Security News > 2003 > June > Pope moves against hackers

http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/scitech/SciTechRepublish_887398.htm [Nice to see the Swiss Guards have an information warfare component working to secure the Pontiff's network. :) - WK] Wednesday, 25 June 2003 The Vatican has revealed it has taken on a team of experts to protect the Pope's website which is attacked by some 10,000 viruses a month and at least 30 mainly American hackers every day. "Fortunately, up to now no-one has managed to penetrate the Pope's site thanks to a highly efficient team of specialists charged with anti-virus protection who have always managed to block hackers' emails," said Archbishop Claudio Celli, secretary for the administration of the Holy See's heritage. "Young Americans are the most common and aggressive of hackers around the world seeking to cross the Vatican's e-borders," he continued. Pope John Paul II has on several occasions shown his support for the Internet, whilst warning against some of its specific uses, but for security reasons he has no personal email address. Well-wishers' messages reach the pontiff through various other addresses which are filtered by Vatican staff. For his 83rd birthday in May, the pope received some 23,000 messages. The Vatican launched its website (www.vatican.va) on Christmas Day 1995 with a page of Christmas wishes from the Pope. Now, according to Celli, the Vatican website is consulted by some 50 million surfers in 150 countries. - ISN is currently hosted by Attrition.org To unsubscribe email majordomo () attrition org with 'unsubscribe isn' in the BODY of the mail.

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