The site was taken offline to remove the graffiti and investigate the breach, but while it was up, here's what visitors saw:

This site contains information about the boards that have the right to CONTROL YOUR FREEDOMZ. The Classification Board has the right to not just classify content (the name is an ELABORATE TRICK), but also the right to DECIDE WHAT IS AND ISNT APPROPRIATE and BAN CONTENT FROM THE PUBLIC.

GameSpot reports that the site attack was in close proximity to the airing of a news program (sigh, programme) in which the country's Minister for Communications had discussed proposed mandatory Internet filtering.

The government confirmed the hacking, defacing and taking the site online, and said the matter had been referred over to the Australian federal police. Whoever had the wherewithal to do this probably had the means to cover their tracks though.

Hackers Deface Aussie Classification Web Site [Gamespot AU via Gamepolitics]

Much like the Blizzard Authenticator released for World of Warcraft last year, the Square Enix Security Token is an actual physical device that, when linked to your Final Fantasy Online account, generates a constantly changing password that you can use to log in to your game account securely. It's a simple way to keep your items and in-game currency from suddenly disappearing from you in the middle of the night.

Square Enix has yet to set a price or release date for the Security Token, but with the added incentive of an exclusive in-game item with every Token purchase, it's sure to sell like gangbusters once Square Enix releases it via the PlayOnline Store.

Introducing the Square Enix Security Token [Final Fantasy XI]

It's the same sort of attack that's been targeting PC users for years. Hackers get a hold of the IP address players use to connect to Xbox Live and then flood the address with information, knocking them off of the service. Some hackers are even running booting services, where players can pay to have their rivals knocked-off, so to speak. The BBC reports that services can be bought for as low as $20, setting up an attack that can be run any time it is needed.

"There's been a definite increase in the amount of people talking about and distributing these things over the last three to four weeks," said Chris Boyd, director of malware research at Facetime Communications.

Microsoft is actively investigating instances of players being booted off of Xbox Live in this fashion, but this type of attack is extremely difficult to track down, as hackers generally send the data from pools of hijacked computers, and don't technically have to access Xbox Live in order to initiate the process. From Microsoft's official response to the issue:

"We are investigating reports involving the use of malicious software tools that an attacker could use to try and disrupt an Xbox LIVE player's internet connection.

This problem is not related to the Xbox Live service, but to the player's internet connection. The attacker could also attempt [to] disrupt other internet activities, such as streaming video or web browsing, using the same tools."

What they are basically saying here is that there really isn't too much they can do. Hackers can access your IP address by routing Xbox Live through their computer to the console and monitoring traffic using a PC application, a method that doesn't intrude upon the service in any noticeable way. Essentially it attacks the user's internet connection directly.

What can you do to avoid being the subject of such an attack? I've got a crazy idea...why don't we all just be polite to one another over Xbox Live so no one feels compelled to attack us? No? Okay, just thought I'd throw that out there.

Hackers target Xbox Live players [BBC News]

I'll try not to get too technical here, mainly because I don't truly understand a great deal of this myself. Using a pool of 200 PlayStation 3 systems, the team of researchers managed to create a rogue certificate authority which could then be used to issue fake security certificates to websites. This was done by exploiting a bug in the MD5 hashing algorithm used to create the real counterparts to said security certificates. What this all means, in layman's terms, is that a hacker could theoretically use such an exploit to convince users they were entering information into a real website, then using said personal information for various nefarious hacker purposes, like installing a cookie monster virus or something.

Researchers are doubtful a real-world attack like this would actually occur, but suggest their results indicate that schemes that use MD5 should really think about swapping out for something a bit more secure.

Once again the power of the PlayStation 3's Cell processor has been proven, making the world a better place to live!

Researchers hack VeriSign's SSL scheme for securing Web sites [Computerworld]

Wait, so we can't get a solid framerates in Madden but my PDF files are in danger of being exposed to thousands of leet haxorz from the evil menace Anonymous? Priorities are out of whack, people.

The PlayStation 3's relatively low price could mean password cracking and encryption busting could become much more commonplace, warns Breese. He issued a warning to software makers to increase their security efforts based on the findings.

PlayStation a hacker's dream [The Age via Game|Life]

The Beeb spoke with hacking wizards Dark Alex and Noobz Team's David Court about why they spend so much of their free time finding ways around the Sony developed security that allows enthusiasts to run SNES emulators and boot PSP games from the Memory Stick.

While both denounce piracy, highlighting the open-ended possibilities of their work, both admit piracy is an issue but that it should be up to the individual to decide how their hardware will serve them.

Me? I just want something that will serve as my porn-on-the-go device, but I still appreciate their efforts. Michael McWhertor

Three hacker teams unlock the PSP [BBC]

Your town in Animal Crossing: Wild World just became a little bit less safe. Hackers have found a way to lock players out of their virtual homes using access codes players provide to allow someone in their town in the first place. Apparently, the problem of being locked out can be resolved via Action Replay, but not before Tom Nook's store has been pilfered of all of its rare goods.

Hackers Attack Animal Crossing[Games Radar]

CNet reports that World of Darkness makers White Wolf Publishing has been hacked by an "international group of hackers." In the alleged hack, customers had their account information stolen. When White Wolf didn't believe the group's claim that they would post user data on the web, the organization emailed offers to individual customers to purchase stolen information for $10.

The silver lining in all of this? As far as White Wolf can tell no credit card information was stolen by the hackers.

Hackers Steal Customer Data from Gaming Company [CNet]

Couldn't wait until a proper 4GB drive is released, could you?

Pre-Order Yer Datel 4GB HD for PSP [Dark Planets]
See the DIY 4GB Drive [Import Game Blog]

Sony hit me up with a list of some new movies hitting the Playstation Portable in UMD format this month. The Mask of Zorro, Hackers, Heavy Metal, Species and Terminator almost all sound like worthy additions. Both Bewitched and The Amityville Horror will be hitting DVD and UMD on the same day, which says something not sure what, but I m sure it says something.