Forwarded From: "Betty G.O'Hearn" <betty@infowar.com>
LoU STRIKE OUT WITH INTERNATIONAL COALITION OF
HACKERS: A JOINT STATEMENT BY 2600, THE CHAOS
COMPUTER CLUB, THE CULT OF THE DEAD COW,
!HISPAHACK, L0PHT HEAVY INDUSTRIES, PHRACK AND
PULHAS
Chaos Computer Club: Frank Rieger, frank@ccc.de Cult of
the Dead Cow: press@cultdeadcow.com !Hispahack:
mentesinquietas@iname.com L0pht Heavy Industries:
press@l0pht.com Phrack: route@infonexus.com Pulhas:
monolith@p.ulh.as
An international coalition of hackers strongly condemns the
Legion of the Underground's (LoU) recent "declaration of war"
against the governments of Iraq and the People's Republic of
China. Citing human rights violations and other repressive
measures the LoU declared their intention to disrupt and
disable Internet infrastructures in Iraq and China. In a
decision that was more rash than wise, the LoU will do little
to alter existing conditions and much to endanger the rights
of hackers around the world.
We - the undersigned - strongly oppose any attempt to use
the power of hacking to threaten or destroy the information
infrastructure of a country, for any reason. Declaring "war"
against a country is the most irresponsible thing a hacker
group could do. This has nothing to do with hacktivism or
hacker ethics and is nothing a hacker could be proud of.
Frank Rieger of the CCC said, "Many hacker groups don't
have a problem with Web hacks that raise public awareness
about human rights violations. But we are very sensitive to
people damaging networks and critical systems in repressive
regimes or anywhere else. The police and intelligence
communities regard hacking as seditious. It is quite possible
now that hackers - not only in totalitarian states - could be
jailed or executed as 'cyberterrorists' for the slightest
infraction of the law."
"It is shortsighted and potentially counterproductive," added
Reid Fleming of the cDc. "One cannot legitimately hope to
improve a nation's free access to information by working to
disable its data networks."
"Though we may agree with LoU that the atrocities in China
and Iraq have got to stop, we do not agree with the methods
they are advocating," said Space Rogue of the L0pht.
Emmanuel Goldstein of 2600 said: "This kind of threat, even
if made idly, can only serve to further alienate hackers from
mainstream society and help to spread the misperceptions
we're constantly battling. And what happens when someone
in another country decides that the United States needs to
be punished for its human rights record? This is one door that
will be very hard to close if we allow it to be opened."
Governments worldwide are seeking to establish cyberspace
as a new battleground for their artificial conflicts. The LoU
has inadvertently legitimized this alarmist propoganda. With
its dramatic announcement the LoU played into the hands of
policy makers who want complete control over the Internet
and are looking for reasons to seize it. If hackers solicit
recognition as paramilitary factions then hacking in general
will be seen as an act of war. Ergo, hackers will be viewed as
legitimate targets of warring states.
Strategic combat planning in the United States and among
other nations has reached the point where real-world cases
are needed to justify assigned budgets. The LoU is providing
this real-world case now. We believe that the LoU should
carefully investigate the idea of declaring "war" against China
and Iraq. Was it planted with them by someone with different
interests in mind other than advancing human rights
considerations?
The signatories to this statement are asking hackers to
reject all actions that seek to damage the information
infrastructure of any country. DO NOT support any acts of
"Cyberwar." Keep the networks of communication alive. They
are the nervous system for human progress.
Signed (7.1.1999):
2600 (http://www.2600.com) Chaos Computer Club
(http://www.ccc.de) Cult of the Dead Cow
(http://www.cultdeadcow.com) !Hispahack
(http://hispahack.ccc.de) L0pht (http://www.l0pht.com)
Phrack (http://www.phrack.com) Pulhas (http://p.ulh.as/)
several members of the Dutch Hackers Community (contact
Rop Gonggrijp, rop_at_xs4all.nll) Toxyn (http://www.toxyn.org/)
-o-
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Received on Fri Jan 8 08:34:16 1999