free code

EBay seller pleads guilty to software piracy charges

A 23-year-old Oregon man has pleaded guilty to charges that he used identity theft to set up bogus accounts on eBay, where he sold counterfeit software with a retail value of more than $1 million, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

EU raises privacy issue for Google Street View

Europe's data protection supervisor, Peter Hustinx, urged Google Thursday to respect local privacy rules  as it prepares to launch its Street View function this side of the Atlantic.

Verizon snares $678 million federal network contract

Verizon Business has captured one of the largest federal network deals of 2008: a 10-year contract to provide managed network and security services to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that is valued at $678.5 million.

Non-tech criminals can now rent-a-botnet

Online fraudsters that aren't highly skilled in the arts of cybercrime can now rent a service that offers an all-in-one hosting server with a built-in Zeus Trojan administration panel and infecting tools, allowing them to create their own botnet.

SEC charges former Broadcom execs with backdating

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has charged two current and two former officers of semiconductor vendor Broadcom for their alleged participation in a supposed five-year scheme to backdate stock options granted to almost all of the company's employees.

SEC moves toward requiring interactive data filings

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken a major step toward requiring publicly traded companies to submit their reports to the agency in an interactive data format, with backers saying the change will make financial reports easier to analyze.

Craigslist countersues eBay, escalating legal fight

Classified-advertising site Craigslist is countersuing eBay, accusing the online auction company of using its stake in Craigslist to misappropriate proprietary information and engage in false advertising, trademark infringement, and a host of other wrongdoings.

Google blurs faces of those caught on Street View

In an attempt to quash privacy fears, Google has started blurring the faces of people displayed on its controversial Street View software.

Spammers handed record $234 million fine

The U.S. CAN-SPAM law has chewed another alleged spam outfit, this time handing out a world record fine of $234 million (£116 million) to two individuals.

EC approves TomTom buy of Tele Atlas

The European Commission gave the go-ahead for Dutch satellite navigation (satnav) company TomTom to buy Dutch digital map maker Tele Atlas Wednesday after an in-depth probe of the planned deal.