WildWeb article (21/9/99)

["Grugnog" <grugnog@tao.ca>]

[: hacktivism :]

Not a bad article, considering the general spew by most of the media.
- Grug

http://www.wildweb.com/theshow/215/hacktivism/index.html

Hacktivism

Are they activists fighting for just causes or computer geeks with too much
time on their hands? Hacktivism is the wired way to make a statement, but
some hackers feel that sitting in your living room just isn't the same as
sitting in front of a tank.

Here's what it's all about: People with programming abilities and a passion
for causes are writing programs that allow them, and other Internet users,
to hack sites of governments and organizations that they feel are doing
wrong. It's the electronic equivalent of the Plowshares Eights' disarming of
a nuclear warhead...

 Or is it?

Ira Winkler is a paid hacker. The ZDTV Spy Files columnist and former NSA
employee now works in the private sector, stealing -- and returning -- large
sums of money from corporate computer systems to test their security. Ira
says that hacktivists are essentially "taking a criminal action, and
justifying that criminal action by saying they're doing it for a cause." To
Ira, hacktivism isn't political protest -- it's vandalism.

But some of the more popular forms of online activism are not illegal and do
make a difference. Take, for instance, the "Virtual Sit-in," where a piece
of software called FloodNet gives interested surfers the opportunity to hit
a target server repeatedly until, hopefully, the server goes down. It
disables the offender's ability to maintain the Web site and shows them that
there are a lot of people who disagree.

Hacktivist/artist/software engineer Carmin Karasic of the Electronic
Disturbance Theater admits, "The person who's putting their life on the line
is making a much more dramatic statement than the person who's just clicking
their mouse and then walking away." The Internet is a new public forum,
however, and Karasic realizes its potential to galvanize global response to
injustices: "It's better to give a wider variety of people the opportunity
to make a statement than it is to say, 'Either make your statement this way
and be dramatic about it, or shut up and don't make a statement at all.'"

John Lester, of the hacking group Cult of the Dead Cow has no illusions that
what he does is -- or should be -- approved of by the establishment. "You
can't be disobedient and not do something wrong," he states bluntly. His
group has come up with many ways to shake up the system, such as Back
Orifice, a program designed to exploit weaknesses in Microsoft networks.
While I wouldn't put the crimes of a monopolistic organization (especially
one that donates hundreds of millions of dollars to gun control advocacy) on
a par with those of a murderous dictatorship, such methods can be used
effectively even against governments.

In the final analysis, what makes an action truly meaningful is whether or
not it raises awareness and brings about positive change. Last year's hack
into the Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs site, to protest that
government's human rights abuses in East Timor, was done anonymously, with
the perpetrators taking no credit. Press coverage online and in print
brought the issue to the attention of many Internet users who might
otherwise have never even heard of East Timor. I would call that a
resounding success for hacktivism.

For the most part, I'm on Carmin and John's side; the Internet presents a
new way to raise international awareness of important issues. If the only
way that some people are willing to participate is by writing code and
taking part in virtual sit-ins, then that's a few more people making a
difference who might otherwise have remained in silence or ignorance.

Still, I understand Ira's cynicism. The Internet is full of people who have
nothing better to do than make trouble. Serious hacktivism opens the door
for frivolous hacking. Letting a company know that you don't like its
software by taking down its Web site is not equal to letting an oppressive
government know that you disagree with its policy of genocide.

It's not a simple issue, and as hacktivism gains more media attention, the
debates will grow. For more information, check out Electronic Civil
Disobedience and Phrack. If you think I'm one sided, tell me.


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