Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

HACKER ATTACKS AGAINST ARMENIAN SEGMENT OF THE WEB: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

01.10.2012

Samvel Martirosyan
Expert, Center for Information Studies, “Noravank” Foundation

The Azerbaijani and Turkish hacker groups continue to constitute
menace to the Armenian segment of the Internet. Hackers regularly
arrange attacks on Armenian web sites. Emails and social network
profiles of the individuals are also being hacked.

>From 50 to 100 Armenian web sites fall victims of the Azerbaijani and
Turkish hacker groups monthly. But sometimes it happens that hackers
manage to capture servers on which many sites are hosted. Thus,
on July 1 at once 86 web sites were attacked1.

The statistics of the attacks shows that the main activity of the
hackers is rather predictable.

Azerbaijani hacker groups have several main days for the attacks:

* January 20 – on this day Azerbaijan celebrates bringing of the
Soviet troops into Baku (immediately after the Armenian pogroms on
January 13-19), as a result many pogrom-makers and peaceful civilians
were killed2.

* Late February – in connection with the events in Khojalu3 * March
31 – on the day of the so-called Azerbaijani genocide.

Besides, the attempts are made on the national holidays of Armenia.

They also attack at the end of December and on the first days of
January, as well as in August. This is conditioned by the fact that
on these days control over the sites is weakened sharply due to the
holidays and vacations.

The Turkish hackers mainly attack in the period of April 24. They
also activate during the discussions of the Armenian Genocide on a
state level in different countries.

Though quite rarely but combined actions by Turkish and Azerbaijani
hacker groups are also implemented. The Azerbaijani and Turkish hacker
groups often deface web sites of the third countries and place there
anti-Armenian content. Thus on March 31 Azerbaijani hackers defaced
several hundred web sites in different countries but in the Azerbaijani
press it was presented as a successful attack against the Armenian
web sites. However, the list of the defaced web sites presented by
the hackers comes to prove that most of them are not Armenian and
the Armenian web sites presented there were attacked previously4.

There are following main types of the successful attacks5:

* SQL Injection6 – 87%.

* Wrong usage of additional software used at the web-sites – about 11%.

* Key exhaustion – about 2%.

The fact that most of the attacks against the individuals were
registered in 2012 causes concern. There were three cases when Turkish
and Azerbaijani hackers placed on the web more than 400 Armenian email
addresses with their passwords7. And several mailboxes belonged to the
journalists. It is difficult even to imagine the amount of the possible
information leakage over that period, because there could have been
correspondence of people who hold a prominent place in the society.

Statistics of the Armenian web sites defacement:

Diagram 1 Hacker attacks against the Armenian segment of the Internet
in 2011, according to Cybergates.

[2012-10-01_120144.gif]

Diagram 2 Hacker attacks against the Armenian segment of the Internet
in 2012, according to Cybergates.

[2012-10-01_120209.gif]

1

2

3

4 List of posted by the hackers on their Facebook
page.
90a39b106975b285c30d49d46038ec

5 According to the data presented by the vice-chairman of “Internet
Society” Grigor Saghyan for 2011-2012.

6
8%D0%B5_SQL-%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B0

7 Lists of the mailboxes attacked:

“Globus” analytical journal, #9, 2012

____________________________________________________________________________
Another materials of author * DEVELOPMENTS OF ARMENIA’S SEGMENTS
OF THE INTERNET[30.07.2012] * THE IMAGE OF THE INTERNET USER
IN ARMENIA[17.05.2012] * ARMENIA IS BECOMING VULNERABLE TO
CYBER-ATTACKS[30.01.2012] * THE AGE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS: CHANGES
IN THE INFORMATION FIELD[19.01.2012] * MOBILE CIVIL JOURNALISM:
OPPORTUNITIES AND PROBLEMS[19.09.2011]

From: Baghdasarian

IS HOVSEPYAN’S CAREER OVER?
Naira Hayrumyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:35:43 – 01/10/2012

The accusation against Vartan Oskanian and general prosecutor’s
arguments that cause irony may become the end of Aghvan Hovsepyan’s
career. His statement that the prosecutor’s office defends the
interests of Civilitas from its founder Vartan Oskanian caused an
ardent reaction in social networks.

It is not ruled out that a part of the Republican Party will vote
against the motion of the prosecutor leaving him embarrassed. Anyway,
the secret voting will allow the parliamentarians to vote as the
conscience tells them and many of RPA members, especially those loyal
to Robert Kocharyan, may vote against the motion.

In this case, questions to the prosecutor’s office will occur. Nikol
Pashinyan has already asked him a couple of unpleasant questions,
but the questions asked by Serzh Sargsyan may turn out even more
unpleasant. The general prosecutor’s office may be asked why it hasn’t
studied enough for the exam and was unable to find strong arguments
against Oskanian. In the end, even if the parliament votes in favor
of the motion, his fiasco is evident.

Reservations that in the parliament Oskanian handed Hovsepyan
“materials proving his innocence” won’t save the prosecutor general
either. Aghvan Hovsepyan will be surely asked why he didn’t get
acquainted with those documents prior to raising the whole noise of
the motion.

In any case, Oskanian’s case may become the end of Aghvan Hovsepyan’s
career. It is clear that he didn’t launch the case on his own, but he
was in charge with the preparation of the materials and he obviously
failed. Anyway, stating that he defends Civilitas interests Hovsepyan
made fun of himself.

From: Baghdasarian

SAFAROV ISSUE IN THE AGENDA OF PACE PLENARY SESSION

ARMENPRESS
1 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 1, ARMENPRESS: Parliamentary Assembly of Council
of Europe has approved the discussion of the issue on criminal Ramil
Safarov disgraceful extradition to Azerbaijan. As Armenpress reports
citing PACE official web site as a result of short discussions
PACE Bureau decided to include the issue raised by Armenian MPs
in Parliamentary Assembly’s autumn session agenda as an urgent and
topical one and discuss it in October 3 plenary session.

Earlier PACE Chairman Jean Claude Mingon expressed concern over the
deteriorating of relations between Armenian and Azerbaijan because of
the decision to grant amnesty to Ramil Safarov by Baku. “I join all
those who condemn the justification of monstrous crime perpetrated by
Safarov, the crime for which he had been sentenced to life imprisonment
by European Union member country. His release is unacceptable and
I am deeply disappointed that Council of Europe’s bodies have been
abused for legalization of such actions ” PACE Chairman stated.

“Safarov release has a negative impact on the already strained
relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and further destabilization
of the situation in the region. I am calling Azerbaijani side to
reconsider its position conforming it with the European standards”
Mingon noted.

PACE autumn session was launched in Strasbourg, on October 1.

Azerbaijani Ramil Safarov axe murdering Armenian serviceman Gurgen
Margaryan in Budapest on February 19, 2004 while participating in
NATO’s English training courses was extradited to Azerbaijan on August
31, 2012 by Hungarian authorities despite the fact Hungarian court
had sentenced Ramil Safarov to a life imprisonment with no right t
to be pardoned in 30 years time . Yet the assassin was not mainly
released in Homeland but granted a mayor title. Armenia suspended
relations with Hungary.

Many international and local organizations, political forces and
politicians have come forth with condemnation statements. Hungary
has already declared readiness to restore the diplomatic relations
with Armenia.

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJAN HAS NO RIGHT TO KARABAKH EITHER MORAL OR LEGAL

Friday, 28 September 2012 12:57

The scandal caused by the extradition of killer Safarov from Hungary
and his immediate pardon by the President of Azerbaijan raised a wave
of indignation in the world. Different countries and organizations
condemned this action; so did the international mediators dealing
with the Karabakh settlement process. All the three OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairing states – Russia, the U.S. and France – gave a very tough
assessment of the actions of the Azerbaijani authorities violating
the norms of morality and international law. In connection with
Safarov’s case, both the Minsk Group co-chairs and the overwhelming
majority of political analysts and experts agreed that the process
of the peaceful settlement of the conflict had been dealt a serious
blow. Indeed, in these conditions, it is highly problematic to continue
the negotiations, and, perhaps, it will take much time to resuscitate
the peace process, if it is only possible.

We can firmly state that new factors associated with “safarovshina”
have appeared today in the settlement process. It has introduced a
completely different situation in the process, and to consider the
negotiations apart from the case of the Budapest killer is merely
impossible, which is realized by sensible politicians and experts.

Unfortunately, the official Baku does not seem to want to understand
this; it tries to ignore obvious things and continues to put a
good face on a bad situation. Evidence of this is an interview of
Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov, who has recently
commented on the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement for
journalists. According to him, “the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan
must be restored, Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh should live together
with Azerbaijanis, and a model of autonomy for their coexistence
should be elaborated”. And further: “We have never rejected the idea
of determining â~@~Kâ~@~Kthe status of Nagorno-Karabakh, but the
status can be discussed only after the return of Azerbaijanis to the
region”. This is followed by a set of quite tired cliches from the
Azerbaijani propaganda arsenal regarding the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan allegedly supported by the UN Security Council and
NATO, the non-constructivism of Armenia unwilling to reconsider its
position, etc. “The resolute statements they make (UN, NATO – ed.)
should be an open message for Armenia; it must understand and accept
this”, states categorically Azimov. But, a reasonable question occurs:
does Azerbaijan accept the numerous “resolute statements” that there
is no alternative to a peaceful settlement of the conflict, which
are made by the same UN and NATO, as well as other international
structures? The ongoing militaristic policy of Baku is an eloquent
answer to this question.

Listening to Azerbaijani politicians of different rank, in this case
to Azimov, one cannot help feeling that they continue to live in a
fool’s paradise, in a kind of parallel universe completely detached
from the reality. Otherwise, the same Azimov would not offer right now,
without wasting time, to make immediately a daily schedule of measures
on the conflict resolution, which, as he said, “should reflect all
the issues of both the Armenian party’s and our concern”.

Meanwhile, the logic of the settlement process and the life itself
require an objective assessment of the current realities and,
therefore, an adequate behavior of the peace process’ participants,
and first of all, Azerbaijan. For it is evident that to build a scheme
of the Karabakh conflict settlement on illusions, without consideration
of the objective processes of evolution of both the conflict and the
modern world is absurd and even dangerous. But, has Azerbaijan really
detached from the reality? Surely, not. It has its own, in a purely
Azerbaijani understanding, reality, which has nothing to do with the
civilized and peaceful coexistence of neighboring nations.

If Azerbaijan were really interested in a peaceful settlement of the
conflict, it would negotiate with the NKR to discuss all the issues,
which, according to Azimov “concern both the Armenian party and us”.

But, the matter is that the real goal of Azerbaijan is hidden behind
its “right” words on peaceful co-existence of Armenians and Azeris in
Nagorno-Karabakh. And it has a single goal – to drive Armenians out of
Nagorno-Karabakh or simply to eliminate them. Azimov himself clearly
realizes that the proposal to return Azerbaijanis to Karabakh, even
accepting the possibility of fulfilling such a plan, will lead not to
peace, but to a new war. Today, the contradictions between the Armenian
and Azerbaijani people are too deep, which was reconfirmed by the story
of murderer Safarov’s release, and it will take time to overcome them.

And still… And still we see the irrepressible desire of the
Azerbaijani party to throw dust in the eyes of the international
community, portraying itself as a dove of peace with an olive branch in
its beak. Without being embarrassed even by the fact that the scandal
with Safarov, which received international resonance, exposed to the
international community the ulcers of the Azerbaijani society suffering
from pathological hatred towards the Armenian people. The state,
in which extradition and pardon of a killer is called a diplomatic
triumph, in which the murder of an Armenian is not a crime, has
no moral right to claim for Nagorno-Karabakh. It hasn’t either any
legal right to demand that the international community subordinate
the independent NKR to its jurisdiction.

From: Baghdasarian

L’AMBASSADEUR D’AFRIQUE DU SUD PRESENTE SES LETTRES DE CREANCE A SERGE SARKISSIAN
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 2 octobre 2012

L’Ambassadeur nouvellement nomme de la Republique d’Afrique du Sud
en Armenie Stanley Chupu Matabata a presente ses lettres de creance
au President Serge Sarkissian.

Le President a felicite l’Ambassadeur par sa prise de fonction et
a exprime l’espoir qu’il sera possible a l’avenir de realiser des
progrès dans le renforcement et l’approfondissement de la cooperation
bilaterale grâce aux efforts communs des deux pays.

L’ambassadeur Stanley Chupu Matabata a note qu’il ferait de son mieux
pour contribuer au developpement de la cooperation entre l’Armenie
et la Republique Sud-africaine.

From: Baghdasarian

GEORGIE : LE LEADER DE L’OPPOSITION PROCLAME SA VICTOIRE AUX LEGISLATIVES
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 2 octobre 2012

Le leader de la principale coalition d’opposition georgienne,
le milliardaire Bidzina Ivanichvili, a proclame sa victoire aux
legislatives lundi face au parti du president Mikheïl Saakachvili,
après la publication des premiers sondages sortie des urnes le placant
en tete.

“Nous avons gagne ! Le peuple georgien a gagne”, a declare M.
Ivanichvili dans un discours retransmis par la chaîne d’opposition
TV9, tandis que le parti au pouvoir a indique que l’opposition
ne remporterait peut-etre pas la majorite des sièges au Parlement
en raison d’un système complexe alliant scrutin proportionnel et
majoritaire.

“Je voudrais remercier le peuple georgien”, a lance M. Ivanichvili
devant plusieurs milliers de ses partisans en liesse sur la place de
Liberte, au coeur de la capitale Tbilissi.

Le Reve georgien de M. Ivanichvili arrive en tete avec 35% des voix a
la proportionnelle contre 30% pour le parti du president Saakachvili,
selon un sondage sortie des urnes de la television d’Etat.

Un autre sondage pour les chaînes pro-pouvoir Roustavi-2 et Imedi
donne au Reve georgien une plus grande avance avec 51%, contre 41%
pour le Mouvement national unifie de M. Saakachvili.

From: Baghdasarian

LA FEDERATION DE FOOTBALL D’ARMENIE NE VA PAS BAISSER LES PRIX DES BILLETS
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 2 octobre 2012

La Federation de Football armenienne a dit qu’elle n’allait pas
reviser a la baisse le prix des billets pour le match Armenie-Italie
qualificatif pour la Coupe du monde devant avaoir leiu au Bresil en
2014 et qui doit avoir lieu le 12 octobre au Stade Hrazdan a Erevan.

Les billets sont vendus depuis le 24 septembre. Des utilisateurs de
Facebook ont demande a la Federation de Football de baisser le prix
des billets.

Le stade renove accueillera pour la première fois un match de football
de ce niveau après avoir qubi une vaste renovation dont le remplacement
du système d’eclairage, le tableau d’affichage et la pelouse. Son
infrastructure correspond desormais aux standards de l’UEFA et de
la FIFA.

Les prix des billets vont de 3000 drams (environ 7$) a 10000 (environ
25,5$).

” Les prix des billets ne changeront pas, parce qu’ils sont,
premièrement, plusieurs fois plus bas que le prix de matchs semblables
dans d’autres pays et, deuxièmement, en creant quatre categories de
prix pour les billets, la Federation de Football d’Armenie fournit
un choix aux supporters de football ” dit la Federation.

From: Baghdasarian

VARTAN OSKANIAN VA SE BATTRE CONTRE L’ADMINISTRATION DE SERGE SARKISSIAN
Laetitia

armenews.com
mardi 2 octobre 2012

L’ancien ministre des Affaires etrangères Vartan Oskanian a indique
que les poursuites judiciaires menees contre lui sont politiquement
motivees et qu’il va se battre contre l’administration du President
Serge Sarkissian.

Dans une declaration ecrite, Oskanian a rejete la decision du Procureur
general Aghvan Hovsepian qui a demande de continuer les poursuites
contre l’homme politique. ” Si le but de tout cela est d’inhiber mes
activites politiques et de m’empecher de critiquer le gouvernement,
puis-je dire que les autorites se trompent dans leur calcul “, a-t-il
dit. ” Je suis pret a poursuivre mon combat pour des changements reels
dans le pays “, a ajoute l’ex-ministre, qui a ete elu au Parlement
sous l’etiquette du parti Armenie prospère (BHK ).

Le Parlement discutera de la question lors d’une seance extraordinaire
prevue lundi. Les legislateurs devront repondre a leurs questions avant
de voter pour ou contre les poursuites d’ Oskanian a bulletin secret.

Le vice-president du parlement Eduard Sharmazanov, qui est egalement
le principal porte-parole du HHK, a indique que les deputes du HHK
preciseront s’ils autorisent le Service national de securite de porter
des accusations contre Oskanian.

” Nous allons voter conformement aux interets de l’Armenie “, a
declare Sharmazanov a RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am). ” Et les interets
de l’Armenie exigent que chaque homme politique doit faire preuve
d’impartialite et doit agir conformement aux lois de l’Armenie et de
la constitution. Et la Constitution armenienne stipule que … toute
violation de la loi doit etre punie. ”

From: Baghdasarian

LE BHK SE DIT PERSECUTE PAR LE GOUVERNEMENT
Laetitia

armenews.com
lundi 1er octobre 2012

Le Parti Armenie prospère (BHK) de Gagik Tsarukian, le deuxième
plus grand parti, affirme etre persecute par le gouvernement. Il a
fermement condamne les procedures penales engagees contre l’un de
ses membres les plus eminents, Vartan Oskanian pour lui faire perdre
son immunite parlementaire. Le parti a affirme que c’est un acte de
persecution politique dirige non seulement contre l’ancien ministre,
mais aussi contre l’ensemble du parti.

” Le parti Armenie prospère exprime un soutien inconditionnel a
ses membres et est pret a retablir la justice par tous les moyens
juridiques possibles “, a declare le parti dans un communique publie
par son conseil d’administration. Le Procureur general Aghvan Hovsepian
a demande au Parlement armenien d’autoriser les poursuites contre
Oskanian sur le blanchiment d’argent. Le BHK devrait presenter un
ensemble de documents refutant les allegations contre Oskanian lors
des discussions a l’Assemblee nationale lundi 1er octobre.

Le communique a ete publie quelques heures après que les membres
Tsarukian et d’autres de la faction de 37 membres se sont reunis pour
discuter du developpement.

La National Security Service (NSS) a ouvert l’affaire penale a la fin
du mois de mai après que Tsarukian a annonce sa decision de se retirer
de la coalition au pouvoir en Armenie. Cette decision fait suite aux
elections legislatives dont le HHK a remporte une victoire ecrasante.

Les relations entre le HHK et le BHK se sont degradees au cours de
l’annee. L’affaire controversee contre Oskanian est consideree par
certains observateurs armeniens comme un avertissement pour Tsarukian,
qui devrait soutenir Sarkissian pour les elections de 2013.

From: Baghdasarian

VIOLONISTE. MIKHAIL SIMONYAN, CHANTRE DE L’ARMENIE

Le Telegramme
Jeudi 27 Septembre 2012
France

par: Eliane Faucon-Dumont

Mikhaïl Simonyan est ne a Novossibirsk d’une mère russe et d’un père
armenien qui fut l’ami du compositeur Aram Katchaturian. Il n’a que 4
ans lorsqu’il entend “quelqu’un jouer du violon”. Après neuf annees
d’etudes, Mikhaïl Simonyan decide, après une serie de concerts, de
travailler aux USA. Le voici bientôt soliste de l’orchestre Americain
de Russie, fait de nombreuses tournees, recoit des recompenses
prestigieuses.

L’Armenie Si Mikhaïl Simonyan joue Katchaturian, ce n’est pas par
hasard: “J’ai grandi avec cette musique que jouaient des violonistes
que j’admirais.

David Oïstrakh etait de ceux-la. J’ai d’ailleurs ecrit la cadence du
second mouvement. Le compositeur, lui-meme n’aimait pas ce passage,
compose a la va-vite, quelques minutes avant sa creation. Oïstrakh
lui-meme la trouvait mauvaise et en a reecrit une autre. Moi,
j’ai voulu que cette cadence vienne du coeur et chante l’Armenie,
alors j’ai demande a un ami compositeur, d’en ecrire une autre a mon
intention. Je voulais qu’elle parle de cette Armenie très religieuse.”.

Le violon À l’atelier du theâtre, mardi soir, Christophe Langdon,
traduit les propos du violoniste. À un moment donne, ce dernier se
retourne vers lui et le presente. “Christophe est un luthier francais
installe a NewYork, c’est un très cher ami. C’est lui qui a fabrique
le violon sur lequel je joue. Alors qu’il etait a peine termine,
j’ai voulu l’essayer. Il etait tout simplement fantastique et sonnait
aussi bien qu’un Stradivarius! Pour moi, ce violon unique est le plus
beau de ceux sur lesquels j’ai joue”.

From: Baghdasarian