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Hackers: Uncle Sam Wants You!
scraemondaemon writes: "A new TV public service announcement targets U.S. computer hacktivists with a blunt message: Uncle Sam wants you to help fight the war on terrorism. They demonize you and criminalize you and then ask for your help. What's a hacker to do?"
They demonize you and criminalize you and then ask for your help. What's a hacker to do?"
Be an American and fight for our survival. You think they'd have messed with 767's if they had nukes? This isn't a game.
simply come to the (insert local large public gathering place here) to pick up your prize!
a trick routinely employed by authorities to catch wanted criminals. they send out a mass mailing to wanted individuals stating they've won something fantastic, and all they have to do is show up to claim it. they show up, and their prize is an all expense stay in levenworth 8-)
of course, i'm sure our government wouldn't do something like this to hackers.
for the motivated, self starter, http://www.shamalbank.com/ is a bank with known bin laden accounts 8-)
not that i'm suggesting anything...
"Earlier this month, a German group known as the Chaos Computer Club publicly appealed to hackers worldwide not to engage in retaliatory hacking in the wake of the terrorist attacks."
Aren't the Afgan's essentially in the stone age? - at least that's what has been spun in the media to us all.
What potential targets would hackers have?
Go read the actual article. Fret not, they're still demonizing and criminalizing.
(They're asking 'hacktivists' to lay off)
This is just like television, only you can see much further.
it's far from being the first time hackers have been called to serve in the way only they can. we can probably thank goodness for it too or guys like Turing would never had had the chance to invent these curious machines we're all so occupied with...
we speak the way we breathe --Fugazi
...I thought under the ATA, hackers WERE terrorists! ;)
somehow i doubt mitnick will be rushing to the frontlines of this campaign.
"not today, uncle sam, not today. i've dealt with you before. didn't work out too well for me."
If the target machines are screwed then our special net ops can't get in and grab valuable info. Info is power. It's all about following the money.
And if they want consultants, I'd be happy to get a security clearance.
You want to support the bloodthirsty empire and it's mission, then you do that. The men, women, and children of Afganistan(or any other country we bomb) are not my enemies, and I will not support the allies in their world wide campaign of terror and bloodshed, comitted in the name of stopping terror and bloodshed.
Long live freedom. Long live liberty. Tyranny, politicians, and the people who follow them can all die in the war they crave so badly.
Buffy the Vampire slayer? What do they want the high school 3l33t hack0r3?
:)
The perfect opportunity is tonight on UPN when the new Star Trek premiers.
Sheesh.
If I was ever actually drafted to fight in a war, I know the DOD would rather have a talented computer programmer than another warm body in the front lines. Besides, it takes 3 years to train a soldier to do his (or her) job well.
Ummm, yeah. Right.
Be careful, here. US Marine Corps Boot Camp is 13 weeks, plus anoth 12 weeks of advanced infantry training. That's just over six months, start to finish. Training HVPI's (High Velocity Projective Interceptors) doesn't take three years at all. How is that possible, when the Army has a two-year contract for an Infantry position?
And, as a former Marine, I would state that any "talented computer hacker" who knows nothing about the actual operations of the military would be better off catching bullets than writing bugs.
- Hans
Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals... except the weasel. -
Yeah, what's up with corporations thinking it's okay to act like some kind of authority figure? I'm getting kinda tired of it.
Anybody here work in advertising or media produciton? If you want to serve your country organize a "I Call Bullshit" ad campaign. So we all chip in cash and run ads to address all the misinformation put out by the spin doctors in the government. Fight fire with fire.
I've got 23 dollars to chip in.
Samsung took back my unlocked bootloader because Google wants me to rent movies. They're both evil.
In WWII Alan Turing was recruited by the allies for his mathematical genius. He essentially saved the world from fascism, and afterwards he was demonized and led to suicide by a government that disagreed with his lifestyle.
OK, so a week ago we have the FBI complaining that /bin/laden has given up on his satellite phones and computers in favour of sending messengers on camels (or whatever, apologies for lame western stereotyping) since they can't be wiretapped. Now: Please r00t his servers for us.
.Net takes it up the arse... well, they're going to know whose door to break down, aren't they?
Piss poor. And anyway, a whole bunch of people are going to want a whole load of legal protection for what they know before they will do this. I mean, spend the next six months breaking terrorists servers apart and in a years time when
But if anyone goes for this: good luck. I do have some pretty serious problems with piling into Afghanistan and blowing shit up; but no moral qualms whatsoever when it comes to merely trashing terrorists ability to operate.
Dave
I write a blog now, you should be afraid.
## begin sarcasm ##
You nailed it, bud. The American Government has always been honest and true to what it says. Politicians never lie, so we know that every hacker will be free to go when this war is over. They would never jump on the opportunity to go after someone after that helped the U.S.!
## end sarcasm ##
Ironically, it isn't even Uncle sam that is putting out this message. In fact, the government has nothing to do with it. Even if you did become a hero, it would be in the eyes of the "Cyberangels"... and I'm sorry, but that just sounds too much like a cheap movie title where cameron diaz learns how to be an 31337 haX0r...
Celebrate Steak and a Blowjob Day!
Like the poster said above about the Police in NYC. Times have changed.
In the past, it was us against them, because there wasn't an widely reguarded outside threat. Now there is.
So people can either keep bitching about the past and all the "injustices". Or they can realize that Now isn't like it was Before 9.11.01.
Times have changed. I've known for a while that the Taliban and Militantist Terrorist groups were bad, but I didn't know how bad. And the attacks on 9.11.01 wern't the final release, it's a step up.
So I'd say - let bygones be bygones and step upto the plate and help the Gov and Mil if they need help and you are willing. But don't bitch about what happened before, cause it was a different world.
The Anti-Terror thing in the House and Senate is already being ripped apart by the Committees, I doubt it'll get to a floor vote.
This [wired.com] issue of wired
Where did that sentance say I was linking to an article, go out and buy a copy. BTW only charma whore's post as anonymous cowards. I take full responsibility for my posts, even if I know they will get modded down to -1. You sir obviously do not stand behind your comment otherwise you wouldn't have posted anonymously, therefore it is you that is the luser.
--Toq
I'm not an USA citizen, but if I was, that's what I'd do: write an open letter to the Govt, saying I'd be happy to help if they (a) nullify the DMCA, (b) nullify the Sonny Bono Act, (c) abort the SSSCA and (d) FIRE ASHCROFT!
Publish on a Web site. Ask for signatures. Make clear that the signers DO mean to enlist if the above happens.
As I said, I'm not from the US, so it'd be weird if I made such page myself. Anyone who likes the suggestion, fell free to go ahead. The idea is hereby placed in the public domain.
The irony is strong in this one. Can anyone remind me when exactly we established Bin Laden used the internet?
As a Brit that has been living in the States for the last couple of months I've had the opportunity to experience the behaviour of the US media and the government first hand, and to be honest it makes me sick. Let's get a few things straight:
.mil or a .gov.
- America is the largest producer and exporter of weapons on the planet.
- America has the largest arsenal of nuclear and toxic weapeons on the planet.
- America is the largest producer and exportor of torture equipment on the planet.
- America is the largest producer and exportor of anti-personnel landmines on the planet.
America supports more oppressive regimes around the world than anyone else, as and when it suits them. A while ago they were supplying the Iraqis with weapons. Then they went after them. During the Russo-Afghan war, they were funding, supplying and even training the very afghans that are now described as 'evil'. 20 years ago they were called freedom fighter. Now they are deemed 'evil'.
Two weeks ago hacking was illegal. Now it's OK, just as long as it's not a
Just because you are not shooting at someone doesn't mean your actions are peaceful. This is another attempt by the American government to whip up what is already a frenzy of 'They're evil! Get them!' sentiment.
If people had the foresight to try and work out *why* the events of the 11th happened, then maybe we could make some progress. As it is we'll be bombarded with the same old footage of disaster and death followed by Bush claiming that these people are 'evil'.
No doubt people will start port-scanning the few afghan/islamic websites that are around. Maybe while you are waiting you go to Amazon and buy The Plague by Camus. Oh, and switch of CNN.
Invoicing, Time Tracking, Reporting
scraemondaemon writes:
To which an Anonymous Coward responds:
I'm very glad you mentioned this, Mr. Anonymous. There are at least two possible responses to the U.S. government's request for help. One, the "scraemondaemon" response, is to whine about being "demonized" and "criminalized" at the same time bodies are still being dug from the ruble. Another is to act like you care about someone other than yourself, and perhaps even about your country, prove your critics wrong, and volunteer to help prevent a similar, or worse, terrorist attack in the near future.
One inspirational site describes the heroism of then Lieutenant, and future Senator, Daniel K. Inouye.
Other sites concerning the 442d Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion include:
Asian - Pacific Americans & the U.S. Army
National Japanese American Historical Society - 442nd Research Page.
Service Battery.
Silent Warriors - Silent Heroes
Katonk.com
Similarly, one could emulate the hundreds of Muslims, Arabs, Iranians, Afghans, etc. who have responded to the request by the FBI for people who speak Arabic and other Middle Eastern languages ("The phones have just been ringing off the hook"). See also FBI targets Arab-Americans for recruitment; hundreds respond to appeal.
.
Or, as I said, one can whine about perceived slights while others bury their dead.
Only Women Bleed (Sex, Sharia remix)
There were good cops and bad cops, and there still are. That hasn't changed even though the dangers of their profession has become more apparent to us. And, speaking as someone with a law enforcement background, I still feel that we shouldn't be scared into handing over the keys to our freedom. Yeah, a bunch of them died, but I'd say 95% had no clue of the dangers (except for some firefighters who work the building collapse units) that awaited them in that death trap. Yeah they risk their lives every day but they get paid pretty well to do it (after top pay over 60+/ per annum with great benefits) and, in the case of firefighters, get all the tang they can drink (I'm on the firefighter list myself and should be going in in a few months - maybe sooner now). So for the same reason we shouldn't profile all arabs as terrorists, we shouldn't paint all cops with the martyr brush. Many are good men and women, but just as many as before still have lubed up broomsticks. The heroism of some of them still does not give them the right to harrass you and your friends.
In the grand tradition of governments and hackers as usual. They do everything they can to criminalize us and demonize us, and now they want our help. Will they reward us the same way the British government rewarded Alan Turing, by "treating" his homosexuality "disease?"
If you're a hacker, my suggestion to you is that you don't just help out of the goodness of your heart. Fair is fair: Demand just compensation, in the form of pro-hacker legislation and ditching the DMCA and the laws that are currently on the table. If they want hacker help, they're going to have to change the laws to be more hacker friendly.
It's that simple, folks. If they don't support you, you don't support them. If the USA really wants hackers to help them, the first thing the USA can do is to help the hackers.
Besides, it takes 3 years to train a soldier to do his (or her) job well.
The key word in that phrase is well. If you want to tell me that PFC Jack Hoff is an experienced fighting man, then I'll ask YOU to sit in a foxhole with him. Mind you, I'm not slamming Marines. The same hold true for all of the services. Flight training alone does not make an ace fighter pilot. It takes actual experience. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about.
Anyone can look up the length of training for any MOS (or Rating, if you're in the Navy). Some of them are 9 months (Navy Fire Controlman, for example, my rating). Go to any Staff Seargent or Master Chief and ask him if he (or she) thinks that someone straight out of boot camp and an occupational school is actually experienced. I can tell you right now that they will probably wet themselves laughing. That's where the term "Boot" came from to decribe an inexperienced soldier/sailor/airman.
And, as a former Marine, I would state that any "talented computer hacker" who knows nothing about the actual operations of the military would be better off catching bullets than writing bugs.
Now I think I know why you're a former Marine. How long were you in? What was your MOS? I'd bet (and I'm not flaming here, I want to know) that you probably didn't make it past E-4. I say this because any Marine over E-4 that has had actual combat experience and has lost brothers in the fighting knows that a warm body catching bullets doesn't do a DAMN thing except hose the operation and make people sad. Frankly, that's why Squids call green Marines "Bullet Sponges." Lesson #1 in combat: The first casualty of combat is the battle plan.
Obligatory Navy-Marine joke: Why are bananas and Marines alike? They both die on the beach in bunches.. (Rimshot)
The Dopester
"Yes, I'm a Karma Whore, but I'm doing it to pay my way through school."
America this, America that. Isn't this the same Uncle Sam that creates messes like the DMCA and SSSCA? Isn't this the same Uncle Sam that's trying to keep us all from using GPG and copy files? And now this Uncle Sam comes crawling back to us hackers and ask for us to help him?
Go ahead and mod me down, but it has to be said. Uncle Sam is not the entity to be helping. He's become old, senile, and tyrannical. If it we up to him, all hackers would be in jail! So instead he's giving us a choice: work for me or get labeled a terrorist. I think not. I don't know about other Slashdot readers, but I've about had it with these shenanigans.
I don't care if Uncle Sam wants to hunt me down, but I'm keeping my 31337 5k1Llz to myself. If I get drafted I'll move to Canada or get a sex change. (Why is it that only males are drafted?)
Anyway, I'm pissed. Uncle Sam can shove it where the sun don't shine.
Join the Slashcott! Stay away entirely Feb 10 thru Feb 17! Close all tabs to prevent autorefresh!
Subject line says it all.
sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
As a resident of Brooklyn I can sympathize with your statement to a point. However, just because the police did a good job with this current tragedy does not mean that all their other behavior is acceptable. We still need to keep a close eye on those that are protecting us, as they have proven themselves in the past to be not responsible enough for us to ignore.
I caution you to avoid the urge to let things slide that should not. The police department may have acted well in this situation (and I assume they have), however very few residents will deny that their past abuses make them a completely trustworthy agency.
I urge you not to ignore the facts in the name of patritoism
Sieg fuckin' heil! This guy's goose is in step with the rest of the troops.
About 24 hours ago I might have agreed with you. But now, I do not.
Last night I was walking through a park in Manhattan at 11 pm. I do this a lot, it clears my head. I saw an NYPD patrol car cruising through the park. Rather than run away or hide from them, I continued on my path as they approached. What did I have to hide?
They asked me to approach the car, I did. They explained to me that the park closed at 10 and that I was not supposed to be there. They asked for id, which I gave them. Then they explained to me that I would need to appear in court in about a month. I have to go to court because I was walking through a park, no reason more.
What will happen in court? I have no idea. The police claimed that I will probably just be told not to walk through the park anymore. If I don't go? A warrant for my arrest...for not appearing in court on charges for "Failure to Comply With Sign."
Yes, some members of the NYPD have done heroic things. However, there are at least two of them that have nothing better to do than to treat a harmless citizen as though a criminal.
This doesn't necessarily apply to my experience but I can understand that we need to tight up security in light of recent events. However, we are running the risk of a new era of McCarthyism, where we create criminals out of those who simply step out of line.
I did not meet two heros in a patrol car last night.
Know what I like about atheists? I've yet to meet one that believes God is on their side.
They had a few persistent spammers too, that they didn't want to terminate. Spammers were good for their business. Then, a stupid admin there managed to tell a nanaeity "Fuck off, you shouldn't tell me what spam is!", but fortunately, they realize soon thereafter that being RBLed was even worse for business. :-)
Well, I wouldn't want to do business with these guys, that's for sure...
Employee of Inrupt, Project Release Manager and Community Manager for Solid
Anyone noticed any similarities to the word "terrorist"'s use today when compared with the word "communist" about 20 years ago?
You fool! You've given cheese to a lactose intolerant volcano god! Do you know what that means?