[atlarge-discuss] FYI: Hacker Group To Attack Global Censorship

[espresso@e-scape.net]

Some interesting and potentially useful news from the "Cult of
the Dead Cow" hackers...

---Fwd---
[Thanks to George(s) Lessard.]


Hacker Group To Attack Global Censorship

By Robyn Weisman
NewsFactor Network
December 07, 2000
http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/5918.html

<http://sci.newsfactor.com/images/osopinion/story-KM-Cable-modem-pir
acy.jpg>
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/5918.html>
The swashbuckling CDC hacker organization is about to take up the sword
in defense of global freedom of Internet information.

A venerable (by Internet standards) hacker organization revealed
Wednesday that it is nearly finished creating software that would allow
'netizens' around the world to undercut Web-based restrictions imposed
by closed regimes such as Iran, Cuba and China.

The group, known as the Cult of the Dead Cow
<http://www.cultdeadcow.com> (CDC), had announced its plans last July
at
a conference called Hacking on Planet Earth (H2K). "Oxblood Ruffin,"
one
of the leaders of the 16 year-old group, said he had personally chosen
six hackers to work on the project.

Ruffin disclosed Wednesday that global software distribution will start
in March by a human rights organization, whose identity he did not
reveal.

"We're not doing anything illegal," Ruffin told foreign news sources.
He
said that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, issued in 1947 by
the United Nations, motivated the group's hacktivism. The Declaration
calls for freedom of access to information.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note that this material is copyright protected. It is illegal to
display or reproduce this article without permission for any commercial
purpose, including use as marketing or public relations literature. To
obtain reprints of this article for authorized use, please call a sales
representative at +1 (818) 528-1100 or visit
http://www.newsfactor.com/about/reprints.shtml .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Napster-like Freedom

Ruffin told news sources that the as-yet unnamed software will operate
in a manner similar to Napster or Gnutella, allowing users to exchange
files while remaining undetected by government censors. The software
will also give users the ability to circumvent local servers that bar
access to certain Web sites.

In advocating the new software, Ruffin condemned the governments of
Cuba
and Iran for preventing its citizens from viewing Web sites they deem
"inappropriate."

Ruffin then excoriated China as being one of the greatest violators of
netizens' rights. According to Ruffin, the Chinese government has
banned
at least 100 Web sites since 1996, many of which provide uncensored
news
about government actions by its leaders.

Responsible Hacktivism

In the past, Ruffin has mentioned a group of perhaps 100 Chinese
hackers
known as the "Hong Kong Blondes," whose self-assigned mission is to
destabilize China's government. Many of these hackers, whose existence
has not been confirmed by other sources, are reportedly members of
China's Communist Party.

However, Ruffin and CDC severed their affiliation with the group when
CDC learned they planned to use their hacker expertise to try to shut
down the intranets of several U.S. corporations.

"The American public would not have supported any such adventure, and
it
would have worked seriously against the cause [of social justice],"
Ruffin said.

Hacks Vs. Cracks

Ruffin, who many believe first coined the term "hacktivism," believes
that the concept of hacking has been corrupted to include what he
considers destructive actions such as malicious viruses and network
intrusions. He now distinguishes between true hacktivism and what he
labels "cracktivism."

"The former seeks to remedy the Internet of bad code, restrictions,
lack
of access, and so forth. The latter seeks to use the net through
various
protest actions or as a publicity medium," said Ruffin. "I very much
disagree with [cracktivism] methodology."
<http://www.ecommercetimes.com/images/end-nfn.gif>


##########################################################
Judyth Mermelstein     "cogito ergo lego ergo cogito..."
Montreal, QC           <espresso@e-scape.net>
##########################################################
"A word to the wise is sufficient. For others, use more."
"Un mot suffit aux sages; pour les autres, il en faut plus."
##########################################################



---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: atlarge-discuss-unsubscribe@lists.fitug.de
For additional commands, e-mail: atlarge-discuss-help@lists.fitug.de