What a Month it has been for the hacking world!
A real drama unfolding in the virtual space, spread across continents, involving world countries, Hacktivists, Pirates, Indian National Congress, Production Houses and The film which had “Why this Kolaveri di” Song – 3 (Moonu)
This has every ingredient to be an Super Hit Bio Pic.
Actors: Government, The Pirate Bay, Anonymous
Supporting Actors: Courts around the World. Internet Service Providers, Department of Telecom (India), Copy right Agencies.
Scene 1:
April 30:
Uk’s High court on a case filed by People from Music Industry and Copy right agencies ordered UK Internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to The Pirate Bay.
( The Pirate bay changed from .Org to .Se domain to avoid being taken down by the US Government just like megaupload and library.nu taken down citing SOPA and PIPA )
Scene 2:
May 8:
Hacktivist group Anonymous take down Internet service provider Virgin Media UK with a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack.
Tweet by Group Anonymous:
#Anonymous have just taken down #VirginMedia website again because of their involvement in the #Censorship of The Pirate Bay#TPB #OpTPB
Though this attack by Anonymous was in support of The Pirates Bay, TPB had other viewes.
TPB was quick with its response in its facebook page, it said
Seems like some random Anonymous groups have run a DDOS campaign against Virgin media and some other sites. We’d like to be clear about our view on this:
We do NOT encourage these actions. We believe in the open and free internets, where anyone can express their views. Even if we strongly disagree with them and even if they hate us.
So don’t fight them using their ugly methods. DDOS and blocks are both forms of censorship.
Clearly TPB doesn’t support Anonymous and their way of approach to fight Censorship.
Scene 3:
May 15:
Indian Government Proposes control over internet based on the IT Rules 2011, the Commission on Science and Technology for “Development” without full discussion or debate over the issue on the control over Internet, proposes the bill in UN General Assembly. Unfortunately(or you never know) like always our 24X7 National Media remains silent over the issue.
In its proposal submitted to the General Assembly in New York on October 26, 2011, India has argued for a radical shift from the present model of multi-stakeholder led decision-making, to a purely government-run multilateral body that would relegate civil society, private sector, international organisations as well as technical and academic groups to the fringes in an advisory role. The proposal has been floated sans any public consultation, despite the move impacting the country’s 800 million mobile and 100 million Internet users. – The Hindu
This move would deny a participative medium but our government seems to be happy about it. Sibalising the Internet is top on their agenda as a top down voice would also enable them the control over its people.
Scene 4:
May 16:
WikiLeaks and The Pirate bay is taken down by a Mystery Hacker( Though not sure if its by the same hacker). Service is stopped around the world and TPBs main page read
Access to this site has been blocked as per Court Orders.
Though there were some rumors that Anonymous was behind the attack after a stupid response from TPB for taking down Virgin Media. TPB cleared the air saying
Just to clarify, we know that it is not Anonymous who is behind the DDoS attack. Stop spreading rumours like that,” it added later. “We may not agree with Anonymous in everything, but we both want the internet to be open and free.
Scene 5:
May 17:
Operation India Engaged
Hactivists Anonymous brought down the websites of the Supreme Court and the ruling Congress party to protest against Censorship, their tweet read
Namaste #India, your time has come to trash the current government and install a new one. Good luck. |#SaveTPB#Anonymous #Censorship
Recently, the Production company named Copyright Labs won a case in Chennai High court against illegal distribution of Films “3(Moonu)” and “Dhammu” and had asked for blocking service to File sharing sites across India. Anonymous now intends to take down the website of Department of Telecommunication and Copyright Labs (for filing the case and issuing the John Doe order)
Here is the latest Video and Message Uploaded by Anonymous:
Message Posted by Anonymous:
Citizens of India and World,
We are Anonymous.
We are a collective bent at serving free will and justice.It has been known that the Government of India and its ministers are commiting Aristrocracy.
The idea of democracy remains an idea only.We were and are watching closely on all activities of the Goverment and its ministers.
Many ministers were and are charged with severe cases of corruption.
They do not care.
They do not care for the injustice happening.
They do not care for the freedom being snatched.The Government has been covering up its activities and hiding the facts from its citizens.
It has imposed IT Act which allows it to censor the internet as it seems fit.
None other than Department of Telecommunications need to be blamed.
One cannot block on purview of security concerns.Free will is endangered…
….Its time you wake up.
Its time you take charge.
Its time you say, “Enough is enough”
Its time you change your fate.
Its time you show that this won’t go un-noticed.
Its time you take charge.Its time for Operation India.
Join us if you may.We are Anonymous.
We are Legion.
We do not forgive.
We do not forget.
Expect us.IRC: webchat.anonops.com
CHANNEL: opIndia
Response from Congress:
“The site is not hacked at all. It was not opening for sometime because the load on the particular server was too heavy due to huge number of hits after the news of website hacking spread. It went slow at that time due to over- traffic,” Chairman of AICCs Computer Department Vishwajeet Singh, a former Rajya Sabha MP said.
How Dumb!
The websites were brought down through DDoS attack… The huge number of Hits claimed by “Chairman of AICCs Computer Department” is because of the DDoS attack. Who else in India will access their website in huge numbers?
Scene 6:
May 17:
The Pirate Bay returns after Ddos attack!
What the world governments failed to implement was done by one single user (or at least claimed to be)
Twitter user @AnonNyre started Tweeting 19 hours ago that he was the one responsible for the DDoS attack on The Pirate Bay.
You must be wondering why did I attacked The Pirate Bay..
I am Nyre. I am highly against Anonymous. I do not support Anonymous anymore. I sometimes help the feds.
The Pirate Bay was a press-release website for Anonymous, then I had a idea, why not take it down? Why not make it impossible for Anonymous?
Get on your knees, Anonymous. I am a one-man army. I am not a hacker. I am a security killer.
He claims himself to be a former member of Anonymous. But seriously one guy taking out The Pirate Bay through a DDoS attack seems highly impossible 😀
Twist in the Story:
Well In the end the Villain is not Government or the Production house!
Its one single guy operating from a coffee shop or something.
~ Part 1 Ends Here ~
My Take:
- Both The Pirate Bay and Anonymous fight against internet Censorship, While their intentions sound good their way of achieving it makes it more worse. (Recently we had wikipedia, WordPress and other major sites protesting Internet Censorship)
- While all the action happen inside closed doors and Bills are passed to prevent people from raising their voice, We are kept busy and ignorant with the help of Media (Am sure most of us in our country are busy Crunching numbers and analyzing who will make it to the top four in IPL)
- These attacks won’t even make it to the top 10 news in our country and only top 5 news gets covered throughout the day in 24X7 National news channels. For that the Hacktivists best chances would have been a Rape, or Corruption, or Misbehaved during IPL, or Rash driving or should have test launched a missile from China or Pakistan. they can still ask Aamir Khan to Speak about this issue in his new show! but wait! We will talk about the show and Not the Issue.!
- Attacking websites and bringing down Government websites won’t even bother our government and governments across the world.
- People are for Open Internet and are against Censorship, Hacktivists individual divides and in fight wont help the cause it will only make the governments stronger.
- The fight against censorship can only be won with the help of Masses
- Time for the Hacktivists to try something different and inform the World on whats happening behind the doors.
Krzna 