Kashmir conflict continues to escalate -- online By D. Ian Hopper

CNN Interactive Technology Editor

March 20, 2000 Web posted at: 8:15 p.m. EST (0115 GMT)

(CNN) -- A group of Pakistani hackers has used the conflict in Kashmir as a reason to deface almost 600 Web sites in India and take control of several Indian government and private computer systems, according to the group.

A computer security Web site -- attrition.org -- has records of the defacements claimed by the Muslim Online Syndicate.

The M0S, which a member says consists of mostly Pakistani Muslims, is made up of self-proclaimed "hacktivists," those who commit computer crimes -- ranging from simple defacement to full-scale intrusions to denial of service attacks -- in order to bring attention to a social cause.

The group has nine active members, according to a representative who spoke on behalf of the group on condition of anonymity. They range from 16 to 24 years old, the representative said. Several of them are students or computer professionals, and one is a medical student, the representative added.

Unlike the majority of Web vandals, the MOS members say they secretly take control of a server, then deface the site only when they "have no more use" for the data or the server itself.

"The servers we control range from harmless mail and Web services to 'heavy duty' government servers," says the MOS representative. "The data is only being categorically archived for later use if deemed necessary."

The group says it's not interested in e-commerce sites or credit card information.

Most of the group's defacements came in one fell swoop, when they broke into India's largest Internet service provider, IndiaLinks. While there, they defaced more than 500 sites hosted by the company, including many travel and company sites, IndiaLinks confirms. IndiaLinks, based in Bombay, hosts more than 6,000 Web sites, according to CEO Bhavin Chandarana.

Chandarana says the group had access to servers co-hosted by Alabanza, an American ISP. He says the group had access for about an hour.

The MOS won't be facing any legal problems stemming from its exploits, Chandarana says, because IndiaLinks was not able to get the server logs from Alabanza. Chandarana says his company is in the process of removing their business from the U.S. ISP.

Representatives for Alabanza did not respond to several e-mails and two phone messages requesting comment.

One of the Web sites defaced was that of the Indian Science Congress 2000. The ISC's local organizing secretary, Bhushan Patwardhan, told The Hindu newspaper that the defacement was removed as soon as it was detected.

The MOS has a Web site mirroring its attacks that contains a well-known expletive. Expletives in domain names used to be taboo, but with the deregulation of domain registration, it is no longer forbidden.

"We hope to bring the Kashmir conflict to the world's attention," MOS says. "We wish to see the day when our Muslim brethren will be given the right to choose, as was promised them half a century ago."

India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the last half-century over rival claims for the Himalayan territory of Kashmir. They clashed again last summer when Pakistan-based fighters seized mountain peaks inside India.

Hundreds of militants died before India and Pakistan -- under international and domestic pressure -- withdrew their forces.

Ignoring world pressure, India and Pakistan both tested nuclear devices in 1998, dramatically escalating tensions.

The stated goal of the MOS -- social action through hacking -- is becoming a more popular one. Hacktivists attacked the World Trade Organization Web site during their Seattle conference last year, and a mailing list helps concerned activists discuss strategy, targets and coordinate attacks. Rather than simply defacing sites, denial of service attacks have become the weapon of choice.

Alex Fowler, Strategic Initiatives Director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, predicted this escalation in October 1999 in an interview with CNN Interactive.

"We will see very serious attacks. Information stealing could have very long-term consequences for consumers," Fowler said.

http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/03/20/pakistani.hackers/index.html

-- Jen Bunker (jen@bunkergroup.com), March 20, 2000