It’s also important to note that, while technically illegal, the hacktivists fight not with bullets, but with actions. And the actions are almost wholly internet-based. The hacktivists command language reminiscent of Ghandi’s civil disobedience. Their protests are non-violent, they exercise virtual sit-ins. While they may spend their 9-5 working for a respectable company, their free time is sacrificed for internet freedom – an effort that may be seen as philanthropic. They are waging war against China’s government. The Chinese were bound to strike back.
And, they did:
The Chinese hackers left calling cards at hundreds of sites
Computer hackers in China have called a halt to their online war with internet users from the United States.
The so-called Honker Union of China - an informal union of Chinese hackers - says it has successfully attacked more than a thousand United States websites.
Now, the hackers say they have reached their goal and are calling a truce.
The websites’ messages are often in broken English, like this one which reads “Beat down imperialism of American.” The message is nevertheless salient: “don’t hack us, or we’ll hack you.” That particular barrage of hack-attacks happened after a particularly nasty international incident. On April 1, 2001, A US spy plane and a Chinese fighter craft collided in mid-air. The Chinese crew crashed to their ultimate doom in the Ocean, while the US crew of 24 was held for several days then released. The aftermath of the situation was a serious of small-time attacks spring-boarded off little computers and spread to larger ones. The US hit; the Chinese hit; Each struck back again and again. Chinese officials decided to step up their security through a series of patches.