Bonn  - Sometimes crooks disguise themselves as friends. That's exactly what's happening when you're surfing the web and suddenly see the warning message "Your computer is virus infected. Click here to receive the latest anti-virus software."

Beware! The warning is part of a new threat faced by computer users: scareware. Essentially, scareware is malicious software that pretends to be anti-virus software, but really wants to gain access to your computer.

Bonn, Germany  - If you use Internet Explorer, you should either deactivate JavaScript or temporarily switch to another browser to combat a newly discovered vulnerability, according to the German Federal Agency for Security in Information Technology (BSI)

The security hole allows hackers to execute programs on your computer without your knowledge or permission, says the Bonn-based agency. The victims need only be lured into visiting a specially rigged web site.

Bonn, Germany  - It's been a tradition in Germany for people to remember the municipal employees who haul away their garbage at Christmas with a bottle of schnapps or other type of alcohol.

But many municipalities no longer approve of their employees receiving gifts of alcohol, Germany's etiquette council in Bonn said. On their daily rounds in the holiday season, it's not unusual for the cab of the truck to become piled up with bottles.

Bonn, Germany  - A security hole has been discovered in the VLC Media Player, the German Federal Agency for Security in Information Technology (BSI) in Bonn reported.

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability using rigged Real Media files (file ending with "rm") to install malicious software onto the user's computer. The victim has just to open the manipulated multimedia file.

Bonn, Germany  - The findings of a study show that the Painters' Path in the eastern German state of Saxony is the most popular in the country.

The 18-kilometre route through Saxony got the most votes of approval from the 5,400 regular hikers polled in the survey, according to the Bonn-based organisers.

The second, most popular route was the 25-kilometre path through Wutach Valley in the Black Forest which stretches from the town of Lenzkirch to Wutachmuehle.

Next in the survey came the 14-kilometre section of the Maximilian Path in Bavaria that begins in Oberstaufen at an altitude of 1,830 metres above sea level.

Bonn, Germany - A David-and-Goliath takeover offer for the German factories of General Motors sent the share price of the bidding company, SolarWorld, crashing
16 per cent lower Wednesday.

SolarWorld, which assembles and installs electricity generating systems that rely on wind or the sun, offered 1 billion euros (1.25 billion dollars) for the Opel brand, four factories and a German research centre.

It said it intended to convert Opel into "Europe's first green automobile maker."