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. *==============================================================* "Communications without intelligence is noise; Intelligence without communications is irrelevant." Gen Alfred. M. Gray, USMC ---------------------------------------------------------------- C4I.org - Computer Security, & Intelligence - http://www.c4i.org ================================================================ Help C4I.org with a donation: http://www.c4i.org/contribute.html *==============================================================* _________________________________________ ISN mailing list Sponsored by: OSVDB.org - For 15 cents a day, you could help feed an InfoSec junkie! (Broke? Spend 15 minutes a day on the project!)
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