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Interview with key LulzSec hacker
- veb 15y agoHe sounds like a politician...
- asdkl234890 15y agoBecause he wants to curtail everyone's freedoms to save the children?
- canistr 15y agoThe interviewer should have asked what he thought of Stuxnet. I am very curious to hear what these 'hacktivists' think of white hats in the military and how they will try to weasel their way around an answer that justifies such military action.
- Tangaroa 15y agoSabu has already called private-sector white hats "terrorists" when he launched AntiSec, so military white hats don't have much of a chance of gaining his approval. He seems to be the empty rebel with an appeal for the rhetoric of early 20th-century anarchists and mid-century Leninists but no coherent ideology to back it up. His political motivation is all about "fighting the power" as the old phrase goes. I doubt he considers the US military as being capable of doing good, since it exists to protect the wealthy and their interests. He would see Stuxnet as an act of oppression against the freedom of the people of Iran. If Iran had developed the same virus to sabotage a US nuke plant used for building weapons, he would be for it.
- rpearl 15y agoAccording to a variety of sources, including http://th3j35t3r.wordpress.com/2011/06/25/lulzsecs-cloudflare-configuration/ http://th3j35t3r.wordpress.com/2011/06/25/lulzsecs-cloudflar... and http://backtracesecurity.com/page2 http://backtracesecurity.com/page2 Sabu is Hector Monsegur. He lives in New York. He owns the domain prvt.org. This is the whois before he remembered to anonymize it: http://pastebin.com/Atf3V2u9 http://pastebin.com/Atf3V2u9
- rufibarbatus 15y agoWhat you just did, in my country, is a rather serious fellony, and I'm struggling to see your point. (EDIT: though I'm still struggling to see the point of the parent comment, the above was in response to a slightly different phrasing that might've gotten the worst of me. At any rate, I don't wish to persue this dicussion any further.)
- rpearl 15y agoIn what country is what I did a felony? I didn't uncover the documentation myself, I just gave you a link. His anonymity is meaningless. Actions are performed by people; there is no way to hide effectively forever. He is trying to not be caught when committing crimes. So, my comment was to help publicize the information the criminal doesn't want to be found.
- rufibarbatus 15y agoBrazil. Without trial or hard evidence, you're not supposed to associate people of being that criminal persona. That'd be vexatious litigation and libel (or slander, or defamation — English is not my first language, I'm not sure which word is the appropriate one here). But don't read it like me pointing at you and saying "in Brazil you'd get your arse fined for that!" Read it as: I was taught to believe that what you just did is very serious and so I'm trying to see the relevance of your comment. If you think you have hard evidence that you know who commited a fellony, go tip the police. I wouldn't in good faith want to attach that much stigma to someone's name in a public forum when there's a risk, a real chance I might be wrong.
- AndrewMoffat 15y agoI'm kind of shocked at the lack of over-inflated ego.
- Shenglong 15y agoThe best line in this entire article: LulzSec's name comes from Lulz, a corruption of LOL, often denoting laughter at the victim of a prank.
- jackfoxy 15y agoThis is an interview about politics. I think it is important to publish, but it demeans science journalism to publish it in this particular venue.
- jackfoxy 15y agoI hope all my down-voters understood the venue I referred to was New Scientist, not HN.
- taa4321 15y agoWhat a true but sad statement of the state of HN. Censorship and echo chambers of the webapp set.
- Peroni 15y agoNew Scientist has a thriving and coherent Tech element. Sabu's motivations may be heavily political but the purpose of the interview is to provide a direct insight into one of the key members of LulSec and help people understand that their motivations aren't exclusively 'for the lulz'. Regardless of Sabu's motivation, I am confident that a huge percentage of New Scientist readers will find the article fascinating and thought provoking as I certainly did. I gave a lot more credence to the article having read it on New Scientist as opposed to what my opinion may be if the same interview was published on Cracked or Fox News.
- ChuckMcM 15y agoI was more impressed with Khalid who went to Egypt and faced the bullets. Breaking into web sites, exposing passwords, is like 'pirate radio' in that its relatively low risk for the participants. I appreciate that you can't believe Sony or someone who says "we'll keep your data safe" but I have to believe there are better ways to get that information out without all the collateral damage. I continue to hope that folks find a way to elevate the discussion without the theatrics.
- insickness 15y agoTank man in Tianamen Square changed the world forever. But it wasn't the action itself that changed things but what he inspired in others. The biggest threat to our world today isn't any single dictatorship or government. It is the corrupt intertwining of financial and political power. When corruption is revealed it inspires action in others. This is the new frontier of activism. Physical protest is action on the ground that can only accomplish so much without the air support of information warfare.
- yaix 15y agoHow did Tank Man change the world forever?? Here in China, hardly anybody has ever seen the picture or heard of him. Unfortunately, he seems to be just a good campaigning picture in the West.
- petewailes 15y agoHe changed how the West perceived China forever. He might not have changed things in China itself, but that picture has helped influence foreign policy ever since. It raised the profile of human rights abuses in China, along with the whole Tiananmen Square incident, which has been on the agenda of every Western government since.
- yaix 15y agoYes, as I say, the photo is great for campaigning. Only a few years later, half a million people was massacred with knifes(!) in Rhuanda, and nobody in the West really cared. So, the photo didn't really change anything. Its just good to lobby against China. And talking about the "Tiananmen Masacre", only 20 years before that, the same thing happened in Mexico, and the West had no problem celebrating the Olympic Games a week(!) later, only 1 Kilometer(!) away from the place of the crime. The Mexican Gov't of the time used Snipers instead of tanks, though. Look up "Massacre of Tlatelolco". Ironically, human rights abuses at that time where actually declining, having seen a peak towards the end of the Mao regime.
- nhangen 15y agoThis feels more like a PR piece than an interview.
- joelmichael 15y agoWhat questions would you have asked?
- gdcbyers 15y agoHow does breaking into private systems and releasing customers personal information expose abuse and corruption or promote human rights? Does Sony commit human rights atrocities I am not aware of? The exposed poor security in select system, perhaps. Does that amount to abuse, corruption or human rights violations? Hardly, irresponsibility at worst.
- antihero 15y agoI think that the point is, because they did it, someone else could - they released the info so people could change their passwords, as opposed to using that information for nefarious purposes. It's quite common for companies as large as Sony to simply ignore things like this until they become a problem. So they're making it a problem, but one that is transparent.
- gdcbyers 15y ago"they released the info so people could change their passwords" They didn't need to release it for people to change their passwords. Wouldn't proving they compromised the database have be enough? Why does releasing innocent people's information constitute some kind of act of heroism? They did use it for nefarious purposes. They used it for their own personal gain (media/hype/pleasure/whatever). Don't be fooled into thinking they some how did this with your best interest at heart. Not having your info released was what was in your best interest. They are no more transparent about their operations then Sony is. I find it hard to take people who preach about transparency well wearing the mask of anonymity seriously. To hold these kids up as an example of "social justice" or some kind of "social movement" or even "security movement" is ludicrous. They are criminals. The only direct benefit of their actions was their own recognition, something the community seemed all too willing to give them. You really think Sony is now going to be more open about their security practices? Dream on space cadet.
- eLobato 15y agoSorry but where has Sabu confirmed that this was an actual interview?
- trb 15y agoI wonder how Antisec or LulzSec are supposed to bring about change. The interviewee talks about educating and changing people to fight corruption and abuse, but I'm not sure that is happening. For example, look at his involvement in the Tunisian revolution. He talked about disrupting the Tunesian government by defacing the prime ministers website. Did that actually help the Tunisians? I'm under the impression that the hard work got done by the protesters on the street, triggered by Mohamed Bouazizi when he burned himself. I think it's not that different in democratic countries. Change comes about when enough people demand it and put pressure on their representatives. People have to be motivated to work together in large groups, since three letters demanding the same thing won't impress anyone, but a few thousand might. The work of lobbyists has to be countered, corruption has to be documented and brought to court, where hard evidence is a necessity. It takes lot of very demanding, hard work, without any direct gratification for a long time. LulzSec/Antisec/Anonymous do nothing to help with that work. Instead, I fear that their actions will be used by politicians like Sarkozy to effect a policy of stronger internet regulation. In the end, these hacker groups might even do harm.
- JanezStupar 15y agoIt's complicated but I think he's right. What it does is it raises awareness - especially amongst younger crowd that is more interested in vandalism than political activism. In a way this is a gateway into the whole privacy/security/activist culture. It will bring many young people over to the dark side, where they will slowly start learning about events and people participating and sacrificing for joint causes. And many of these young, rebellious people are tomorrows leaders. Who may through sheer vandalism and rebellion, gain their first cause.
- qF 15y agoPersonally I feel that you're being a bit too optimistic. LulzSec was much louder about the fact they did it for the 'lulz' rather than for any noble agenda. Encouraging people to log in to random people's FB account and ruin their relationships serves no purpose. Interestingly enough @Anon_central recently tweeted a qualification about their supporters (which has a great overlap with LulzSec), which to me shows that you're being too optimistic [1]. Especially considering that Anon is supposed to be more ethical compared to LulzSec.. [1] https://twitter.com/#!/Anon_Central/status/87402917006557184 https://twitter.com/#!/Anon_Central/status/87402917006557184
- dools 15y agoWhere does the abject slaying of Distribute IT fit into this heady idealism?
- romland 15y agoThe fact that he claims to be into politics and then goes on to say that the arrest of Julian Assange was absurd speak volumes to me. Assange was arrested due to rape charges and then refused to show up for preliminary hearings. But maybe Sabu's stuck in a filterbubble.
- paradoja 15y agoHe has not been arrested due to rape charges, to begin with, because said charges have not been brought up. That said, had he been arrested, he couldn't have refused to show up for any hearings. I suppose this also speaks volumes to you.
- romland 15y agoMy English is perhaps not 100% when it comes to describing legal matters like this, so I'll just quote Wikipedia to clarify what I was trying to say. From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Assange http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Assange : On 20 August 2010, Swedish police began an investigation into two sexual encounters involving Assange. Assange has said allegations of wrongdoing are "without basis", describing all the sexual encounters as consensual. In December 2010, Assange, then in Britain, learned that the Swedish authorities had issued a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) to extradite him to Sweden for questioning. Assange appealed the EAW, and a District Judge (Magistrate's Court) in England ruled that Assange should be extradited. Assange has appealed the extradition decision. There is even more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Judicial_Authority_v_Julian_Assange http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Judicial_Authority_v_Ju... Conspiracy theories are fun and all that, but...
- losethos 15y agoGod says, "sober unhesitatingly important jeer expounding standeth Archive token disperseth quarrel men hereby objections redeemed hark seats Willeth petulantly hinder artifice potent impart loads Interrupt health's skins foresaw Priest pliant Gervasius miserable superfluously skies ruinous soever best It conversion fee solstices angel stir discipline Drunkenness abide want doubts pictures profits led immortality given disembowelled ancient utterly involved Although wantonness heaven convict projected has turbulent herself novice gate history slumbers slavish ninety blameworthy piercing savour dear durst embraces obey wrought GRATIAS thought salt inclined meaning returns dug absence abolished sipped Manichees infused stature sipped unalterable flagon WHAT continently consequential Most greet rottenness reposes likely matters incomplete Meanwhile thankful thrown prosperity persecuted brightness Kentucky ascend allay Refund opened' altogether arrogant endeared labour disputed ."
- mrmadden 15y agoI know this guy's identity 100% To tell or not to tell?
- kahawe 15y ago> "Disrupt the government of Tunisia," they said, and we did. We infiltrated the prime minister's site and defaced it externally. This is about as "disruptive" as smearing "penis" on a Tunisian government building but I love how they sell off their website "hacks" as amazing and courageous acts of human rights. > I mean, we're talking about the potential of crashing stocks or spreading damaging rumours. Well, Assange is way ahead of you with the Bank of America shenanigans...
- count 15y agoWhile things like this don't disrupt the functioning of most of the people in the government, it definitely has a fairly significant impact on the mental state of the senior leadership of many organizations. Having your public website defaced and on the news puts you in the spotlight. It also pushes senior leadership, who generally dont understand what it means, into thinking that actual operational systems could just as easily be destroyed or messed with ("what else could they do"). Don't underestimate the importance and impact of a technical PSYOP against non-technical folks. If nothing else, I bet it provided a 1-2 hour distraction from 'work' for the senior leadership involved.