[NTLUG:Discuss] OT - Red Hackers Alliance

[Fred]

This story is not specifically about Linux and, as such, is Off Topic. It is,
however, of potential importance to all of us "computerists". If I had a link
to this story I would have posted it instead. Please do not reply to the list.

>From stratfor.com:

April 18, 2006: China has organized a civilian Cyber War force. It's called the
"Red Hackers Alliance" (RHA) and is officially a network security organization,
composed of patriotic Chinese network security experts. China does have a major
problem with network security, as the average Chinese PC user is much less well
equipped, in terms of protective software, and expertise. Computer viruses and
worms that are a minor nuisance in the West, are often major problems in China.

The RHA has a paid staff, including university trained network security
experts. Officially, the RHA provides training and advice about network
security. But the RHA is has also apparently absorbed the thousands of Chinese
hackers who used to belong to informal hacker organizations. These groups often
openly launched Cyber War attacks against foreign targets. One of the more
notorious examples of this was in the Spring of 2001, when outraged Chinese
hackers went after American targets in the wake of a Chinese fighter crashing,
after colliding with an American P-3 patrol aircraft. American hackers fought
back, and apparently there was more damage on the Chinese side. 

In the wake of the 2001 incident, the Chinese hacker organizations began to
disband, even though they were the source of more serious, espionage related,
hacking. The government apparently liked the talent of the Chinese hackers, but
not their lack of discipline. Although the older hacker groups had liaison with
the government, this was not enough to prevent "adventurism." The RHA is
apparently the solution to that problem, and is yet another addition to China's
growing Cyber War apparatus. 

China has over 20,000 people involved in monitoring people using the Internet
in China, as well developing Cyber War weapons and defenses. This effort to
organize Chinese hackers, for a network security effort, may be more successful
than attempts to control their more playful activities. Hacking is all about
spontaneity and, well, some misbehavior. 

China does not want to alienate it's hacker community. Having the hackers on
your side, in such an enthusiastic fashion, is rare, and a major advantage. But
at the same time, ongoing government efforts to control Internet use angers
many hackers. If the RHA officials lean on the hackers too much and too often,
China may find that it has created a monster it has angered, and cannot
control.


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