From diplomatic disclosures and embarrassments, the WikiLeaks controversies shifted its theatre of operation to commercial cyber battles as global hackers launched coordinated attacks on credit card websites that earlier halted payments being sent to the beleaguered whistle blower.

Calling itself as Anonymous, the hackers forced the shutting down of Visa's official website, with similar attack on MasterCard that denies the credit card company to dispense normal mode of its services.

Along with PayPal, the three companies decided to deny the use of their facilities, which WikiLeaks largely utilises in processing donations sent to the controversial organisation.

The move served as a big blow to the online whistle blower as it mostly relies on online donations for its operations, which caught international attention with hordes of leaked US confidential documents published on its site.

The revealed US cables led to revelations that embarrassed a number of world leaders, including that of Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, who was pictured in a diplomatic report as a high-level bungling foreign affairs operative.

The US State Department scored the revelations and issued assurance that Rudd's role in improving the international community's environment is valued by the United States while Rudd himself dismissed the documents' allegations.

Notwithstanding, the US government stepped up its efforts to stop further damages that could be caused by WikiLeaks actions by applying pressure on companies attached on its operations.

That ploy seems to be working as PayPal, Visa and MasterCard all moved to stop their business partnership with WikiLeaks, which the latter decried as despicable, with organisation spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson accusing the three firms of succumbing to US pressures.

Hackers are also targeting sites involve in the prosecution of WikiLeaks Australian founder Julian Assange, currently detained in the United Kingdom for alleged rape charges lodged against him.

The cyber attack currently employs the services of up to a thousand hackers as confirmed by a spokesman from Anonymous and internet technology experts admitted that tracking down and identifying the source of the attacks could prove daunting for authorities.

Considering that, information system expert Matthew Warren told ABC that the cyber war could linger for a while and companies deemed to be part of efforts to paralyse WikiLeaks should expect their share of attacks and must check on their vulnerabilities.

Also, Warren said that the cyber battle only attracted more attention towards WikiLeaks, making the hackers' online infiltration a successful venture.