Hackers hit Australian Classification website

PALGN News | Seems they aren't happy about the censorship issue either.

It's no secret that we here at PALGN have been quite vocal about the current controversy surrounding videogame ratings and censorship in Australia, but last night internet hackers voiced their opinion as well, changing the welcoming message on the the Australian Classification Board website.

The website, which includes classification policy information, had its main page message changed by the hackers in certain ways to create a rather interesting paragraph:

This site contains information about the boards that have the right to CONTROL YOUR FREEDOMZ. The Classification Board has the right to not just classify content (the name is an ELABORATE TRICK), but also the right to DECIDE WHAT IS AND ISNT APPROPRIATE and BAN CONTENT FROM THE PUBLIC.
We are part of an ELABORATE DECEPTION from CHINA to CONTROL AND SHEEPIFY the NATION, to PROTECT THE CHILDREN. All opposers must HATE CHILDREN, and therefore must be KILLED WITH A LARGE MELONS during the PROSECUTION PARTIES IN SEPTEMBER. Come join our ALIEN SPACE PARTY.

While there seems to be no clear indication of when the attack began, Gamespot reports that it appears to have occurred shortly after last night’s ABC Q&A programme which featured Minister for Communications Stephen Conroy discussing proposed mandatory internet filtering, lending to believe this, along with the current game rating debate, may be the reason for the attack.

Gamespot was also told by a Classification Board spokesperson that they were still investigating into the act, with the website having been taken offline temporarily.

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07 Jan, 2009 Receives a MA15+ rating by Australian Classification Board.

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09 Jul, 2008 Hearts fall in disappointment.

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50 Comments

Jellyfish

4 years ago

stick_theory wrote

i think this is a legitimate way of protesting. the immature thing to do would have been to actually corrupt the site.
Its kinda like the cyber equivalent of a picket line bearing signs that contain altered versions of the policies they are against.
It was peaceful and tasteful. I also think that the fact these people could hack into such an important website (and stop at just changing a message) showcased the intelligence and integrity of the (possibly) gaming/internet community.
Did anyone else think this?

No. I've had to clean up websites that have been victim to these kind of "humorous" pranks. It's childish and no more effective than spray painting "NO MORE HOMEWORK!!!" on a school notice board. You want something done, go through official channels. It may not be glamorous but if you do it right it will eventually work.

Qbert

4 years ago

Wow some people need to get a sence of humor I think. IMO it was a well done protest. It got people's attention and did so peacefully. I have no idea how you can compare hacking a website and changing a small amount of text to breaking into a house and vandalising it Ravenous. I understand where you are coming from, but that comparison is totally off the mark. If anything, it's more akin to rubbing off the teacher's work on a blackboard and writing something else when in primary school.

Benza

4 years ago

Ravenous wrote

Legitimate? A more accurate equivalent would be breaking and entering, leaving prank messages all over the place and making a mess of the property in the meantime. Let's just condone the wrong way to go about things, shall we?

No it isn't, not even at all, this is the equivilent of breaking into a house leaving a message on the wall and then leaving without damaging anything.

They didn't wreck the site.

This is public dissobediance.

Quote

You want something done, go through official channels. It may not be glamorous but if you do it right it will eventually work.

Going through offical channels doesn't work. If it did work then we would have an R18 game rating at the moment, if the offical channels don't work what other choices do we have left? Either public dissobediance like this or just sitting around with our thumbs up our arses crying about it.

Jarrod

4 years ago

Qbert wrote

If anything, it's more akin to rubbing off the teacher's work on a blackboard and writing something else when in primary school.

Except that rubbing a teacher's work off the blackboard isn't violation of the law.

The act might have good intentions but the law was broken to achieve them. The "break into house and leave note" analogy really doesn't help, as the culprit still broke the law. People can't just break into someone's house, tell the cops they were just leaving a note, and then go on their merry way; its trespassing on private property.

This is how the act will be seen by a vast, vast majority of people, and I really cant blame them. The term 'hacker' already has very negative connotations with the general public, and its just going to take this who situation backwards for those of us on this side.

Jellyfish

4 years ago

Benza wrote

Quote

You want something done, go through official channels. It may not be glamorous but if you do it right it will eventually work.

I've yet to see anyone here go about it properly. People have been sending letters to the AG, yay them. Send them to the Prime Minister, send them to your local MP. Atkinson isn't going to care if you're not from his electorate. Hell send letters to A Current Affair and Today Tonight, point out that 10 year olds are playing games like GTA. Play dirty, but keep within the rules.

I'm not going to get my friends out of prison by punching up a policeman. Yes I've blown it out of proportion. But really that's what it comes down to. You do realise that technically those people who hacked that website could be charged with terrorism? It's not really so funny now. Yes some hack pranks are funny but this one was inappropriate and did nothing to help a cause.

IISpacebreakII

4 years ago

We are not going to bend the law in our favour by breaking it, I'm with nikack and ravenous here that we just need to wait and build a solid image of ourselves until we can make progress. The media can only make us look bad for a limited time, thankfully like us gamers, I'm pretty confident that the political identity doesn't like the media either, and hence will disregard all their "reports on gaming-violence links" and all negative connotations the media associate us with.

Crank

4 years ago

Qbert wrote

If anything, it's more akin to rubbing off the teacher's work on a blackboard and writing something else when in primary school.

Exactly, just like the work of children.

Have to agree that this sort of thing does not help the cause, much like the tools putting threatening notes under Michael Atkinson's door. It makes gamers look like a bunch of snot-nosed teenage brats, not reasonable, intelligent adults.

Wouldn't be so bad if the message was at least coherent and made a good point, instead of just being typical troll gibberish.

Alien space party, indeed.

Fly

4 years ago

EatChildren wrote

The "break into house and leave note" analogy really doesn't help, as the culprit still broke the law. People can't just break into someone's house, tell the cops they were just leaving a note, and then go on their merry way; its trespassing on private property.

Unless you're male, aged between 13 and 19 and generally carry a big sword looking for hard currency or potions.

Anyway, I can see why this could be construed as humurous, at the same time the ammunition it can give, and will once politics are involved utterly moots the humour though.

"Yeah can you remember when we had epic lulz?"
"That was around the time that passed the censorship bill wasn't it?"
"Yeah we sure showed them!"

notsofat

4 years ago

Ken_Gooner wrote

Obviously this doesn't exactly put a good word in for gamers and major internet users and the sort. Especially since we're trying to convince the government that we are mature and responsible, and that we deserve the right to play whatever games we like and surf whatever websites we like.

I hate to single you out, but i am disgusted to hear such an attitude from the palgn community, WE dont have to convince the government of ANYTHING, they are supposed to be answerable to US

stick_theory

4 years ago

Geez, i didnt realise this board was so full of pious do-gooders. What i think i was getting at was, compared to what they couldve done, this really was just 'grafitti' level stuff. You claim to not want this kind representation for yourselves, but unless you have already, what have you done to represent yourself?

I assume most of you have watched V for vendetta? ( although it may be quite a dramatic comparison

)

On another note, can i just point out that the gaming industry is something created by its consumers. So what does that say about the string of banned games being craved by us?

btw, i am in favour of an R18+ rating, i just also believe in making people think about these decisions from all angles too. Under agers should definitely not be getting their hands on these games, theyre are already becoming rampantly aggresive. My suggestion is STRICT control of R games. Such as little to no advertising, and not being stocked on shelves but behind the counter. Also perhaps some kind of credit card verification connected to PSN/XBL ids to 'unlock' these games.

sorry for speaking so long, so now flame me, negative me or whatever else you want to do, not because of the content of this post but because of its length

Jarrod

4 years ago

stick_theory wrote

)

Because graffiti sure does an awesome job of swaying the masses.

People defending this are really missing the whole problem; this is not some awesome rebellion or some noble protest because nobody outside of gamers gives a shit.

When people break the law and cross boundaries to get a point across it only works if its so dramatic, so heroic, and so eye-opening that the general public are swayed.

The people gamers are opposing are not going to be swayed by an act of website vandalism. The general population are not going to be swayed by what will be, and sensibly so, labelled as 'hacking'. Actions are only as good as what they achieve, and the hacking of this website will achieve absolutely nothing.

It's not about being a pious do-gooder, its about assessing the situation and acting reasonable. Do you really think this is going to change anyone's opinion? Really? Do you think people who are causing the most problems with this whole R18+ "THINK OF THE CHILDREN" kerfuffle are going to see this and go "Wow! They hacked a website to send a message! My mind is blown omg I see the light!"?

As I said, the intentions might have been pure and good, but the action itself will do no good. Being a vigilante protester is fun and all, but it doesn't prevent you from doing stupid shit like this.

rufati

4 years ago

nikack wrote

What's the point of contacting anyone else if Atkinson is the only one holding the consultation back? Can Rudd push it forward? Or can anyone else for that matter?

Fly wrote

the ammunition it can give

It's just a little protest. How does this add any value to the 'for censorship' argument? It's not like any sensitive data was at risk of being (or was actually) stolen/destroyed, and it's not like they plastered bestiality/child pornography/snuff/etc... onto the ACB site. They taped a porrly written message to the front door of the ACB, and the only people who care are gamers and the ACB site admin. Big whoop.

Even if it were a well thought out and nicely written message no one else would care. It's sad that using channels of communication, official or unofficial, doesn't really do anything to get our message across.

Qbert

4 years ago

@EatChildren:I see what you mean, but I think you are missing the point as this seemed to be more aimed at internet cencorship rather than R18+ rating, as pointed out by Benza.

As for changing people's oppinions, why wouldn't it? Like many protests, if they get enough media attention they are sure to get people thinking about the issue. Obviously people aren't going to think "Oh they are such good hackers they MUST be right!", but don't be surprised if this brings the issue to the attention of some people who knew nothing or little of it before.

@Everyone on the Internet (bar China where this topic is probably blocked): And I don't like this idea of 'ruining our image' as internet users or whatever. How can we be expected to take actions for a small group of people? How would others even expect that? Who are 'we' as a group of internet users? I mean I'd hazard a guess by saying at least 95% of Australian's use the internet regulary. If this were about R18+ games it would still not bother me in the slightest, however I could see where people were coming from about ruining 'our' reputation, becuase although gamers are not really a minority, they are still looked upon in Austrlaia as such.

Fly

4 years ago

rufati wrote

It's just a little protest which voided current level security on government or associated body websites/servers during a period where censorship is being "discussed". The damage is irrelevant, the message is irrelevant, they forcefully broke into the webspace governed by an associate branch of the government and key to society's entertainment woes.

It will be brought up negatively.
It will be used as ammunition as to why internet users / gamers / non censorship sympathisers will be generalised as unseedy immature elements in society.

All to prove a single point; that we are wrong and that they are right.

If they are right they get public sentiment and support to pass legislation in regards to it, if they are wrong they face an uphill battle to even attempt to do it because of backlash and because they know the public are not stupid. Campaigns are run around this kind of stuff each election, past mistakes of previous incarnations of governments, if the current government botches "net security" in regards to "illegal elements" and in general, there will be a fear campaign linking that to actual security and all round failure just like the ALP is always a union movement, is always going to plunge Australia into a recession, is always....

It's what they do. You have to stop thinking best case scenario where such things are involved because it rarely happens.

Quote

Even if it were a well thought out and nicely written message no one else would care. It's sad that using channels of communication, official or unofficial, doesn't really do anything to get our message across.

Entirely depends on context, many things can get done officially if they answer to an ombudsman or the like. But perhaps more importantly is in this case their choice of target. The OFLC work under the current guidelines as set out by the governing body, if senator Conroy is to be believed in that they are making the decisions on what is and is not illegal in the current sense they are using those same definitions which can be altered in a legal and defining sense.

In effect they are the messenger and they just got shot because of it.

Lord Haart

4 years ago

I really think the MAIN point of the hack was the ironic twist that some of the blacklisted websites were blacklisted because they were apparently hacked.

I understand the desire to do this, but how can they just ban a website for getting hacked when they have no means of securing even their own site? :S

I think the point was not that the content they are targeting should be allowed (far from it), but that in a way, they are bringing in foxes to kill the cane toads. There is just way to much potential for this to be abused.

As for it being brought up negatively, one can just as easily say "I don't support what they did at all, but the fact that they were driven to say it probably shows just how concerned people are about losing freedom of speech."

Passa

4 years ago

EatChildren has summed it up best. Yeah, my first reaction was to find it slightly funny, but ultimately whatever their intended protest was (R18+ ratings or internet censorship), it has done nothing for their cause.

Hacking into a site and, let's be brutally honest, defacing it, is not some honourable and brave protest act. It is not diplomatic in any way. White-hat hackers or not, this is unnecessary. I really don't think Atkinson or Conroy needed to be convinced that their main opposition was juvenile and immature (which is unfortunate since that most certainly is not the case).

And on the internet censorship note, they'll probably need legislation, in which case won't have the votes to pass it. The real upcoming threat is iiNet losing their case against that bunch of film companies and Seven Network, the hypocrites. Being disconnected as soon as your ISP assumes you're downloading illegally? Nice.

Black Wolf

4 years ago

Australia may not have an R18+ rating for games, but hacking a website belonging to the board does nothing to make them introduce said rating.

I do not think that this incident took place as a result of Internet censorship. If this was the case, then the hackers would have targeted the DBCDC website instead.

Jellyfish

4 years ago

rufati wrote

nikack wrote

What's the point of contacting anyone else if Atkinson is the only one holding the consultation back? Can Rudd push it forward? Or can anyone else for that matter?

Atkinson is an elected official, people in power want to stay in power. If there is a huge public opinion for an 18+ classification he will be swayed if he wants to stay in power. Currently he can say no all he wants because not many people care. Our goal, and what "Everybody Plays"? is bringing awareness to the public that kids are playing games like GTA and Manhunt because there is no R classification.

Attacking the OFLC website is just an eye-rolling exercise. You rarely see the classification website mentioned anywhere and when it is it's in tiny font. The general public probably don't even know of it's existence so what's the point of attacking it. It's like tagging the far wall in a secluded alley. Fuck all people are going to see it and if they do they're going to already know about it or just not care.

slapshakle

4 years ago

Does anyone know where they're holding the 'ALIEN SPACE PARTY' ?

sounds fun

Benza

4 years ago

Quote

It's not about being a pious do-gooder, its about assessing the situation and acting reasonable. Do you really think this is going to change anyone's opinion? Really? Do you think people who are causing the most problems with this whole R18+ "THINK OF THE CHILDREN" kerfuffle are going to see this and go "Wow! They hacked a website to send a message! My mind is blown omg I see the light!"?

If ti was about that you'd have a point, since it's more then likley about people trying to controll the internet and controll what people can view, hacking into there own website and showing that they don't controll shit does send a message.

As lord hart said, Connoroy was claiming that the dentist site was black listed because it was hacked. It would have been just as easy for the hackers to upload hardcore child pornography, in essence forcing the government to blacklist the OFLC website.

And as for claiming it gives internet usesrs a bad name... uh we allready have a bad name no one sits around thinking 'wow the internet is such a respectfull nice place' anyone thats spent any time on the internet knows it's full of fuckwits and porn.

insane0ne69

4 years ago

they probably did it themselves to make it look like it was from hackers, just to get more support

Sinthesys

4 years ago

treehugger24 wrote

How do we really know that they got hacked? It could be all a ploy by them to make gamers look worse and support their cause. Just some thing to think about not that it is likely the case

insane0ne69 wrote

they probably did it themselves to make it look like it was from hackers, just to get more support

Awesome original opinions, mate. Hint: Try reading before posting.

Crank

4 years ago

Whether the protest was about internet censorship or the R18+ debate is somewhat irrelevant, as they both stem from the same ignorance.

The real problem is that games that most of the world rate R18+ are being rated MA15+ here in Australia, with little to no difference in content.

Growing up, my parents didn't mind me accessing MA15+ material, because they didn't see it has being quite so bad, whereas they at least tried to shield me from R18+ rated material, as best they could.

The classification board is letting down parents more than any gamer, as we will always find a way to get banned material, if we want it badly enough. And banning material almost always has the effect of making it more desirable.

Parents need to know that their kids are playing R18+ rated games in MA15+ clothing, just because a few uninformed people are living in the past.

A past where internet savvy kids couldn't access almost anything they wanted.

A past where the realism and goriness of digital entertainment was limited to blocky frogs being splattered by blocky cars into blocky red puddles.

A past where they didn't even bother rating games at all.

On a lighter note, the owners of Wikileaks have suggested that Stephen Conroy could be extradited to Sweden if he pursues those who leaked the black list, as they have laws protecting the sources of such information. To quote one of their legal advisors: "Under the Swedish Constitution’s Press Freedom Act, the right of a confidential press source to anonymity is protected, and criminal penalties apply to anyone acting to breach that right."

Benza

4 years ago

Crank wrote

Whether the protest was about internet censorship or the R18+ debate is somewhat irrelevant, as they both stem from the same ignorance.

Considering, if it was in regards to the internet censorship, everything you followed this with is completly pointless and irrelivent then I'd say it was pretty relevent

The disparity between MA and R is only a relevent argument if its about games as it doesn't exist in any other form of media.

Crank

4 years ago

Whoa, I did go off on a bit of a tangent there, didn't I?

After rereading the hackers gibberish, I think Benza is right, this protest was about the firewall.

I do, however, think the two debates are closely related, as they both come from the same ignorance on behalf of the government.

Either way, I think we have paid too much credence to the hackers already by discussing this so much. I stand by my earlier comments that it was a childish act and achieves nothing.

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