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NEWS: Internet hackers reactivate blocked websites
Internet hackers reactivate blocked websites
>From Indo-Asian News Service
Karachi, June 15 (IANS) Internet hackers are frustrating attempts by
Pakistani authorities to block pornographic websites by providing alternate
routes to access them.
Pakistani Internet surfers have been receiving e-mails with the subjectline
reading "How to bypass government ban on websites". The message contains an
address that can open any of the banned websites, The News said Sunday.
"When the page opens, type the URL of any blocked websites in the search box
at the top of the page. All blocking software would be bypassed and the
surfer can browse through the blocked website," it said.
Pakistan Telecommunications Limited (PTCL), the country's Internet backbone
provider, seems clueless about tackling the new menace - and even professed
ignorance about what was happening.
"We don't have any such news. Definitely PTCL will tackle it after it comes
to know about it," Tariq Badshah, an official of the IT and telecom
ministry, told the daily.
PTCL has since January 2003 blocked over 1,800 "adult, dis-informing,
anti-religion and amoral" websites. The latest to earn its ire was a
U.S.-based portal that reported Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was
planning to send swarms of jehadis into Jammu and Kashmir if the current
peace moves with India failed.
But PTCL seems to fighting a losing battle.
"Yeah, I received that message and tried it out. It really worked. Now I
have access to all the banned sites," The News quoted Asim Aslam, a student,
as saying.
Added Ali Ahmed, a confirmed Internet surfer: "I was a regular reader of the
(blocked) news portal, but the site did not open for two weeks. Then, I
received an e-mail a couple of days ago which proved an open sesame mantra.
Now I have no problem accessing the banned website."
Internet service providers aren't really complaining about the blocking
campaign. Their only grouse is that it is slowing web-browsing speeds.
--Indo-Asian News Service
