“Anonymous” new attack – Chinese government`s website hacked
Hundreds of Chinese websites have been hacked by people claiming to be the local branch of the hacktivist group Anonymous. The stated final goal of the attacks is to start a revolt against the government. The number of sites attacked may be as high as 500. They include government, company and general-purpose pages.
In at least one case the hacking resulted in release of 548 phone numbers and 860 email addresses, apparently belonging to Chinese officials. The people behind the attacks say their effort is aimed at undermining the Chinese government, which they accuse of suppressing freedoms and say should be overthrown by a popular revolt. “In the defacing and leaks on this day, we demonstrate our revolt against the Chinese system. It has to stop! We aren’t asking you for nothing, just saying ‘protest, revolt, be the free person you always wanted to be!’” one of the anonymous comments on the Pastebin website rallied.
The cyber offensive kicked off in late March with the creation of as an Anonymous China Twitter account, endorsed by YourAnonNews. The new group already has almost 2,000 followers on Twitter. China maintains tight control over the national segment of the internet. The government suppresses online material deemed harmful to public order. Those range from any references to separatist movements in Tibet to the strangest rumours that often spread like wildfire across China’s microblogging services.
And FBI now states that they ARE losing the over all battle about the Web to hacker groups. If you thought hacktivists only messed with the FBI on Fridays, think again. On Wednesday the Federal Bureau of Investigation admitted they are fighting a losing battle in cyberspace. Shawn Henry, the FBI executive assistant director said fighting on the future “battleground” has been harder that initially thought.
“I don’t see how we ever come out of this without changes in technology or changes in behavior, because with the status quo, it’s an unsustainable model,” Henry told The Wall Street Journal.
“Unsustainable in that you never get ahead, never become secure; never have a reasonable expectation of privacy or security,” he added
Henry has gone on record saying he believes “the cyber threat is an existential one, meaning that a major cyber-attack could potentially wipe out whole companies,” said Henry on the FBI news website. The special agent since 1989 echoed his thoughts during a press conference on Wednesday, stating that the FBI has obtained data of companies that were targeted by hackers and says the businesses were oblivious to the happenings.
“They are shocked and, in many cases, they’ve been breached for many months, in some cases years, which means that an adversary had full visibility into everything occurring on that network, potentially,” said Henry as reported by The Raw Story.
According to an article by ZDNet.com, Henry is on his way out of the organization after working more than 20 years with the agency and claims that the US is simply “not winning.”
Henry’s announcement comes in the wake of the ongoing cybersecurity policy debates. Many key lawmakers have been pushing for new regulations that would help regulate better online security policies.
As RT reported the Pentagon has begun research and development on a project that is being called the next-generation cyberweapon. The weapon which is in the preliminary stages would be capable of knocking out enemy networks regardless if they are connected to the web. Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta has also chimed in on the matter claiming that “the next Pearl Harbour we [US] confront could be a cyber-attack.” Many people have criticized Panetta saying his claims are merely “fear-mongering.” Although groups like Anonymous and LulzSec have brought the issue to light with the recent waves of hacking US government websites and having massive data dumps disclosing private information on individuals, they have released statements claiming bringing down the country’s power grid isn’t one of their aspirations and is nearly impossible.
The US military has claimed that it will meet a cyber-attack with a physical boots on the ground if the attack comes from overseas. For many this validates that the government is finally treating cyber-security seriously. Bills such as SOPA and the recent announcement by top Telecom companies who plan on punishing Americans for copyright infringement could only prompt more attacks. As we reported earlier this month, RIAA CEO Cary Sherman confirmed that the most powerful Internet providers in America should have their new policies on the books by July 12, 2012. “You never get ahead, never become more secure, never have a reasonable expectation of privacy or security,” Henry concluded.
Henry who is leaving the FBI to pursue opportunities in the private sector, isn’t the only one disclosing the “cyber threat” is a growing concern. And As ZDNet.com reported, “the number of hackers arrested around the world seems to be growing, but the attacks keep coming.” According to their report, the FBI is simply outnumbered and their agency is simply putting a bandage on a deep wound in a battle they seem to lose.
