GNST 341 21 DigitalCountercultur es

Digital Counter-Cultures: 

Digital Counter-Cultures By: Christine Corr Natalie Vernon Sam Whitehouse Carl-Marius Adde

A Brief Introduction To Digital Counter-Cultures: 

A Brief Introduction To Digital Counter-Cultures What are they?

Digital Counter-Cultures: 

Digital Counter-Cultures A technology based alternative society using values other than those supposed to be dominant. Emerged through the combination of new technology and post-war counter-cultural thinking.

Types of Digital Counter-Cultures: 

Types of Digital Counter-Cultures Hactivists Cyberterrorists Gaming Culture

Hacktivism: 

Hacktivism

Hacktivism - What is it?: 

Hacktivism - What is it? A fusion of hacking with activism Hacktivists use “the Internet to effect social change and correct perceived wrongs by staging virtual sit-ins and online protests against offending companies and governments” The earliest account of hacktivism occurred in October of 1989 NASA SPAN network attacked by a computer worm protesting the launch of the plutonium-fueled Galileo probe

How does Hacktivism relate to the theme of digital countercultures?: 

How does Hacktivism relate to the theme of digital countercultures? Digital countercultures are groups of individuals with similar ideas and beliefs. Hacktivist have their own specific beliefs and use online technology to act them out.

How has Hacktivism Evolved?: 

How has Hacktivism Evolved? Cases of Hacktivism first appeared starting in the mid 90’s. Started by technical individuals looking for easy thrills. Hacktivists appeared as the essence of hacking changed from cheep thrills to a specific or political purpose.

Who are the Hacktivists?: 

Who are the Hacktivists? The majority of Hacktivists today are the first generation hackers. They consider themselves as “elite” in comparison with the “script kiddies” (second generation hackers who hack for thrills) They believe what they do is noble and justified, being that it is for a good cause.

Methods Used by Hacktivists: 

Methods Used by Hacktivists # 1 – The Individual non-planned hack. # 2 – The Group pre-planned hack. # 3 – Group e-mail spamming/protesting. # 4 – Web Page Disturbance programs. # 5 – Politically Charged Viruses.

The Individual Non-Planned Hack: 

The Individual Non-Planned Hack I.e. Caused in October of 1998 by a 25 year old computer science major protesting Human Rights in China. Stumbled across a government page with its security temporarily down, due to upgrading. Caused defacement by scrawled the words “Boycott China” on the National Human Rights Homepage. Most Common.

The Group Pre-Planned Hack: 

The Group Pre-Planned Hack I.e. By the JF supporter group in 1998 to protest nuclear arms development in India. Broke into the Bhabha Atomic Research Center, and placed anti-nuclear slogan with mushroom cloud. 300 web sites dealing with the Indian Government affected. Re-direct / defacement methods used.

Group E-mail Spamming/Protesting: 

Group E-mail Spamming/Protesting I.e. Mass e-mailings of protests to targeted individuals or organizations. One of the simplest methods for Hacktivists. Problem being that very easy to bring to end. Little public impact achieved.

Web Page Disturbance Programs: 

Web Page Disturbance Programs I.e. FloodNet has been in use since 1999. Created to protest Mexican civilians slain in government protest. Repeatedly refreshes the targeted web site, bringing it to a halt. Targeted the online websites of five of Mexico’s largest financial institutions. Referred to as a “virtual sit in”.

Politically Charged Viruses: 

Politically Charged Viruses I.e. “Injustice”, introduced in 2001. Created to protest the killings of Palestinian children by Israeli soldiers. It mailed itself to the first 50 contacts. Affected computers worldwide.

What are the attractive features of hacktivism?: 

What are the attractive features of hacktivism? global audience attained through the Internet the low cost few expenses beyond the cost of a computer and an Internet connection. Many of the programs needed, are found for free on websites all over the world. freedom of geographical constraints (Denning, 2001) “operating anonymously on the Internet”,

How Can Hacktivism be Stopped?: 

How Can Hacktivism be Stopped? Downloading patches or updates once a new virus or hack has been detected. Ingress address filters to monitor the number and type of incoming messages. Frequent password changes. No system is 100% safe from hackers.

Implications of Hacktivism: 

Implications of Hacktivism Arguably either good or bad. Many view the protests as honorable. Can stab themselves in the back by portraying the site as the victim which may work against the hacktivist, who becomes the villain in the mind of the individual who has accessed the site.

CYBERTERRORISM: 

CYBERTERRORISM What is it? Naval Postgraduate School Study Forms of Cyberterrorism Possible Threat The Future

What is Cyberterrorism?: 

What is Cyberterrorism? is generally defined as “the use of cyber tools to shut down critical national infrastructures (such as energy, transportation or government operations) for the purpose of coercing or intimidating a government or civilian population” (Lemos, 2002). Examples of such attacks would include, those that lead to death, or bodily injury, extended power outages, plane crashes, water contamination or major economic loses

Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) Study: 

Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) Study In 1999 the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Irregular Warfare @ NPS assessed the possibility of terrorists trying cyberterrorism define three levels of cyber terror capability, each level with increasing sophistication.

NPS Study (Continued): 

NPS Study (Continued) examined different types of terrorists groups found that religious groups are more likely to attain the most damaging capability would have the capability to coordinate attacks that could affect multiple systems and cause mass disruption

Forms of cyber attacks : 

Forms of cyber attacks against data most common form an attempt to steal or corrupt data against on control systems. an attempt to take control of operations used to maintain physical infrastructure (e.g. regulate water supplies, electricity transmission, transportation, etc…).

“What are the real risks of cyberterrorism?” Robert Lemos (2002): 

“What are the real risks of cyberterrorism?” Robert Lemos (2002) lists some of the “possible – though still improbable – worst case cyber attacks” with more realistic scenarios Electricity  Power lines, transmission facilities Worst-case cyberattack: An attack on control systems via wireless, modem or Internet access could cause localized brownouts or blackouts. More realistic threat: Physical destruction of generating plants or transmission facilities could cause brownouts or blackouts for days.

“What are the real risks of cyberterrorism?” Robert Lemos (2002): 

“What are the real risks of cyberterrorism?” Robert Lemos (2002) Surface transportation  Railroads, trucks, barges and buses Worst-case cyberattack: An attacker could use the Internet to gain access to one of 500 small railroads' control systems and cause two trains to take the same track and collide. More realistic threat: Use of explosives on trains or trucks carrying hazardous materials could cause an environmental disaster.

“What are the real risks of cyberterrorism?” Robert Lemos (2002): 

“What are the real risks of cyberterrorism?” Robert Lemos (2002) Information technology  Server, computer and network software Worst-case cyberattack: Vulnerabilities in flawed software could be used to gain access to specific critical systems to aid a cyberattack on other infrastructure elements or to cause widespread Internet communications problems. More realistic threat: Vulnerabilities in flawed software could be used to gain access to specific critical systems to aid a cyberattack on other infrastructure elements.

?Possible Threat? : 

?Possible Threat? In Frontline’s program “Cyber War!” (2003) cyber security experts discuss the possible threat of cyberterrorism recent wake up call the American government received about the vulnerabilities of their information technology systems

?Possible Threat? : 

?Possible Threat? three separate events Code Red - July 2001 (against the White House Web site) Nimda – one week after 9-11 (mass-mailing worm in financial sector) Slammer - Jan. 25, 2003 (slowed airline reservation systems, credit card networks, and automatic teller machines in the U.S) possibly experiments by America’s adversaries to seek out the vulnerabilities in the network

?Possible Threat? : 

?Possible Threat? The Department of Defense (DOD) 1997, internal exercise called ‘Eligible Receiver’. team of hackers using only publicly available computer equipment and hacking software took control of the pentagon system and the computers of the National Military Command Centre.

?Possible Threat? : 

?Possible Threat? March of 1998 - DOD officials stumble upon a pattern of probing of computer systems Pentagon, NASA, Energy Department, private universities, & research labs had been going on for nearly two years. gained access to tens of thousands of files including maps of military installations, troop configurations and military hardware designs

The Future : 

The Future Many think that cyberterrorism is a theoretical possibility but believe terrorists lack the ability to carry out such complex cyber attacks not be able achieve the level of damage done with physical weapons

The Future : 

The Future some evidence that the terrorist group, Al Qaeda, is able to get in to US networks but still lack the capability to manipulate or control data next generation of terrorists will grow up in a digital world and will have access to more powerful and easy to use hacking tools

Gaming Culture- What Is it?: 

Gaming Culture- What Is it? Individuals that rebel against conventional norms and societal expectations by devoting their lives to a virtual struggle and camaraderie.

Conclusion: 

Conclusion Many digital counter-cultures exist Each culture effects society differently Many potential problems created by these cultures Must look towards the future to examine societal effects created by digital counter-cultures