Stanley Jobson (Hugh Jackman) is a computer Hacker (computer security) that infected the FBI's Carnivore (software) program with a computer virus. His parole forbids use of computers and the internet. His alcoholic ex-wife Melissa married a rich porn producer and is a part-time porn actress. She has a restraining order against Stanley, the father of their daughter Holly. Ginger Knowles (Halle Berry), who works for Gabriel Shear (John Travolta), holds a gun to Jobson's head giving him a minute to crack a secure government server. Gabriel offers Jobson $10 million to program a multi-headed Computer worm, a "hydra", to siphon $9.5 billion from government slush funds.