THE WikiLeaks controversy over the release of thousands of classified diplomatic cables sent by US foreign service employees has erupted into a mini-cyberwar that could herald frightening trends for the future. After a number of major corporations severed their ties with WikiLeaks, hackers around the world attacked the websites of those companies, flooding them with so much traffic that the sites were temporarily put out of commission. The sites included those belonging to PayPal, Amazon.com, MasterCard, Visa and even the Swedish prosecutor's office and the lawyer representing the two women whose allegations of sexual misconduct against WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, are the basis of an extradition bid from Sweden. Whether one agrees with WikiLeaks' conduct or not, the specter of periodic “cyberwars” is not something to look forward to, especially when their instigators are fanatics who fail to perceive the economic damage their actions can inflict. More worrying is that they do, indeed, perceive the potential damage they can cause. The Internet has always been intriguing for many because of its free-wheeling nature and the extreme difficulty in regulating it. But the technology can be a new battleground as those intent on inflicting damage can do so without leaving their homes. No need to take up arms and risk one's life for cherished ideals. Hacking and virus infestations can be executed by someone lying in bed with their computer on their lap. Unfortunately, regulation is not of much use as there are a lot of very smart people out there whose knowledge of computers enables them to bypass many barriers that Internet operators erect. The only recourse is to pass strict laws recognized internationally that will put violators in jail for a long time. Just as companies have the right to do business in the brick-and-mortar world, they have the same right to conduct legitimate business via cyberspace. Disabling the sites of legal companies is a serious crime and should be treated as such. Otherwise, we will be dealing with cyberwars of larger proportions in the future. __
