Historical Joint Statement
Signatories:
Hacking groups 2600, Chaos Computer Club, the Cult of the Dead Cow (cDc), !Hispahack, L0pht Heavy Industries, Phrack, Pulhas and T0xyn feel the need to comment on the recent announcement of a group calling itself "Legion of the Underground" (LoU).
LoU has stated that it will attempt to damage and sabotage the cyberspace infrastructure of Iraq and China. It cites human rights issues in those countries as the reason for this action.
While we may agree with LoU that the atrocities in China and Iraq must end, we disagree with the methods they advocate. These are short-sighted and potentially counterproductive. One cannot legitimately hope to improve a country's free access to information by trying to disable its data networks.
There is no doubt that the human rights situation in China, Iraq and many other countries on this planet is dire. Hacktivism – using hacking skills and tools to support progressive causes – may in some cases be, in the eyes of some of the undersigned, a legitimate way to draw public attention to these problems.
But we are totally opposed to any attempt to use the power of hacking to threaten or destroy the communication infrastructure of any country, for any reason. Declaring "war" against anyone, any group of people, or any nation is a totally deplorable act. All it does is reduce the hacker to the same level as the group or country he is attacking. This has no bearing on hacktivism or hacker ethics, and is nothing any hacker should be proud of.
Governments around the world are attempting to establish cyberspace as the new battlefield for their artificial conflicts. What LoU has done is inadvertently legitimize these purposes. If hackers are established as weapons, hacking in general will be seen as an act of war. And hackers themselves will be seen, without any doubt, as legitimate targets for the warring countries.
From our point of view, LoU is doing things that governments around the world do not want to make public or official. Preparations for the "Information War" are, in the US and elsewhere, at a point where "real" cases are needed to justify the funds allocated.
LoU is now providing this real case. We believe that LoU should carefully investigate whether the idea of declaring "war" on China and Iraq was not given by someone with interests other than defending the issue of human rights.
The signatories call on all hackers on the planet to reject anything related to damaging the information infrastructure of any country. Do not support ANY act of "Cyberwar"; keep the communication networks alive: they are the nervous system of our planet.
All hackers and hacker groups are invited to sign, please direct your contribution to [email protected]. To contact !Hispahack about this, please do so at [email protected].
This joint statement, issued in January 1999, represents a significant moment in the history of hacking and hacktivism. It was a response to the actions of a group called the Legion of the Underground (LoU), which had declared its intention to attack the digital infrastructure of Iraq and China.
The statement is notable for several reasons:
- It brought together several prominent hacking groups from around the world, including Portuguese groups like PULHAS and T0XYN.
- It clearly defined a stance against using hacking for destructive purposes, even in the name of human rights.
- It highlighted the ethical considerations within the hacking community, emphasizing the importance of preserving communication networks.
- It warned against the potential consequences of hackers being seen as weapons in international conflicts.
This statement played a crucial role in shaping the ethical standards of hacking and hacktivism, influencing future generations of hackers and contributing to the development of responsible disclosure practices in cybersecurity.
The joint statement against cyberwar came at a crucial moment in hacktivist history. In December 1998, a U.S.-based group called Legion of the Underground (LoU) declared cyberwar on Iraq and China, announcing plans to disrupt their internet infrastructure in protest of human rights abuses.
This declaration prompted an unprecedented response from the global hacking community. A coalition of prominent hacker groups - including Cult of the Dead Cow (cDc), L0pht, Chaos Computer Club, 2600, PHRACK, and notably Portuguese groups PULHAS and T0XYN - came together to issue a strong statement condemning such destructive actions.
The incident marked a significant moment in hacking history, establishing a clear ethical stance against using hacking for destructive purposes, even in support of worthy causes. The participation of Portuguese groups in this statement demonstrated their integration with and influence in the global hacking community.