One-Third of Infected PCs in the U.S. — Other Affected Nations Include Germany, Spain, UK, Mexico and Canada

Melbourne, 3 August 2010 – AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd today issued a report developed by the AVG Web Security Research Team which identified a global network of 55,000 malware-infected computers infected by the Mumba botnet.

The report, which can be downloaded at http://www.avg.com.au/resources/whitepapers/, found that the Mumba botnet has stolen more than 60GB of personal data from users including credentials from social networking web sites, bank account details, credit card numbers and emails. The United States had the highest share of PCs infected by the Mumba botnet (33 percent), followed by Germany (17 percent), Spain (7 percent), United Kingdom (6 percent), Mexico and Canada (both 5 percent).

The Mumba botnet was created by one of the most sophisticated groups of cybercriminals on the Internet known as the Avalanche Group who perfected a mass-production system for deploying phishing sites and data-stealing malware. Mumba uses the latest version of Zeus, currently one of the most common malwares.

“The unique infrastructure of the Mumba botnet means that going after the servers hosting the stolen data is now much more difficult than before,” said Lloyd Borrett, Security Evangelist at AVG (AU/NZ). “As cyber criminals become increasingly sophisticated, it is paramount that consumers and corporations prevent their PCs from becoming the next victim in these dynamic cyber attacks by using anti-virus and link scanning tools such as those that AVG offers free.”

AVG’s award winning free anti-virus software and its innovative AVG LinkScanner® safe search and surf product protects users against the ever increasing online threats by dynamically scanning the web pages for threats in real-time before they open.

About AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd — www.avg.com.au

Based in Melbourne, AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd distributes the AVG range of Anti-Virus and Internet Security products in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. AVG software solutions provide complete real-time protection against the malware, viruses, spam, spyware, adware, worms, Trojans, phishing and exploits used by cyber-criminals, hackers, scammers and identity thieves. AVG protects everything important and personal inside computers — documents, account details and passwords, music, photos and more — all while allowing users to work, bank, shop and play games online in safety.

AVG provides outstanding technical solutions and exceptional value for consumers, small to medium business and enterprise clients. AVG delivers always-on, always up-to-date protection across desktop, and notebook PCs, plus file and e-mail servers in the home and at work in SMBs, corporations, government agencies and educational institutions.

MELBOURNE, Tuesday, 3 August 2010: Madman welcomes students to the open day for the HIGH SCHOOL OF THE DEAD – a brand-new anime series which brings zombies, students and fan service aplenty to the syllabus – with Australian premiere episodes streaming online now at the Madman ‘Screening Room +’ – www.madman.com.au/videos.

Hot on the heels of the series’ television debut in Japan, HIGH SCHOOL OF THE DEAD focuses on a small group of students from Fujimi High School, fighting for their lives after surviving the outbreak of a deadly virus that is turning the public, including classmates and teachers, into mindless zombies. It is up to student Takashi Komuro to unite the group of weary survivors and try to battle the horrors that surround them. In this new world of the living dead…will they escape?

HIGH SCHOOL OF THE DEAD is based on the popular manga of the same name by Daisuke Sato, and comes from Studio Madhouse and the creators of DEATH NOTE and BLACK LAGOON.

Madman launched ‘Screening Room +’ (www.madman.com.au/videos) with the Australian premiere of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD in April, 2009 and has since screened series such as GURREN LAGANN, GUNDAM 00, SAIYUKI and many more.

Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival returns to Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum from 4 to 7 September 2010 with a unique selection of new Indigenous films.

Celebrating 11 years, the 2010 Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival will showcase Indigenous storytelling from Australia and abroad through a variety of films about Indigenous culture. Powerful documentaries, including the moving Lani’s Story, about an Aboriginal woman’s journey from victim to victor, and Reel Injun, exploring how Native American Indians are portrayed in Hollywood, will show alongside a series of shorts.

Curated by award winning filmmakers Rachel Perkins and Darren Dale from Blackfella Films, Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival is the only festival in the country that is solely committed to presenting films made by and about Indigenous people and all screenings are free.

“Film powerfully reveals the world of the storyteller, and our festival is unique in Australia in its exclusive focus on Indigenous storytellers,” says Rachel Perkins. “Over the past ten years, Message Sticks has gathered a loyal collection of people who come together to share this world as a family of sorts; both on screen, behind the camera and in the audience”.

A highlight of the festival promises to be Lani’s Story, an intimate documentary following Lani Brennan’s experience of two relationships – one she has to escape to survive and the other she cannot live without. Directed by Genevieve Grieves, this documentary is a moving portrait of a young Aboriginal woman’s journey from a broken and violent relationship to discovering the redemptive power of love. A special Q&A session with Lani Brennan will follow the screening of the film at the festival.

A double feature of Indigenous director Adrian Willis includes his short film Daniel’s 21^st, starring Deborah Mailman as the worried mother of Daniel, who is in trouble on his 21^st birthday. Boxing for Palm Island is Willis’ intriguing documentary about the remarkable boxing revival on Palm Island, a place with a dark history and a notorious reputation, featuring a group of young boxers defying stereotypes and fighting for a new era of hope, strength and courage.

In an Australian premiere, Reel Injun, by Canadian director Neil Diamond, takes an entertaining and insightful look at the creation of the Hollywood Indian we have all become familiar with. Travelling through the heartland of America, the film looks at how the myth of “the Injun” has influenced the world’s understanding – and misunderstanding – of ‘Natives’. Reel Injun features interviews with directors, writers, actors and activists, including Clint Eastwood and Jim Jarmusch, as well as clips from hundreds of classic and recent films.

A series of shorts, including the documentaries Nin’s Brother and Big Fella, as well as inspiring short films from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, complete the extensive line up at the 2010 Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival.

Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival

Presented by Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre

Melbourne Museum, Nicholson Street Carlton

4 to 7 September 2010.

Melbourne Museum, Nicholson Street, Carlton. Open 10.00am to 5.00pm daily. Admission: $8 Adults, children and concession FREE.  For further information, visit museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum or ph 13 11 02. 

Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival 2010 program

Saturday 4 September
1.30pm – 2.45pm          Lani’s Story followed by Q&A with Lani Brennan

Sunday 5 September
12.30pm – 1.30pm        Nin’s Brother
                                    Big Fella          

2.00pm – 3.30pm          Nundhirribala’s Dream
                                    Shimasani
                                    The Cave
                                    Barngngrnn Marrangu Story
                                    Redemption

Monday 6 September
6pm – 7.30pm               Daniel’s 21^st
                                    Boxing for Palm Island

Tuesday 7 September
6pm – 7.30pm               Reel Injun

Presented by Blackfella Films in association with Screen Australia, The National Film & Sound Archive, Screen NSW and SBS Television.

Proudly supported by Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Melbourne Museum.

New IP from EA’s Bright Light Studio to Launch November 2010

Australia & New Zealand – August 3, 2010 – The Play Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced Create™, a must-have video game this holiday for the whole family that is powered by imagination and rewards players for being creative. Available this November for the Wii™, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system featuring PlayStation®Move compatibility, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, PC, and MAC, Create presents imaginative gameplay challenges where the solutions are fuelled by the creativity of the player.

“Create uses families’ imaginations to develop new ways to play together that are both fun and challenging,” said Harvey Elliott, VP and General Manager at EA Bright Light. “We wanted to design a game where the entire family can explore, decorate, and solve challenges where no solution is wrong and the only limit is the imagination.”

The more players explore the game, solve level-based challenges, and customize their world, the more rewards will be unlocked. Creativity will be unleashed as players design environments with easy-to-use brushes and tools, including textures, props and animating objects that bring the scene to life. On the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, and MAC players can share any of their creations, solutions or challenges with the community through the console and also via the official Create website at www.create.ea.com. Friends can download and remix solutions and set challenges for other players to download and complete. Imaginations will run wild this holiday!

Create for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and PC is developed by EA Bright Light and has not yet been rated in Australia and New Zealand. For more information or to download assets visit www.info.ea.com.

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths 

To save our world and all those like it, Superman, Batman and their caped colleagues must go toe-to-toe with their evil mirror images in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, the seventh entry in the successful ongoing series of DC Universe. Starring Mark Harmon (NCIS) as Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman, James Woods (Casino) as Owlman, Chris Noth (Sex and The City) as Lex Luthor and William Baldwin (Dirty, Sexy, Money) as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is definitely a must see. When Justice meets its match, worlds collide…. 

With 3 hours of extra content including: First Look: Batman Under the Red Hood – Exclusive Sneak Peek at DC Universe’s Next Original Animated Movie and Explore 3 Other DC Universe Original Animated Movies! With even more on special features on your Blu-ray copy like: • DCU: The New World – From Identity Crisis Forward, DC Comics Raised the Stakes with Talented Writers, Editors and Artists Pushing the Boundaries of What It Means to Be a Modern-Day Super Hero • Bruce Timm Presents 4 Bonus Justice League Episodes! 

Batman: Under The Red Hood

Dare to look beneath the hood with the eighth film in the successful ongoing series of DC Universe. Batman: Under The Red Hood stars the voices of Jensen Ackles (Supernatural) as Red Hood, Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek)as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) as Nightwing and Jason Issacs (Harry Potter) as Ra’s Al Ghul. Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. 

With 3 hours of extra content including: First Look: Superman/Batman Apocalypse – Exclusive Sneak Peek at DC Universe’s Next Original Animated Movie and Explore 3 Other DC Universe Original Animated Movies! With even more on special features on your Blu-ray copy like: Robin: The Story of Dick Grayson – Explore the Evolution of the Character over the Years and Bruce Timm Presents 4 Batman Animated Series Episodes!

Peter Griffin Box Set – Family Guy fanatics and Seth MacFarlane fans can now own Family Guy Seasons 1-9 in an exclusive collector’s boxset, complete with a Peter Griffin T-shirt which will be a must for every Family Guy Fan. 

Minority Report Blu-ray – Action-packed Minority Report is based on the short story “The Minority Report” by legendary author Philip K. Dick.  Led by Tom Cruise as a detective who must race to uncover the truth before he becomes a victim to the system he helped create. This all-new Minority Report Blu-ray edition is complete with exciting extras that take you right into the action!  With Steve Spielberg as the guide and host, interact with “The Future According to Steve Spielberg: An Interactive Guide to Minority Report.” 

Road To Perdition Blu-ray – One of the darkest Gangster Movies of all time makes it debut onto Blu-ray for the first time. Directed by Sam Mendes Road To Perdition Blu-ray has a stellar cast which includes Paul Newman, Tom Hanks , Jude Law and Daniel Craig. The all new Road To Perdition Blu-ray includes a 30 minute documentary titled A Cinematic Life: The Art and Influence of Conrad L. Hall (Cinematographer who won an Oscar for his work on Road To Perdition), and introduction to the Blu-ray by Sam Mendes.

The c**p is spreading!

Lublin, Poland – 3rd August 2010 – Games developer and publisher iFun4all is persistent about proving that they indeed achieved their goal and made worst game ever. To do so they plan to bring Paper Wars: Cannon Fodder to Sony PlayStation Portable.

Worst kept secret in the world

Paper Wars: Cannon Fodder is an extension to the previously released Crap of Defense game for iPhone. The game were self proclaimed worst game ever, and their creation story included themes such as deaf composer paying for using his music in the game, kid artist from china working on the art and cheapest team ever assembled, with total budget of just 500 Russian rubles (excluding stolen hardware). Full story can be found here:

“We wanted to go with the same name, but our fame exceeded us and we were banned from the beginning” complains Fülöp Mészáros, second best Hungarian game designer (out of two).

“So we just changed the name and are hoping that no ugly schmuck from the press will ever nose it out” he secretly shared to our reporter in exchange of bottle of absinth.

“My grandpa once told me – if you are good at something, never do it for free” says Laszlo Kovács, Hungarian game producer, explaining why his team is planning to charge money for such terrible game. “To be honest I’ve never really understood what he meant, but I just liked the idea of charging money” he adds.

Too much of a bad thing

Paper Wars: Cannon fodder isn’t just a port of an original game – it is taking game to a whole new level of quality (for good or for bad, depending on what are you looking for). “We not only added completely new campaign, but added dozens of levels to previous two” says Laszlo.

“Combined with numerous new enemy types, shooting modes, power ups and hundreds of achievements it will be probably hugest attempt to fry brains of all hardcore gamers that will make brave stand against this most exhausting experience in video games history” he boldly ends (sipping absinth with Fülöp, not completely sure what he just claimed).

Paper Wars: Cannon Fodder is expected to be released on Minis section of PSP Store later this month.

First PSP trailer on Game Trailers:

http://www.gametrailers.com/game/paper-wars-cannon-fodder/13636

Australia, 2 August, 2010

One of the first female videogame heroines in history, Samus™ Aran, returns in a Metroid adventure like no other, from 2 September 2010, in Metroid™: Other M on Wii™.

Metroid fans know more about Samus’ suits and weapons than they do about what drives her. That’s about to change. The story begins immediately following the events of Super Metroid, when a baby Metroid gave its life to protect Samus. With voice acting and a rich story, players learn the engaging back story of Samus as she weaves through an action-packed adventure aboard the Bottle Ship, a decommissioned space facility. Having traded her haunted past for the solitary life of a bounty hunter, Samus finally tells her own tale in this revealing, personal story of her failings, her flaws and ultimately her motivation.

Museum Victoria celebrates National Science Week with a science-sational program at Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks

Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks are celebrating National Science Week from 14 – 22 August with a variety of science-tastic special events and activities! Come and meet inspiring scientists, hear about the strange sea creatures that call the Titanic home, take part in a chemistry workshop for kids – and much more!

For further information visit museumvictoria.com.au/scienceweek

MELBOURNE MUSEUM

Science on Show

Meet Museum Victoria’s experts and discover some of the weird and wonderful specimens in Museum Victoria’s science collections from unusual crystals to ancient fossils.  

Date: Saturday 14 August

Time: 10.00am – 4.00pm

Location: The Walk

Cost: Included with museum entry

Wild at Art

Art is used to illustrate the natural sciences including fish, dinosaurs, birds and mammals. Get creative and explore science through art activities. Try your hand at drawing your favourite or most obscure museum specimen.

Date: Saturday 14 August

Time: 10.00am – 4.00pm

Location: Science & Life and Mind & Body Galleries

Cost: Included with museum entry

The Art of Scientific Illustration

Art and science have long been associated with scientific observation and record keeping. Be inspired by the art of scientific illustration. Hear from illustrators Ryall Plant and Peter Trusler, and discover the upcoming MV travelling exhibition about science and art, Eyeline with John Kean.  

Date: Saturday 14 August

Time: 10.30am – 3.30pm

Location: Science and Life Gallery

Cost: Included with museum entry

Keeping Bugs Alive

Meet live bugs and get tips on how to care for insects and other spineless wonders. Bring in your own bugs and get advice from Museum Victoria’s experts on how to keep them successfully. Sessions run for 30 minutes.

Date: Saturday 14 August

Time: 11.00am, 12.00pm, 2.00pm and 3.00pm  

Location: Discovery Centre, Lower Ground 

Cost: Free 

‘Monsters’ of the Deep

Join Dr Mark Norman for an intriguing look at life at the depths of Titanic’s graveyard. The wreck of Titanic rests four kilometres beneath the ocean surface, where it is dark, cold and the pressure so severe, it could crush our lungs. Find out more about our beautiful and bizarre residents that lies within the deep sea. Dr Mark Norman is Head of Sciences at Museum Victoria and is an expert on octopuses, squid and cuttlefishes.

Date: Thursday 19 August

Time: 6.00pm – 7.00pm

Location: The Age Theatre

Cost: Free. Bookings essential, call 13 11 02

MELBOURNE PLANETARIUM

Discover the Night Sky – Backyard Astronomy

Discover a new mystery of the night sky and explore some of the most exciting highlights the sky has to offer. Learn about planets, comets, shooting stars, satellites and much more. The evening includes a planetarium experience, complimentary wine and cheese and stargazing through telescopes (weather permitting).

Date: Thursday 19 August

Time: 7.00pm – 9.30pm

Location: Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks. Booking essential, call 9392 4819

Cost: $26.00 adults, $21 members, $89 season pass

SCIENCEWORKS

Inspiring Scientists

Marine biology? Nanotechnology? Find out about your favourite “ology” by chatting to inspiring scientists. Meet scientists from a range of research and career backgrounds and talk to an expert to find out what exciting opportunities a career in science has to offer.

Date: Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 August

Time: 11.00am – 4.00pm

Location: Arena

Cost: Included with museum entry

BASF Kids’ Lab

Experience the fascinating world of chemistry! Run by BASF chemists, the chemistry workshops introduce chemistry to children in a fun and exciting way through simple and interactive hands-on experiments. Workshops run for one hour.

Date: Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 August

Time: 11.00am,1.00pm and 3.00pm

Location: Pumping Station

Cost: Included with museum entry. Booking essential, call 9392 4819

ANZAAS Kids Ask Scientists Questions

Ever had a question about science you couldn’t find the answer? This forum provides children with the opportunity to put questions directly to prominent Australian scientists. Designed to get children thinking about how things work, this forum encourages them to think about the ‘big’ questions. Forum runs for one hour.

Date: Sunday 22 August

Time: 2.00pm

Location: Auditorium

Cost: Free with museum entry

Australian Skeptics

The Australian Skeptics will be explaining the science behind the paranormal at Scienceworks. See magic illusions, try out a bed of nails and many more surprising demonstrations.

Date: Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 August

Time: 10.00am – 4.00pm

Location: Main exhibition gallery

Cost: Included with museum entry

This initiative is supported by the Australian Government as part of National Science Week.