Anonymous Takes Aim at the Chinese Government

The hacker collaborative Anonymous reportedly is now turning its sights on Chinese government agencies and enterprises, apparently hoping to foment unrest among Chinese citizens.

The group, which now apparently has a presence in China, claims to have hacked into and defaced hundreds of national and local government and business Websites, carrying messages decrying what the hackers say is Chinese government oppression, and with The Who song €œBaba O€™Reilly€ playing in the background in many of the defacements.

In one Pastebin post, Anonymous lists the hundreds of sites it claims to have targeted.

In another Pastebin post, the group sent a message explaining why members are now targeting Chinese government agencies and commercial organizations.

€œAll these years, the Chinese Government has subjected their people to unfair laws and unhealthy processes,€ the message reads. €œPeople, each of you suffers from tyranny of that regime. Fight for justice, fight for freedom, fight for democracy! In the [defacements] and leaks in this day, we demonstrate our revolt to the Chinese system. It has to stop! We aren’t asking you for nothing, just saying to protest, to revolt yourself, to be the free person you always want to be! So, we are writing this message to tell you that you should protest, you should revolt yourself protesting.€

On some of the defaced sites, the hackers left another message, written in English: €œDear Chinese government, you are not infallible, today Websites are hacked, tomorrow it will be your vile regime that will fall. So expect us because we do not forgive, never. What you are doing today to your Great People, tomorrow with will inflicted to you. With no mercy.€

Some of the messages were accompanied by a link to a page of tips outlining ways people can get around China€™s Internet controls.

The hacks were first announced on the Anonymous China Website March 30, and have been updated over the past several days. Some of the hacked sites were for local government agencies in such places as Jiazhou, Taizhou and Zhongshan, according to reports.

According to a report in the International Business Times, the attacks by Anonymous began after the state media in China began cracking down on dozens of Websites in the country. The report said the Chinese government had penalized two social media sites and detained six people for spreading rumors of an attempt to overthrow the government.