back to article China cuffs ten white-hats, nobody knows why

China is apparently cracking down on white-hats, with local reports saying the founder of a 5,000-strong ethical hacker community has been arrested. The reports first emerged on Chinese-language site Caixinwang and were picked up by the Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP). The latter outlet report names Fang Xaiodun, founder of a …

  1. John Tserkezis

    The only difference between white hat and black hat hackers are ethics.

    And the Chinese Government knows all about ethics now, don't they?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Depends which white hats. Could be US KKK members..

    2. JimC

      What is ethical?

      Its a paraphrase of a very old question, but I do wonder who decides what is ethical and whether everyone else agrees...

  2. joed

    cuffed?

    maybe just involuntarily enlisted into PLA. black hat, white hat, red hat?

  3. Neoc

    <quote>...show off secure Wi-Fi services</quote>

    Well there's your problem - if your service is secure the guvmint can't spy on you. Can't have that: off to prison.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    ... off to prison ...

    for an indeterminate term until you disclose your password.

  5. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

    Feels like they either stumbled across something they weren't supposed to see or threatened somebodies business model - and that someone is extremely well connected.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Since all the BIG companies in China are owned either directly by the government, the party, or by the PLA, I would tend to agree.

      My 2nd trip to China, I stayed in the most highly recommended business hotel in the city - the translation of the hotel name was :-

      "The Peoples Liberations Army Hotel and Supply Depot"

      (no joke)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        >most highly recommended business hotel

        >The Peoples Liberations Army Hotel and Supply Depot

        The pig is walking upright like a man.

  6. Alfred

    Makes a lot of sense. Such people challenge the authority of the government by competing with them to provide people with information and security and reassurance. Having the best of intentions doesn't matter; do not compete with the government.

    1. asdf

      not smart

      Sure scare off the people that are actually helping secure your infrastructure, real smart. I guess the argument could be made they are also securing the West's infrastructure as well which is a lot more dependent on said infrastructure. Maybe that's the play.

      1. Mike 16

        Re: not smart

        Scaring off the people helping secure your infrastructure, or just keeping them from doing so? Sounds like a job for James Comey and Theresa May (NSFW if you forget the 'H').

  7. Version 1.0 Silver badge

    It's China

    It could be any of the explanations/guesses posted here (I'm sure that there are more to come) or it could be as simple as Fang Xaiodun pissing off someone in local government because his sister refused to go out with their relative.

    Western explanations often don't make any sense in China.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Chinese whispers....

    Doctors asked for ethically sourced human organs .....

    .... and what they've got were human organs from ethical hackers!

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