[ISN] PRC surfers hack into DPP Web site

[William Knowles]

http://www.etaiwannews.com/Taiwan/2004/06/23/1087958173.htm

By Wang Chung-ming 
2004-06-23 
Taiwan News
Staff Reporter

Democratic Progressive Party officials yesterday confirmed that
hackers, believed to have originated in the People's Republic of
China, recently attacked the home page of the party's official Web
site.

On Monday night, the DPP home page was replaced with a picture
described as the "inauguration portrait" of President Chen Shui-bian
(³¯¤ô«ó) and Vice President Annette Lu (§f¨q½¬).

In the picture, the two politicians are frontally nude with Japanese
kimonos draped over their backs. The picture is framed with the
slogans, "Overthrow A-bian" and "Oppose Taiwan Independence."

Another picture posted on the DPP home page portrayed a Chinese
soldier who is taking aim as he prepares to shoot a rifle, with a
caption that reads: "I am proud of being Chinese as well as a brave
Chinese senior soldier."

Paralyzed by this latest wave of hacking, the DPP computer system was
temporarily shut off and no data was thought to have been leaked,
according to the DPP information security department.

DPP Cultural and Information Department Deputy Director Lee Shi-ming
said the party's Web site would be restored today, as DPP headquarters
was closed yesterday for the Dragon Boat Festival.

Chung Chia-bin, DPP deputy secretary-general, added that his party had
notified the National Information and Communication Security Task
Force to ask for help following the hacker attacks.

The Cabinet-level NICST is responsible for monitoring all computer
systems of Taiwan government agencies or major private companies,
especially with an eye to preventing the PRC from engaging in
cyber-warfare exercises.

The People's Liberation Army is believed to be placing great emphasis
on cyberspace attacks that intend paralyze the computer operations of
strategic targets as part of an effort to "decapitate" Taiwan in a
shock attack.

The DPP is among the organizations monitored regularly by NICST, Chung
said, who noted that China's attacks against the party are on the
rise.

"We often detect that DPP Web sites - including those of the central
headquarters and local branches - have been attacked by hackers,"  
Chung said. "But this week has seen a trend where the hacking has been
intensified."

In recent years, PRC hacker threats toward Taiwan have often been
intensive campaigns, launched in retaliation against local political
moves opposed by Beijing.

In May 2003, for example, when activists enthusiastically campaigned
for the rectification of Taiwan's name, a hacker's Web site in China
threatened to hack into the official Web sites of Taiwanese government
agencies for 11 days to retaliate against the country's
pro-independence activities.

Taiwan recently completed a computer-simulated war game and may
coordinate these exercises with the United States and Japan in the
future in an effort to enhance its information technology
capabilities.

But China is now gearing up for large-scale military exercises which
are to take place in June and July on Dongshan Island in southeastern
Fujian Province just 150 nautical miles west of Taiwan's Penghu
Islands, with the goal of the games being to "take control of the
Taiwan Strait." It is believed that cyber warfare will be part of the
exercises.
  


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"Communications without intelligence is noise;  Intelligence
without communications is irrelevant." Gen Alfred. M. Gray, USMC
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