A hacker named “code cracker” from the Hacker Group “Pakistan Cyber Army” has hacked more than 400 hundred sub domains, which belong to Chinese Government. The total number of sites hacked amounted to 437; a list of the sites was posted on information-sharing site-PasteBin. The hacker most probably managed to breach the main website of Xuchang City People Procuratorate. All other defaced sites are sub domains.
The hacker managed to post their signature defacement image on the hacked website of Xuchang City People’s Procuratorate, before moving on to several of the sub domains.
Indonesian hackers also breached the same website in September, 2010. The website faced similar attacks on November 29th. The Chinese Government has taken down the sites and its sub domains which were hacked.
Executives from McAfee warned in an interview with ZDNet Asia that Governments in the Asia Pacific region should expect an increasing number of attacks. It seems people are using hacking as an effective mode to raise their voice in the region where there are new IT rules evolving and where freedom of speech is not extensive. The ‘Hacktivism’ has become the weapon for Asia Pacific online users to raise their disagreement, whatever the cause.
Earlier this week, 17 Web sites under The People’s Assocation, a Singaporean government entity that promotes racial and social cohesion in the country, were also hacked and defaced by hackers. In September, Japan’s National Police Association found the country’s Web sites had been hit by cyberattacks, reportedly from China, as both countries’ quarreled over the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea.
Another reason for the rise in hacktivist activities in the region, is because Asia is a fast-growing economic market and rapidly transforming into an IT hub, with a lot of data infrastructure being built here, said Michael Sentonas, Asia-Pacific vice president and CTO of McAfee.
“Such hacktivist attacks will continue if hacker groups ‘sympathize’ with citizens who are unhappy with the evolving policies by Asia-Pacific governments,” said Michael Sentonas.
Wahab Yusoff- South Asia Vice President of McAfee, said earlier that people of the Asia Pacific region are more sensitive and less expressive in voicing their opinions, which is not the case with their Western counterparts, who are more vocal and have greater freedom of speech. Data protection laws are controversial, as the citizens argue that it results in their loss of freedom of Information and diverge from the revised legislation.
