'Hacktivists' take up Iran fight as streets quiet

[G_j]

Source: AP

By Shaya Tayefe Mohajer
Associated Press Writer / June 27, 2009

EDITOR'S NOTE: Iranian authorities have barred journalists for international news organizations from reporting on the streets and ordered them to stay in their offices. This report is based on the accounts of witnesses reached in Iran and official statements carried on Iranian media.

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A sharp clampdown by Iranian authorities may have quelled street protests, but the fight goes on in cyberspace.

Groups of "hacktivists" -- Web hackers demanding Internet freedom -- say they are targeting Web pages of Iran's leadership in response to the regime's muzzling of blogs, news outlets and other sites.

It's unclear how much the wired warriors have disrupted official Iranian sites. Attempts by The Associated Press to access sites for state news organizations, including the Islamic Republic News Agency and Fars, were unsuccessful -- with a message saying the links were "broken."

Other Iranian Web sites, including the official site for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were able to be viewed.

It's the latest in a widening front of attempts at cyber attacks by activists and others. Earlier this week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates ordered the creation of a new military cyber command that will coordinate the Pentagon's efforts to defend its networks and conduct cyberwarfare.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2009/06/27/hacktivists_take_up_iran_fight_as_streets_quiet/

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

1. wonder who will win the hacking war

and it could come from anywhere in the world.

[Ian David]

2. The Chinese would win any hacking war.

They're smart, they're dedicated, and they've got the sheer force of numbers to dedicate to it.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

3. NedaNet: Core members of NedaNet have already received death threats

Eric Redmond, head of the open source movement called ESR has set up a website to help the Iranians.
There are things you can do to help Iranian activists if you are a bit tech savy.

From the website NedaNet.org:

Doing the right thing

Core members of NedaNet have already received death threats from persons plausibly believed to be agents of the Iranian regime or allied terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah. We expect more of us to be targets of threats, intimidations, and possibly actual violence before the crisis resolves. Be aware of that risk if you choose to join us.

But today in Iran, thousands of people are putting their lives on the line every day in direct confrontation with the Iranian regime's thugs, facing danger that reduces any risks we run to a triviality. They're not running away. We won't either.

Public contact and operational security
I'm Eric S. Raymond. Some of you will know me from the open-source movement as "ESR". Because of the real threat of terrorist action against us, most of NedaNet is keeping a low profile. I have volunteered to be a visible public contact because (a) I've done this sort of public-face work before, (b) I already got my jihadi death threat from Iran in 2006 before NedaNet, and (c) I'm not easily intimidated.

Think of me as a cut-out. I have very carefully not asked who our contacts in Iran are. I don't even know who most of the rest of the NedaNet people are, and don't intend to try to find out; they're basically just handles on an IRC channel from whom I get URLs and files. And for any agent or proxy of the regime interested in asking me questions face to face, I've got some bullets slathered in pork fat to make you feel extra special welcome.

Due to agitation by blowhards with too much time on their hands, I add the following disclaimer: I do not necessarily speak for the entirety of NedaNet. (Now maybe they'll stop yattering on the channel so we can get more work done.)

...
http://nedanet.org/

[jeff30997]

4. K&R

Too bad I'm not tech savy enough.

[AnnieBW]

5. Heh. Wait until DEFCON happens

I'm sure that someone will have a panel on "How to Hack Iranian Government Websites".

[boppers]

6. *cough*

http://iran.whyweprotest.net/

[Dark]

7. Go Anon!

n/t