Incognito
| File:Incognito.png Emblem commonly associated with Incognito and other associated movements | |
| Formation | c. 2002 |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Purpose | |
Region served | Global |
Membership | Decentralized affinity group |
Incognito is a loosely associated group of internet activists within Aeia. The organization has no official command structure or set members, with members operating on a voluntary basis as part of wider gatherings of individuals who engage in direct action protests. The group gained widespread notoriety for its distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on a number of governments and multinational corporations. The group is well known for its leaking of classified information from restricted government sources, garnering praise from some for its work in creating transparency; however criticism from others for the group's illegal activities and potential undermining of state security.
Philosophy
The voluntary nature of the group ensures it is difficult to pin down a coherent ideological leaning for Incognito, however a number of key trends are noticeable within the group's activities.
Incognito tends to be anti-authority, targeting a number of governments and organizations worldwide and releasing undisclosed or classified documents. The group has on a number of occasions been pointed to as being anti-capitalist in its attacks on corporate power over politics and in the commercialisation of society. These suggestions would link with the group's early activity on internet forums discussing similar matters, along with conspiracies related to one world government and political corruption. Some commentators have described the group as socialist, however hacking attempts against left-leaning governments dispute this claim. Furthermore, internet posters claiming to be a part of the organization have been known to espouse views linked with the alt-right or Identitarian movements.
History
(Add incidents here)
Early activity
Online users claiming to be part of a wider group known as Incognito began appearing in online forums as early as 2002. Most of these members were involved on conspiracy boards discussing issues such as government consolidation and the existence of a global Illuminati which attempted to subvert individuals below one world government. Soon, groups on these forums began to engage in attacks on organizations and governments, going as far as to leak low level classified information online. By 2004 the group began publishing stories and write-ups on a number of organizations deemed untrustworthy or unethical. It was around this time that the group earned wider recognition through a DDoS attack on the website of Midrasian oil company Tundre Pétrole. The group soon gained worldwide fame for its role in anti-business protests in 2009 when the group leaked thousands of offshore tax records for key corporate figures.
ACR data breach 2010
In 2010 the Midrasian government reported repeated attempts by an unknown entity attempting to access information held within the archives of the Agence Centrale de Renseignement. Intelligence reports suggest that authorities initially suspected Veleaz or Ternca as the culprit behind the attacks. Whilst initially it was believed that no data was lost in the incident, in September 2010 a number of classified documents began appearing on internet forums such as Clickr. Authorities were quick to prevent the wider dissemination of such information, limiting news publications to only non-essential information, however the files remained available through internet back-channels. An assessment of the incident suggested that hackers had attempted to breach top-secret information within the ACR's data vaults, however were only able to access files registered under a lower security clearance.
In the aftermath of the incident, authorities traced the source of the attack to a site in Sturhlund which was known to be a regular hangout for members of the organization seeking to be 'off the grid'. Intelligence suggested that of the thirteen suspects who were part of the group, three were Midrasian citizens. In cooperation with Navish authorities these three individuals, along with six other identified Navish citizens implicated, were extradited to face trial for treason and espionage, the former of which in Midrasia can still carry the punishment of death. In the aftermath of the trial, all three Midrasian citizens were found guilty, though the judge waved the death sentence. Instead, settling on a twenty-year prison sentence for two of the three involved, with the third (who was 16 years of age) being subject to two years in a juvenile detention facility along with a ten-year prison sentence pending review. Of the six Navish citizens, four were found guilty, with there being insufficient evidence to convict the other two. These four were sentenced to ten years each.
In 2014 the Hergean government signed a contract with arms company Kartjen Arms Manufacturing to construct several new naval warships. However, the intentions and core details of the contract were largely classified. On June 8th 2014, Kartjen reported a total breach of their website and were inable to access the website and change codes. It was reported that all structure codes for the site had been bought down, and an exposure risk was now high. Hergean Cyber Police were contacted to review the situation.
The officers soon found that details of the contract such as signatures, locations, and resource plans had been exposed via several websites. This bought some unrest among Green activist groups and left-wingers against the contract. Police quickly attempted to gain control of the situation, beginning with officially outlawing Incognito and all activities. Multiple Incognito members were arrested over the course of the next few months. The contract was almost cancelled, but in the end it was decided only some of the warships would be built due to outcry at the incident. Since then, action has been taken against Incognito in Hergemoth.
Midrasian Spring 2016
Incognito became involved in the Midrasian Spring following the accusations aimed at then Prime Minister Charles Vauban made by the Picayune magazine. The organization claimed over the social media site Chirper to hold "more information on Mr Vauban" that would be released "over the coming days" unless he resigned immediately. Members of the group also became involved in protests in Lotrič and Berghelling.
Despite promising to release information on the matter, the group did not follow up on their promises, and their Chirper account went dark for several days. On the following Tuesday, a member of the organization with access to the Chirper account posted, claiming that members of the organisation had been detained and interrogated by the Bureau of Investigation on the orders of the Prime Minister. The subsequent political fallout resulted in the creation of an official investigatory committee to investigate the affairs of the Prime Minister. A number of witnesses from the organization have come forward anonymously to give evidence within the trial. This move has been criticised by some, as many view Incognito as an organization hostile to the Midrasian state. Furthermore, the evidence given at trial has so far been lacklustre, with one notable witness claiming that Vauban was a member of an international conspiracy aimed at subverting individual free will. Despite this, the committee has noted that significant progress has been made with the cooperation of figures from the organization. The investigation remains ongoing.
International opinion
(Your nation here)
- Template:Country data Carcossica: While generally supportive of whistleblowing efforts, transparency in public and private sectors, and privacy rights, the Conference has denounced the organization's "needlessly disruptive and hazardous" activities, asserting that such efforts are counterproductive to the proper legal battles against potential corruption in the world economy. The Conference also supported the inherent need of national governments to hold classified information in the modern age, and decried the attacks on Midrasan assets in 2010. The KR Cyberspace Defense Group has called for officially listing Incognito as an international criminal organization, though it is unlikely to be acted upon.
Crylante: The Crylantian government has made no official comment on the organization, but when interviewed Liana Vescovi said the government had "nothing to hide", but that she was "concerned about the rise of hacking groups", stating that most people in them didn't "know when to stop".- Template:Country data Hipasia: Hipasia has reffered to Incognito as "dangerous", and expressed concern over the possibility of their leaks being an aid to terrorists. In 2016 a Hipasian was convicted of endangering the peace after leaking non-classified military documents to Incognito. PM Lavan said that he "hopes it will set a precedent that Hipasian intelligence is not a plaything".
Indragiri: Indragirian Minister of Communications Ulman Akbar has said that the group have been banned from ever touching Indragirian land, and will protect Indragirian internet from the presence of this group. Strong penalties are in for hacking groups, such as jail and hefty fines.
Isolaprugna: President Emanuela Amatore has stated that "too many people" on the internet "use freedom of information as an excuse for harassment" when asked about the group.
Midrasia: The Midrasian government views Incognito as a dangerous organization and has been deeply critical of the group's activities, especially following the its attempt to access classified government documents in 2010. A number of Midrasian citizens accused of illegal activity as part of the organization are currently serving jail time. The organization is currently at the centre of an investigation into the affairs of former Prime Minister Charles Vauban.- Template:Country data Rohst: The Rohstian Crown has declared Incognito as a dangerous radical group that attempts to interfere with government affairs, however the group was highly praised when its members leaked information that proved vital in the crackdown on Communist dissenters in the 2010 Ahrensfeld Incident.
- Template:Country data Sacemes: The government has taken strong measures to curb online dissent; this includes severe penalties for people in hacking groups such as Incognito.
- Template:Country data TKae The Confederate Congress of TKae City has not considered an official position regarding Incognito. However, popular opinion of the organization is very high, with many TKaeans considering the group a counter-balance against excessively large governments. Incognito activity is seen as free speech under TKae's Constitutional Article of Individual Liberty. The Free Guard of TKae City has reassured concerned citizens that the Congress's use of a dedicated intranet will prevent any disruption to the democratic process, and that non-electronic backup materials are available for delegate use in the event of a hostile compromise.
- Template:Country data Vrnallia Vrnallia has not officially commented on Incognito, though Premier Zujka has expressed concern about the danger their actions poses.