The “Red Hacker Alliance,” the largest and earliest hacking legion in China, was regrouped recently after a short break.

The alliance, attracting 20,000 hackers, once ranked the fifth in the world in terms of the number of its members. Its Web site, set up at the end of 2000, had nearly 80,000 registered members at its peak.

The task of the alliance was to prevent hacking attacks from foreign countries.

But the Web network was disintegrated by the end of 2004 for no specific reason.

The Web site founder, nicknamed Lion, said in an e-mail that the Web site existed in name only and he closed the Web site after Dec. 21, 2004.

A sophomore majored in computer sciences at University of Electronic Science and Technology of China in Chengdu, who is also a group member, is now responsible for personnel management of the group and the Web site maintenance.

The student, surnamed Yang, said: "I can design a computer virus in a few minutes, which can disfunction the use of mouse and computer, but I will not do this because the mission of a 'Red Hacker' member is to protect the Web sites from being attacked.”

The Web site also has a supervision committee to supervise its members' behaviors and cancel memberships of those who violate its rule by attacking other Web sites.

(Shenzhen Daily April 26, 2005)