Hacker culture has given many useful solutions to the computer users and has helped developing many open-source applications, free software and more. This is the clearly positive side to the public, but there is a darker side to it where it is hard to define if it stays in the good boundries. Whether hacktivism should include directly malicious methods like systems cracking, website defacement and DDoS attack, is debated even inside the movement. Both opinions do exist.
One example of hacktivism through DDoS attack:
In August 2009, the Melbourne International Film Festival was forced to shut down its website after DDoS attacks by Chinese vigilantes, in response to Rebiya Kadeer's planned guest appearance, the screening of a film about her which is deemed "anti-China" by Chinese state media, and strong sentiments following the July 2009 Ürümqi riots. Rebiya Kadeer is a business woman and political activist figthing for the rights of Uyghur minority group living in North-West China, who by Kadeers words are subject to systematic oppression by the Chinese government.
The hackers booked out all film sessions on its website, and replaced festival information with the Chinese flag and anti-Kadeer slogans. Spokeswomanof the festival, Asha Holmes said all sessions on the site had posted "sold-out" messages. She said it was not immediately known whether the rush on tickets was real. But when the bookings were traced to Chinese websites it soon became clear they were fake. Internet technicians have been unable to keep up with the speed of "shopping carts" filling once the sessions have been cleared of the fake bookings, she said.
One example of hacktivism through DDoS attack:
In August 2009, the Melbourne International Film Festival was forced to shut down its website after DDoS attacks by Chinese vigilantes, in response to Rebiya Kadeer's planned guest appearance, the screening of a film about her which is deemed "anti-China" by Chinese state media, and strong sentiments following the July 2009 Ürümqi riots. Rebiya Kadeer is a business woman and political activist figthing for the rights of Uyghur minority group living in North-West China, who by Kadeers words are subject to systematic oppression by the Chinese government.
The hackers booked out all film sessions on its website, and replaced festival information with the Chinese flag and anti-Kadeer slogans. Spokeswomanof the festival, Asha Holmes said all sessions on the site had posted "sold-out" messages. She said it was not immediately known whether the rush on tickets was real. But when the bookings were traced to Chinese websites it soon became clear they were fake. Internet technicians have been unable to keep up with the speed of "shopping carts" filling once the sessions have been cleared of the fake bookings, she said.
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