Cyber attacks take aim at the heart of the American empire

Al-Qaeda demonstrated on September 11, 2001, how a handful of scruffy extremists could use asymmetrical warfare to damage key US assets. Now imagine that the asymmetrical warfare against the US is being waged not by a few fanatics but by one of the world's most powerful nation states.

It is an irony and a largely forgotten piece of history that 'hacktivism' is a Melbourne innovation.

ONE of Melbourne's lesser known cultural innovations came full circle at the Melbourne International Film Festival this week. MIFF's web site has been repeatedly targeted by Chinese hackers who defaced it and clogged its communications.

New skills to Skype about

The technology offered by many schools is a fast-track to the workplace of the future, writes Fran Molloy.

Three Cheers For The Second R

SCHOOLS fall over themselves to sell high-tech education to prospective parents. Some boast of extensive computer networks and laboratories.

Combating E-crime

WAR has been declared on cyber bandits hellbent on sending computer networks large and small - not to mention entire countries - into meltdown.

Chinese Waging Online Spy War

CHINESE computer hackers have launched several targeted attacks on highly classified Federal Government computer networks, prompting an internal review of IT security.

Lebanese Networks Will Work

LEBANON'S economy needs to be rebuilt. Again. But from where will the money come? The Lebanese diaspora, those of Lebanese descent who live outside Lebanon, will be a big source. Some of the world's richest men have Lebanese backgrounds and, surprisingly, many of the big business families of Latin America and West Africa are Lebanese. As a group, there are parallels with the overseas Chinese, an entrepreneurial migrant minority aided in their success by cross-border family networks.

Pouring Over Your New Computer

A whole world of possibilities is unfolding for computer scientists, says Nathan Cochrane.