Anonymous Releases Their Own Operating System

[To Be Quite Honest]

Hack This!

"The OS is based off Ubuntu and runs the MATE user interface. It comes complete with many built-in hacking tools that crack passwords, search for vulnerabilities in web sites, and simulate denial of service attacks. The about page notes that it was created "for educational purposes" and that you shouldn't use it to attack any web sites, because you could "end up in jail"."

Hmmm internet anarchy shouldn't be far behind!

[Traditional_Ale]

Anonymous is awesome. Wouldn't it be something if they were actually a government invention, designed to give the hyper-engaged nerds a glimmer of hope while all the while they are pillaging the internet and throwing Bieber downloaders in jail?

[Rathji]

I would love to install an OS that was made by a bunch of people who exploit code and break into secure networks.

What could possibly go wrong?

[keratosis]

Originally Posted by Rathji

I would love to install an OS that was made by a bunch of people who exploit code and break into secure networks.

What could possibly go wrong?

Hy Uck.
No brainer.

[ZedMan]

Something with a similar purpose already exists: http://www.backtrack-linux.org/

And unlike anonymous's, I'd trust backtrack enough to use (you don't actually have to install it, it runs off the CD)

[To Be Quite Honest]

Originally Posted by Rathji

I would love to install an OS that was made by a bunch of people who exploit code and break into secure networks.

What could possibly go wrong?

It basically says that in the article.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Rathji

I would love to install an OS that was made by a bunch of people who exploit code and break into secure networks.

What could possibly go wrong?

Apparently they didn't release it, and it is packed with malware.

http://www.bgr.com/2012/03/15/anonym...er-group-says/

My favorite part is when the group that release it says:

Please people… in our world, in Linux and opensource world, there is not virus.

Now I don't know if he is claiming there are no viruses for Linux, or if he has a poor understanding of the English language, but it isn't the most intelligent statement I have read in a while.

[Super Nintendo Chalmers]

Anonymous-OS has been downloaded more than 25,000 times.

This will end well.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by Super Nintendo Chalmers

This will end well.

25,000 zombie machines, or at least 25,000 machines I wouldn't use even my credit card from 15 years ago on.

[Rathji]

To be fair, a large portion of those installs were probably from computer security or AV firms, CEHs or security professionals, tech bloggers/reporters or researchers

[Azure]

I'm sure a few thousand were from unsuspecting idiots that will now have their computers used to help launch DDOS attacks.

Question about 'Backtrack.' What kind of passwork cracking tools does it offer?

[CrusaderPi]

Stuff like this makes me wish Anonymous was actually a real thing. It could be so much fun.

[Rathji]

It is a "real thing", but it is also illegal. Movies etc have glorified hacking but in reality it is pretty crazy boring from my perspective. Imagine doing reverse engineered code reviews for endless hours or pouring over stack traces to find a poorly written, and exploitable, sequence of instructions.

Then you build and test the exploit, and make it into a tool for easy use and distribute it to the other 99% of the 'hacking community' who are really just script kiddies doing your dirty work.

That doesn't sound nearly so interesting.

[CrusaderPi]

Anonymous is real like god is real. It exists because you can see the consequences of it, buuuuuuut it's more of a convenient excuse for asshats to act like asshats.

[DownhillGoat]

"Anonymous-OS"? Really? They should have called it Anonym-OS

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Rathji

It is a "real thing", but it is also illegal. Movies etc have glorified hacking but in reality it is pretty crazy boring from my perspective. Imagine doing reverse engineered code reviews for endless hours or pouring over stack traces to find a poorly written, and exploitable, sequence of instructions.

Then you build and test the exploit, and make it into a tool for easy use and distribute it to the other 99% of the 'hacking community' who are really just script kiddies doing your dirty work.

That doesn't sound nearly so interesting.

Yeah, but imagine doing it to subvert another country's nuclear program. Mildly interesting work if you can get it

[Rathji]

For sure.

Computer Security / Ethical Hacking are fields that really interest me and there are lots of applications for this kind of stuff in the real world, but when it comes down to it, most of the 'real hacking' is mind-numbingly boring when you get down to it.

The thrill of the chase aspect of it is real, but if that's all people think hacking is, then I think they are mistaken.

[Milt Schmidt]

ars technica took a look at the 'OS,' looks like much ado about nothing, really. It's not hard to use Remastersys to create an Ubuntu live-cd/dvd with a few programs and a custom wallpaper.

http://arstechnica.com/business/news...onymous-os.ars

Milt

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Rathji

The thrill of the chase aspect of it is real, but if that's all people think hacking is, then I think they are mistaken.

So you're saying its not as cool as the 'hack the planet' project that a certain movie in 1995 made it out to be? Well that shatters my dream.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Rathji

The thrill of the chase aspect of it is real, but if that's all people think hacking is, then I think they are mistaken.

Here's another fantastic article about non-glamorous coding, one of my favorite:
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/...tml?page=0%2C0

The Space Shuttle flight code is as close as any known computer code to flawless, and the lengths they go to achieve it, and the toll it takes on them, is daunting.

What does this have to do with security related coding? I think it demonstrates that for a subset of developers, its the art of the craft that appeals to them - it's not glamourous or fun coding like Angry Birds, but the minutia of something very hard and tedious done well that appeals to them.

It's definitely not for everyone, nor, as you point out, as much fun (directly) as people might commonly think. But its definitely an interesting segment of the IT community.