Information Security News mailing list archives
Re: Hacking With a Conscience Is a New Trend
From: "Robert G. Ferrell" <root () rgfsparc cr usgs gov>
Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 10:03:20 -0600
For years, a few small groups of socially conscious hackers have used their skills to advance social causes. The practice can be traced to 1998, when a group called the Electric Disturbance Theater conducted "virtual sit-ins" on the Web sites of the Pentagon and the Mexican government to bring the world's attention to the plight of Indian rights in the Mexican state of Chiapas.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but 'hactivism' isn't that new. I can remember hacks from at least as far back as '96 that were executed for the purpose of condemning governmental policies. An example would be the DOJ hack (http://www.attrition.org/mirror/attrition/1996/08/18/www.doj.gov/) where the maifesto was quite clearly to protest what the crackers saw as abuses of the U.S. Constitution by the Dept. of Justice. While that might not be as politically correct as protesting hunger or basic human rights, it's still a (highly visible) form of political activism. I haven't got archives to prove it, but I believe a careful survey of historical events would reveal that hactivism is as old as hacking itself. A certain percentage of hackers have always been socially conscious; it's only relatively recently that that the public have become aware of it. Trees fell in this forest before anyone from the press showed up to hear them. Cheers, RGF Robert G. Ferrell, CISSP Information Systems Security Officer National Business Center U. S. Dept. of the Interior Robert_G_Ferrell () nbc gov ======================================== Who goeth without humor goeth unarmed. ======================================== ISN is hosted by SecurityFocus.com --- To unsubscribe email LISTSERV () SecurityFocus com with a message body of "SIGNOFF ISN".
Current thread:
- Hacking With a Conscience Is a New Trend William Knowles (Nov 21)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: Hacking With a Conscience Is a New Trend Robert G. Ferrell (Nov 23)
- Re: Hacking With a Conscience Is a New Trend M ixter (Nov 23)