Burma Digs its Own Net Grave
Source : Kevin McLaughlin, Business 2.0
The notoriously strict Burmese government's new "open" approach to the Internet is laden with hidden clauses. As a result, hackers from around the world quickly exploit the country's second-rate infrastructure to make fun of the backward policies.
The word "open" means different things to different people. So when the notoriously strict Burmese military government, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) (named one of the "20 Enemies of the Internet" by Paris-based Reporters Without Borders) says it's "opening" up and allowing citizens to access the Internet, democracy-minded folks start scouring for asterisks and hidden clauses.
On top of the numerous government policies that forbid Burmese citizens from speaking out against the government, the asterisks for that "open" statement are financial. According to an article that appeared in the July 2000 issue of the Burmese-language Living Color Magazine by economic analyst Dr Ko Ko, the state-run Myanmar Posts & Telecom (MPT) dictates that if citizens want to open an Internet account, they must pay a $1080 deposit, plus a limited monthly rate of $65.
Not surprisingly, such a two-faced approach makes the government an easy target for hackers. And in August, SPDC's official Website, Myanmar.com, normally festooned with colorful, flashy graphics, tourism and business opportunities, and pro-junta propaganda, found itself covered by pro-democracy electronic graffiti.
According to news reports that followed, the hacker, "Danny-Boy" from "X-Org", changed the site's homepage, leaving pro-democracy slogans and anti-government invective, which led the SPDC to blame the intrusion on Burmese dissidents living abroad. But a member of the Myanmar Hackers' Club (MHC) who was granted anonymity, considers the hack the crude, unsophisticated work of a beginner. "There are a number of better ways [to retaliate], such as Denial of Service (DoS)" he wrote in an email. "But most [MHC members] are not interested in such things, as it hurts the people [of Burma] more than the military."
Ironically, some of the hacker's ire was directed at the MHC itself--the hacked page contained the message, "And a big F--- Off to Myanmar Hacker's Club... you guys are a bunch of CLUELESS IDIOTS!"
Glen Norris, Webmaster of the Free Burma site, agrees that the hack was most likely the work of an inexperienced individual. "I don't think it's a huge, organized group [that hacked Myanmar.com]," he says. "Besides, The New Light of Myanmar [the government's official daily newspaper, which is part of Myanmar.com] is stepping on their own toes all the time, so it would actually be a shame if someone did hack it."
SPDC released a revised set of its 1996 Computer Science Development Law earlier this year in an attempt to remind people of the penalties associated with uses the junta deems illegal. "The law goes on and on about how the government is going to help the people by establishing computer clubs, and then at the very end, it spells out penalties," Norris explains. The regulations stipulate that all computers, fax machines, and modems must be registered with the government, with prison terms of between 7 and 15 years for offenders.
Regardless of who hacked Myanmar.com, hackers sympathetic to the Burmese cause are aware that these attacks embarrass the government, which means the hacks are almost certain to continue. Add in the fact that the military personnel who run the country's ISP service are woefully inexperienced--themselves victims of the slow flow of information in Burma--and future hacks become even more likely. "[The SPDC] has inexperienced administrators, huge security flaws, and [bad] user policies, and this will drag down the country's future IT development," predicts the MHC member.
Although he may agree with the hacker's message, Larry Dohrs, public education director of the Free Burma Coalition, isn't sure if the Myanmar.com hack was the right way to effect social change. "The Burmese Democracy movement is a non-violent movement," he says. "Does putting graffiti on the Website of the junta constitute a violent act? I'm not sure."