Sophisticated hackers may be suffering from Asperger's syndrome, a neurobiological disorder that resembles mild autism, according to researchers at Cambridge University.

Australian clinical psychologist Tony Attwood told Next magazine that he believes some hackers may share characteristics with Asperger's sufferers.

Like elite-end hackers, many sufferers are exceptionally skilled in a specialised area.

Attwood told the magazine that there does not appear to be any in-depth research linking illegal hacking and the syndrome, but the link between Asperger's and computers is well known.

He explained that computers were designed by and for people with Asperger's, who seem to know the language of computers better than social or conventional languages.

Historically, the syndrome has been linked to at least one area that has become a key part of computer security: cryptography.

Attwood said that the team that cracked the Enigma code appeared to include several individuals who showed characteristics of Asperger's, including the father of modern computing, Alan Turing.