Defacetros

[benny!]

Hi all,

Note

First, I want to point out that I do not want to motivate any
illegal activities with this thread - and I am not involved in any
illegal activities either.



Preface

This thread was inspired by the discussion going on in the following
thread :

http://dbfinteractive.com/index.php?topic=2168.0

Since this discussion I really start thinking about the spirit and
the underground feeling which cracktros give. Furthermore, I realized
that cracktros in their common sense doesnt make sense anymore. I still
love them and like the new cracktros which appear without any doubt.

Nevertheless. To put it short : Cracktros was invented because someone
removed a copy protection which is an illegal deed. And now became
something like an own art movement ( with different variations like
64kb, Intros, Megademos and so on ... ).

Now I questioned myself - are there similar movements (even illegal ones)
out of which something positive and creative can evolve ?

Then the Website Defacement Groups came to my mind.



Website Defacement

If you never heard about Defacement, have a look what wikipedia writes :

A website defacement is when a Defacer breaks into a web server and
alters the hosted website or creates one of his own.

A message is often left on the webpage stating his or her pseudonym and
the output from "uname -a" and the "id" command along with "shout outs"
to his or her friends. Sometimes the Defacer makes fun of the system
administrator for failing to maintain server security. Most times the
defacement is harmless, however, it can sometimes be used as a distraction
to cover up more sinister actions such as uploading malware.

( See : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Website_defacement)

I know that amongst Hacker Website defacement is a controversial topic.
And causing vandalism is something I really refuse! On the other hand if
you do not destroy something and just leave a message behind there is
actually a good part in showing system vulnerabilites for free ...

But again - I guess everyone has another view on this topic...

So let's move on ....



Parallels to Cracking Scene

After I start thinking about it - I realized some parallels to the cracking
scene.


- The act of website defacement is illegal - like the removal of a
copy protection

- Ppl form into hacker groups using handles/groupnames

- People show their groupname on the defaced page to get credit and getting
a reputation in the defacement scene ( similar to the cracker groups... )

- They also put greetings to other groups in the scene on the defaced page

- Defacing a website needs technical skills. Of course - there are also
script kiddies who defaces small private pages - but with those defacements
they do not get a good reputation.


If you want to see how this looks like you can have a look at the following
page :

http://attrition.org/mirror/attrition/

In most cases a defacement message is just some simple html text. If you
remember the old quartex cracks also contains just some starting text.



How can this evolve into some legal art movement

Actually the art what I have in mind already exists but with no illeagal
background. But I wonder when those defacement groups start putting some
multimedia online message on defaced websites showing their group logo,
greetings and stuff ...

So, the multimedia message could be something like the remakes of cracktros
available on http://www.flashtro.com/.

This would imply that more and more ppl start to write flashtros with better
and better fx. A good flashtro impresses more ppl and you may get a better re-
putation.

And then the art of flashtros become more popular and we have a nice new
legal art movement of flashtros ...


Open Discussion

Ok. This is just what I had in mind thinking about other digital underground
movements which might combine illegal acitivities with creative computer art.
Of course it is not the same as the cracktro scene - but I really would like
to hear what you think about this topic.

Do you think in 10 years there is a new category next to 64kb, Demos and so
on called Defacetros

[slinks]

Interesting post Benny. Although I was familiar with the concept of defacement and the group-orientated side of it, I had no idea it was such a big movment till I saw that attrition link you posted. It's a thought-provoking parallel to compare it to cracktros, I can see the resemblance. Whether they have what it takes to make it into a legitimate artform, however, is another question. Be nice to see though.

[taj]

I agree with slinks what you say is interesting and thought provoking.

Somehow it feels wrong to me. If you crack my software and issue it, you dont crack *all* copies of my software which are still for sale in shops, on web sites etc. I think the problem is that most businesses have one website. So if you deface/disable my website, you cut off or damage directly a serious portion of my revenue. Example might be an on-line bed and breakfast booking system. It may indeed have no real product (as in this example) and depend in a large way in the sales generated in this manner.

I suppose I'm trying to say I instinctively feel that defacement done in the wrong (disablement?) way is much more damaging to individual businesses than cracking. Even if the website isn't disabled, if you place Manga pictures of sex in your defacement (there are examples on that website), chances are many punters will just move through, disgusted.

This doesn't invalidate your comparison but I think there is a subtle but important difference that could mean your conclusion is invalid.

Chris

[benny!]

@Chris:
Totally agree with you here. Defacing a website can have enormous consequence
for the defaced company. Imagine a defaced website of a private (smaller) bank.
If the defacement gets popular (stays online some days) this bank can get bankrupt
because of this defacement. If in this case the defacement e.g. says - Group XYZ
hacks this system and now we own all your private banking informations I guess
all customers of that bank cancel their accounts immediately.

Same is like getting a bad reputation because of mangas or other porn stuff. If you
imagine how much money companies spent for advertising and stuff to get a good
image / reputation - such defacement attacks can have hard consequences for that
company.

I am totally aware of that and I really forbear from such things and as I said - I do
not have to do anything with defacements and do not want to put website de-
facing into a positiv light here.

Just thought of some paralells this movement has - and if we like it or not - maybe
some defacement groups put a little flashtro on the defaced website ... and because
of this more and more ppl start to write flashtros ... and not only for the reason to
put it on a defaced page - just for the art of flashtros itself!

[Yaloopy]

http://attrition.org/mirror/attrition/

In most cases a defacement message is just some simple html text. If you
remember the old quartex cracks also contains just some starting text.

Like this?
http://attrition.org/mirror/attrition/2001/05/13/www.home.idsc.gov.eg/

Fuck You to : Egyptian Education and all bloody israelian jews

Or these?
http://attrition.org/mirror/attrition/2001/05/11/www.pakistanebooks.com/

Aghori Tantriks have Eaten this holy Paki Pig & left the dead body for Pakis to cry for .....(Bu hahaha)

Pissed .. huh!!. if you dont want this thing to happen again then here are our demand

Send us daily a virgin paki girl(pussy)...Must be tight.. fresh & juicy...

http://attrition.org/mirror/attrition/2001/05/10/www.yasuda-u.ac.jp/

In My Eyes,

Every Jananese seems to be pig.

Let's our pigs fuck japanese.

Let's our country own Japan.

etc.

[benny!]

@Yaloopy:
These are really xenophobic messages there - and I did mean to compare
those messages to quartex. It was more refered to the fact - that quartex
just showed up normal ASCII text instead of using an intro in the early years.

Those message you showed are of course not what I talked about or
had in mind when I spoke about defacetros. Just to put that clear.

[Ghost^BHT]

I think this topic is interesting as discussiion. I think there is no comparision to cracker groups and defacers.  If this site was hacked and defaced i think this topic would have never been brought up. So cracker groups and defacers have not a damn thing in common.

[Shockwave]

This site has been hacked, twice.

First time was several months ago when somebody fucked with the score tables in the arcade and completlely erased my high scores... Only my scores were affected.

Then something else happened much more recently with somebody gaining access to somebodies work without permission and I am talking in the last 24 hours. This person will be kicked off from here as soon as I can ascertain exactly what happened.

Anyway, the discussion is really valid. I can see the comparison between website defacers and cracktros.

Both are illegal activities and cracktros started off as a simple bit of text to say who deprotected the game.

Most of these website defacers just put some very simple text on the site.

It'd be good if these messages were to get more interesting as time goes by as the hackers show off thier programming abilities.
I hate the idea of hacking a website but every cloud does have a silver lining.

[benny!]

Thanks for all your opinions so far ...

But again. This thread was not meant to be a pro argument for website defacement.
And also - it is not a pro argument for removing copyright protections from software.

It is just an idea that draws parallels between two illegal underground movements.
Of one underground movement - a really creative digital art movement evolved -
the demoscene. Maybe something like this could happen with the defacement
scene - with a new wave a cool and interesting to watch flashtros.