Pope gets some online security

The Vatican has hired a team of security experts to fend off attacks on the Pope’s website.

According to newswire AFP, the site sees at least 30 incursions daily and most of these stem from the US.

"Young Americans are the most common and aggressive of hackers around the world seeking to cross the Vatican's e-borders," Vatican spokesman Archbishop Claudio Celli was quoted as saying. "Fortunately, up to now no one has managed to penetrate the Pope's site thanks to a highly efficient team of specialists."

Besides hackers, Celli said in the report the team also had to protect the site against a monthly onslaught of close to 10,000 computer viruses.

The use of the internet has been endorsed by Pope John Paul II on several occasions, although he has cautioned against its specific uses. For security reasons, the Pope does not have a personal email address, said the report.