South Korean officials warn that North Korea has a military academy specializing in electronic warfare that has been churning out 100 cybersoldiers every year for nearly two decades. Graduates of the elite hacking program are skilled in everything from writing computer viruses to penetrating network defenses and programming weapon guidance systems.
Just before their Net connections were bombed offline, Iraqis scoured an American information-warfare site in an apparent effort at self-defense. The attempt, futile as it may have been, illustrates the Web's growing role in military conflict.
The structure of Iraq's internet makes it very vulnerable to being shut down by U.S. military forces and it appears that they lack the home-grown talent to defend or retaliate against such attacks.
A new TV public service announcement targets U.S. computer hacktivists with a blunt message: Uncle Sam wants you to help fight the war on terrorism. But the spot, which organizers hope to begin airing nationwide next week on major networks, will warn that misguided patriotic efforts from software experts can hurt the cause.