Re: Electronic Revolution and Guerilla Warfare?

[Kelly.Goen@Eng.Sun.COM (Kelly Goen [CONTRACTOR])]

Interesting Post David,
some rather disjoint comments follow:
> > From: merriman@metronet.com (David K. Merriman)
> Subject: Electronic Revolution and Guerilla Warfare?
> 
> What with the governments of several nations around the world starting to
> get a bit heavy-handed with their populaces, I was wondering how a
> modern-day revolution could take place in a crypto-repressive society, and
> how the citizenry could sufficiently rattle/displace such a government so as
> to regain control over their destinies.
> 
> For the purpose of discussion, I'd like to propose the following
> "environmental variables":
> > majority of the population unable/unwilling to do more than complain.
> > minority of the population not sure of how to fight the process, but
> willing to support those that do know.
> > some number (small) of those capable of crypto or other electronic mayhem
> depart the country in a short period bridging the implementation of
> repressive government controls and laws.
> > There are varying permutations of the crypto/electronic-capable, and the
> force-capable (ie, hackers-only to bomb-makers-only, and anything in between).
> > said government uses all means at it's disposal to try and apprehend those
> attempting to resist, as well as intercept communications, prevent damage to
> it's infrastructure and physical entities.

I would suggest initially that one examine the
e-book "Terminal Compromise" by Winn Schwartau and also
Information Warfare by the same author. In addition one also may want
to obtain a project planner package and actually plan every scenario out
along with costs and estimated effects. This would increase the accuracy of your gaming study. One may also wish to include items such as Blacknet in their
gaming study as well as a complete and functional blackmarket. Tim's FAQ
gives a good review of the tech in crypto and remailers available.

Note also for purposes of short term games, knowing ones opponent(i.s. dossiers built up using information brokers and pressure on weak points) tends to be vastly more effective then official routes of change. After all its the oppositions preferred technique. Keep in mind that various hackers have tried this in
a haphazard way and gotten caught at it...


> > at the start of government "hostilities", all intra-national anon
> remailers are seized or shut down, and access to international ones is
> *heavily* monitored or blocked (yeah, I know, but we're gaming here!).
> > national identity medium (card, wristband, etc) in place and mandatory.
> > travel, currency, and information transfer restrictions (ie, no more "How
> to build a Backpack Nuke" or "How to hack the Tax Gestapo central computers"
> books :-)

I expect E-publishing and Data havens for such documents will appear almost immediately after such laws. 

Backpack nukes unless they are for EMP arent too interesting but EMP/HERF
generators are in terms of the attack potential against an information infrastructure.
"Information Warfare" looks at this and other issues.
Is it happening already???
"I can neither confirm nor deny this rumour".

Does our government look at these issues...
I point the interested user to a90-217 SBIR, an early I-Warfare project
" Electronic Countermeasure: Computer Virus" a project to create
military viruses and research into vectoring via RF/induced signal.

> 
> What problems would those willing to fight such government oppression be
> likely to face?  How to deal with those problems?  How to organize and
> exchange personnel/information?  How to not get caught?  How to avoid
> detection? What means/methods of, um, dissonance against such a government
> would be more/less effective? Under what various permutations of
> electronic/physical bushwhacking would the process be successful or not?
> Duration?  Other than the obvious crypto/cyber/military disciplines, what
> other professions or specialized knowledge would be useful under what
> conditions? What blatantly obvious thing(s) have I left out?

Check out loompanics press... they have many such titles useful to your
 research... also checkout Paladin Press and Loompanics press.
look at spy-cell organizations with crypto/remailer substituted for the comm links and dead drops, information brokers help detect infiltration. Laptop
mobile IP with encrypted links and  on-line info-brokers allow one to 
continuously evaluate current local conditions.

The one thing always lacking for me in many of these Crypt-anarchy posts
"Overthrow the government". is a lack of attention the least principles of logistics, economics and proper planning. You can be sure the opposition is paying attention to such details and has a huge advantage because of this.

> 
> Dave Merriman
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
> Finger merriman@metronet.com for PGP/RIPEM public keys and fingerprints.
> Unencrypted Email may be ignored without notice to sender.  PGP preferred.
> Remember: It is not enough to _obey_ Big Brother; you must also learn to
> *love* Big Brother.
> 

      cheers
      Kelly