Anonymous fights for rights of China

Anonymous hackers are decentralized group of individuals. They are engaged in political issues and aim to protect access to information, freedom of speech, and transparency. Hacking the Web sites in China was not their first operation, in the contrary they are involved in few of the most high-profile cyber attacks on the Web. They were supporting anti-corruption movements in Zimbabwe and India as well as providing secure platforms for Iranian citizens to criticize their government and protest against the SOPA.

Last Thursday on 5th of April, International hacking group Anonymous brought down 485 Chinese Web sites including several government and other general pages. Hackers have announced via an Anonymous Chinese account on Pastebin the list of sites that have been hacked. Some of the Web sites listed by the Anonymous were working normally, but there were also cases when some of Web sites were attaced second time aftre they were brought back online.

Anonymous have also revealed on separate Pastebin the administrator accounts, 548 phone numbers and 860 e-mail addresses which were stolen from two Chinese websites, most likely to belong to Chinese officials. However the aim of this operation was not to publish any data but to protest against the Internet censorship and surveillance of Chinese community. 

Internet censorship in the People's Republic of China is also known as the “Great Firewall of China” which belongs to one of the most vast and sophisticated system of web contents monitoring. It is fully controlled by the government, it means that the executive authorities can block website contents and monitor the Internet access of individuals. Obviously the information that are the most often banned concern with the politically controversial issues, that can cause harm to the state, however even the acces to social media such as facebook and twitter is prohibited. Moreover breaking the rules of the Internet use can be punished alike by death penalty.

Anonymous hackers have decided to start the war with Chinese governement on these issues. They claim that its aims were to protest Internet censorship laws throughout the country. One of the anonymous commented on the Pastebin Web site: 

“In the defacings and leaks on this day, we demonstrate our revolt against the Chinese system. It has to stop! We aren’t asking you for nothing, just sayin’ protest, revolt, be the free person you always wanted to be!”

On the hacked Web sites hackers left messages expressing their anger with the Chinese government for restrictions placed on the Internet. They wrote messages like for instance: 

“Dear Chinese government, you are not infallible, today websites are hacked, tomorrow it will be your vile regime that will fall," as well as “"What you are doing today to your Great People, tomorrow will be inflicted to you. With no mercy.” or “Chinese People, your government controls the Internet in your country and strives to filter what it considers a threat for it. Be careful. Use VPN for your own security. Or Tor.”

They emphasised that Chinese government subjected their citizens to unfair laws and that people should fight for their rights and democracy. They call people to join them and encourage to organize demostrations against the regime in China. On the Web sites they put on the instructions on how to circumvent the China's restrictions on Internet access, notwithstanding a lot of the advices were in English that is why it is not sure how this tips were helpful.

In the beginning, the government officials denied that the sites were ever hacked and tried to make the society believe that even when China’s National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team would not comment on the situation.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs argued that: “First of all, China’s Internet is open to all, users enjoy total freedom online. China has gained 500 million netizens and 300 million bloggers in a very short period of time, which shows the attraction and openness of China’s Internet. Secondly, the Chinese government manages the Internet according to law and regulations. Thirdly, certain reports prove again that China is a victim of internet hacker attacks.” Unusually later on the Chinese government acknowledge the attacks and Anonymous responded that:

“"It will keep going. The targets are selected”

Anonymous can be considered as heroes. They fight for human rights, support people that are not able to defend their independency and publicize current important issues. But is it the right way to solve these issues by using the same cheap tricks and trespassing against the law?