Concerns over the latest hi-tech security vulnerabilities have been highlighted at a conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

There seems to be an unspoken understanding among hackers that dressing in black is cool. Hack in the Box, Asia's leading hacking and security gathering, is full of geeks in black. And their cloak and dagger looks add a certain frisson to the occasion.

However though some may dress in black they are not 'black hats' as malicious hackers are known. Most put their hacking skills at the service of industry closing down security loopholes.

There are presentations about weaknesses in Vista, Microsoft's new operating system due out early next year; 'blue pill' attacks that can create a virtual computer within your own without you knowing anything about it.

There are talks on the use of technology to track our every move and record our every written or even spoken thought and there are lectures about technical issues so dense just reading their titles makes my brain ache.

However if there's a discernable thread running though many of this year's presentations in Kuala Lumpur it's the vulnerability of communications software and technology.