* FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *

LoU STRIKE OUT WITH INTERNATIONAL COALITION OF HACKERS:  A JOINT STATEMENT
BY 2600, THE CHAOS COMPUTER CLUB, THE CULT OF THE DEAD COW, !HISPAHACK, L0PHT
HEAVY INDUSTRIES, PHRACK AND PULHAS

Date: 07-Jan-1999

Press Contacts:
2600:  Emmanuel Goldstein, +1 516 751 2600, extension 0
Chaos Computer Club:  Frank Rieger, frank@ccc.de
Cult of the Dead Cow:  press@cultdeadcow.com 
!Hispahack:  mentesinquietas@iname.com 
L0pht Heavy Industries:  press@l0pht.com
Phrack:  route@infonexus.com 
Pulhas:  monolith@p.ulh.as

An international coalition of hackers strongly condemns the Legion of the
Underground's (LoU) recent "declaration of war" against the governments
of Iraq and the People's Republic of China.  Citing human rights violations
and other repressive measures the LoU declared their intention to disrupt and
disable Internet infrastructures in Iraq and China.  In a decision that was
more rash than wise, the LoU will dolittle to alter existing conditions and
much to endanger the rights of hackers around the world.

We - the undersigned - strongly oppose any attempt to use the power of hacking
to threaten or destroy the information infrastructure of a country,
for any reason.  Declaring "war" against a country is the most
irresponsible thing a hacker group could do.  This has nothing to do with 
hacktivism or hacker ethics and is nothing a hacker could be proud of.

Frank Rieger of the CCC said, "Many hacker groups don't have a problem
with Web hacks that raise public awareness about human rights violations. 
But we are very sensitive to people damaging networks and critical systems in
repressive regimes or anywhere else.  The police and intelligence communities
regard hacking as seditious.  It is quite possible now that hackers - not only
in totalitarian states - could be jailed or executed as 'cyberterrorists' for
the slightest infraction of the law."

"It is shortsighted and potentially counterproductive," added Reid Fleming
of the cDc. "One cannot legitimately hope to improve a nation's free
access to information by working to disable its data networks."

"Though we may agree with LoU that the atrocities in China and Iraq have
got to stop, we do not agree with the methods they are advocating," said Space
Rogue of the L0pht.

Emmanuel Goldstein of 2600 said:  "This kind of threat, even if made idly, can
only serve to further alienate hackers from mainstream society and help to
spread the misperceptions we're constantly battling.  And what happens when
someone in another country decides that the United States needs to be punished
for its human rights record?  This is one door that will be very hard to close
if we allow it to be opened.  "Governments worldwide are seeking to establish
cyberspace as a new battleground for their artificial conflicts.  The LoU has
inadvertently legitimized this alarmist propoganda.  With its dramatic
announcement the LoU played into the hands of policy makers who want complete
control over the Internet and are looking for  reasons to seize it.  If
hackers solicit recognition as paramilitary factions then hacking in general
will be seen as an act of war.  Ergo, hackers will be viewed as legitimate 
targets of warring states.

Strategic combat planning in the United States and among other nations has
reached the point where real-world cases are needed to justify assigned
budgets.  The LoU is providing this real-world case now.  We believe that the
LoU should carefully investigate the idea of declaring "war" against China
and Iraq.  Was it planted with them by someone with different interests in
mind other than advancing human rights considerations?

The signatories to this statement are asking hackers to reject all actions
that seek to damage the information infrastructure of any country.  DO NOT
support any acts of "Cyberwar."  Keep the networks of communication alive.
They are the nervous system for human progress.

Signed (07-Jan-1999): 
2600http://www.2600.com/
Chaos Computer Clubhttp://www.ccc.de/
Cult of the Dead Cowhttp://www.cultdeadcow.com/
!Hispahackhttp://hispahack.ccc.de/
L0phthttp://www.l0pht.com/
Phrackhttp://www.phrack.com/
Pulhashttp://p.ulh.as/
Toxynhttp://www.toxyn.org/
Several members of the
Dutch Hackers Community
(contact Rop Gonggrijp,rop@xs4all.nl)
Supporting documents:
Chaos Computer ClubCult of the Dead CowPulhas
2600: The Hacker QuarterlyL0pht Heavy Industries
Toxyn Technologies, Inc.Phrack Magazine!Hispahack