In the case you haven't noticed, the InfoWar is raging. As it's the first one in the history, there's a lot of things to think about. What's that thing and how it looks like? Who's fighting it? How to fight? What are the strategies and tactics?
But the most interesting question is whether InfoWar can be won? And how?
When the cablegate broke out we could expect that all kind of security agencies will try to stop spreading the information they couldn't stop leaking in the first place. So they've launched DDoS attacks on WikiLeaks' server. They are probably aware more than you and me that it's a futile job, trying to stop the data running once it was out. But it's a government job and one doesn't get a paycheck from the government by doing nothing just because there's nothing useful to be done. In fact, that's the way they spend much of their time.
As a response, at this moment there are more than 1300 independent servers mirroring WikiLeaks. And the number is growing as there is a simple script that will help you set up your own WikiLeaks mirror if you'd like to join the fun.
Sure, they haven't stop there. PayPal and Mastercard blocked the WikiLeaks' accounts. Then Julian Assange got arrested. None of those surprised us. But, I was surprised to hear that both PayPal and Mastercard (among others) were the new targets of the Operation Payback.
Operation Payback is not new.
It started as retaliation to distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on torrent sites, piracy proponents decided to launch DDoS attacks on piracy opponents in return. It snowballed from there into a wave of attacks on several major anti-piracy groups.
Now, they are focusing on the companies that are opposing WikiLeaks.
So, it's the cyber battleships shooting a lot at each other while one side grows its camps like mushrooms. The InfoWar is in its swing. What I'd like to ask you is can that kind of war be won? And I hear you asking back what should we consider a victory in this case?
As any soldier can tell you, there's no victory until the infantry marches in the enemy's HQ. I guess it would be way too much to wish for the Pirate Party's flag to fly from the roof of the White House. But still…
Cablegate raised quite a heat. It's a topic that trumps every other public issue for ten days now. It started the first big InfoWar ever. It's buzzing everywhere. But there's no people on the streets. It doesn't seem that it's anything more than just the talk. And attacking the servers, of course.
And the enemy is behaving accordingly. Have you heard that they've denied anything from WikiLeaks? Have you heard anybody giving at least a statement about anything substantial? Has anybody resigned? No, no and no.
It's just a lot of shooting. Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissatisfied with what is achieved so far. I just wonder if all this is going to give some bigger result. What's the next level of the game that will bring some change? Even the small one?
Or are we waiting for the ammunition supplies to dry out so that everything get back to the starting point?
