Much to the joy to the happy pirates around the world, someone leaked the software online and posted on the torrent site. To install it, one requires a product key, but that is not a fool proof plan to counter piracy. But, those downloading the software illegally can simply copy the serial number and end up with a clean install.

The leaked built is numbered version 14.0.4536.1000. It is tagged with a ‘beta 2’ naming.

Well, it’s not entirely a bad thing for the software giant. It does get them good publicity at the end.

Koobface is a botnet, a network of computer systems that have been compromised without the owner’s knowledge. It is a kind of malware that exploits the social networking aspects of websites. Spread through social networks, it is known as revolutionary botnet in the world of cyber crime.

The attack works when a Google Account controlled by the Koobface hosts a page with a fake YouTube video. When a victim clicks on the fake video, the user is directed to a compromised website which hosts another fake YouTube video. The compromised website leads to user’s infection, with the subsequent result of the victim becoming part of the Koobface botnet.

With what Activision called a record level of preorders, there was little doubt about the great demand for the game. ‘MW2’ is set to be one of the biggest and fastest-selling games in history challenging records set by the blockbuster releases from the ‘Grand Theft Auto’ series.

According to analysts, sales estimates for the $60 game are expected to be from 11 million to 13 million units by the end of the year. Reviews of the game so far have been very strong. Website Metacritic.com gave it a rating of 96 out of 100.

Net Applications noted that Windows 7 use had topped 3%, a week ago. The new operating system tends to do better on weekends. In a report, Web-monitoring firm said it took Windows Vista seven months to reach that level.

Windows 7 went on sale on 22^nd Oct, though it has already topping 2% market share in Net Applications’ daily tracking statistics before its official debut.

‘We remain just pleased and humbled by the very warm reception we are seeing,’ said Windows Vice President Tami Reller on Monday, in a Webcast.

Activision blizzard, the videogame publisher believes that the sixth installment in the “Call of Duty” franchise could be the most powerful entertainment industry launch of the year. It has predicted that “Modern Warfare 2” will be a big hit outshining even Hollywood blockbusters.

Analysts expects, “MW2” to blast new life into the videogame industry that has seen sales figures hobbled by gloomy economic conditions and a shortage of hot releases, this year.

Infinity Ward created “MW2”, with versions tailored to Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wi videogame consoles.

“MW2” is expected to delight mainstream videogame players along with the franchise’s fan base of hardcore gamers thrilled by first-person shooters titles. Multiplayer options allow people share consoles or link on the internet to play together as characters in the videogame as an alternate to go solo.

Security experts say the worm, Ikee, is only a thread to users who have jailbroken their phones to let them run unauthorized software.

Ikee doesn’t do anything particularly bad but it could be modified to do something more dangerous such as stealing sensitive information from the iPhone.

The worm affects those IPhone with jailbroken that are running a UNIX utility called SSH (secure shell) with the iPhone’s default password “alpine”. It doesn’t affect users who used the phone in conjunction with Network Address Translation (NAT).

The worm was written Wednesday by Ashley Towns, a 21 year-old unemployed programmer from Wollogong, Australia. Towns wanted to make the point that people should change their default iPhone passwords, especially if they are using SSH.

Once the worm adds the Rick Astley wallpaper, it disable the iPhone’s SSH daemon and then looks around on the Internet for other vulnerable iPhone to infect.

Tricking victims into playing a video or looking at a picture of Rick Astley, best known for his hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” is a popular Internet prank called Rickrolling.

The reason for the attraction of the pirated versions is that it cost only Rs 40 to Rs 250 in Naza Market in Hazratganj in Lucknow. A shopkeeper in Hazratgunj said, “this is the biggest market in the region’. He claims that at least 50,000 DVDs of the pirated Windows 7 have been sold since hitting the local markets within 24 hours of the official launch, fetching sellers about Rs 50 lakh so far.

The legal version of Microsoft Windows 7, the new operating system launched by Microsoft Corp costs between $150 to $300 (Rs 7,500 to Rs 15,000) in the international markets. However, Microsoft Corp tagged its prices 20% less bellow the international rates in India. It is available in the ranges of Rs 6,000 to Rs 11,000 through official channels. Despite the discounted rates, buyers are opting for the pirated version.

The police express helplessness in combating piracy. Police spokesman A.K. Pathak said, “We know what is going on for the past couple of decades. But we cannot act on our own. We need a formal complaint to act or else you (the media) will come down on us”.

Action game series ‘Call of Duty’ bagged three awards including Multiplayer Game of the Year. ‘World at War’ was given Nintendo Game of the Year. ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’ was given ‘One to Watch’ Award. Musical game ‘Guitar Hero: World Tour’ was given Best Soundtrack of the Year.

Only games released between May 2008 and May2009 was listed for the awards. The results were based on the voting.

Golden Joysticks is named in the Guinness Record Books as the World’s Most Popular Video Game Awards.