On Tuesday, Don HO, the developer of Notepad++, a free GPL source code editor and notepad application for Microsoft Windows, released version 7.8.1, prompting a social media firestorm and a distributed denial of service attack. Notepad++ v7.8.1 was designated "the Free Uyghur edition," in reference to the predominantly Muslim ethnic group in western China that faces ongoing human rights violations and persecution at the hands of Beijing.
"The site notepad-plus-plus.org has suffered DDoS attack from 1230 to 1330 Paris time," HO said in an email to The Register. "I saw the [reduced] amount of visitors via Google analytics then the support of my host confirmed the attack. The DDoS attack has been stopped by an anti-DDoS service provided by our host [Cloudflare]."
[...] For expressing that sentiment, the project's website was DDoSed and its GitHub code repository has been flooded with angry comments in the Issues section – intended for people to report bugs or offer suggestions.
HO said Notepad++'s Tiananmen Square release didn't really attract much attention. The Charlie Hebdo release, however, got his site hacked. "The reaction of this time is more like 'Boycott Beijing 2008 OG' on the Notepad++ website, while Notepad++ was on SourceForge," he said, noting that SourceForge forum was similarly flooded by Chinese spammers in 2008.
Also at The Verge.
Related: China Forces its Muslim Minority to Install Spyware on Their Phones
Massive DNA Collection Campaign Continues in Xinjiang, China
China Installs Surveillance App on Smartphones of Visitors to Xinjiang Region
Apple Lashes Out After Google Reveals iPhone/iOS Vulnerabilities
Related Stories
http://mashable.com/2017/07/21/china-spyware-xinjiang/
China has ramped up surveillance measures in Xinjiang, home to much of its Muslim minority population, according to reports from Radio Free Asia.
Authorities sent out a notice over a week ago instructing citizens to install a "surveillance app" on their phones, and are conducting spot checks in the region to ensure that residents have it.
— Delinda Tien (@TienDelinda) July 14, 2017
The notice, written in Uyghur and Chinese, was sent by WeChat to residents in Urumqi, Xinjiang's capital.
Android users were instructed to scan the QR code in order to install the Jingwang app that would, as authorities claimed, "automatically detect terrorist and illegal religious videos, images, e-books and electronic documents" stored in the phone. If illegal content was detected, users would be ordered to delete them.
Users who deleted, or did not install the app, would be detained for up to 10 days, according to social media users.
Human Rights Watch has issued a report about DNA collection in Xinjiang province in China:
Chinese police have started gathering blood types, DNA samples, fingerprints and iris scans from millions of people in its Muslim-majority Xinjiang province to build a massive citizen database, according to report by activist group Human Rights Watch.
The report, published Wednesday, said officials are collecting the data from citizens between the ages of 12 and 65 years old using a variety of methods. Authorities are gathering DNA and blood types through free medical checkups, and HRW said it was unclear if patients were aware that their biometric data was being collected for the police during these physical exams.
According to the report, citizens authorities have flagged as a potential threat to the regime, and their families—named "focus personnel"—are forced to hand over their DNA regardless of age.
So far, 18.8 million citizens have participated in the medical checkups, called "Physicals for All" by the government, according to an article by a state news agency Xinhua on November 1.
Previously: Massive DNA Collection Campaign in Xinjiang, China
China Snares Tourists' Phones in Surveillance Dragnet by Adding Secret App
China has turned its western region of Xinjiang into a police state with few modern parallels, employing a combination of high-tech surveillance and enormous manpower to monitor and subdue the area's predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities. Now, the digital dragnet is expanding beyond Xinjiang's residents, ensnaring tourists, traders and other visitors — and digging deep into their smartphones.
A team of journalists from The New York Times and other publications examined a policing app used in the region, getting a rare look inside the intrusive technologies that China is deploying in the name of quelling Islamic radicalism and strengthening Communist Party rule in its Far West. The use of the app has not been previously reported.
China's border authorities routinely install the app on smartphones belonging to travelers who enter Xinjiang by land from Central Asia, according to several people interviewed by the journalists who crossed the border recently and requested anonymity to avoid government retaliation. Chinese officials also installed the app on the phone of one of the journalists during a recent border crossing. Visitors were required to turn over their devices to be allowed into Xinjiang. The app gathers personal data from phones, including text messages and contacts. It also checks whether devices are carrying pictures, videos, documents and audio files that match any of more than 73,000 items included on a list stored within the app's code.
Apple takes flak for disputing iOS security bombshell dropped by Google
Apple is taking flak for disputing some minor details of last week's bombshell report that, for at least two years, customers' iOS devices were vulnerable to a sting[sic] of zeroday exploits, at least some of which were actively exploited to install malware that stole location data, passwords, encryption keys, and a wealth of other highly sensitive data.
Google's Project Zero said the attacks were waged indiscriminately from a small collection of websites that "received thousands of visitors per week." One of the five exploit chains Project Zero researchers analyzed showed they "were likely written contemporaneously with their supported iOS versions." The researcher's conclusion: "This group had a capability against a fully patched iPhone for at least two years."
Earlier this week, researchers at security firm Volexity reported finding 11 websites serving the interests of Uyghur Muslims that the researchers believed were tied to the attacks Project Zero identified. Volexity's post was based in part on a report by TechCrunch citing unnamed people familiar with the attacks who said they were the work of [a] nation—likely China—designed to target the Uyghur community in the country's Xinjiang state.
[...]For a week, Apple said nothing about any of the reports. Then on Friday, it issued a statement that critics are characterizing as tone-deaf for its lack of sensitivity to human rights and an overfocus on minor points.
[...]
Nicholas Weaver, a researcher at UC Berkeley's International Computer Science Institute, summed up much of this criticism by tweeting: “The thing that bugs me most about Apple these days is that they are all-in on the Chinese market and, as such, refuse to say something like ‘A government intent on ethnic cleansing of a minority population conducted a mass hacking attack on our users.’"
[...]Apple had an opportunity to apologize to those who were hurt, thank the researchers who uncovered systemic flaws that caused the failure, and explain how it planned to do better in the future. It didn't do any of those things. Now, the company has distanced itself from the security community when it needs it most.
See also: The stakes are too high for Apple to spin the iPhone exploits
Apple says Uighurs targeted in iPhone attack but disputes Google findings
Related: China Forces its Muslim Minority to Install Spyware on Their Phones
China Installs Surveillance App on Smartphones of Visitors to Xinjiang Region
(Score: 2, Touché) by Sulla on Friday November 01 2019, @03:19AM (2 children)
How dare they? Don't they know this is the Chinese century? What right has anyone to refuse China's desires and greatness in the face of an unstoppable outcome? We should all WANT to volunteer to be in Chinese organ camps, its a huge honor!
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 01 2019, @03:28AM (1 child)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8555142/Wikileaks-no-bloodshed-inside-Tiananmen-Square-cables-claim.html [telegraph.co.uk]
(Score: 2) by pkrasimirov on Friday November 01 2019, @10:56AM
That was already answered in https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/issues/7476#issuecomment-548054674 [github.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 01 2019, @03:48AM (1 child)
Stand up for evil, see what happens.
Yes, laws should apply in the same way for all. Yes, applying our laws for scoundrels, even pedobears, needs to happen.
Should China persecute a group of people just because they are evil? No.
Should China try to fix the underlying issues? Yes.
In this way?
How would you address this issue?
(Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Friday November 01 2019, @11:11AM
Not even wrong with that question.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Mojibake Tengu on Friday November 01 2019, @03:48AM (14 children)
Technically, Uyghur Muslims are treated much better by China state than Palestinian Muslims are by state of Israel. Both in procedures and scale.
For example, being re-educated is somewhat better than being bombed by white phosphorus. China does not bomb Uyghurs by military aircrafts. So, in my perception, China does no worse to Muslims than Israel.
While it is unacceptable to criticize Israel for anything they do, it should be unacceptable to criticize China as well, by the very same reasoning, whatever the reasons really are.
Did I missed something?
Respect Authorities. Know your social status. Woke responsibly.
(Score: 5, Touché) by sjames on Friday November 01 2019, @03:58AM (2 children)
You seem to be reasonably sure you can criticize Israel without significant issues, so why not China?
(Score: 2, Touché) by Mojibake Tengu on Friday November 01 2019, @04:40AM (1 child)
I commend China for re-educating Muslims, and not bombing them, like many other states do. I do not criticize Israel.
Respect Authorities. Know your social status. Woke responsibly.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Azuma Hazuki on Friday November 01 2019, @02:33PM
Define "re-educating." Because, technically, the things that went on in Room 101 were "re-educating." China is a hellhole, and I say this as someone who grew up in basically the US's Chinese hotspot on the east coast and has an ethnically Chinese (though nationally Malaysian and culturally more Americanized than me...) girlfriend.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 01 2019, @04:43AM
1.8 wrongs don't make a right.
(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Friday November 01 2019, @04:52AM
This seems to call out the difference between wiping ideas from brains and killing people while recognizing the existence of their beliefs. It seems like doing both would be the most effective way to go about it.
(Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 01 2019, @05:15AM
Yes it appears that you have.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_harvesting_from_Falun_Gong_practitioners_in_China [wikipedia.org]
https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/06/18/china-killing-prisoners-to-harvest-organs-for-transplant-tribunal-finds/#1de4f1a53d41 [forbes.com]
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/china-forcefully-harvests-organs-detainees-tribunal-concludes-n1018646 [nbcnews.com]
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-nightmare-of-human-organ-harvesting-in-china-11549411056 [wsj.com]
https://nypost.com/2019/06/01/chinese-dissidents-are-being-executed-for-their-organs-former-hospital-worker-says/ [nypost.com]
China has the weird ability to be able to schedule you an organ transplant after you work with their hospitals and provide a sample of your DNA and bloodwork, sometimes as little as two weeks out. Some of the first concerns about the organ trade in China was from an Israeli doctor who had a patent on a wait list for years and within two weeks of making a connection with a hospital in China found a perfect match, highly unlikely.
China has ever-expanding laws that get you put in prison camps. Political descent, being Muslim, etc. When you are desensitized to killing your own people for their organs, how long until having the wrong DNA/bloodwork becomes a crime when your boss needs a new kidney? Would be a shame if someone mistakenly hit your credit score.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 01 2019, @05:26AM (2 children)
If they are being bombed by white phosphorus, they get to go visit God. As martyrs they get 72 virgins (no idea if the virgins consent, but they are probably nasty ones anyway) and all their wives.
Re-education camps involve eating pork. If they touch pork at the moment of death, for example by choking, they go directly to Hell. LOL. It serves them right.
It's all a funny situation anyway, given that both sides are a pox upon Earth. If somehow they could both lose, that would be great.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by inertnet on Friday November 01 2019, @08:56AM (1 child)
Maybe one should reconsider ones religion, if its heaven contains over 98% slaves (because only one out of every 73 inhabitants is not a slave). Sounds more like hell to me.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 01 2019, @12:53PM
Ask yourself why they are virgins.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 01 2019, @12:39PM (2 children)
The Palestinian Muslims that were injured by Israeli white phosphorus munitions were in a war zone between two nations and refused to follow the evacuation order issued 24 hours in advance. This is why the report in question only concluded the IDF was being reckless in its usage rather than violating any international laws:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Fact_Finding_Mission_on_the_Gaza_Conflict#White_phosphorus_allegations [wikipedia.org]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_phosphorus_munitions#Arab-Israeli_conflict [wikipedia.org]
What's happening in China is the systematic political persecution and illegal detention and torture of members of an ethnic minority.
Apples to oranges aside, the common thread between the two is that the US and UK aren't willing to ban white phosphorus, interment camps or torture through international laws since they themselves are using them: The US is the largest manufacturer and exporter of white phosphorus munitions while the UK and the US both operate black sites where they kidnap and detain their own and foreign citizens under suspicions of terrorism without public trials or juries.
Regardless of all that, if you want either to stop, the solution is simple: Support their ban in international laws by protesting against your own government's opposition to attempts at banning them by the UN. Pointing fingers at Israel or China is just scapegoating.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 01 2019, @10:56PM (1 child)
"The Palestinian Muslims that were injured by Israeli white phosphorus munitions were in a war zone between two nations and refused to follow the evacuation order issued 24 hours in advance."
Would that be the order to "fuck off into the sea and swim to where you claim refugee status"?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 02 2019, @02:16PM
It would be the "get down to the shelter UNRWA put together or get in the UN / Red Cross convey parking next to your house". Well, it makes more sense when your own elected officials aren't holding you hostage as a meta shield to prevent you from evacuating:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/24/israeli-strike-un-school-gaza-kills-women-children [theguardian.com]
And no it wasn't a singular incident. Almost every single civilian casualty in Gaza was following hours notice. But hey, why bother reading past that headline and photographs, right? Not like the details make a difference or anything...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 01 2019, @07:02PM
Funny you mention Israel considering it's one of the few nations to have made it illegal for its insurance agencies to provide coverage for organ trade or the required followup medical treatment: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_harvesting_from_Falun_Gong_practitioners_in_China#Responses_from_other_governments [wikipedia.org]
That is, drugs and medical care following such transplants isn't covered in Israel. Meaning, when someone comes back with a fresh organ, the insurance company will open an investigation into the matter and will have a real financial interest in uncovering evidence of illegal trade. They'll look up back statements. Send investigators to the hospitals interviewing the harvesting and transplanting doctors. Checkup with the donor's family... People were rejected follow-up treatment by the insurance companies numerous times. It even made it to the courts a couple of times.
So, what does your country does to prevent organ trade?
(Score: 2) by stretch611 on Friday November 01 2019, @09:41PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCTTq0q4h-A [youtube.com]
Now with 5 covid vaccine shots/boosters altering my DNA :P
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 01 2019, @04:03AM (4 children)
Do you think Xi would calm down if someone sent him a big jar of honey?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 01 2019, @04:27AM (1 child)
He can afford more honey than your white ass will ever scrape out of the Hundred Acre Wood.
Send him plans to America's newest aircraft carriers. Wait, he already has those.
Send him the severed heads of the Hong Kong resistance movement. Wait, they are dead already and just don't know it yet.
Just pledge your loyalty to the Emperor.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Sulla on Friday November 01 2019, @05:16AM
Na I prefer freedom, or at least the outward appearance of freedom. But its still better than being unable to take the bus for calling Trump an orange.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 3, Informative) by stretch611 on Friday November 01 2019, @09:59PM
For people who are missing the reference...
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/07/china-bans-winnie-the-pooh-film-to-stop-comparisons-to-president-xi [theguardian.com]
And (John Oliver video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OubM8bD9kck [youtube.com]
The start of the Winnie the pooh reference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OubM8bD9kck&feature=youtu.be&t=637 [youtube.com]
(but imho, the whole video is worth watching)
Now with 5 covid vaccine shots/boosters altering my DNA :P
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 02 2019, @11:09AM
Yes he would calm right down.
I don't get paid 50c a day to make these comments either,
(Score: 2) by Bot on Friday November 01 2019, @08:57AM (1 child)
This is a tough one.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Bot on Friday November 01 2019, @09:00AM
I found the synthesis!
Free uyghur: send em back to Turkey.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by chewbacon on Monday November 04 2019, @12:42AM
He can’t help but be political. His social media following kept saying “less politics, more code” and he would insult those who disagreed with him and dare them to uninstall the application. This is entertaining. Atom is a better editor anyway.