Power-mad bosses get game gagging tool

by Angus Kidman

Thursday, 14 December 2006

Been "filling in time" at your desk playing a few computer games as the silly season looms? If your company is running security software from Sophos, you'd better cram them all in before January.

That's the launch date for an update to Sophos' Application Control which will allow system administrators to block the installation or playing of popular games titles.

Titles from more than 15 games publishers will be included in the update to the application management system, which was originally released in September and is available for free to existing Sophos security software customers. Further additions are planned to block an even wider range of games than the original list, which ranges eclectically from Microsoft Flight Simulator X to Lego Star Wars II.

A survey on Sophos' Web site found that 90% of sys admins want the ability to block staff from playing games. Our tip: they're probably not going to block Flash, so you'll still be able to waste time online.

One potential target for the software might be the Chinese government, which this week announced plans to crack down on online gaming.

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