Return-Path: <sentto-279987-2641-1002079854-fc=all.net@returns.onelist.com> Delivered-To: fc@all.net Received: from 204.181.12.215 by localhost with POP3 (fetchmail-5.1.0) for fc@localhost (single-drop); Tue, 02 Oct 2001 20:35:12 -0700 (PDT) Received: (qmail 31082 invoked by uid 510); 3 Oct 2001 03:32:54 -0000 Received: from n31.groups.yahoo.com (216.115.96.81) by 204.181.12.215 with SMTP; 3 Oct 2001 03:32:54 -0000 X-eGroups-Return: sentto-279987-2641-1002079854-fc=all.net@returns.onelist.com Received: from [10.1.1.224] by n31.groups.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 03 Oct 2001 03:32:48 -0000 X-Sender: fc@big.all.net X-Apparently-To: iwar@onelist.com Received: (EGP: mail-7_4_1); 3 Oct 2001 03:30:53 -0000 Received: (qmail 53343 invoked from network); 3 Oct 2001 03:30:53 -0000 Received: from unknown (10.1.10.142) by 10.1.1.224 with QMQP; 3 Oct 2001 03:30:53 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO big.all.net) (65.0.156.78) by mta3 with SMTP; 3 Oct 2001 03:32:47 -0000 Received: (from fc@localhost) by big.all.net (8.9.3/8.7.3) id UAA10957 for iwar@onelist.com; Tue, 2 Oct 2001 20:32:47 -0700 Message-Id: <200110030332.UAA10957@big.all.net> To: iwar@onelist.com (Information Warfare Mailing List) Organization: I'm not allowed to say X-Mailer: don't even ask X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.5 PL1] From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net> Mailing-List: list iwar@yahoogroups.com; contact iwar-owner@yahoogroups.com Delivered-To: mailing list iwar@yahoogroups.com Precedence: bulk List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:iwar-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com> Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2001 20:32:47 -0700 (PDT) Reply-To: iwar@yahoogroups.com Subject: [iwar] [fc:DAVE.WILSON:.'Hacktivists,'.caught.in.web.of.hate,.deface.Afghan.sites] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit DAVE WILSON: 'Hacktivists,' caught in web of hate, deface Afghan sites Copyright Los Angeles Times Syndicate Afghan News Network Special Report: America Under Attack Speak out in our America Under Attack forum Los Angeles Times Syndicate (October 2, 2001 6:47 p.m. EDT) - Angry computer enthusiasts reeling from the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon have lashed out at Web sites connected to Afghanistan by launching Internet attacks that deface home pages with obscenities and anti-Arab slogans. But such "hacktivist" attacks appear to have little effect on the ruling Taliban government -- which banned Internet access in Afghanistan -- and instead create headaches for private Web operators, some of whom are U.S. citizens. One site, the Afghan News Network, was knocked offline for 15 hours after a hacker attack, the site's operator said in an e-mail. "We have received lots of hate e-mail from people," according to the e-mail. The operator of the site, which provides news and updates about Afghanistan, declined to give a name. Those running the site said they are college students and American citizens. The FBI has condemned such vigilante action by hackers. Many attacks were directed specifically at sites connected to Afghanistan because investigators suspect the country is harboring Osama bin Laden, who is accused of masterminding the attacks. The agency's National Infrastructure Protection Center warned Internet users to be alert to "political hacktivism by self-described 'patriot' hackers targeted at those perceived to be responsible for the terrorist attacks." Attempts to interfere with Internet traffic are illegal and punishable by up to five years in prison. But such warnings have had little effect. A hacker apparently operating out of the former Soviet Union has repeatedly defaced an official Taliban Web site. In an e-mail interview, the hacker said his attack was politically motivated. "They bring only war in the world, and they must die," the hacker going by the screen name RyDen wrote. The defaced Web page, which contains several vulgarities, makes reference to terrorists in Chechnya, where Russian troops continue battling Islamic rebels believed to be backed by the Taliban. And a hacker or group of hackers known as Fluffi Bunni temporarily rerouted Internet traffic to point to his Web site, where a page declares, "If you want to see the Internet again, give us Mr. Bin Laden." Many of the hackers boast that they are committed to attacking the infrastructure of the Middle East, going after banks, electric power and communications equipment. So far, though, the attacks barely qualify as graffitti. "Mostly, these are kids playing," said cryptography expert Bruce Schneier, chief technology officer of Counterpane Internet Security Inc. "We've seen several low-scale hacker wars whenever tensions get high, like with China and Japan, Israel and the Arabic world, and China and America. But we haven't seen large-scale government information warfare, with the possible exception of the Arab-Israeli conflict." The hacking community remains divided about such hacktivism, and many experts deride the efforts as little more than tantrums by the children usually behind them, who often have little technical skill. "I don't think it accomplishes anything," said Dorothy Denning, a professor of computer science at Georgetown University. "People engage in it to express anger, to have fun, to score points with their friends -- the same reasons for other hacking activities," she said. "There is one thing hacktivism does," she said. "It's a costly nuisance. You've got to try and defend against it, fix the security problems and clean up the mess." Dave Wilson is the Los Angeles Times' personal technology columnist. Copyright © 2001 ------------------------ Yahoo! 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This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : 2001-12-31 20:59:53 PST