Group warns of wave of cyber attacks if single gateway plan is not abandoned

[Lite Beer]

DDOS
Group warns of wave of cyber attacks if single gateway plan is not abandoned
THE SUNDAY NATION

BANGKOK: -- A GROUP of angry netizens has given the government an ultimatum to drop its plan to create a single Internet gateway.

They demanded that the plan be scrapped before midnight on October 14 or the government would face "an unprecedented level of cyber-attacks".

The group, which calls itself "Citizens against Single Gateway", reportedly crashed websites of the Information and Communications Ministry and some other state agencies with Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks last week.

The group issued a statement online late on Friday night, demanding that the Cabinet issue a resolution or the prime minister gives an order formally cancelling the single gateway plan by 11.30pm October 14.

"If the deadline passes without the government changing its stance, the Citizens against the single gateway will use severe measures to retaliate against the government without announcing the targets in advance," the statement said.

On Wednesday, the group circulated online calls for angry netizens to simultaneously mount DDoS attacks on the ICT website at 10pm but the website was brought down apparently with an overwhelming number of packets of requests by 7pm before it was restored only at 1am on Thursday.

'Extreme measure'

The group said in the statement it would minimise impact on the public but it sought understanding from the public as collateral damage was unavoidable in the fight against efforts to "establish a dictatorial state in all spaces, including the cyberspace".

The group said in the statement that its measures were aimed at sending a strong and clear message to the government that the administration would fail to control the people's communications effectively.

It said the group has already contemplated the consequences of its retaliatory measures against the government but "in time of war, losses will be unavoidable".

Meanwhile, Pongsuk Hiranprueck, an information technology expert and entrepreneur, said yesterday he disagreed with the plan to combine the country's Internet connections with the worldwide web into a single channel. He added that this was the case in the past when Thailand had only a single gateway and severe Internet bottlenecks.

He warned that the government would need to spend a lot of money investing in the single gateway plan, as he did not think that private Internet service providers would want to join. "The ISPs have already invested a lot in their own gateway," he said.

"The push for a single gateway seems to be an extreme measure. It leads to reduced freedom in using the Internet, which is supposed to be free," Pongsuk said.

However, Pongsuk agreed with the government's intention to curb hate speech and insults toward the country's highly revered institution on the Internet.

Pongsuk suggested that in order to access the Internet, registration should be required with the use of the 13-digit citizen identification number. He said tough checks should be conducted to ensure that people who posted messages on the Internet were actually the ones who register.

"You may use false names to post messages, but your ID number reveals your identity," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Group-warns-of-wave-of-cyber-attacks-if-single-gat-30270134.html

-- The Nation 2015-10-04

[selftaopath]

Hopefully this pathetic idea of a "single gateway" will be abandoned. The level of incompetence and "hair brain ideas" shown by Thailand's "leaders" and controllers is amazing. Seems more like "sand box" play.

[BSJ]

Silly old men who are infatuated with their own image can sometimes make decisions that are not sensible decisions.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

"in time of war, losses will be unavoidable".​

Wonder if my travel insurance will be valid if we are at war?

[slipperylobster]

Every future slowdown will now put questions out. More friction and quick retaliation by censors and netizens. I am surprised already by the quick reaction of netizens.

[shirtless]

Its good people are challenging the stupidity of this government, , they want to control everything yet have no accountability to their citizens Prayut should form a party and hold a election let the people have their say.

[mikemac]

.................""in time of war, losses will be unavoidable"........................

By "losses" I hope he is not referring to the Government's popularity, because I don't think there is any to lose !

[Solomon]

.................""in time of war, losses will be unavoidable"........................

By "losses" I hope he is not referring to the Government's popularity, because I don't think there is any to lose !

And another Junta fanboy sees the light

[Yooyung]

Very happy to see the disgruntled have an effective way of making their feelings known......Living in my little village, it can sometimes feel as though no one really cares about freedoms being slowly chipped away at. I hope this is merely the start of a groundswell that will grow.......

[apetley]

This could quick easily backfire and result in exactly what the Govt want. So now we have an ultimatum and all it takes is a group sympathetic with the Govts intentions to organise their own DOS which could quite easily be the excuse for article 44 and the fast tracking of a single gateway all in the name of national security.

[NeverSure]

The People's Republik of Thailand.

BTW a single gateway can be crashed from the US as easily as from Thailand. It doesn't take a lot of people either because there is software that will do it. The first DDoS was purely amateur.

The internet is more than a Facebook toy. It is credit card terminals and ATM's and fund transfers and international as well as domestic banking. It is SSL payments. It is online retail and wholesale orders. It is now the engine of commerce.

Commerce would shut down. The Junta would be on its lips.

[mikemac]

.................""in time of war, losses will be unavoidable"........................

By "losses" I hope he is not referring to the Government's popularity, because I don't think there is any to lose !

And another Junta fanboy sees the light

Got news for you and it is all bad. I was never a "Junta fanboy", except in the tiny little minds of those who are desperate for someone to argue with.

(They labeled anyone who hated the Shins, like myself, as Junta supporters so they had someone to flame and ridicule.)

In saying that I will never lower myself to the level of a one-eyed, rabid Junta basher. I do see more and more faults in the current Government, the longer they are in power, but I cannot believe some of their crazy announcements are serious, they must be "red herrings". This latest fubar, the single gateway internet Titanic, is a classic example.

I can see good in bad in both "sides", although there are very little good traits in any of them. Sadly, the current Government's only opposition is riddled with power-hungry criminals who will do anything to get their greedy noses in the trough. As they have proved in the past.

[mikemac]

The People's Republik of Thailand.

BTW a single gateway can be crashed from the US as easily as from Thailand. It doesn't take a lot of people either because there is software that will do it. The first DDoS was purely amateur.

The internet is more than a Facebook toy. It is credit card terminals and ATM's and fund transfers and international as well as domestic banking. It is SSL payments. It is online retail and wholesale orders. It is now the engine of commerce.

Commerce would shut down. The Junta would be on its lips.

If it made it hard to transfer money from Australia to our Thai bank account the Government would cop a lot of flak from my wife, and they would regret stirring up that volatile hornet's nest.

[billphillips]

What makes these self-appointed leaders so concerned about freedom of speech and access to information. Perhaps the realisation that the grip that they have on power and position ..... Is fragile and temporary.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

"Pongsuk suggested that in order to access the Internet, registration should be required with the use of the 13-digit citizen identification number. He said tough checks should be conducted to ensure that people who posted messages on the Internet were actually the ones who register.

"You may use false names to post messages, but your ID number reveals your identity," he said."​

The faster they can kick out this group of morons the better for the country.

[Thian]

The People's Republik of Thailand.

BTW a single gateway can be crashed from the US as easily as from Thailand. It doesn't take a lot of people either because there is software that will do it. The first DDoS was purely amateur.

The internet is more than a Facebook toy. It is credit card terminals and ATM's and fund transfers and international as well as domestic banking. It is SSL payments. It is online retail and wholesale orders. It is now the engine of commerce.

Commerce would shut down. The Junta would be on its lips.

Can you also tell us how to crash that server who spy's on ALL European cellphone-networks? It's in the US by the way.

And how can we stop Google following us and logging ALL data?

[bamnutsak]

It's never a good idea to challenge a Military "government" by issuing ultimatums and threats. 99% of the time they will react badly.

There was (rumor) an initial plan to hunt down and jail all of the people who took part in the recent DDoS, but cooler heads prevailed, for now.

Pongsuk suggested that in order to access the Internet, registration should be required with the use of the 13-digit citizen identification number. He said tough checks should be conducted to ensure that people who posted messages on the Internet were actually the ones who register.

I assume that everyone will have to register their personal information in order to get issued a fixed IP address? Oh the joys of being on the long march to Thai-style Democrazy.

Edited October 4, 2015 by bamnutsak

[kmj]

So you can't just use someone elses 13 digit internet access code and get them In a whole load of trouble, don't think he thought that one through too well or even at all...

Edited October 4, 2015 by kmj

[bamnutsak]

So you can't just use someone elses 13 digit internet access code and get them In a whole load of trouble, don't think he thought that one through too well or even at all...

Thai ID cards are now chipped so assume you'll need a reader to gain access to the internet.

But yes, as with anything, it could be hacked/compromised or a stolen/cloned card used.

The whole idea here is to scare the masses into self-censorship.

I'm half-expecting the "authorities" to issue an Article 44 ban on "gossip" (not celebrity gossip of course).

Edited October 4, 2015 by bamnutsak

[mikemac]

So you can't just use someone elses 13 digit internet access code and get them In a whole load of trouble, don't think he thought that one through too well or even at all...

Thai ID cards are now chipped so assume you'll need a reader to gain access to the internet.

But yes, as with anything, it could be hacked/compromised or a stolen/cloned card used.

The whole idea here is to scare the masses into self-censorship.

I'm half-expecting the "authorities" to issue an Article 44 ban on "gossip" (not celebrity gossip of course).

It does not matter what crazy plan the Government comes up with, the geeks in Pantip will find a way around it.

Years ago at the launch of Windows 7 Bill Gates made the bold claim that the OS was not able to be pirated. They were already selling copies of it at Pantip Plaza.

[useronthenet]

MICT already censor a lot of content, this recent announcement will only be an extention of that existing control.

Ironically, by attacking the websites in this manner, will only exacerbate the reason why such a mechanism should be in place.

Thailand is run by a dictatorship, where freedom of speech has been put on hold so it seems.

[Usernames]

Pongsuk suggested that in order to access the Internet, registration should be required with the use of the 13-digit citizen identification number.

So, you must be a citizen in order to access the internet in Thailand? Tourists and all other non-citizen residents cannot? Ought to go over great at the resort hotels.

[GeckosDiving]

Yup

[attrayant]

If only the people could be as passionate about their freedoms when their access to facebook isn't at stake.

[Srikcir]

There are a couple of foreign hacker communities that could not only shutdown Thai government web sites but conduct piracy of information. The revelation of sensitive personal and State information from Snowden comes to mind. All current government officials and military should be prepared to have their networks and personal computing become targets if Prayut believes he is invulnerable.

[NCC1701A]

"Pongsuk suggested that in order to access the Internet, registration should be required with the use of the 13-digit citizen identification number. He said tough checks should be conducted to ensure that people who posted messages on the Internet were actually the ones who register."

yes and the end of posting critical comments on TV from within Thailand. Worried? you should be.

Thai immigration office June, 2016:

"Hello number 6553218700275 I see you posted on TV that you don't like the way Thais drive. Retirement extension of stay denied. You have seven days to leave the country. Next."

[attrayant]

So he basically wants to require all internet-connected devices to log on to a national domain. Spoken like somebody who doesn't have the slightest understanding of the technology, staffing, maintenance and support costs that would be required for such an endeavor.

[Fat Haggis]

.................""in time of war, losses will be unavoidable"........................

By "losses" I hope he is not referring to the Government's popularity, because I don't think there is any to lose !

And another Junta fanboy sees the light

Got news for you and it is all bad. I was never a "Junta fanboy", except in the tiny little minds of those who are desperate for someone to argue with.

(They labeled anyone who hated the Shins, like myself, as Junta supporters so they had someone to flame and ridicule.)

In saying that I will never lower myself to the level of a one-eyed, rabid Junta basher. I do see more and more faults in the current Government, the longer they are in power, but I cannot believe some of their crazy announcements are serious, they must be "red herrings". This latest fubar, the single gateway internet Titanic, is a classic example.

I can see good in bad in both "sides", although there are very little good traits in any of them. Sadly, the current Government's only opposition is riddled with power-hungry criminals who will do anything to get their greedy noses in the trough. As they have proved in the past.

Unfortunately Mike, prolific posters here labelled anti junta critics as red supporters too, which again was far removed from the truth.

As each day passes, instead of looking towards a way in which to give the country back to the people it so staunchly claims its protecting, is, the population, the further away it's becoming with stall after stall after stall, promises broken already and it really isn't going to get much better.

Some are starting to see the wheels wobble, others are more staunch in their support of the current regime where there is zero transparency !!

What goes around, comes around and it's not going to end well for the current snouts in the trough.

[bamnutsak]

Spoken like somebody who doesn't have the slightest understanding of the technology, staffing, maintenance and support costs that would be required for such an endeavor.

Yes, but doesn't that just sum up the Military Junta's "understanding" of nearly every issue - save going after their political opponents - from education to corruption, the economy, reconciliation, democracy, human trafficking/slavery, non-terrorist bombings, beach chairs, lottery prices....

Achieving a position high up on the socio-economic ladder here has nothing to do with knowledge, education, compassion, intelligence, and everything to do with birth-right.

If you are expecting these dimwits to have the slightest understanding of any of the issues challenging the Kingdom, then you will be disappointed, as will the bulk of the Thai subjects.

[Mudcrab]

Silly old men who are infatuated with their own image can sometimes make decisions that are not sensible decisions.

Are you talking about the Government or the expat posters on TVF?