According to a report from Discover, the forensics tool can unearth data stored on a modded Xbox, offering investigators "bit-for-bit information" similar to tools used to scour PC hard drives. The software can also record the investigation, which can then be played back as trial evidence.

The original Xbox has become a media center of choice for some users who have since moved on to more current-generation devices. Unfortunately, it also appears to have become a storage device for criminals hoping to keep their more revolting content hidden from standard investigations.

Got Child Porn Stored in Your Xbox? New Forensic Tool Will Find It [Discover]

Authoring gets your account permanently banned from Matchmaking, permanently stripped of file share functionality, and a hardware ban that keeps you from playing Halo 3 for a month. Uploading just strips you of file share permanently.

Bungie advertised the penalties in an official blog post on Friday. The tone is pure Bungie:

Fair warning: Users who have modified content on their File Share — regardless of who created said content - will be subjected to the full power of the Banhammer’s thrust. This includes some never-before-unleashed technology that will effectively terminate your Halo multiplayer experience online in every imaginable facet. In fact, the ban is so thorough that simply calling it the Banhammer is a complete understatement. I just couldn’t come up with a more hyper-exaggerated term that had the same feel. Banplatform? Banpocalpyse? Banmageddnon? None of those did the trick.

The accompanying FAQ is hilarious. Bungie's not gonna start policing what's offensive and what isn't. So whether you have a picture of a walrus, two chicks making out, or "Hitler Pikachu" (lol) you're getting pounded. As for those who said they didn't get a warning, tough. "We realize that not everyone tunes in on Friday to read the Weekly Update and folks probably don’t read the entire Terms of Service for Xbox Live, but that ignorance isn’t met with sympathy."

"The issue of File Share abuse is a pretty serious one and we will continue to police it isncredibly aggressively," Bungie writes.

Many Birds, One Stone Hammer [Bungie.net via Destructoid]

"... computer game software; computer game programs; computer game discs; interactive multimedia computer game program; downloadable ring tones, ... multimedia software recorded on CD-ROM featuring fictional characters and computer games; pre-recorded DVD's, video tapes, laser discs featuring movies about fictional characters, and pre-recorded compact discs featuring music; motion picture films on fictional characters...".

Wow... at least they aren't attempting to apply it to every piece of media published or anything like that.

I am not a lawyer, but will be interested to see how Futuremark will protect its mark if they are successful in their efforts. I envision nightly round ups of thirteen year olds around the world for their blatant misappropriation of the term. This follows previously-cool Fark's attempts to trademark "NSFW."

Next to be trademarked will be "n00bs," "1337," "hax04," "ROTFL," "LOL" and "pr0n."

I'm going to get ahead of the curve on this one and trademark "d0uchage."

[United States Patent and Trademark Office via Trademork]

See that girl on the right? That's the trailer park scowl of a woman trying to keep a loose belt around her torso using only her nipples. You have to cinch it more than that, lady.

The one on the left is, I discovered, a pornlet known as Mia Rose, and has a charming interview over on Gram Ponante. My favorite bit is when she says her alt is a "druid priest", but this is pretty good too:

Have you ever met any one from WOW in person? I haven't met anyone from the game, but I play with people I know in real life...lol. But I have met people off of another online game.. Halo 2... why? Cause I'm a nerd like that. w00t

Captivating. Score one for girl gamers, Mia.

There's a link from the interview to a gallery of her photos, completely NSFW, featuring all the squinting, squatting, ingrown hairs and Filter>Distort>Diffuse Glow you've come to expect. Whores of Warcraft's first patch will be the Razorburn Crusade. Eliza Gauger

Interview with Mia Rose [Gram Ponante, via digg]