Test hacks on WA govt agencies went undetected
The string of hacking incidents around the world that targeted global firms such as Sony and Lockheed Martin may have prompted Aussie government agencies and private companies to step up their online security protocol but such is not the case, according to the latest Auditor General report. REUTERS

After 19 months, the Iranian government restored access to YouTube, roughly coinciding with the anniversary of the Islamic revolution.

According to Google's Transparency Report on Iran, YouTube's traffic had been at near-zero levels since June 12, 2009. That coincides with the massive unrest following a disputed election that returned Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinajad to office for another four-year term.

On Feb. 11, YouTube traffic suddenly rose, though it is still below 2009 levels.

Other countries have attempted to cut off Internet access to varying degrees. In China, the Golden Shield Project otherwise known as the Great Firewall of China which is an attempt by the government to control what Internet Protocol addresses are visible to Chinese users.

In Egypt, during the protests that brought down the regime of Hosni Mubarak, the government simply asked the Internet service providers to shut down, as there were only a few. In Libya, the government took a different tack, black hole routing data packets and essentially leaving the capacity to transmit data intact.

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