Syrian Hackers Without a Cause

SMN No. 10, October 1, 2010

While the number of computer hackers targeting official Syrian websites seems to be on the rise, most online pirates apparently infiltrate sites only to show off their technological skills.

In the past few months, several official sites have been hacked, including the ministries of electricity, interior and transportation, the university of Damascus and the stock exchange.

Some hackers used the opportunity to post messages such as criticising power cuts or lamenting the situation of youth in Syria. But the majority of online piracy cases did not have any determined goal.

According to one expert on the matter, most Syrian hackers are interested in the fun of proving that the security on these sites is weak and can be easily breached.

“We can deduce this from the nature of the messages hackers leave, which mostly say ‘we were able to beat you and hack your site’,” he said.

The expert said that, unlike foreign countries where groups of hackers could organise around clear principles as well as political, social and economic goals, Syrian hackers were not motivated by a cause.

He said that hacking proves Syrian youths are technology-savvy but unfortunately do not invest their energies in a constructive objective.