Day 132: Anonymous

I intend to do a post stating my thoughts on the likelihood of nuclear war between North Korea & USA, but first, I thought I'd do this little post about the "group" Anonymous. I'm hoping it might clear a few things up. But first, let's talk a little bit about public key encryption:

Public key encryption is a nifty little invention that allows you to generate a pair of keys (two files full of cryptographic data). One of these files, you put in a safe place and guard with your life (this one is known as the private key); the other one, you distribute to the public (known as the public key for obvious reasons).

A common use for public key encryption is the exchange of private messages. You see, anyone who has a copy of the public key can take some data and encrypt it in such a way that only the person who has the private key can decrypt it. However, that's not all public key encryption is good for. The person who holds the private key can also take some data and use it to generate a unique string of random characters, known as a cryptographic signature. Then, anyone who has a copy of the public key, can use this signature to verify that the data actually came from the person they thought it was coming from and has not been tampered with. In this way, public key cryptography allows someone who wishes to remain anonymous online, to establish an identity and transmit messages to the public that the public can verify as coming from that person and not one or more imposters. Cryptographic signatures are used by many, many individuals, groups, and businesses; particularly those that produce software.

Why is any of this important. Well, because Anonymous has never used public key encryption. Because Anonymous is not really a group. Anonymous was founded as an open identity that anyone is free to use. Anyone who wants to be Anonymous IS Anonymous. That's right, if you or I put up a Guy Fawkes avatar and start calling ourselves Anonymous, we are doing so just as legitimately as anyone else who puts up a Guy Fawkes avatar and starts calling themselves Anonymous. Therefore, what Anonymous actually is, is a bunch of disparate individuals, some of whom sometimes co-ordinate, and some of whom have nothing to do with each other. Some of them are elite hackers who actually know stuff, some of them are conspiratorial nutjobs, and some of them are outright trolls.

From what I can gather, the video Squib saw originally came from this Youtube account. If you want to, you can have a scroll through this person's catalogue of videos and decide how seriously you want to take them. It's a pity the news article you read couldn't have done this.

Gay Fawkes … but only if you buy her a drink.