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diy:ops [2024/11/15 22:58] – [Postmortem Studies] Humphrey Boa-Gartdiy:ops [2024/11/17 19:09] (current) – [Research, Research, Research!] Humphrey Boa-Gart
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 ===== Defining "Operation" ===== ===== Defining "Operation" =====
 +
 +[{{ :diy:anondelivers.jpg?300|Listen rookie, if you're gonna do this, do it right. You have a reputation to live up to now.}}]
  
 Before we can go through the checklist of how to run a successful operation, we need to lay out what an operation even is. **Simply put, an operation //(or "op" for short)// is when Anonymous decides to take action about something.** This can take a wide range of forms, ranging from protests and social awareness campaigns, to hacking sprees, jolly pranks, cyberbullying missions and public spectacles. Before we can go through the checklist of how to run a successful operation, we need to lay out what an operation even is. **Simply put, an operation //(or "op" for short)// is when Anonymous decides to take action about something.** This can take a wide range of forms, ranging from protests and social awareness campaigns, to hacking sprees, jolly pranks, cyberbullying missions and public spectacles.
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 ==== What an Op Can Be ==== ==== What an Op Can Be ====
  
-[{{ :diy:principles_of_war.jpg?333|There are no rules, just principles and smart ideas.}}]+[{{ :diy:seriously.jpg?300|Even this guy can start an op.}}]
  
 First off, anyone can start an op. There is literally nobody stopping you from declaring a new Anonymous operation. People can //(and will)// try to get in your way and [[tactics:demoralization|demoralize you]], but victory goes to the Anon who is more persistent. First off, anyone can start an op. There is literally nobody stopping you from declaring a new Anonymous operation. People can //(and will)// try to get in your way and [[tactics:demoralization|demoralize you]], but victory goes to the Anon who is more persistent.
  
-Secondly, just about anything can be an op. Some types of ops you are probably already familiar with, such as our infamous DDOS attacks and hacking campaigns. These are basic **offensive operations**: Define a target and hit it with everything. Pretty standard stuff, and anyone //(or any**thing**)// can be a target. You are likely also familiar with our **propaganda operations**, where protests, bot swarms and hacktivism are used to raise awareness about issues important to the groups of Anons who run those operations. These types of operations can likewise be done over pretty much **any issue**, as officially Anonymous does not and never will "take sides" in things like politics.+Secondly, just about anything can be an op. Some types of ops you are probably already familiar with, such as our infamous [[tactics:ddos|DDOS attacks]] and hacking campaigns. These are basic **offensive operations**: Define a target and hit it with everything. Pretty standard stuff, and anyone //(or any**thing**)// can be a target. You are likely also familiar with our [[diy:propaganda]] operations, where protests, bot swarms and hacktivism are used to raise awareness about issues important to the groups of Anons who run those operations. These types of operations can likewise be done over pretty much **any issue**, as officially Anonymous does not and never will "take sides" in things like politics.
  
-While these are the most well-known forms which operations can take, they are merely the distilled byproduct of the raid culture pioneered in the days of old when "awareness operations" were unheard of. Offensive ops took a largely different form as well, involving more prank phone calls and unscheduled [[tactics:pizza-bomb|pizza deliveries]]. "Raids" //(as ops were once called)// used to consist of **actual raids**, when swarms of Anons would spam message boards, render chat platforms unusable, and clog up the phone lines of radio talk shows.+While these are the most well-known forms which operations can take, they are merely the distilled byproduct of the raid culture pioneered in the days of old when "awareness operations" were unheard of. Offensive ops took a largely different form as well, involving more [[tactics:prank-calls|prank phone calls]] and unscheduled [[tactics:pizza-bomb|pizza deliveries]]. "Raids" //(as ops were once called)// used to consist of **actual raids**, when swarms of Anons would spam message boards, render chat platforms unusable, and clog up the phone lines of radio talk shows.
  
 Surrealist pranks and stunts made up the backbone of raid culture, and so they offer another window into what operations can be. In those days, it was less about the specific target and more about the act of wanton destruction and chaos. Nobody ever really had a grudge against Tom Green - he just had a live call-in show that was easy to regurgitate memes on, and it was entertaining to watch him go insane on air. Similarly, the nationwide campaign to call Gamestop locations and ask for Battletoads had little to do with Gamestop's corporate policies, and more with getting store clerks to react in humorous ways. Meanwhile, raids like the infamous ones that took place on Habbo Hotel and Second Life were publicity vehicles for Anonymous to flex its brand in new territories and establish street cred. Surrealist pranks and stunts made up the backbone of raid culture, and so they offer another window into what operations can be. In those days, it was less about the specific target and more about the act of wanton destruction and chaos. Nobody ever really had a grudge against Tom Green - he just had a live call-in show that was easy to regurgitate memes on, and it was entertaining to watch him go insane on air. Similarly, the nationwide campaign to call Gamestop locations and ask for Battletoads had little to do with Gamestop's corporate policies, and more with getting store clerks to react in humorous ways. Meanwhile, raids like the infamous ones that took place on Habbo Hotel and Second Life were publicity vehicles for Anonymous to flex its brand in new territories and establish street cred.
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 +[{{ :diy:nonsenseraid.jpg?300|Contrary to popular belief, operations don't even have to make sense.}}]
  
 Of course, this isn't to say there were not specific hated targets back then, because there were a lot of those too. They just existed in a wider prankster culture that is now largely missing from modern Anonymous. However, this history is there for us to reference, and that data informs us of **organized pranks**, which are a type of op where the goal is merely humor and entertainment, or making complex statements when words fail. It also informs us of **chaos ops** where there is no goal other than generating discord and anarchy, because some of us just want to watch the world burn. Of course, this isn't to say there were not specific hated targets back then, because there were a lot of those too. They just existed in a wider prankster culture that is now largely missing from modern Anonymous. However, this history is there for us to reference, and that data informs us of **organized pranks**, which are a type of op where the goal is merely humor and entertainment, or making complex statements when words fail. It also informs us of **chaos ops** where there is no goal other than generating discord and anarchy, because some of us just want to watch the world burn.
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 ===== Ingredients for a Successful Operation ===== ===== Ingredients for a Successful Operation =====
 +
 +[{{ :diy:principles_of_war.jpg?250|There are no rules, just principles and smart ideas.}}]
  
 So what makes for a successful operation? Legwork. You cannot just declare an operation and expect it to take off. If you think it will have wide community support, throw that assumption out the window. Plan to do all of the work yourself, so you are not blindsided by failure. You need to buckle down, focus, get a plan together, and move on that plan, if you want your op to go anywhere. So what makes for a successful operation? Legwork. You cannot just declare an operation and expect it to take off. If you think it will have wide community support, throw that assumption out the window. Plan to do all of the work yourself, so you are not blindsided by failure. You need to buckle down, focus, get a plan together, and move on that plan, if you want your op to go anywhere.
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 === Squad Formation === === Squad Formation ===
 +
 +[{{ :diy:1307321699123.png?300|You can always have your friends join Anonymous if you need extra hands. They'll probably fit in just fine.}}]
  
 The ideal size for a team is **2 to 12 people**, known in military parlance as a **squad**. The ideal size for a team is **2 to 12 people**, known in military parlance as a **squad**.
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 === Larger Groups === === Larger Groups ===
 +
 +[{{ :diy:noneascruelasall.jpg?350|Getting the whole gang together these days is a rare feat, but Lord have mercy on those who must face its wrath.}}]
  
 We have found that when you try to pack more than a dozen people into one squad, group cohesion starts to fall apart and opsec becomes harder to control. If you end up at a point where you have more than a dozen people working the same op, try to encourage people to split into smaller squads so they may each tackle different aspects of the same op //(ie: a hacker squad doing the shady stuff while a PR squad handles marketing and the press)//. Dividing up large groups in this way will discourage clout chasers, keep Anons from stepping on each other's toes, contain bad actors, and reduce the opportunities for internal strife to arise. We have found that when you try to pack more than a dozen people into one squad, group cohesion starts to fall apart and opsec becomes harder to control. If you end up at a point where you have more than a dozen people working the same op, try to encourage people to split into smaller squads so they may each tackle different aspects of the same op //(ie: a hacker squad doing the shady stuff while a PR squad handles marketing and the press)//. Dividing up large groups in this way will discourage clout chasers, keep Anons from stepping on each other's toes, contain bad actors, and reduce the opportunities for internal strife to arise.
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 In fact, no matter the size of your group, you should count on all sorts of mysterious, curious and vindictive individuals trying to sniff out your group chats. The second anyone knows your team exists is the same second people will start plotting to infiltrate. This means that **secure communications** are something you need to have sorted from the start. Avoid unencrypted text messaging. Platforms like Signal, Session or Wire are a good start, but they aren't foolproof. Try not to use the same account that you use to talk with your family, coworkers or personal friends. Consult our [[security:comms|secure comms guide]] for more information on your options here. In fact, no matter the size of your group, you should count on all sorts of mysterious, curious and vindictive individuals trying to sniff out your group chats. The second anyone knows your team exists is the same second people will start plotting to infiltrate. This means that **secure communications** are something you need to have sorted from the start. Avoid unencrypted text messaging. Platforms like Signal, Session or Wire are a good start, but they aren't foolproof. Try not to use the same account that you use to talk with your family, coworkers or personal friends. Consult our [[security:comms|secure comms guide]] for more information on your options here.
  
-Avoid using your personal phone number to register for any messenger apps that use are using for operations, as it is a direct link to your physical location. Also avoid organizing these things on social media, as it is all heavily monitored and relatively easy for snoops to map out your entire social sphere. And for the love of God, **//do not organize operations on Discord!!!//** The reason you see operations conducted on Discord is because they are [[hazards:honeypots]] or otherwise run by [[hazards:rats|informants]], and so they do not have to worry about Big Tech and the Damn Government listening in. Do not be like them. Even an unencrypted [[tools:irc|IRC]] room is better than Discord. +Avoid using your personal phone number to register for any messenger apps that you are using for operations, as it is a direct link to your physical location. Also avoid organizing these things on social media, as it is all heavily monitored and relatively easy for snoops to map out your entire social sphere. And for the love of God, **//do not organize operations on Discord!!!//** The reason you see operations conducted on Discord is because they are [[hazards:honeypots]] or otherwise run by [[hazards:rats|informants]], and so they do not have to worry about Big Tech and the Damn Government listening in. Do not be like them. Even an unencrypted [[tools:irc|IRC]] room is better than Discord. 
  
 If your op is serious enough and you have the option, nothing beats in-person communications in a place where there are no microphones listening in. After all, nobody can steal or subpoena your logs, if logs do not exist in the first place. If your op is serious enough and you have the option, nothing beats in-person communications in a place where there are no microphones listening in. After all, nobody can steal or subpoena your logs, if logs do not exist in the first place.
 ==== Planning and Recon ==== ==== Planning and Recon ====
 +
 +[{{ :diy:cb4.jpg?300|You don't get to look as professional as this man unless you do your homework first.}}]
  
 The first step to a successful operation is **proper planning**. //You can start doing this at any time.// Some operations are started by a single lone Anon, who will recruit a team later. Other operations are started collectively as a squad. It doesn't really matter in which order it is done, so long as there is a coherent plan to start from. The first step to a successful operation is **proper planning**. //You can start doing this at any time.// Some operations are started by a single lone Anon, who will recruit a team later. Other operations are started collectively as a squad. It doesn't really matter in which order it is done, so long as there is a coherent plan to start from.
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   - Is there anyone outside your squad that you need on your side //(passively and/or actively)// for this op?   - Is there anyone outside your squad that you need on your side //(passively and/or actively)// for this op?
   - What are the collateral damage risks, if any?   - What are the collateral damage risks, if any?
 +  - Are there any specific laws this operation might come into conflict with?
  
 By figuring out the answers to these questions at the very beginning, you can save yourself much time that would be wasted on directionless meandering, and hit the ground running. By figuring out the answers to these questions at the very beginning, you can save yourself much time that would be wasted on directionless meandering, and hit the ground running.
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 You will also want to get a basic profile on third parties that you may be crossing paths with or operating near. **Even if you don't plan on interacting with them, you will want to keep them in mind to prevent unnecessary collateral damage which can turn people against you or incur legal liabilities.** This is one of the reasons it is so important to run extensive recon on the places you will be operating, so you can identify the third parties that will be in the area. And who knows, you may find that some of them could be potentially useful allies worth approaching down the line. You will also want to get a basic profile on third parties that you may be crossing paths with or operating near. **Even if you don't plan on interacting with them, you will want to keep them in mind to prevent unnecessary collateral damage which can turn people against you or incur legal liabilities.** This is one of the reasons it is so important to run extensive recon on the places you will be operating, so you can identify the third parties that will be in the area. And who knows, you may find that some of them could be potentially useful allies worth approaching down the line.
 +
 +Of course, **save copies of everything.** If you find a relevant news article online, print it right to PDF. Download photos. Don't count on anything remain where you found it. For more tips, read our [[diy:archival|archival guide]].
  
 Finally, **spend some time to read up on the lesson plans available here at the Anonymous Military Institute.** We have a plethora of [[:diy|guides]], [[:security|security tips]] and [[:hazards|hazard alerts]] which cover a wide range of operation types. Knowledge of [[:tactics|battlefield tactics]] and [[:history|military history]] will help you outsmart your enemies, and our [[:tools|software library]] and [[:arms|armory]] will help you outgun them. Don't forget to consult our [[:gear|gear portal]] if you are doing in-person operations. All of these pages are here for you Anon, so make use of them if you want to succeed. Finally, **spend some time to read up on the lesson plans available here at the Anonymous Military Institute.** We have a plethora of [[:diy|guides]], [[:security|security tips]] and [[:hazards|hazard alerts]] which cover a wide range of operation types. Knowledge of [[:tactics|battlefield tactics]] and [[:history|military history]] will help you outsmart your enemies, and our [[:tools|software library]] and [[:arms|armory]] will help you outgun them. Don't forget to consult our [[:gear|gear portal]] if you are doing in-person operations. All of these pages are here for you Anon, so make use of them if you want to succeed.
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 ==== Public Relations ==== ==== Public Relations ====
 +
 +[{{ :diy:anonymous_fox_11.jpg?300|Pictured: One of Anon's many infamous PR victories.}}]
  
 At one point in your operation, you will have to deal with people outside of your squad and the impression you leave on them. The art of managing how the outside world sees you and your operation is called **public relations**, or **PR** for short. The modern public relations industry was invented by a psychopath named [[wp>Edward Bernays]], but the skills and tricks involved in PR are almost as old as humanity itself. At one point in your operation, you will have to deal with people outside of your squad and the impression you leave on them. The art of managing how the outside world sees you and your operation is called **public relations**, or **PR** for short. The modern public relations industry was invented by a psychopath named [[wp>Edward Bernays]], but the skills and tricks involved in PR are almost as old as humanity itself.
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 === Postmortem Studies === === Postmortem Studies ===
  
-[{{ :diy:spacemonkey.jpg?300|Won't you say a few words to mark the occasion, Anon?}}]+[{{ :op:skunkape:spacemonkey.jpg?300|Won't you say a few words to mark the occasion, Anon?}}]
  
 One of the ongoing projects at the Anonymous Military Institute is [[op:skunkape|Operation Skunk Ape]]. Our research staff is actively tagging and tracking Anonymous squads and the operations they embark on. The field data we collect from our //"Space Apes"// is used to further refine our articles, guides and lesson plans. In turn this helps us train more competent operatives and chaos agents. One of the ongoing projects at the Anonymous Military Institute is [[op:skunkape|Operation Skunk Ape]]. Our research staff is actively tagging and tracking Anonymous squads and the operations they embark on. The field data we collect from our //"Space Apes"// is used to further refine our articles, guides and lesson plans. In turn this helps us train more competent operatives and chaos agents.
diy/ops.1731711502.txt.gz · Last modified: 2024/11/15 22:58 by Humphrey Boa-Gart

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