game access to the adidas^TM all-star team featuring Messi. The pre-order offer also includes exclusive access to the Lionel Messi Barcelona venue, an environment inspired by street footballers playing in and around the Plaça de Catalunya in the historic center of Barcelona, that Messi helped design. Fans with EA SPORTS Season Ticket will get full-game digital access to FIFA Street three days in advance of launch.* *

For the latest news on FIFA Street join more than seven million fans in the EA SPORTS FIFA community at http://www.facebook.com/easportsfifa or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/easportsfifa. For more information visit: http://www.ea.com/uk/football/fifa-street. FIFA Street is not yet rated.

SYDNEY, Australia – March 1^st, 2012 – Today, BioWare™ a Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), is proud to turn on the servers for the critically-acclaimed Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong & Singapore. Fans in those regions will now be able to experience the award-winning massively multiplayer online game that has captivated millions of fans worldwide on regional servers, giving them better game performance with decreased network latency. Australia’s AusGamers has scored the game at a 95%, saying The Old Republic is “arguably the most complete and polished MMO ever launched.”

“We have been incredibly pleased with the response to the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic from fans and critics, as players are finding that immersive story and personal choice are a real innovation for the genre,” said Dr. Greg Zeschuk, General Manager of the BioWare Label’s MMO Business Unit and Co-Founder of BioWare. “Just as important to our success has been the smoothness of our launch. Now after months of testing, we’re excited to be able to bring both a high quality game experience and service to our fans in the Asia Pacific region.”

Players in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore will be able to choose from the Standard Edition ($79.99 AUD, $89.99 NZD, $389.00 HKD, $64.90 SDB) and the Digital Deluxe Edition ($89.99 AUD, $99.99 NZD, $465.00 HKD, $76.90 SGD) of Star Wars: The Old Republic at participating retailers. The Digital Deluxe Edition is exclusive to Origin.com.  Players in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore will also be eligible for the Founder’s medal*, a distinction given to the early members of The Old Republic community. Set thousands of years before the classic Star Wars movies, players will be immersed as they team up with friends online to fight in heroic battles reminiscent of the films, exploring a galaxy of vibrant planets and experiencing visceral Star Wars combat. Players join forces with either the Galactic Republic or Sith Empire and choose one of eight iconic Star Wars characters, including the Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, Trooper, Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter and Imperial Agent.
Included with the purchase of every copy of Star Wars: The Old Republic is 30 days of access to the game, after which players can continue to play by subscribing** to the ongoing service.  Subscribers will also receive ongoing content such as the recently released Game Update 1.1, Rise of the Rakghouls.  For more information on Star Wars: The Old Republic, please visit www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com, follow the game on Twitter® at http://twitter.com/swtor or “Like” Star Wars: The Old Republic on Facebook® at http://facebook.com/starwarstheoldrepublic. Press assets for Star Wars: The Old Republic are available at www.info.ea.com.

*GOOD ONLY FOR PURCHASES OF STAR WARS™: THE OLD REPUBLIC™ WITH REDEMPTION OF A PURCHASED GAME TIME CODE OR BILLING OF AN ACTIVE GAME RECURRING SUBSCRIPTION WITH AN APPROVED PAYMENT METHOD. VALID WHEREVER GAME IS SOLD. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED, TAXED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. CUSTOMERS WILL ACCESS THE ITEM IN-GAME. VIRTUAL ITEM ONLY. ITEM WILL BE APPLIED TO ALL CHARACTERS UNDER USER’S ACCOUNT. PLEASE ALLOW 7 DAYS FOR NOTIFICATION OF DELIVERABLES. AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND – OFFER EXPIRES APRIL 30, 2012 AT 12:01AM EDT; 2:00AM NZDT HONG KONG and SINGAPORE – OFFER EXPIRES APRIL 29, 2012 AT 9:01PM HKT, 9:01PM SGT

** Subscription pricing in Australia,New Zealand, HONG KONG  AND SINGAPORE will be $14.99 USD per month, $41.97 USD for three months ($13.99 USD per month) or $77.94 for six months ($12.99 USD per month).

SYDNEY, Australia. – March 1^st, 2012 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced that EA SPORTS ™ SSX ™ is available in retail stores throughout Australia today and March 2^nd in New Zealand.  For the first time ever SSX, what IGN® calls “An amazing, exhilarating ride” and “The game this generation has been missing”,is available in high definition on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. One of the most critically-acclaimed titles coming out of E3, SSX is currently featured on 15 ‘Most Anticipated Games of 2012’ lists.
“We’re extremely proud to finally bring back the SSX franchise, one of the greatest wholly-owned IP franchises from EA SPORTS,” said Dean Richards, General Manager, Team & Action Sports, EA SPORTS. “We’ve built SSX with the latest technologies giving it a more modern look and feel, but everyone who has played it has agreed – this is 100 percent SSX at its core.”

A modern day reinvention of one of the most critically acclaimed arcade franchises of all-time, SSX will allow players to experience the franchise’s signature fun and adrenaline-packed gameplay across iconic regions all over the world. Using NASA topographical satellite data, SSX has a massive world for players to explore. Throughout nine expansive regions, SSX packs reality-defying gameplay into every run letting players Race, Trick, and Survive as they descend huge open mountains. In addition, Explore, Global Events and RiderNet – the SSX recommendation engine – headline an online feature set that will redefine social competition for gamers, making it fun and easy to compete with friends with no lobbies or wait times.

Become a fan of SSX on Facebook via www.facebook.com/easportsssx or follow us on Twitter @EASPORTSSSX. For more information visit http://www.ea.com/ssx. SSX was developed by EA Canada and is rated G.

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game communities, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete. To download assets for EA SPORTS SSX, please visit the EA press site at www.ea-anz-press.com
EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA JAM basketball, NCAA® Football, Fight Night boxing, EA SPORTS MMA,  Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf , and EA SPORTS Active. For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete

KONAMI details mech warrior collection details for Playstation®3 and Xbox 360

01 March 2012, SYDNEY: Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH today announced it will release its Zone of the Enders HD Collection in spring, with the two-game compilation to be released for PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360.

The Zone of the Enders HD Collection comprises fan favourites Zone of the Enders and its sequel Zone of the Enders: The 2^nd Runner. Both were developed by Kojima Productions for the PlayStation®2 system, but have been re-mastered with stunning HD visuals to showcase their stunning gameplay and action-packed set-pieces to an all new audience. The games won huge acclaim with their futuristic setting and engrossing story-telling, which set against a backdrop of interplanetary wars, fought by beautifully-realised mech robots and their pilots.

“We are looking forward to bringing the legendary Zone of the Enders series to old and new fans in a high definition form,” said Martin Schneider, General Manager for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “We are excited to offer these games on new platforms which will allow gamers to experience the drama and action of the Zone of the Enders like they have never seen it before.”

Sydney, Australia…Thursday, March 1 2012
Fans of 2011’s internationally successful local horror film, The Tunnel are in for another scare with the “The Tunnel: Dead-End” receiving funding from Screen Australia this month.

Currently in development, “The Tunnel: Dead-End” will pick up the story years later as Tangles’ sister is determined to answer once and for all what happened to her brother in the gloomy underground tunnels.

“Initially, we weren’t anticipating doing another Tunnel film but the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the original, as well as our fans clamouring for another on an almost daily basis, made us go back and give it a second thought. We weren’t going to go ahead unless we could find a story we were 100% behind, which we now have and are thrilled to have the support of Screen Australia,” said Distracted Media’s Enzo Tedeschi and Julian Harvey.

The Tunnel became last year’s most-talked about film locally and internationally based on its unique crowd-funding model and distinctive distribution. The film enjoyed a simultaneous online, DVD, theatrical, a world TV premiere on Showtime Premiere and an iPad release well as winning many industry award accolades.

Based on the success of the crowd-funding scheme for The Tunnel, Distracted Media has announced another 135k Project is in the pipeline. “Airlock” is a claustrophobic science-fiction thriller in the vein of Alien. http://135kproject.com/

““The Tunnel: Dead End” is a great opportunity to take Distracted Media into a different playing field but as producers we still very much believe in the basic principles of the 135k Project. Having a more mainstream film in “The Tunnel: Dead End” will enable us to up the stakes significantly with “Airlock” which will hopefully raise the bar for our free internet releases and what we can put back into their success,” said Distracted Media’s Enzo Tedeschi and Julian Harvey.

Sydney, 1 March 2012 – Speaking today at the inaugural Cybercrime Symposium, Ty Miller, CTO of Pure Hacking outlined that the data cyber war against Australian business had increased markedly in the first months of 2012. Australia’s leading specialist information security consultancy has already supported its client base against a tripling of targeted attacks and cautions that the incidence and outcome of cybercrime in Australia will only continue to escalate.

According to Miller the rise in cybercrime levels and the intended outcome of these attacks in 2012 indicates a trend towards hackers relying on the more familiar penetration methods to achieve a goal of taking an organisation permanently offline.

“We are not identifying extremely complex data attacks that only an elite hacker could attempt. Rather hackers are focusing on the more common SQL Injection attack methods, with a slight move towards DDoS extortion attempts and a recent shift to 0day exploits,” Miller outlined.

“However the success rate for hackers is increasing with the growth of a global hacking community. At times we are seeing the tools necessary for a hack being downloaded by tens of thousands of end users in a very short period of time,” he said.

Miller also disputed the myth that smaller hacks or defacements were less disruptive to day-to-day business operations and Information Technology budgets.

“The same actions and risk management procedures must be undertaken for any successful penetration into a corporate network, often resulting in a significant budget impact to IT departments and risk management procedures and solutions. Based on our experience with clients already this year, it is imperative that elements of information security are now moved into the necessary rather than optional category. This particularly applies to any Web Application Firewall device,” he concluded.

Pure Hacking is currently extending its services to meet the needs of its client base to better protect and manage information security events and intends on rolling out a range of new offerings over the coming months.