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Bahrain Activists Battered By IP Tracking Attacks

Posted by timothy on from the couldn't-happen-here dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Having been targeted by malware in the past, anti-government protesters in Bahrain are now being hit hard by IP tracking attacks, according to a researcher. Bill Marczak, of Bahrain Watch and Citizen Lab, who is putting together a report on the attacks, said it appeared Bahrain officials had been masquerading as fake activists, sending obfuscated URLs to targets to learn their IP address. The next step is to take the IP address and the time of the click to the relevant ISP to find out who the user is. Then all sorts of things can happen. 'People who have clicked on these links have suffered various types of consequences ranging from having their houses raided and being charged for saying insulting things about the king on Twitter, or losing their jobs,' says Marczak. 'It looks like, from our investigation so far, in one case, the government did lock up the wrong person.'"

15 of 48 comments (clear)

  1. These protestors are ignored by the West by compucomp2 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    because the Bahrain government is sponsored by Saudi Arabia, and the USA has a big military base there. Consistently these protests have been ignored, or if covered, the Western media has put a pro government slant, especially on the Saudi Arabia aided crackdown awhile back. Western hypocrisy on full display, just like in a sports match it's just fine if your team does it while it's the embodiment of evil if the other team does it (see Libya, Syria).

    1. Re:These protestors are ignored by the West by LordLimecat · · Score: 2

      Doesnt the US get massively criticized as being an imperialistic, oil-interested monster every time we intervene overseas?

    2. Re:These protestors are ignored by the West by fredprado · · Score: 2

      Exactly. Bad as they may be, they are far better without US intervention. See all those countries US "helped" to free from tyranny in the last decades for reference.

  2. Scary because it's so effective by MalleusEBHC · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If you're going to be a repressive tyrant, at least do it right. While the false positive rate on true dissidents probably limits the effectiveness to some degree, the much more chilling effect is to make people afraid to read any anti-regime news. That's probably much more valuable to them in the long run than nabbing a few people they consider troublesome.

    1. Re:Scary because it's so effective by intermodal · · Score: 4, Interesting

      These actions are never about the dissidents they find. It's always about making an example of someone. It doesn't even have to be a real person, as long as the coverage is public enough and people believe it.

      --
      In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
  3. Tor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is what Tor is for. Use it.

  4. add it to the list by slashmydots · · Score: 2

    So now, since I'm from the US, I'm up to:
    The Thailand royal party sucks
    The queen of England sucks
    The king of Bahrain sucks
    Are there any I missed insulting where it's legal in the US but illegal in their own country?
    Anyway, anyone with a brain should be using TOR. They can track that all the way to a known exit node and that's it. Most smaller countries like this can't block every known TOR exit node either. Even China has problems blocking every single one.

    1. Re:add it to the list by sconeu · · Score: 3, Informative

      Russia. Putin. See the story from earlier today.

      --
      General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
    2. Re:add it to the list by Sarten-X · · Score: 2

      No matter what country you're from or what your political ideals are, it is never okay to "not support the troops".

      The troops are people who have put themselves in harm's way to fight for their ideals. That is a commendable quality, regardless of what those ideals are. You are, however, perfectly free to oppose those ideals and promote your own. You are perfectly free to vote for pacifist politicians and to openly protest wars, but do not confuse the war with the people fighting in it.

      --
      You do not have a moral or legal right to do absolutely anything you want.
    3. Re:add it to the list by DarkOx · · Score: 2

      No matter what country you're from or what your political ideals are, it is never okay to "not support the troops".

      The troops are people who have put themselves in harm's way to fight for their ideals.

      Maybe they put themselves in harms way for their ideals, or maybe they did it for a steady pay check, and to get the training needed to go after one of those often very lucrative private security/logistics jobs at an entity like Blackwater ( or whatever its calling itself now).

      I am not suggesting that I am ungrateful to those who have served in our military. I am not suggesting most of them are Patriots, or that the vast majority of their hearts are in anything inconsistent with serving our nation, and defending their families and fellow citizens. I would remind you though that very few peoples motives are entirely pure, and in any barrel large enough you will find a bad apple or two.

      --
      Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
  5. Bullshit by Cornwallis · · Score: 2

    "...in one case, the government did lock up the wrong person."

    The fact they lock up anyone for speaking their mind makes that an oxymoron.

  6. The hypocrisy of US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The Monarchy of Bahrain, has again and again, committed crimes against the civil population. Unlike other Arab nations, little or nothing is said in corporate media or by the US Gov. officials, simply because the Bahrain monarchy is an "ally" that allows an US military base in their soil.

    The last time a movement not too different to the Egyptians and Tunisians (plaza included); was dealt by bringing Saudi (foreign) military troops against the population. That monarchy further proceeded to demolish the place and built a road on it, so that the symbol was never more.

    "America", of course, turns a blind eye...

    1. Re:The hypocrisy of US by hduff · · Score: 2

      The Monarchy of Bahrain, has again and again, committed crimes against the civil population. Unlike other Arab nations, little or nothing is said in corporate media or by the US Gov. officials, simply because the Bahrain monarchy is an "ally" that allows an US military base in their soil.

      I suspect that there's very little pressure from the US government to not print these stories, it's just that the editorial board does not find it relevant or interesting to the targeted demographic of the media's advertisers.

      It's simply that news coverage of the death or oppression of thousands of non-US citizens does not boost circulation nor sell cars or burgers.

      Sad but true.

      --
      "I believe in Karma. That means I can do bad things to people all day long and I assume they deserve it." : Dogbert
  7. for the record, this is a wetware problem. by nimbius · · Score: 2
    From Foreign Policy Magazine:

    Shortly before the Arab Spring, Hillary Clinton praised Bahrain for embarking upon a "democratic path." Obama has since called on Bahrain's rulers to implement reforms, but he's held back from speaking out as forcefully against the crackdown as he did with countries like Libya and Syria. The Obama administration is currently delaying a $53 million arms sale to Bahrain until an "independent" Bahraini panel issues a report on alleged human rights abuses during the uprising.

    Why is it we're not leaping to defend the uprisers? The U.S. Navy enjoys having its Fifth Fleet stationed in Bahrain. Bahrain lives adjacent to the persian gulf, which is incidentally pissing distance from our latest boogeyman Iran. Why no arms deal? its not because we give a shit so much as to ensure we can guarantee their military wont stage a coup in the name of the people and oust our convenient dictator...because thats a thing that sometimes happens when people dont like you sticking your dick in their regional politics.

    and if you're concerned this is an obama "thing," crack open your history books and turn to the carter doctrine. Jimmy basically guaranteed we have to spend the rest of our miserable existence stirring a kettle of kalashnikovs for cheap oil.

    --
    Good people go to bed earlier.
  8. We owe a solution to Bahrain Activists by colordev · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't know about your priorities, but "we the programmers" are important partners for those resisting true tyrannies. Thus, pursue making your programs compatible as tools of revolution - not something that will get freedom fighters and their friends thrown into jails.

    Consider communicating to the internet using HTTPS, TOR or something similar. Have cell-phone pictures (atleast those from the worst totalitarian countries) by default stripped off their GPS-data and other identification data. Embrace anonymity by default. And if possible make all your communication and messaging software end- to-end encrypted. And finally help the revolunaries getting rid of incriminating evidence from the hard disks, USB sticks; for example by overwriting data not just by removing filenames.

    Those who trust their lives, and the lives of their loved ones, upon your software do appreciate you going that extra mile.